TMII (Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park)

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah or Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park was built to be the showcase of Indonesia, in this park visitors will find many Indonesia natural & cultural richness such as unique replication of traditional houses (pavilion) from all around Indonesia, an Indonesia archipelago shaped lake and many other fascinating attraction. The park is an Ideal spot for week-end family outing and also international tourist who did not have enough time to explore Indonesia.

It started with the idea of the late Ibu Tien Soeharto (former Indonesia first lady). The construction of TMII began in 1971 and it was official inaugurated on April 20, 1975.

Since its existence and in the course of time TMII continues to grow and developed in line with the dynamism of the community life of Indonesia. People are the more aware of the great advantages of the existence of TMII, with the mission to be a vehicle for the preservation and development of the culture and a means to strengthen the unity and integrity of the people of Indonesia.

TMII is considered as a vehicle presenting the diversity of the people of Indonesia and the variety of cultural wealth enables the community to gain interesting experience, knowledge and information regarding various aspect of culture, tradition, customs, forms of art as far as the introduction of cultural objects.

The beauty and cultural wealth presented by TMII can easily be observed by the community through the availability of a more complete and interactive means of information. It is expected that through the website the information can be disseminated widely all over the Archipelago and even abroad so that it will facilitate the community to better know about the culture and customs of the people of Indonesia.

Getting There

From Central Jakarta, TMII is about 25 kilometers away. Five kilometers, if you're in Halim Perdana Kusuma airport (local airport). It is reachable by public transportation, taxi. Rent a car for a more comfortable journey. Below is the list of public transportation heading TMII. But you may need to have a local companion to make sure you get on the right car or bus.

* Metro Mini T. 45 (Pulogadung - PT. II TMII)
* Angkot KWK S. 15 A (Ragunan - PT. II TMII)
* Angkot KWK T. 01 (Cililitan - Bambu Apus)
* Angkot KWK T. 02 (Cililitan - Cipayung)
* Angkot KWK T. 05 (Cililitan - Setu)
* Angkot KWK P. 15 (Cililitan - Cilangkap)
* Angkot KWK K. 40 (Bekasi-Kmp. Rambutan)
* Angkot KWK S. 19 (Depok - Pinang Ranti)
* Bus Gandeng PPD BT. 03 (Grogol - TMII)


Getting Around

This is a mean of transportation to get you around the "Archipelago" by shuttle cars. Sky Lift Indonesia (Kereta Gantung). Want a quick and easy geography lesson? Take the Sky Lift for an aerial tour of the park and one of the sights that will stay with you is a scale model of the islands of Indonesian archipelago set in a smalll lake.

To Do

Istana Anak-anak Indonesia:

Indonesia Children Castle, featuring fairy tales painting from Indonesia and all over the world.

Perahu Angsa Arsipel Indonesia:

Swan Boat to explore Indonesia archipelago shaped lake.

Taman Among Putro:

An amusement park for children fully equipped with games and fun activities.

Taman Ria Atmaja:

a 60 Sq m stage in an 4000 Sq m area, well known as Dangdut Terminal (Dangdut: popular unique music genre in Indonesia).

Taman Renang Ambar Tirta:

Swimming pool for adult and children, equipped with trainer and lifeguard.

Teater Imax Keong Emas:

A shopisticated IMAX technology snail shaped theatre, with several IMAX movies featuring Indonesia natural and cultural richness.

Desa Wisata:

When a day is not enough to explore TMII, there is Desa Wisata, a hostel for individual or groups visiting TMII from outside Jakarta to stay overnight.

Titihan Samirono/Aeromovel:

Another way to get around is the fast train, Aeromovel. This is an example of the fast and efficient train that could provide nowaday mass transportation for Indonesia.

To Stay

Inns and hotels in and around Jakarta

Graha Wisata Remaja. Ideal for teenagers and those with limited budget. It is within walking distance to small restaurants, cable car station, pool, and several museums. Have overtired legs? The terminal for transportation is nearby. The shuttle cars there will transport you to other attraction within the park that you desire.

Padepokan Pencak Silat. This accomodation equipped with meeting rooms.

Desa Wisata. Mainly for young people in groups. This place sometimes hosts several meetings, events, and seminars. You can rent the cottages for more privacy. Food and beverages is available to order. An open theater is also available.

To Eat

Restoran Caping Gunung

Its natural lighting (no light bulbs, light is provided with roof made of clear materials) and tasty food will provide a unique dining experience.

Pasar Tiban (Tiban Market)

Food sellers inhabit this small complex consisting of many buildings. You can eat at small restaurants scattered around this area.


To Buy

TMII sells many small trinkets that will enable you to remember your experience here. Various shirts, hats, postcards are widely available.


Tips

TMII is quite huge, consisting of more than 100 hectares of land. If you don't have much time, join a tour. That way, you'll save money and time. (You'll get a discount if you travel in a group). If you want to explore this site fully, it is best if you spend the night within this area.


Should be on your list:
1. Take a trip on the cable car.
You'll be able to see TMII from the top a delightful experience.
2. Watch Indonesian movies at Theater Imax Keong Emas.
3. Visit several museums in this area.
4. Visit the orchid garden and bird park.

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Taman Safari (Safari Park)

If you like to observe wild animals like tigers, lions and crocodiles in their native habitat, then Taman Safari Indonesia is just for you.

Taman Safari Indonesia or the Indonesian Safari Park is a conservation center as well as a modern zoological garden with If you like to observe wild animals like tigers, lions and crocodiles in their native habitat, then Taman Safari Indonesia is just for you.

Taman Safari Indonesia or the Indonesian Safari Park is a conservation center as well as a modern zoological garden with various collections of flora and fauna. In this Park, you will not only enjoy the beauty of it‘s nature, but also interact directly or watch the animals wander around freely. Visitors can also travel in this conservation area using their private car or a provided bus through these amazing wild habitats.

In Indonesia, Safari Parks are available in three provinces; Taman Safari I in Cisarua Bogor, West Java, Taman Safari II in Mount Arjuna, Prigen, East Java, and Taman Safari III (Bali Safari and Marine Park) in Serongga Gianyar, Bali. Among these three tourist sites, Taman Safari I in Bogor is the most famous site for domestic as well as foreign tourists. It was built in 1930 and previously called Radio Safari Garden and Taman Safari Televisi Indonesia. It is also a buffer zone for Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park and is situated 900 to 1,800 meters above sea level.

Taman Safari has a collection of animals from nearly all over the world and local animals such as komodos, rhinoceros, bisons, sun bears, white tigers, elephants, anoa, etc. There are more than 2,500 animals in Taman Safari Bogor with hundreds of species currently being maintained.

Upon entering Taman Safari Bogor, visitors will notice sensational shady trees and cool weather from Mount Gede Pangrango. It will certainly attract you to start your adventure in open nature.

Using cars, you will enter various habitats of tame and wild animals such as tigers, lions, komodo, bears and crocodiles. Although you are not allowed to get out of your car or open your door or window, you still can see the animals activities closely. Traveling with your children in this location will certainly be unforgetable. Don't forget to take pictures of these amazing animals.

After watching animals in their habitats, you can take your children to enjoy various animal attractions performed by orangutangs, dogs and even goats. These attractions take about half an hour. You could also visit the bird park, animal education show, reptiles, baby zoo, elephant and horse riding, safari trek, and wild-wild west exhibits.

If your children like to see cowboys in action, then you could take them to the Wild-Wild West. It is a show in a cowboy-like setting. Especially if it's your children's first time to see Asian cowboys.

Another interesting venue to see is Baby Zoo, where you could cuddle animal babies and take their pictures. After visiting such venues, you could eat at one of the food vender stands. Before going home, don't forget to buy souvenirs.

Getting There

Its not difficult to reach Taman Safari. Its located near the Puncak Pass area–a favorite site for Jakartans for relaxing. From Jakarta, you can take a rented car or buy a tour package offered by your favorite travel agent. Visiting Taman Safari is not only fun, but also an educational experience for your children about various types of flora and fauna.

Getting Around

For regular entry (during the day), driving your own car will give you the most control in when to stop to take pictures, for instance. If you're more interested in the Night Safari, we recommend you to take the shuttle. There's a guide in each shuttle who'll be able to explain to you about the wildlife out there.

After you've passed all the Safari environments, you'll reach a free-zone where you can park your car and proceed on foot. This free-zone offers a variety of themed rides and scheduled entertainments (the menacing tigers, the acrobatic seagulls, and the hunting eagles, to name three).

To Do

Try the regular daytime Safari. Then on your next trip, try the Night Safari. Each offers a different kind of experience.

At the free-zone, there's a spot where you can buy some carrots to feed the elephants with. Every three hours, these friendly elephants also put on an entertaining show.

Riding the Cable Car is a must. From above, you'll be able to see how vast Taman Safari actually is. Why not try enjoying a ride? Heck, embrace your child within and try all of them!

To Stay

The management offers caravan-services for staying the night. A caravan provides a modest kitchen, toilet and comfortable beds. One is enough for a small family of four. It's very convenient if you want to enjoy an entire day on the free-zone and continue with the Night Safari.

Taman Safari itself lies at Puncak Pass, an area lined with various kinds of lodgings, from a simple bed and breakfast to a bungalow or a villa. So just look around for signs. You'll never be out of options around this area.

To Eat

At the free-zone there are several stalls selling food. And there are two restaurants providing both western and eastern cuisine. Taman Safari also provides several spots where you can have a family picnic.

To Buy

Into cute stuff? The exotic animal plush toys are a must! The Shrek's Puss in Boots has nothing on Taman Safari's very own tiger plush doll.

Inside Taman Safari, there are at least three official outlets selling merchandises, clothings, trinkets, and of course, cute stuff!

Have a Nice Trip....

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Contest: Make Your Own Indonesia Trip !

Indonesia has hundreds of destinations to explore and tons of activities to experience. Indonesia.travel has only covered a tiny fraction of them. And travelers keep coming up with new interesting stories about their trips to Indonesia on The Net.

Enter Indonesia.travel's Trip Planner (BETA); the site's newest feature for travelers to share your travel plans and stories. As applied to every Web 2.0 site with user-generated content, the site's going to need your participation and feedback. Thus, this "contest" is actually an invitation for travel enthusiasts to participate. And we're going to hand out prizes to appreciate the most active and helpful/relevant users.

The prizes would be your own trip in Indonesia, paid by the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism.*

Everyone is eligible to participate, except the employees of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism. So register now at http://trip.indonesia.travel and start sharing!



Contest Details
----------------

1) There are three categories, with one winner each:
a. Amazing Indonesia Under US$1,000 (in English)
b. Wisata Impian di Bawah Rp10 Juta (in Indonesian)
c. Most Active User (in English or Indonesian)

2) Go to http://trip.indonesia.travel

3) Register

4) Create a Trip (you can choose any names for your trips. As long as it's under US$1,000 and in English, it's eligible to be evaluated for Amazing Indonesia. And if it's under Rp10 millions and in Indonesian, it's eligible to be evaluated for Wisata Impian.)

5) Share it!

6) (Optional) If you have a blog, you can write about your trip in in more details and link it to your Trip Planner plan/journal.

7) Send feedbacks (or error reports) to rep.indonesiatravel AT gmail DOT com, with the subject "Trip Planner Feedback"

8) The "contest" starts on 15 November 2009 and ends on 14 December 2009.

9) (Optional) Follow us on Twitter! @indtravel


Winning Evaluation
----------------

For Amazing Indonesia Under US$1,000 and Wisata Impian di Bawah Rp10 Juta, we're going to evaluate from participants' travel plans or journals and select one winner (each) who writes the most interesting trip idea (plan) or shares the most interesting trip experiences (journal). This will be based on:

- The number of users who picked the trip as favorites

- The number of users who copied the trip for their own itineraries

- Whether the trip is logically accurate in the real world (for example, a trip which involves going from Jakarta to Raja Ampat Island in fifteen minutes is only logical in science fiction)

- Whether the trip actually costs less than US1,000 (excluding the roundtrip fares from abroad to Indonesia and formalities expenses like visa etc.) As a guide, if you want your trip to be eligible for the contest, starts from an Indonesian entry point and ends to the same or another entry point. (Ex: starts from Jakarta and ends in Jakarta. Or starts in Batam and ends in Bali, etc.)

- Whether the trip is the participant's original idea/experience. If she/he copies it from another user, the original writer will be more eligible to win, unless the trip is modified/adapted to involve different destinations.


For Most Active/Helpful User, the winner will be picked based on:

- The number of trip ideas/journals the participant shared

- The number of useful feedbacks or error reports

- The number of linkbacks to relevant content on http://trip.indonesia.travel or http://indonesia.travel from the participant's blog (will need to confirm if the blog owner is the same user in Trip Planner)


*Prizes/Appreciation
------------------

Winners can choose any of his trip ideas which is eligibly under $US1,000 as a prize. The Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism will then make it come true by reserving an itinerary to match it. Participants can also choose another user's trip idea by copying it. As long as the Ministry has confirmed that the trip is under US$1,000 (with the abovementioned condition, that the trip will not include roundtrip fares from/to overseas).


For more details, send an email to rep.indonesiatravel AT gmail DOT com. Include the keywords "Trip Planner" in your subject.

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Don't Miss The December Rain in Jakarta

For this is Rain with a capital R. Jeong "Rain" Ji-hoon (born June 25, 1982), the South Korean pop singer, dancer, model, actor and designer is coming to Indonesia.

As part of the Korean popstar's Asia Tour "Legend of Rainism", Rain will hold a concert in Jakarta on December 3rd. The venue at JITEC Mangga Dua will feature several huge LCDs to show the synchronized performances of dancers, lighs and sound effects.

"All to maximize the performance of the singer who's called The Asian Justin Timberlake," said Sean Sudwikatmono, Managing Director of W Production, the local promotor.

Rain's management decision to hold a concert in Indonesia shows their trust in Indonesia's stability and security. "Especially since there are a lot of Koreans who live in Jakarta, about 27 thousands," said Sean.

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The Sumba Culture: Fascinating, Mysterious

Writer and photographer Alessandro Gandolfi looks into the culture of this Indonesian island that bursts with spirit.

"The ratu? He's sitting over there, trying to figure out if this will be a nice funeral," says a solemn onlooker.

Lying on the bloodied ground are a dozen disembowelled hens, and like an Etruscan haruspex, the elderly ratu – the great priest – solemnly explains to latecomers: "Yes, the entrails say that the one today will be an excellent funeral."

David Danggalolu and his wife Albertina died within a few days of one another, both from illness. A tragic event, which in small Mgambadeta, at the centre of western Sumba, must be honoured with the necessary pomp (and with the sacrifice of at least fifteen buffaloes).

That's why eighteen-year-old Umbu, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, who two minutes earlier smilingly explained that he loved listening to America R&B, doesn't give a moment's thought to unsheathing his parang and slitting the throat of the first buffalo of the day.

Sumba is one of the 18,000 islands in Indonesia. Twice as large as Balì and 400 kilometres farther east, Sumba was frequented by the Portuguese and then the Dutch, traders of the sandalwood. Sumba's isolation has allowed it to be better preserved: its slow rhythm, life marked by the agricultural cycles, the uncontaminated beaches, the raising of horses and the extraordinary megalithic tombs—it is one of the most fascinating and mysterious cultures in all of Indonesia.
At the tourist office of Waikabubak, a starting point for exploring the western zone, about fifteen people in khaki uniforms seem surprised by the presence of a tourist. A woman, Miss Anisa, came to sit in her office and says, "The best part of the island is the western part, Sumba Barat, more fertile and culturally richer than Sumba Timur, the eastern part."

"Here in Sumba, people still have the warriors' temperament," says André, a Frenchman who for several years has been making water wells in some local villages.

The ikat, Sumba's typical cloth so desired by tourists (its characteristic is the dying of the threads before the weaving), often depicts scenes of combat and warriors on horseback gripping long spears.

At the beginning of the planting season, from mid-February to mid-March, the warriors return to combat. Today, they do it during the Pasola, one of Indonesia's most famous festivals: a simulated battle during which groups of horsemen challenge and hit each other with long spears, the hola, from which the festival takes its name.

Pasola, the horsemen's festival, is also derived from another legend: Thousands of years ago Umbu Dula from Wanukaka left his village to go fishing but never returned. After
a while, his wife Rambu Kaba married another man, Tedo Gai Parana from Kori. Umbu Dula, however, wasn't dead: upon returning suddenly to the village, he burst into a rage, but Rambu Kaba didn't want to abandon her new husband and therefore Tedo Gai Parana had to pay Umbu the wife's price: buffaloes, horses, jewellery, weapons and nyale, the sacred sea-worms. To ensure peace, the people of Kori invited those of Wanukaka to a simulated combat, the Pasola, which, ever since then, has been celebrated every year in February and March, exactly when the sea is filled with nyale, the appearance of which is a good omen for the future harvests.

Every year the government tries to keep the situation under control, but participants are often wounded or even killed on the field of festive battle. This was, in the end, the purpose of many battles in the past: not so much to square away accounts as to let human blood flow in honour of the ancestors, thus guaranteeing a good harvest.

"Do you see that stone slab over there?" says an elderly man during Mgambadeta's funeral.
"It's the tomb of our warrior Rato Dapaduu, who was killed while fighting against the Dutch. And his pistol has been buried along with him."

"Sumba is an island where the tombs are usually in the centre of the village in front of the dwellings to remind the inhabitants that death is the most important event of all," says André.

Funerals last entire weeks and the poor go to many lengths so as to be able to offer a worthy burial for their loved ones, thus keeping the tradition alive. The sacrifice of buffaloes and pigs sanctions the deification of the deceased, and the sacrificed meat is offered to those present in sumptuous feasts.

One of the most beautiful tombs of the island is at Pasunga, about twenty kilometres east of Waikabubak, and it is said that when it was built at the beginning of the last century, 150 buffaloes were killed.

Julius, the 40-year-old head of the village, explains that in 2000, when his father died, 24 animals were killed (more than 15 pigs, 7 horses and an indefinite number of dogs and sheep).

The buffalo horns still ornate the outside walls of his hut. Julius usually gets up at five in the morning and like everybody else goes to work in the rice fields. Today he lives peacefully together with his people, but a long stele on the main road reminds us that, deep down, these people remain warriors at heart.

Twenty years ago there was a conflict with the nearby village of Tamu Au, in which several people died and the head of the enemy chief was buried under that stele.

"We danced for many days, it was a great battle. Since then we haven't had any kind of relations with the people of Tamu Au," Julius says.

The kampung along the southern coast of Kori are among the most fascinating in Sumba. They offer a spectacular view of the nearby beaches frequented by the fishermen, whereas the houses of Paranobaroro and Wainyapu with their straw roofs tower beyond the forest. Raised from the ground, the Sumbanese dwellings have a raised first level with the floor made of bamboo, and a long veranda (the animals live underneath).

Ann McCue, a sixty-something Englishwoman, has lived her entire life divided between Washington and London, but in 2002, when she happened to come to Sumba on vacation and witnessed the Pasola, she fell in love with the island. She returned several times, until a year later she remained definitively.

"I decided to help these people, and I understood that there were two priorities: water and education," she says.

Ann founded "Project Hope – Sumba," which aims to create new wells, schools in the more depressed areas and courses for teachers.

"One out of two children of Sumba abandons school after only three years and is forced to work with his or her parents," Ann explains.

But she also admits that "many of them seriously want to improve. And then, here there's truly a lovely community, social relations, friendship, all of that which cannot be found in England anymore."

Ann thinks for a moment, sips her iced tea and smiles:
"Write down that here in Sumba, in order to improve things, even just a few people can really make a difference".

MapMore on Sumba
Fly to Bali and once there take a ferry. Sumba is one of the islands of Nusa Tenggara that stretches out to the east of Bali. In Sumba, the dry season is approximately from March to October. Waikabubak, the capital of West Sumba, is the ideal starting point for exploring the western part of the island by car or motorcycle.

Places to Stay and to Eat
The Manandang Hotel and the Artha Hotel. In the city, you can eat excellent lotek – rice, vegetables and peanut sauce. In Sangkuring, a warung nasi (rice restaurant) can be found on your right as you leave town heading east along the Bhayangkara.

Source :www.garudamagazine.com

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Tanah Lot A Balinese Landmark

Text and Photos by Taufik Darusman

One of the most important must-visit places in Bali is Tanah Lot, a temple perched on a large offshore rock shaped relentessly over the years by the ocean tide.

Visitors gather in preparation to view the sunset at Tanah Lot.

Visitors to Tanah Lot in the afternoon get a double visual treat: a view of a temple built in the 15th century and a stunning sunset that leaves you breathless.

One of the most favorite tourism destinations in Bali, Tanah Lot also offers a magnificent view of the majestic Indian Ocean.

Tanah Lot means "Land in the Middle of the Sea" in Balinese, and lies in Tabanan, about 20 km from Denpasar.

The journey leading to Tanah Lot is a pleasant experience in itself; it allows you a glimpse of the island's rich and colorful hinterland with green rice fields on both sides of the road.

Tanah Lot has always been a part of Balinese mythology and is one of the seven sea temples around the Balinese coast, each set up within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast. They are, among others, Batu Bolong Temple, Batumejan Temple and Enjung Galuh Temple.

In the 1980s the temple's rock started to crumble, rendering the surrounding area perilous to visitors. The Japanese government then provided a loan to conserve the time-honored temple and other beach locations around the island of Bali. As a result, over one third of the rock which can be seen is actually artificial.

The path leading to Tanah Lot is strictly business: loud and busy souvenir stalls on both sides of a lane leading towards the Indian Ocean, selling traditional handicraft and paintings and fake but credible-looking Starbucks and Hard Rock Café t-shirts.

On the sidelines are modest eateries that do well to quench your thirst with ice- cold local and imported beer.

Tanah Lot is also fast gaining a reputation as one of the best places around to host business meetings, seminars and conventions in executive class accommodations offering professional services.

It also boasts a golf course considered to be one of the world's top ten and world-renowned spas that blend the best of modern technology with the island's best-kept secrets in rejuvenating one's physical being.

Tanah Lot is said to be the brainchild of the 15th century wandering priest Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and became enamored of it.

As legend would have it Nirartha spent the night on the little island and in the course of time befriended local fishermen who helped him build a shrine on the rock. Nirartha felt he was amidst a holy place and went on to to worship the Balinese sea gods.

The main temple building serves as a place to worship the god Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, the sea power, while another part is reserved for paying tribute to another god, Dang Hyang Nirartha.

On any given day Tanah Lot is a nice and windy place to stroll; a manicured park above the shrine allows you a panoramic view of what is certainly one of ‘the hottest' tourist spots in Bali.

The place is obviously packed with tourists, mostly Japanese who arrive in huge buses, middle-age Europeans and young Australian couples.

Indeed, the allure of Tanah Lot is such that it cuts across the wide spectrum of nationalities and age brackets.

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