Grojogan Sewu Waterfall

A. Brief Information
Grojogan Sewu Waterfall is the model of worth visiting tourism destination in Central Java Province for its panoramic view of the nature. Situated on the area of 20 ha, Grojogan Sewu Waterfall is a combination of forest tourism and waterfall. The waterfall is under the management of Lembaga Konservasi SDA – KSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Institution) Bogor.

You will see the beauty of the waterfall which is 81 meters high. The water splashing down from the crag spreads out to every corner of the area. May be, that is the beauty of Grojogan Sewu Waterfall.

B. Distinctive Features
May be, you will be shocked with the number of monkeys that are intentionally bred outside the cage. Almost all the monkeys hanging around the location are tame. Just keep your meals during the visit to the location. No matter how you bring some food as your stock during the visit, feeding the monkeys are allowed.

Hundreds of ladderstep leading to the waterfall must be accessed when you are going to reach the bottom of the waterfall. Along the ladder, you can find some gazebos as the right places for you getting tired. You must be careful as there are many big stones when you are about to get close to the bottom of the waterfall. Considering the fast stream of the waterfall, you must avoid taking a bath directly under the waterfall. It is too risk for you, especially for your health. It is just enough for you taking a bath around the bottom of the waterfall that is safer.

Some supporting facilities can also be found there such as two separated pools for adults and children. Around the location, you will see splendid view of hilly land of Tawangmangu Sub-district.

C. Location
Grojogan Sewu Waterfall is located on the slope of Mount Sewu, Tawangmangu Sub-district, Karanganyar District, Central Java Province, Indonesia.

D. Access
You can take either public or private transportation. The cost for taking public transportation is about IDR 7000 (per March 2008) passing by Solo-Tawangmangu route from Tirtonadi bus station in Solo City. It is around 1,5 hours for accessing the location from Solo City.

Having arrived at the location, you need to walk to the location about one km away. Moreover, you can also take public transportation, type L300, with IDR 1000 for its cost. There are two gateways to enter the location, through the first gateway, on the peak of the area, and on the slope of the area.

E. Ticket Price
The entrance ticket to the location is IDR 6000 (per March 2008).

F. Accommodation and other Facilities
Some supporting facilities such as pool, mini zoo, and playground for children are available there. You can also find some food tent, souvenir shop, mosque, toilet, and fruit stall. Around the gateway, you can find some peddlers offering edelweiss, strawberry, handicraft and horse rentals likewise.

info: www.wisatamelayu.com

Jatijajar Cave

A. Brief Information
Jatijajar cave was naturally shaped out of limestone. It was discovered by a farmer namely Jayamenawi in 1802 A.D., when he was grassing then suddenly sunk into a hole. Some people lent a hand for him to come out of the hole by uncovering the thick grass covering the hole. Finally, they realized that the hole led to a cave which was assumed for having three ventilations on the wall.

The entire length of the cave is 250 meters, scattering from the entrance door to the way out. Not only that, the cave is 12 meters high, 15 meters square of width,10 meters of the canopy and situated at an altitude of 50 meters.

It was Suparjo Rustam – the Governor of Central Java - who had an idea to develop Jatijajar Cave as a valuable tourism destination in 1975. The building process was conducted by CV. AIS, Yogyakarta, headed by Saptoto, a famous dioramic expert coming from Yogyakarta. After that, the further management was taken over by the local government of Kebumen.

B. Distinctive Features
A spurting-water dinosaur statue, in front of the cave, symbolizes the urgency of the cave. People entering the location will pass by the mouth of the statue. The spurting-water from the statue‘s mouth comes from the Kantil River and the Mawar River. It is believed that the water never dries up even in drought season. Often, the water is utilized for irrigating the people‘s farms.

Exploring into the cave, you will see the wondrous scenery of surrounding area. Flickering lamps lightening the entrance door to the way out, enhance the comfort of your visit. Thus you are not necessary to be afraid of the illumination inside the cave. Some holes on the wall of the cave function as ventilation so that the air circulation within the cave keep on stable. In the center of the cave, there is a circle stone for your seat when you are tired, so you can keep enjoying the beauty of the cave.

About eight dioramas with 32 effigies depicting the story of Raden Kamandaka (commonly known as the story of Lutung Kasarung) – the son of Padjajaran King – who lived as an ascetic in the cave looking for divine inspiration, can be watch therein. He lived as an ascetic in Jatijajar Cave because the location, at the time, included into the territory of Padjajaran Kingdom (now West Java) with Bogor (cited in Batutulis inscription) as the capital.

While the entrace door to the cave is the mouth of dinosaur statue, the way out of the cave is the tail of the statue. The distinction of the cave from other caves in Indonesia is the existence of four underground rivers (seven in other sources) listed below: the Mawar River, the kantil River, the Jombor River, and the Puser Bumi River. The Mawar River and the Kantil River flow through narrow fissures penetrating the wall to the way out. By washing our face by the water of the Mawat River, it is assumed for being able to make us stay young. And, washing our face by the water of the Kantil River can make our dreams come true. The last two underground rivers, the Puser Bumi River and the Jombor River are intentionally considered as sacred by the management of the cave. People who want ot explore those two underground rivers must have permission from the management first.

C. Location
Jatijajar Cave lies in Jatijajar Village, Ayah Sub-district, Kebumen District, Central Java Province, Indonesia. It is about 21 km away southwetern direction of Gombong Sub-district.

D. Access
You can take either public or private transportation remembering the location of Jatijajar Cave can be easily accessed. For you taking public transportation, you need to take bus passing by Gombong – Jatijajar route from Gombong bus station.
E. Ticket Price
In the confirmation process

F. Accommodation and other Facilities
Around the location, you can easily find some guesthouses and restaurants with resonable prices. Moreover, some souvenir shops peddling various keepsakes, typical of Kebumen District. A park named Pulau Kera (literally means Monkey Island) is located in the complex of the cave that can be a right place for spending your holidays. It was named Pulau Kera because a monkey statue is located within.

info: www.wisatamelayu.com

Bledug Kuwu

A. Brief Information
Since the reign of old Mataram Kingdom (732 – 928 A.D.), bledug kuwu has been shaped out naturally from the volcanic mud in the district of Grobogan, Central Java, Indonesia. Over and above the existence of eternal fire resources of Mrapen and Kedungombo dam, Bledug Kuwu is the worth visiting tourism destination in Grobogan District, Central Java Province. Bledug Kuwu is derived from Javanese language, bledug means explotion/ to explode and kuwu/ kuwur means run or scattered about.

The early history of bledug kuwu was started when a man namely Joko Linglung was going home from the Pacific Ocean to Medang Kamulan Kingdom through a hole – that is now bledug kuwu – after defeating Prabu Dewata Cengkar. Joko Linglung made the hole himself as he was able to transform into a snake. Such ability was a requirement to be admitted as the son of Aji Saka, the roler of Medang Kamulan Kingdom.

B. Distinctive Features
Along the journey to bledug kuwu, you will see the natural view of thick forest, green farms, and beautiful hilly areas. In the location, you will see frequent small explotions of the mud every two to three minutes. The wallow mud area is 650 meters in diameter. Sometimes, the mud`s explotions can be as high as local inhabitants` houses.

The existence of bledug kuwu is utilized by local inhabitants for livehood resources by producing salt. The activity of local people in producing salt in the location is a distinction which is rarely found in the mainland. The expertise of local people in producing salt was recorded on the history of Surakarta Kingdom.

C. Location
Bledug Kuwu lies in Kuwu Village, Kradenan Sub-district, Grobogan District, Central Java Province, Indonesia.

D. Access
Taking public transportation like bus from Semarang bus station to the location requires IDR 10000 for the costs. Then, you must continue the trip to the location by taking minibus with IDR 5000 in charge.

E. Ticket Price
The entrance ticket to the location for observing the natural phenomenon of vulcanic mud in bledug kuwu is IDR 500 (per April 2008).

F. Accommodation and other Facilities
Some food stalls, guesthouses and other supporting facilities can be easily found around the location. Of course, the shops selling local salt can be found as well.

info: www.wisatamelayu.com

Baturaden

a. Brief Information
Batu Raden is a worth visiting tourism destination located in Banyumas District, Central Java. Since the first time it was officially launched for public visit, the location has been known as a mountainous tourism destination. Here you can see the wonderful scenery of the surrounding areas offering fresh air with approximately 18º - 25º Celsius in the average temperature. Taking a bird-eyes view from the peak of the location when the sun shines brightly, you can see the entire part of beautiful scenery of Purwokerto City, Nusakambangan Island, and some enchanted beaches in Cilacap coastal area. Batu Raden, 16,5 hectares in width of which 25 percent of the entire width, is opened for public investment (go public).
The name of Batu Raden itself stems from two Javanese words that are Batur (hill, land, friend, and assistant) and Raden (noble person). The combination of Batur and Raden then creates an interpretation that Batu Raden is a flat area possessing beautiful scenery.
Two folklores dealing with the origin of Batu Raden comes from Sheikh Maulana Maghribi and Kadipaten Kutaliman. According to Sheikh Maulana Maghribi, once Prince Rum from Turkey saw a mysterious light in the easternmost of Asia. Being eager to know what kind of light it was, he undertook an investigation to a place that now is known Batu Raden. In a short, after he reached the location, he found the source of the light that came from a Hindu hermit was leaning on a rose-apple tree.
Another story telling the origin of Batu Raden takes form in a romantic story involving Adipati Kutaliman, his consort, and his servant. There was a time that the consort fell in love with the servant. Knowing that relationship, both were alienated from royal family. No longer had they gone out from the royal family, the consort gave birth to a son in a riverbank located in the northern direction of Kutaliman District. The location where the consort gave birth now is known as Batu Raden.

b. Distinctive Features
Batu Raden is famous as a tourism destination where some other tourism destinations are available. You will discover some other interesting objects such as follows:
1. Botanical garden. Find multifarious flowers and other rare floras such as Havana flowers, Daun Dewa, Brimulia, Keladi Tikus, Antarium Lipstick, Paris Palm, and Widoro Laut. All these colourful flowers are available either for display or sold, hence you can buy them as souvenirs with reasonable prices.
2. Curug Gede. This site is located at Ketenger Village, approximately three kilometres from Batu Raden, where a beautiful waterfall exists there.
3. Pancuran Pitu. This site lies 2,5 km from Batu Raden – on the slope of Mount Slamet – and is a hot water spring - 60º - 70º Celsius in average.
4. Pancuran Telu. This site is officially launched on January 18th, 1987. The water from this site bears efficacy to heal some diseases that distinguishes the location from the others.
5. Wana Wisata. Lying two kilometres from Batu Raden, this location possesses enchanting green forest scenery and is the right place for camping.
6. Telaga Sunyi. A tranquil location wherein a pond with pure water is present there. This site is located about two kilometres eastern direction from Batu Raden.
7. Kaloka Widya Mandala Park. Invite your family here for the educational recreation. This location is a zoo where you can find various faunas inhabiting within. Moreover, here you can also visit a museum wherein numerous rare species bones are kept well.

Likewise, you may also experience cultural tourism like:
1. Grebeg Syura or Sedekah Bumi. This rite is commonly held on the ninth day of the first month of Islamic calendar. This rite is aimed at preventing bad deed and expelling evil spirits that may occur in this city.
2. Kenthongan (a bamboo tube).
3. Calung (a bamboo xylophone) and lengger. Calung is a musical instrument resembling a xylophone that is made of bamboo of which is played by striking on its body. Lengger is a traditional dance performed by two girls that is followed by musical tone from calung.
4. Banyumas traditional clothes. In Banyumas District, you can find two models of traditional clothes categorized based on the Banyumas people‘s social status, which are wong cilik (proletarian) and bangsawan (high class). Traditional clothes for proletarian take form in ancingan, bebed wala, pinjungan, iketan, and nempean, while high class‘s traditional clothes are usually called beskap – for male – and nyamping – for female.
5. Ebeg or Kuda Lumping. This one is the Javanese hobby-horse trance dance that is commonly performed by several male-dancers sitting astride on bamboo horses. This traditional dancer is usually followed by traditionally musical performance namely bendhe.
6. Sadranan. Visiting to a holy site, usually graveyard, then is preceded by kenduren – the Javanese ceremony for preventing the village from evil spirit.

c. Location
You can find Batu Raden on the slope of Mount Slamet. This location is situated at an altitude of 640 meters. You can reach the location from the heart of Purwokerto City (14 km in distance), Banyumas District, Central Java Province.

d. Access
You can easily access the location by taking any public or private transport. It usually spends about 15 minutes, when the road is not crowded, from Purwokerto City.

e. Ticket Price
You need to pay IDR 3.000/person. However, you have to pay additional entrance ticket for these conditions below:
* IDR 1.000 for those who take a motorcycle inside the location
* IDR 4.000 for those who take private or chartered cars, unless a minibus, inside the location
* IDR 5.500 for those who bring a minibus inside the location
* IDR 1.000 to visit a botanical garden inside the location
* IDR 1.000 to visit Curug Gede
* IDR 5.000 to visit Pancuran Pitu, Pancuran Telu, and Curug Gede
* IDR 2.500 to visit Kaloka Widya Mandala Park.

f. Accommodation and other Facilities
Your visit to Batu Raden will be more exciting as there are supporting facilities that are intentionally provided by the location‘s management. Those supporting facilities are:
* Swimming pool (IDR 1.500 of entrance ticket)
* Body-sliding pool (IDR 1.500 of entrance ticket)
* Sulphurous bathing pool (IDR 15.000 of entrance ticket)
* Water cycling (IDR 1.500 of entrance ticket)
* VIP class Hot water pool (IDR 3.000 of entrance ticket – 15 minutes in maximum)
* The first class Hot water (IDR 2.000 of entrance ticket – 15 minutes in maximum)
* Merry-go-around arena (IDR 1.500 of entrance ticket)

The areas surrounding Batu Raden offer various choices for you who want to stay more days there. You can find lodgements, small hotels, and inns around the location. In the east of the location, you can, likewise, easily find hotels and inns. However, the center for numerous hospitality services are located in the west of the location, where you can easily find tour and travel agents, restaurants, public buildings, spas, bungalows, souvenir shops, and many more.

Borobudur Temple

The Borobudur Temple is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world. This temple is located at Borobudur District, South of Magelang, Central Java.

The expression of experts who had been studying Borobudur Temple varied someway. Bernet Kempers' expression was: “Borobudur is Borobudur”, meaning that Borobudur Temple is very unique in her own way. Nieuwenkamp (an artist) imaginated Borobudur as “a big lotus flower bud ready to bloom” which was “floating” on a lake. Nieuwenkamp’s imagination was supported by N. Rangkuti (1987) that from the air, the Borobudur Temple looks floating. From the geological studies, experts were able to prove that Borobudur area was one time a big lake. Most of the villages around Borobudur Temple were at the same altitude, 235 meters above the sea-level. The same altitude included the Pawon and Mendut temples. Thus the area under 235 meter altitude was below the lake water level.

Based on the inscription dated 842 AD, Casparis suggested that Borobudur was one time a place for praying. The inscription stated a phrase such as: “Kawulan i Bhumi Sambhara”. Kawulan means the origin of holiness, “bhumi sambhara” is a name of a place in Borobudur. Paul Mus stated that Borobudur Temple had the structure of stupa (conical form) with double expression. As a whole, the Borobudur Temple was an open-flat stupa, but on the other hand, the temple expressed the idea of a “closed world”. The latter expression could be felt when one is already inside the temple. Whenever person is inside the temple, his or her view will be limited to high walls full on relieves, the verandah is always squared in such a way that one could not see other parts of the temple, even in a same floor. The same feeling happened if one stood on arupadhatu round platform, he or she will have a wider view only on that level, but are not able to see the lower level nor the upper level like the one on rupadhatu and kamandhatu. It could be said that Borobudur is a symbol of cosmic mountain covered by the sky roof, a specific world that could be reached through isolated alleys as stages. The closed structural design of the temple expressed the concept of a closed world, not just a technical reasons as had been suggested by other experts ( Daud AT, 1987)

Borobudur was built by Sanmaratungga in the 8th century, and belongs to Buddha Mahayana. Borobudur was revealed by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1814. The temple was found in ruined condition and was buried.

The overall height was 42 meters, but was only 34.5 meters after restoration, and had the dimension of 123 x 123 meters (15,129 square meters). There were 10 floors. The first floor up to the sixth floor was square form, the seventh to the tenth floor were round form.

Borobudur is facing to the East with a total of 1460 panels (2 meters wide each). Total size of the temple walls was 2500 square meters, full of relief. The total number of panels with relief was 1212. According to investigations, the total number of Buddha statue was 504 including the intact and damaged statues. The temple undergone restoration from 1905 to 1910, and the last restoration was done in 1973 to 1983.

Structural Design of Borobudur Temple

Ever since the first excavation, most experts speculated on the exact shape of the temple. Hoenig, in his book “Das form problem des Borobudur” speculate that the original form of Borobudur Temple had four gates and nine floors. The form of Borobudur Temple is similar to temples found in Cambodia. According to Parmenteir, the huge single stupa on top of the temple made the smaller stupas in the lower part looked drowned. Stutterheim who had been studying stupas in India and other parts of Asia concluded that the stupa structure was an Indian origin. The original purpose of stupa building was as storage of Buddha Gautama and other holy priests cremation ash.

According to Stutterheim, the overall form of Borobudur Temple is a combination of zigurat (middle Asian Pyramid) and Indian stupa. Stutterheim opinion was supported by the existence of this type of form in Ancient Javanese literature.

The relief of Borobudur temple started from the base of the temple up to the fourth platform. The relieves at the base contained the story of Karmawibhangga. Under the main panel and above the Karmawibhangga relief, a wide-sized relief was inscripted at the wall. From this point along the alley, the relief did not show story in the sequence, but as a repeating part of the story with the same motives which expressed the world of spiritual beings such as half demonic body (Gandharwa, giants or Yataka, dragon, Sidha or angels and their ladies friends, Apsara and Nagi, all of them are heavenly beings who are tender and beautiful.

Division of panels are: the first panel expressed a heavenly being in sitting position, on both side of this panel are small panel with a small standing statue. This figures are repeated 26 times for each side of the wall. Between the panels is carved three bodies, a male flanked by two women.

Relieves at the Walls of the Alley

There was a long series of main relieves at the first alley, either at the main wall or at the inner side of Kutamara wall. Relieves at the Kutamara wall depicted Jataka's and Awadana's, a story of Buddha's life which expressed as Bodhisatwa, due to his good deeds in the past. Sometimes, Buddha is expressed in the form of animals such as rabbit, monkeys etc. As it was told in animated stories, the story was adopted from Sanskrit book, Jatakamala. Only one third of the relieves were known, the rest was still unclear.

The lower relieves of the main wall contained the same story. The upper relieves also had the same story as the lower one. The story contained the life of Buddha consisting of 120 frames until he began teaching Buddha religion. The first frame began from the South of stairway of the curved gate at the East, and follow the path of the sun (the temple on the right side). The life story of Buddha was adopted from Lalitawistara book.

At the second alley, Jataka and Awadana story were continued on the inner side of Utamara, and on the main wall, story was began with stories adopted from Gandhawyuha. This story was so long that it occupied the main wall and inner side wall of Utamara at the third and fourth alley. The story showed the adventure of a Sudhana who met Bodhisatwa Maytreya (the future Buddha) to have religious lesson from the Buddha. Later on, the Sudhana met with Bodhisatwa Mandjusri, and finally he met with Dyani Bodhisatwa Samanta Badra, who gave the highest wisdom. Most of those stories expressed the use of spiritual strength and unusual happenings.

There were many beautiful ornaments inscripted at the wall of the fourth alley, because the fifth alley did not contained any ornaments. The fifth alley is a transitional alley to the next platform, the round platform. The next round platforms also did not contained any ornaments at all (Kaylan,1959).

Thus the area under 235 meter altitude was below the lake water level.

Based on the inscription dated 842 AD, Casparis suggested that Borobudur was one time a place for praying. The inscription stated a phrase such as: “Kawulan i Bhumi Sambhara”. Kawulan means the origin of holiness, “bhumi sambhara” is a name of a place in Borobudur. Paul Mus stated that Borobudur Temple had the structure of stupa (conical form) with double expression. As a whole, the Borobudur Temple was an open-flat stupa, but on the other hand, the temple expressed the idea of a “closed world”. The latter expression could be felt when one is already inside the temple. Whenever person is inside the temple, his or her view will be limited to high walls full on relieves, the verandah is always squared in such a way that one could not see other parts of the temple, even in a same floor. The same feeling happened if one stood on arupadhatu round platform, he or she will have a wider view only on that level, but are not able to see the lower level nor the upper level like the one on rupadhatu and kamandhatu. It could be said that Borobudur is a symbol of cosmic mountain covered by the sky roof, a specific world that could be reached through isolated alleys as stages. The closed structural design of the temple expressed the concept of a closed world, not just a technical reasons as had been suggested by other experts ( Daud AT, 1987)

Borobudur was built by Sanmaratungga in the 8th century, and belongs to Buddha Mahayana. Borobudur was revealed by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1814. The temple was found in ruined condition and was buried.

The overall height was 42 meters, but was only 34.5 meters after restoration, and had the dimension of 123 x 123 meters (15,129 square meters). There were 10 floors. The first floor up to the sixth floor was square form, the seventh to the tenth floor were round form.

Borobudur is facing to the East with a total of 1460 panels (2 meters wide each). Total size of the temple walls was 2500 square meters, full of relief. The total number of panels with relief was 1212. According to investigations, the total number of Buddha statue was 504 including the intact and damaged statues. The temple undergone restoration from 1905 to 1910, and the last restoration was done in 1973 to 1983.

The overlooked attractions of Central Java's north coast

The gunpowder smell of fresh rain in the night air hit me as I climbed down from the train in Semarang. By the time I reached the station gates and had clambered into a waiting becak (pedicab), a thunderous -- and highly unseasonable downpour had begun.

I peered from beneath the becak's dripping hood as it rolled along the empty streets. This was an old city, and I caught glimpses of heavy Dutch rooflines, crumbling columns and arched windows. Shadowy figures sheltered beneath shuttered balconies, and other becaks rolled swiftly through the wet night, their drivers straining urgently at the peddles.

I stopped at the only place open on this dark street: a caf* in a high-ceilinged old building with slow-circling fans. The walls were decorated with photographs of Semarang in years past, and the caf* was known simply as "No. 29" (opposite Blenduk Church). I ordered a plate of juicy sate and a glass of iced tea, and sat peering out at the wet darkness. The rain continued to fall.

Semarang is not high on any must-see list for travelers. Overshadowed by its southern counterpart, the touristic behemoth of Yogyakarta, it's easy to forget that this coastal city of 1.5 million people is the capital of Central Java, and one of the oldest settlements in Indonesia.