Monday, August 17, 2009

Gunung Leuser National Park

Gunung Leuser National Park represents several ecosystem types, from coastal forest ecosystem through tropical lowland forest ecosystem to montane forest ecosystem. Most of the Park area is covered with thick Dipterocarpaceae forest with rivers and waterfalls flowing through it. There are some endangered and peculiar plants, namely daun payung raksasa (Johannesteijsmannia altifrons), rafflesia flowers (Rafflesia atjehensis and R. micropylora), and Rhizanthes zippelnii-the biggest flower, with a diameter of 1.5 metres. In addition, there is one plant unique to the area: the ara, a strangling plant.

Endangered and protected animal species which inhabit the Park include orangutan (Pongo abelii), siamang (Hylobates syndactylus syndactylus), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis), serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis sumatrana).

Gunung Leuser National Park has been declared a Biosphere Reserve. Under a cooperation program between Indonesia and Malaysia, the Park is also designated as a "Sister Park" to the Taman Negara in Malaysia.



Interesting locations/attractions:

Gurah: fantastic views, valleys, waterfalls; animals and plants such as Rafflesia, orangutans, birds, snakes and butterflies.
Bohorok: an orangutan rehabilitation centre; ecotourism activities like kayaking/canoeing, camping, and birdwatching.
Kluet
: boating on rivers and lakes, trekking through coastal forest and caving. Kluet is also a habitat of tigers.
Sekundur
: camping, caving, animal observation.
Ketambe and Suak Belimbing
: suitable place for research on primates and other animals; research facilities include accommodation and a library.
Gunung (Mount) Leuser (3,404 m asl.) and Mt. Kemiri (3,314 m asl.)
: mountain climbing and hiking.
River rafting along the Alas River
: start from Gurah-Muara Situlen-Gelombang for a three-day trip.

Cultural attractions outside the Park include the Lake Toba Festival in June (held on the Lake) and the Malay Culture Festival held in July in Medan.

Best time of year to visit
: June to October.

How to reach the Park: Medan-Kutacane about 8 hours by car (240 km), Kutacane-Gurah/Ketambe about 30 minutes by car (35 km), Medan-Bohorok/Bukit Lawang about 1 hour by car (60 km), Medan-Sei Betung/Sekundur about 2 hours by car (150 km), Medan-Tapaktuan about 10 hours by car (260 km).

Monday, July 27, 2009

Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park




Gunung Gede-Pangrango National Park, designated in 1980, is one of the first five national parks in Indonesia. However, its unique characteristics have made it a natural laboratory for researchers since long before this time.


In 1819, C.G.C Reinwardt was recorded as the first person to climb Gunung (Mount) Gede, followed by F.W Junghuhn (1839-1861), J.E Teysman (1839), A.R Wallace (1861), S.H Koorders (1890), M. Treub (1891), W.M van Leeuen (1911), and C.G.G.J. van Steenis in 1920 and 1952. They made a collection of plants which formed the basis for a book entitled "The Mountain Flora of Java", published in 1972.


Gunung Gede-Pangrango National Park represents a distinct diversity of ecosystems: a sub-montane ecosystem, a montane ecosystem, a sub-alpine ecosystem, a lake ecosystem, a marshland ecosystem, and a savanna ecosystem.


The sub-montane ecosystem is characterized by many large, tall trees like jamuju (Dacrycarpus imbricatus) and puspa (Schima wallichii). The sub-alpine ecosystem, meanwhile, is characterized by grassy meadows of Isachne pangerangensis, edelweiss flower (Anaphalis javanica), violet (Viola pilosa), and sentigi (Vaccinium varingiaefolium).

Among the endangered animal species that can be found in the Park are primate species which are now threatened with extinction such as the Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch), Javan leaf monkey (Presbytis comata comata), ebony leaf monkey (Trachypithecus auratus auratus); panther (Panthera pardus), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis javanensis), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak muntjak), lesser Malay mouse deer (Tragulus javanicus javanicus), Asian wild dog (Cuon alpinus javanicus), southeast Asian porcupine (Hystrix brachyura brachyura), stink badger (Mydaus javanensis), and yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula).

Gunung Gede-Pangrango is widely known for its wealth of bird species: 251 of the 450 species in Java inhabit this Park. Among these are endangered species like the Javan hawk eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi), and the owl (Otus angelinae).

UNESCO declared Gunung Gede-Pangrango National Park a Biosphere Reserve in 1977, and it is a Sister Park to Taman Negara Malaysia, under a cooperation signed in 1995 between Indonesia and Malaysia.

This Park is surrounded by ancient superstitions and beliefs. Legend has it that the spirits of Eyang Suryakencana and Prabu Siliwangi guard Mt. Gede to keep it from erupting. Even now, at certain times of the year, people flock to the caves around Mt. Gede to meditate or hold ritual ceremonies. 


Interesting locations/attractions:
Biru Lake: a small lake, covering about five hectares, situated at 1,575 m asl. It is located 1.5 km from the Cibodas entrance gate. Its blue colour (and name) comes from a covering of blue algae.
Cibeureum Waterfall: 50 metres high, this waterfall is located 2.8 km from Cibodas and attracts a lot of visitors. Around the waterfall, it is possible to see a kind of red moss which is endemic to West Java.
Thermal springs: about 5.3 km, or a two-hour walk from Cibodas.
Kandang Batu and Kandang Badak: camping, and plant and animal observation. At an altitude of 2,220 m asl., this site is 7.8 km, or a three-to-five hour trip from Cibodas.
Summit and crater of Mt. Gede: a magnificent place to watch the sunrise or sunset; the towns of Cianjur, Sukabumi, and Bogor can be clearly seen, as well as unusual plants around the crater. It is also interesting from a geological point of view. At this peak, three active craters - Lanang, Ratu and Wadon - are united in a single complex, at an altitude of 2,958 m asl. The craters are 9.7 km, or a five-hour hike, from Cibodas.
Alun-alun Suryakencana (Suryakencana Meadow): a 50-hectare plain covered with edelweiss flowers. The meadow is situated at an altitude of 2,750 m asl., and is 11.8 km, or a six-hour hike, from Cibodas.
Mt. Putri and Selabintana: camping grounds which can accommodate 100 to 150 people.

Best time of year to visit: June to September.

How to reach the Park: Jakarta-Bogor-Cibodas, about 2.5 hours by car (100 km), or Bandung-Cipanas-Cibodas, about 2 hours by car (75 km).

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Pacet-Cangar-Batu


Until recently, the only way to get to Batu from the resorts of Tretes and Pacet, aside from walking over the mountains, was via Malang, a distance of some 70 km or more. Now there is a new route, giving direct access to Batu from Pacet. The village of Pacet is not far from Trawas and the site of Reco Lanang. The road winds up steeply through primeval forest in the foothills of Mt Welirang, eventually emerging at Cangar, an isolated hamlet renowned for its hot mineral pools and streams.

From here, the road descends to Batu, passing through a patchwork of fertile hill plantations. The mountain panorama is breathtaking, especially to the east, where the Bromo/Semeru massif dominates the horizon.The scenic beauty of Batu is almost alpine in appearance and the resort is sometimes even referred to as Java's 'little Switzerland'.Of course, there are differences. Bamboo grows in abundance, the wood being split to create a maze of fences surrounding the fruit and vegetable plantations.


The cool climate and fertile soil are ideal for growing fruits like apples, for which Batu is well known all over the island. The town is just 20 km from Malang and offers a good selection of hotels, shops and recreation facilities.There are a number of interesting places to visit in the immediate vicinity, among them the hot mineral pools and ancient Hindu temple at Songgoriti, Coban Rondo waterfall on the road to Pujon, as well as the attractive lake at Selorejo. Interesting day trips from Batu can include Coban Rondo, Selorejo and, further down the hill towards Pare, the 14th century temple ruins of Surawana and Tigowangi.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Coban Rondo Waterfall

The Coban Rondo waterfall (we called The Wana Wisata Air Terjun Coban Rondo) is a beautiful waterfall and gives peacefull impression. The experiences never forget is The way to the waterfall, on the right and left side you can see the beautiful of aligment cypress and pine trees. The coban rondo waterfall was located 12 km from the Batu City, or to be precise in the Pandansari Village. Pujon. In the coban rondo you will be experienced by a waterfall with the height 60 m.


The Wana Wisata Air Terjun Coban Rondo region was the region that most was easy to be followed. The road to enter towards the location has been asphalted, so as really facilitated tourists if wanting to visit this waterfall. Around the waterfall of Coban Rondo, was filled pine trees and the mountain casuarina, made the atmosphere in this tourist attraction feel like cool. From this area , you can see also the panorama of Batu town.

The Coban Rondo waterfall kept the unique legend. It seems, under the waterfall was gotten the residence cave of a woman was named Dewi Anjarwati. Her husband, Raden Baron Kusuma fought against Joko Lelono, the young man who was interested with the beauty of Dewi Anjarwati and will kidnap her. Raden Baron was killed in the battle and the wife him was hidden in the cave by her servant. Therefore this place was given by the name of the Coban Rondo Waterfall (the widow’s waterfall).

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Kelimutu

Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis. Subaqueous fumaroles are the probable cause of active upwelling that occurs at the two eastern lakes.

The lake have been a source of minor phreatic eruptions in historical time. The summit of the compound 1639-m-high Kelimutu volcano is elongated two km in a WNW-ESE direction; the older cones of Kelido and Kelibara are located respectively three km to the north and two km to the south. The scenic lakes are a popular tourist destination.