History
The history of Indonesia can be marked as the dawn of mankind since it is where the remains of the early man were unearthed. During the ancient age of kingdoms and empires, Indonesia saw the rise of the great empires that ruled over almost all of South-East Asia and regarded to play a key role in the history of the region. After gaining independence from foreign colonization and the wave of both World Wars, Indonesia emerged as one united country and continued to thrive amongst the top nations of the world to this very day.
Attractions
Holiday with family brings much more joy than a loner, and we are aware of it. Therefore, to make sure your family and you have the most exciting experience, Indonesia provides the best attractions in the country. Let the kids running around our great theme parks. Courage yourself to explore rivers to get the most thrilling rafting experience. To sum it up, we have all the attractions to keep you entertained.
Cultures & Beliefs
The Dramatic Kecak Dance: Episode Taken from the Ramayana Epic Poem
A visit to the dramatic island of Bali will not be complete without watching some of the most captivating traditional performances the island has to offer. Aside from Barong and Janger Dances, another dazzling performance you definitely don’t want to miss is the traditional Kecak Dance, one of Balinese artistic masterpieces in the form of a dance and musical drama.
Held in the open air at sunset , usually above a cliff facing the sea, the drama depends entirely on the natural light of day. Starting at dusk, the story continues into the dark, when only light comes only from flickering bamboo torches.
What makes this dance particularly unique is that the drama uses no artificial backdrop, involving no musical instrument. The focus is entirely on the concentric circles of about 50-60 men, bare-chested, wearing only distinct Balinese sarongs sitting cross-legged around a set of torches in the center.
Instead of the traditional “gamelan” orchestra which usually accompanies other Balinese traditional performances, the Kecak is simply accompanied by the chanting of the chorus of men representing an army of monkeys continuously intoning “Cak! Cak! Cak!” or “Keh-Chak" in polyrhythmic sounds during almost the entire performance. This amazing human voiced orchestra is led by a soloist, who is in charge of indicating the high and low notes, and also acts as narrator. The effect, after a while, is to provide a wall of dramatic sound against which the action of the play is enacted.
The performance relates the shorter version of the epic Ramayana Saga with dancers playing as Rama, Shinta (Sita), Lakshmana, Rahwana (Ravana), Hanoman (Hanuman), Sugriwa (Sugriva), and other characters. The storyline starts when Prince Rama wanders into the woods with his wife Shinta and brother Lakshmana. There, the giant Rahwana kidnaps Shinta and holds her in his palace. Rama then seeks help and sends Lakhsmana to find his friend Sugriwa, the King of the Monkey Kingdom. Sugriwa sends his commander the white monkey, by the name of Hanoman, to check on Shinta in Rahwana’s Palace.
Arts & Crafts
Batik Solo: Keeping The Tradition Alive
The two famous traditional cloths produced in Solo are batik and lurik. Batik is an important icon of Indonesian culture. The batik which comes from the areas around Solo and Yogya is known as court batik. Traditionally the colors used in this batik are blue to symbolize earth, brown to symbolize fire and white to symbolize air and water. Batik Solo uses sogan (chocolate brown) on a pale yellow background.
3590 Views
vote like 3 Loved This
Batik Solo: Keeping The Tradition Alive
Wed, 15 Jan 2020
The two famous traditional cloths produced in Solo are batik and lurik. Batik is an important icon of Indonesian culture. The batik which comes from the areas around Solo and Yogya is known as court batik. Traditionally the colors used in this batik are blue to symbolize earth, brown to symbolize fire and white to symbolize air and water. Batik Solo uses sogan (chocolate brown) on a pale yellow background.
If you’re shopping for batik in Solo try Pasar Klewer, a textile market with a bewildering array of batik. Prices here can be almost half what you would pay in a store. The selection of prints on sale can be overwhelming so remember to keep focused on exactly what you want. It is best to go shopping here as early as you can as it gets hot and crowded quickly.
Bargaining skills are essential and all part of the fun. The price will vary depending on the quality of the cloth, the process, the amount of detail, the quality of the dye and the presence of any defects.
Be Delighted with Yogyakarta's Delicious and Luscious Delicacies
This city offers many luscious delicacies. From bakpia cookies, wingko babat, to enting-enting kacang, visitors will be delighted to find there are so many delicious choices here in this town. Gudeg is one of Jogjakarta's specialties. This dish is made of young jackfruit with traditional herbs, sometimes with eggs and chicken. Cow's inner skin, cooked until tender, usually accompanies gudeg with steamed rice.
Most traditional restaurants in Yogyakarta sell this specialty. But, don't let the sweet taste of gudeg fool you, however, the chili sauce of Javanese food can be really, really spicy because it is made mainly from cabai rawit the spiciest chili in Indonesia.
Borobudur Temple, Indonesia
Located on the island of Java, the magnificent Borobudur temple is the world’s biggest Buddhist monument, an ancient site widely considered to be one of the world’s seven wonders. The temple sits majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields and distant hills. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Syailendra dynasty, the temple’s design in Gupta architecture reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.
It covers an enormous area, measuring 123 x 123 meters. The monument is a marvel of design, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The architecture and stonework of this temple has no equal. And it was built without using any kind of cement or mortar! The structure is like a set of massive interlocking Lego blocks held together without any glue.
The temple has remained strong even through ten centuries of neglect. It was rediscovered in 1815, buried under volcanic ash. In the 1970’s the Indonesian Government and UNESCO worked together to restore Borobudur to its former majesty The restoration took eight years to complete and today Borobudur is one of Indonesia and the world’s most valuable treasures.
The temple is decorated with stone carvings in bas-relief representing images from the life of Buddha. Commentators claim that this is the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist reliefs in the world, unsurpassed in artistic merit.
Flora & Fauna
10 Reasons to Visit the Magnificent Komodo National Park
Located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores in the East Nusatenggara province, sits the vast and impressive Komodo National Park.. The Komodo National Park encompasses a total of 29 volcanic islands (including the 3 major islands Rinca, Padar and Komodo) and is home to approximately 2,500 Komodo Dragons and other terrestrial fauna such as various species of reptiles, birds, and mammals. The park’s terrain is uniquely diverse, consisting of a mountainous hillside, tropical rain forests, grass-woodland savannah, and pristine white sandy beaches that harbor rich marine biodiversity. The marine environment in the Komodo National Park is one of the world’s richest in flora and fauna and is still relatively undiscovered. The 2,000 km2 park (which includes protected land and water), is recognized as a global conservation priority area and has an array of natural attractions.
4171 Views
vote like 11 Loved This
10 Reasons to Visit the Magnificent Komodo National Park
Tue, 15 Oct 2019
Located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores in the East Nusatenggara province, sits the vast and impressive Komodo National Park.. The Komodo National Park encompasses a total of 29 volcanic islands (including the 3 major islands Rinca, Padar and Komodo) and is home to approximately 2,500 Komodo Dragons and other terrestrial fauna such as various species of reptiles, birds, and mammals. The park’s terrain is uniquely diverse, consisting of a mountainous hillside, tropical rain forests, grass-woodland savannah, and pristine white sandy beaches that harbor rich marine biodiversity. The marine environment in the Komodo National Park is one of the world’s richest in flora and fauna and is still relatively undiscovered. The 2,000 km2 park (which includes protected land and water), is recognized as a global conservation priority area and has an array of natural attractions.
For the first time travelers to this wonderful piece of Indonesia, here are 10 tips to help you explore this great National Park.
