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Indonesian Wonder

Indonesian Wonder (592)

11
August

Pangandaran is a regency in West Java province. It is directly border with Indian Ocean to the South, so that Pangandaran has beautiful beaches. One of them is Madasari beach, which is located at Masawah village, Cimerak subdistrict. The beach has a cluster of coral hills which is filled with trees and shrubs. Unfortunately you only can enjoy its beautiful panorama from the side of the beach or from the peak of coral hills. The sea surrounding the beach is dangerous because it has big waves, thereby there is a prohibition to swim in the sea.

If you are interested to see the beautiful views of Madasari beach when the waves hits the rocks, you can climb the coral hills near the beach. We suggest you to be careful and use comfortable shoes when climbing the hills. Uniquely the hills on Madasari Beach have the names respectively, such as Batu Gedogan, Batu Sebrotan, Batu Leuit, Legok Gandu, Cariuk, and Pandan Nyampai. If you want to enjoy the beauty of the beach from the shore, you have to be careful when the water is receding. You will find some species of sea animals like sea urchin. When stepped on, you will be pierced by the sea animal's spines. In addition, you can also enjoy the beauty of the sunset. If you also want to watch the sunrise, you have to camp in the grass area that has been provided to the visitors. Visiting this tourist object, you can also explore the natural surroundings.

To enter Madasari beach area, the ticket price is not based on the number of visitors but only the vehicles, so the price could be variable. From Parigi, the center of the capital city of Pangandaran, it is about 31 kilometers, takes about 1 hour by car. Along the trip to Madasari Beach you will pass some other tourist sites namely Batukaras Beach and Green Canyon. Because each location of the objects are closely, after traveling to Madasari beach, you have to continue your visit to Batukaras and Green Canyon beaches, so you can feel the sensation of journey to Pangandaran, West Java.

10
August

Indonesia has not only amazing natural tourism object, but also some religious destinations which are quite popular. One of them is Maria Annai Velangkanni church in North Sumatra province. The church is located on Jalan Sakura, Tanjung Selamat in Medan. It is quite unique because it looks like a temple in India.

At glance, Maria Annai Velangkanni church looks like a temple in India because the founder of the church, Pastor James Bharataputra S.J. was inspired with the temple in India. The church started being built in 2001 and finished in 2005. The name of Annai Velangkani is taken from Indian language. Annai means mother and Velangkanni means where the virgin Mary appeared. The appearance of the virgin Mary becomes the background why the Catholic church with Mogul architecture was built. Mogul architecture is the characteristic of temple in India.

Previously, Maria Annai Velangkanni church was for Tamil Catholics in Medan. But in the development of the church, all Catholics can come and make pilgrimage without boundary of origin or race. Since, the church is actually presented for all Catholics and also a tourism object for tourists. Multicultural aspect of the church can be seen through the structure of its building which has various symbols. Take for example; the entrance gate is decorated with miniature of traditional houses of Batak Toba and Karo. At the right pole of the gate, there is a carving of an Indian woman who is dancing and on the left pole, there is a Chinese man who is giving a greeting. Then, along the wall of the gate, there is also a statue of Indonesian tribes.

Maria Annai Velangkani church consists of two levels. The ground floor becomes a hall. The first floor is a place of worship with a balcony whose 14 windows tell about the way of cross. On the second floor, there is an Annai Velangkanni statue with her son which is directly brought from India. Over there, there are also 20 windows which tell events in the life of Jesus, equipped with seven levels of towers with three domes that symbolize heaven. At the left side, there is Annai Velangkanni chapel for daily worship and in front, there is a mini park to commemorate the Pope Yohanes Paulus II. There is also a park for children and a Graha complex to accommodate visitors to stay for free.

07
August

Pelite cake

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Published in Indonesian Wonder

Muntok has been registered as one of the Heritage cities in Indonesia. Besides being known as a historical city, Muntok is also known as the City of Thousand cakes. There are Pelite, Bluder, Gomag, Lemper, and Jongkong cakes. Today  we are going to introduce you one of the typical cakes of Muntok, namely Pelite cake.

Pelite is white color cake which is wrapped in pandan leaves. Some people call it a pelite daun cake, because if the banana leaf or pandan leaf is opened, then the bottom part of the cake will look like a wick of lamp. Other people call it sampan cake, because it looks like a boat. This Pelite cake is made from rice flour, coconut milk and white sugar as well as its container formed like takir from pandan or banana leaves. To make the pelite cake, all the ingredients are processed become a dough. Then it is steamed in a container made of pandan or banana leaves.  When it is eaten, the texture of this cake is so soft. It tastes sweet and savory. People of Muntok usually  enjoy Pelite cake in the morning and afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee.   Pelite is sold with relatively cheap, only Rp. 1,500 - Rp. 2,500 per piece.

Pelite Cake was the favorite cake of the first president of Indonesia Sukarno  when he  together with Mohammad Hatta, Haji Agus Salim, and Mohammad Roem were exiled to Bangka Island precisely in Muntok, West Bangka, in 1949. At the time, the upheaval of Indonesia's struggle after the independence was still happening amid the  exile. This sweet-tasted cake was the snack for Bung Karno every morning or when drinking tea or coffee in the afternoon.  President Soekarno also brought the cake when he  invited the local people of Muntok to trip to Tanjung Kalian beach, Muntok.

05
August

The traditional village of Wae Rebo in Manggarai district on the island of Flores, East Nusa Tenggara has received UNESCO Best Excellence Award at the "UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards 2012", which was announced in Bangkok, Thailand on August 27, 2012. This small and isolated village is known for rebuilding Mbaru Niang's traditional house based on the spirit of community cooperation towards sustainable traditions. At the same time, the development program improves the welfare of the villagers. To reach the village which is located around 1,100 meters above sea level, we must first go to Labuhan Bajo City by airplane or boat and continue by public transportation to Ruteng City. From Ruteng City, we take another public transportation to the village of Denge. We can also book a travel agent at Ruteng which will serve directly to Denge, the closest village to Wae Rebo. It takes around 3-4 hours on foot from Denge Village to Wae Rebo Village which is located on a mountain. The village of Wae Rebo is completely surrounded by beautiful mountains and dense forest of Todo. This tropical forest is rich with vegetation, where you will find orchids, various types of ferns and hear the singing of birds. There is not any signal for cellular coverage in this village, and electricity is only available from 6 to 10 pm. The air is relatively cold, especially in the dry season, so don't forget to bring your jacket if you plan to visit this village.

The founder of the village and hence their main ancestor who built the village about 100 years ago, was a man named Empu Maro. At present, the inhabitants are descendants of the 18th generation. The main characteristic of Wae Rebo is their unique home, which they call Mbaru Niang, which is tall and conical in shape and is completely covered by palm leaves from its roof to the ground. It seems that at one time, such a house is quite common in the area. But until now, only the village of Wae Rebo still maintains the authenticity of the traditional Manggarai house. The house has five levels, each level is designed for a specific purpose. The first level, called Lutur or tent, is a large family residence. The second level, called Lobo or attic, is for storing food and goods, the third one, called Lentar is for storing seeds for the next harvest, the fourth level called Lempa rae is reserved for food supplies in case of emergencies, and the fifth and upper levels, which are called Hekang kode, which is considered the most sacred, is placing offerings for ancestors.

In the village of Wae Rebo, there is one house that is different from the others, which is a special ceremony house. This community building is where members of all clans gather for ceremonies and rituals. The people of Wae Rebo Village are mostly Catholics but still adhere to old beliefs. In this house, the sacred heirlooms of drums and gongs are maintained. With a small population of around 1,200 residents, this village consists of 7 houses. The villagers' staple food is cassava and corn, but around the village, they grow coffee, vanilla and cinnamon which they sell in a market, which is located about 15 km from the village. Nowadays, Wae Rebo is increasingly popular as a tourism destination for fans of international ecotourism, and this has added to the economic prosperity of the village. Wae Rebo residents warmly welcome visitors who want to see their village and experience their simple traditional life.

04
August

Since long time ago, sago has become staple food of Maluku people. Sago can be processed to be various kinds of foods. One of them is Waku Komo-Komo. The Maluku typical food Waku Komo-komo has main materials of sago and woku leaf. Woku leaf is similar with palm leaf, that is used to wrap the food. While the sago flour is processed flour from palm trunk. The flour is like tapioca.

To make Sago Woku Komo-Komo, firstly sago flour is soaked in cold water for one hour. Then, the ingredients like garlic, lemongrass, and ginger are fried. Fish offal and water are entered into the fried seasonings and cooked. While, prepare the dough of sago by sauting garlic and red onion until having yellow brownish colors, enter liquid coconut milk and the soaked sago. After the dough is mixed well, added with thick coconut milk, salt, pepper and slices of leeks and then cook. After the dough cooked, let it cold, then, fish offal and the sago which have been cooked are put on woku leaf, wrapped and baked with hot coals until the leaves dry.

SagWoku Komo- Komo has sweet and savory taste and its flavor is also unique because using many spices. Sago Woku Komo-komo can also be eaten as side dish with rice. This food is easily found at restaurants in Ambon and Ternate, North Maluku. The price is also relatively cheap, around Rp. 10,000 until Rp. 15,000 per portion.

03
August

Kaddo Bulo tradition is a tradition from the residents of Tama'la’lang hamlet in Tamanyeleng Village, Barombong District, Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi. This village is about 10 kilometers from Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi.

The kaddo bulo tradition in Makassar language means "food cooked in bamboo". So, the food, which is eaten at certain celebrations, is cooked in bamboo. This food becomes the main dish that is served during the village's birthday celebration.

For the local community, the tradition of kaddo Bulo has its own meaning, namely a gathering of residents with relatives. Indeed, not a few residents or relatives who live far outside the city or even outside the island come to Tama'la’lang to attend this event.

The kaddo Bulo is a mixture of glutinous rice and coconut milk which is wrapped in banana leaves and put into pieces of bamboo. The size of the bamboo is around 40 cm long. It is cooked by being heated upright around the fireplace for about three hours until cooked. After being cooked, the bamboo is split to remove the kaddo bulo which is ripe and ready to be eaten with a sprinkling of Serundeng, namely grated coconut which is fried without using oil vegetable in various spices.

The tradition of kaddo Bulo began in the era of the 9th King of Gowa, namely I Matanre Karaeng Manguntungi Tumaparisi Kalonna, who ruled in 1510 until 1546. This tradition was stopped when the Makassar War occurred in 1666 which continued with the Dutch occupation until independence in 1945.

This tradition was revived after Indonesian independence by the 36th King of Gowa, as well as the first regent of Gowa Regency, Andi Idjo Daeng Mattawang Karaeng Lalolang Sultan Aidudin. He suggested that Kaddo Bulo was connected with the commemoration of Indonesia's Independence Day as a people's party.

31
July

Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha (Eid Mubaroq) 31st  July 2020.  It is commemorated as the event of sacrifice, namely when the Prophet Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son  Ismail for Allah.  In this  holiday,  Muslims gather in the morning and perform Eid prayer  together.  After the Id prayer,  animals such as cows, camels and goats are slaughtered to conduct  Allah's command to the Prophet Ibrahim.

At this Eid Al-Adha commemoration, we let you know about  Islamic Center Mosque of Samarinda in East Kalimantan, which is the second largest mosque in ASEAN after the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta.

The Islamic Center Mosque along with a number of other infrastructure projects was built in 2000. The declaration was done in Bontang, East Kalimantan  by President  Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur). Moreover,   the groundbreaking  began on July 5, 2001 by President Megawati Soekarno Putri.  Finally, it was inaugurated on June 12, 2010 by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The mosque has front ground of the Mahakam river bank and  the mosque with a main building area of 43,500 square meters has a large tower and dome that stand strongly. Meanwhile, the supporting building area is 7,115 square meters and the basement floor area is 10,235 square meters.

This mosque building has 7 towers, with the main tower as high as 99 meters that means Asmaul Husna or the 99 names of Allah. Then, the  main tower consists of a 15-storey building  with an average height of 6 meters. Meanwhile, there are 33 steps from the ground floor to the main floor. The numbers  are deliberately equated with one third of  the number of beads. These six towers also mean 6 pillars of faith. The foyer of the mosque is decorated with crystal chandeliers and unique wall lamps bearing Arabic calligraphy. The mosque is equipped with elevators and special lanes for people with disabilities to make it easier for them to reach upstairs. The major prayer room displays a soothing impression with the use of granite material on the floor  with a light  crème color  accented with black vertical lines.

29
July

Lampung as one of the cities which is located on Sumatra Island, has the privilege of a long and beautiful coastline. Therefore, there are many natural tourism destinations in the Lampung region such as beaches and islands that are very beautiful and amazing. One of them is Pahawang Island. The name, Pahawang is beginning to be popular and well known among tourists, especially among the tourists who love marine tourism. Even, Pahawang Island in Lampung has a nickname as a piece of heaven that fell to the earth and it was hidden. This island is one of the snorkeling spots whose underwater scenery is beautiful and it is still not touched by human hands.

For residents of Jakarta and surrounding areas, the island of Pahawang is indeed currently becoming one of the new tourism destinations, especially at weekends. The location is relatively close to the capital city of Jakarta, so it makes this island a favorite tourism object. The Pahawang Island has begun to be visited by tourists since around 2011 and until now, there are around 550 people to 800 tourists who come to visit every week.

Pahawang Island is located in Punduh Pidada district, Pesawaran regency, South Lampung. Pahawang is the name of a village and also an island which is located off the Punduh bay. The Pahawang Island is included as a marine tourism destination that presents a variety of water tourism, beginning from snorkeling until various other water sports. At this moment, the Pahawang Island begins to become a mainstay tourism destination of Lampung province, which is often offered to domestic and foreign tourists.

The Pahawang island region consists of two islands, namely Pahawang Besar Island, which becomes the main island and Pahawang Kecil Island. Both islands have beautiful beaches and exotic underwater views. At low tide, tourists can also cross raised sand that stretches beautifully from Pahawang Besar Island to Pahawang Kecil Island.


Pahawang Island, which is located in the South Lampung region, can be reached about 2 by motor vehicles hours from Bandar Lampung. Lampung Province can be accessed through two routes, namely by air and sea lines.

28
July

Lake Tambing

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Published in Indonesian Wonder

On July 17, The Lore Lindu National Park Center has reopened Lake Tambing tourism site. This natural tourism object located in Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi, has been closed for three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Head of the Lore Lindu National Park Center, Jusman said Lake Tambing is opened by implementing health protocols to prevent Covid-19 transmission and limit the number of visitors. Besides buying an entry ticket, the tourists must fill their personal data, such as name, address, and telephone number.

Lake Tambing is located at an altitude of about 1,700 meters above sea level. This lake is a bird's paradise with beautiful and fresh atmosphere.  There are around 260 species of birds and 30 percent of them are endemic of Lake TambingThis means that 30 percent of bird species around Lake Tambing only exist and breed in the local nature. Another uniqueness is the presence of orchids and Leda trees, one of the endemic trees that only grow in Central Sulawesi.

From Palu city, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, traveling to Lake Tambing only takes about 3 hours across the trans-Palu-Napu road. Arriving at the parking area of Lake Tambing, you are required to report yourself to the officer of the Lore Lindu National Park. From the guard post you have to walk for tens of meters into the forest park, then you can see the beautiful lake shrouded in mist. You can feel cold air and the chirping of the birds. You also can enjoying its natural beauty by going around the lake by boat. If you like fishing, you can do it on this lake. It is better to do your trip in Lake Tambing in the morning when the birds come out from their nests.

27
July

Kambang Iwak Tourism Park is a beautiful park with a lake. This part is visited by many Palembang residents or tourists from outside Palembang City.

The park located on Jalan Tasik, Palembang is a favorite tourism object. Usually, tourists enjoy green environment and some buildings of the Dutch heritage. The location becomes one of public facilities to get together because the park is completed with supporting facilities.

The location of Kambang Iwak Tourism Park is not far from the downtown of Palembang City. It can be easily accessed by public transportation. There is no entrance ticket to enter this area. Entering the Kambang Iwak park, you will be welcomed by green lush trees. At the middle of the park, there is a lake which is clean and equipped with a fountain.

In addition, it is also completed with facilities which make tourists be able to stand longer over there. There are also jogging tracks for workout and benches at the side of the lake. At the park, there are also many food stalls which serve various kinds of menus.

The best time to visit Kambang Iwak Tourism Park is in the morning and evening because at that time, the atmosphere at the park is fresh and comfortable to enjoy it. Because of its strategic location, the park becomes a gathering place of youths to conduct some activities, such as playing skateboard, dancing, playing guitar and many others.

At night, tourists can also enjoy beautiful sparkling with decorative lights that surround almost every corner of the park.