Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra

Kerinci Seblat National Park located in four provinces of Sumatra: West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra Provinces. Most of the area is the Bukit Barisan Mountain Ridge (part of Alpide Belt). Geographically, this National Park located at 100°31'18" - 102°44' E and 17'13" - 326'14" S with total area is about 1,368,000 Ha:
* 353.780 Ha (25,86%) in West Sumatra Province;
* 422.190 Ha (30,86%) in Jambi Province;
* 310.910 Ha (22,73%) in Bengkulu Province;
* 281.120 Ha (20,55%) in South Sumatra Province

Long time ago, this park was the combination of Inderapura & Bukit Tapan Nature Reserve, Fauna Preservation of Rawasa Huku Lakitan-Bukit Kayu Embun & Gedang Seblat, and other forests surrounding it . Since October 4, 1982 at World National Park Congress, this area was announced as part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Kerinci Seblat National Park has over than 1,000 floras, dominated by family Dipterocarpaceae, with rare and andemik flora Pinus merkusii strain Kerinci, Harpulia alborera, Rafflesia arnoldi and Amorphophallus titanium and Amorphophallus decussilvae.

Faunas that live in this kind of rain forest are Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, Elephas maximus sumatrensis, Neopholis nebulosa, Panthera tigris sumatrensis, Felis termminnckii, Tapirus indica, Capricornis sumatrensis; 10 kind of reptiles; 6 kind of amphibias (example: Mesophyrs nasuta), 6 kind of primates: Sympalagus syndactylus, Hylobates agilis, Hylobates lar, Presbytis melalobates, Macaca nemestrina and Macaca fascicularis. Also 306 kind of birds (49 families) such as Cochoa becari, Arborophila rubirostris, Otus stresemanni and Laphora inornata.

Topography of this area is up and down, steep valleys , altitude 200-3,085m asl. Flat contour with altitude 800 asl located at enclave of Kabupaten Kerinci. Rain is very hard: 3,000mm in September-February, December is the peak of rainy season. Temperature 28 C in low area and 20 C in high area. Humidity 80-100%.

What's in Kerinci Seblat National Park?
# Mount of Kerinci (3,805 m asl) : the highest mountain in Sumatra and still active. The summit can be reached from Kersik Tuo in 12 hours on foot.
# Lake Gunung Tujuh (1,996 m asl) : 1,000 Ha dead caldera, surrounded by 7 mountains. This is the highest fresh water lake in the world, can be reached from Pelompek in 3 hours on foot.
# Hill of Tapan, Inum Raya fauna preservation: land of elephants, tigers, deers, tapirs etc. Six-ten hours journey with bus and on foot from Sungai Penuh.
# Mount of Seblat (2,383 m asl) : you can find primates and also Raflesia arnoldi, 12 hours walking from Muara Aman.
# Hills of Gedang Seblat & Kayu Embun : habitat of sumatera's rhinos, elephants and tigers. Ten hours walking from Muko-muko.
# Rawas Ulu Lakitan : S. Ampar waterfall, S. Keruh waterfall, S. Kerali waterfall, S. Koten waterfall, recommended for rafting activity. One-three hours journey from Licin.
# Mount of Masurai in Desa Sungai Lalang Kecamatan Muara Siau Kabupaten Surolangun Bangko (6,5 hours from City of Bangko).
# Caves of Napal Licin & Kasah.
# Grao Solar, Nguak & Kunyit: 15m geyser and faunas observation.
# Letter W: Rafflesia arnoldi and Amorphophallus titanium and Amorphophallus decussilvae, also rabbit of Sumatera.
# Rawa Ladeh Panjang: faunas observation.

#Culture trip, to see the culture of Kubu Tribe, the local people in Jambi; Kerinci area; Minangkabau area; Bengkulu area. Culture festival will be held once a year.

#Lake of Kerinci, Lake of Depati Empat, Rawa Bento, Hotspring of Semurup-Ketenong, traditional gold mining in Ketenong, Elephant Training Ground in Ipuh, Rottan handycraft in Sungai Tutung, Gemstone in Bengkulu and Bangko.

#There is a legend of "short people" (orang pendek & sigung) in this area with shy characteristic, walking straight with no tail. It is believed that they are the owner of the forest.

How to get there?
Padang - Tapan - Sungai Penuh (land vehicle), 278 km, 7 hours.
Padang - Muaralabuh - Kersik Tuo, (land vehicle), 211 km, 5-6 hours
Jambi - Sungai Penuh (land vehicle), 500 km, 10 hours.
Bengkulu - Muara Aman (land vehicle), 4 hours.
Bengkulu - Argamakmur (land vehicle), 2 hours.
Bengkulu - Lubuk Linggau (land vehicle), 3 hours.
Palembang - Lubuk Linggau (land vehicle), 6 hours.
Lubuk Linggau - Muara Rupit - Surulangun - Napal Licin (land vehicle), 4 hours.
Muara Rupit - Napal Licin (water transportation), 2 hours.

Information:
1. Kantor UPT Taman Nasional. Jl. Basuki Rahmat No. 11, Sungai Penuh 32112, Jambi, Telp. 0748-22240, 22250 Fax. 0748-22300
2. Kantor sub Balai KSDA Propinsi Jambi, Jl. Arief Rahman Hakim No. 10 Jambi, Telp (0741) 26451.
3. Kantor Sub Balai KSDA Propinsi Sumatera Barat, Jl. Raden Saleh No. 4 Padang, Telp (0751) 54136.
4. Kantor Sub Balai KSDA Propinsi Bengkulu, Jl. Mahoni No. 11 Bengkulu, Telp. (0736) 21697.
5. Kantor Sub Balai KSDA Sumatera Selatan, Jl. Kol. H. Barlian Punti Kayu Km 6,5 Palembang, Telp. (0711) 410948.

e-mail: btnks@padang.wasantara.net.id

Information from Kerinci Seblat National Park Official Website: it's announced that "because of high volcanic activity, Mount Kerinci has been CLOSED for visitor since June 19th, 2004 until further notice".

*edited*: looks like the official website is not active anymore.
*update*: based on the information from Pusat Vulkanologi & Mitigasi Bencana Alam, as per September 9, 2007, Mount Kerinci is closed until further information but visitors still can climb up until 1 km below the crater. Mount Kerinci is in Level II, black smog came up from the crater.

Source: http://www.dephut.go.id/INFORMASI/tamnas/tn2seb.htm

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Posted in: Bengkulu,Indonesia's Volcanoes,Jambi,National Park,South Sumatra,Sumatra,west sumatra

Tabot Festival, City of Bengkulu

Tabot Festival is the first program to start Visit Indonesia Year 2008, it will be held on January 9-19 2008 (Muharram 1-10 in moslem calendar) in City of Bengkulu.

The main events in this program are ritual activity such as praying by Tabot Imam and Tabot Bangsal continued with the event in Gerga Nala and Gerga Benteng, "Upacara Duduk Penja" & "Pencucian Jari-jari", "Upacara Menjuru", "Malam Arak Jari-jari", "Upacara Arak Sorban", "Hari GAM", "Tabot naik pangkek", "Arak Gedang", "Tabot Bersanding" and it will be ended by the Tabot Tebuang parade to Padang Karbala for the Tabot hand over at Syech Burhanudin Syabedan Abdullah tomb.

And also there will be culture performances, traditional games, carnaval, exhibition, bazaar and Mr & Ms Tabot election.

Source: Official Website of Ministry of Culture and Tourism

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Posted in: Bengkulu,Event,Visit Indonesia Year 2008 the program

Heritage House, Bung Karno

To know the charm of this one, Heritage House, Bung Karno in Bengkulu you should know the history of short, first. Moreover, many historical memories save for the development of the Republic of Indonesia.

In the colonial era, Bung Karno was removed and exiled by the government of the Netherlands in Bengkulu years 1938-1942, here Bung Karno placed in a house that is located on Market Anggut, currently named Jalan Sukarno-Hatta.

In this house there are household equipment, bicycles and other tools used in the Bung Karno pengasingannya. In this city, Bung Karno also gain as a mother Fatmawati First Mother Country.

In addition to dwelling house, Bung Karno, during pembungan the Bung Karno was also designing and building a mosque Jamik located in the middle of Bengkulu city, the Road Suprapto. Objects of this tour has been visited by many tourists and foreign archipelago.

Uniquely for lovers anywhere in the archipelago you are. Not only free if the recommended course, how well the visit immediately and overnight in the hotel horizon Bengkulu. (indonesia.go.id / rmb)

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Posted in: Bengkulu,Heritage,Pesona Tanah Air,Sumatera