Mount Bromo

A. Overview
Bromo derived from Old Javanese, Brahma, which is one god in Hindu religion. For the people of Tengger Tribe, this mountain is a holy mountain, so each ceremony is held once a year or Kasodo Yadnya Kasada, the ritual of throwing the earth into the crater of Mount Bromo as offerings. This ceremony is held at midnight to early morning every full moon Kasodo (tenth) according to the Javanese calendar. Through this ritual Tenggerese an abundant harvest beg or ask for reinforcements and starting the healing of various diseases.

Mount Bromo is an active volcano that is part of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TN-BTS). National park which was inaugurated by the government in 1997, has an area of ​​5250 ha of sea sand and located at an altitude of ± 2100 m above sea level. Sea of ​​sand is part of the ecological history of the formation of Tengger caldera region.

B. Feature
Mountain with an altitude of 2392 meters above sea level is renowned for its expanse of sea sand and a vast crater of the mountain. From the top of Bromo, visitors can see the gaping crater width with a puff of smoke coming from the bottom. This crater has a diameter of ± 800 feet (north-south) and ± 600 meters (east-west). From this place, too, visitors can witness the beauty of the panoramic expanse of sea sand with a charming natural silhouette.
Visitors can also enjoy the sun (sunrise), exploring the journey on horseback, and enjoy warm beverages and a bonfire against the cold. In addition to natural attractions, visitors can also taste the cultural tourism by following Kasada Yadnya ceremony held between the months of December to January.

C. Location
Mount Bromo is located between the Kabupaten Pasuruan, Probolinggo, Lumajang, and Malang, East Java. However, an administrative area is part of Probolinggo district.

D. Access
Mount Bromo can be reached by private vehicle or public transportation. To reach Mount Bromo, visitors can take two routes. First, the "western gate" of the direction of Pasuruan. Travelling through the west door is fairly heavy due to impassable by ordinary 4-wheel vehicles, except by hiring a jeep. Through this route tourists usually choose to walk from village to Mount Bromo Wonokitri with a distance of about 13 km.
Second, through the "north gate" from the direction of Probolinggo. Through the second door, the tourists can use any vehicle, including riding a motorcycle because the road that passed not too steep. If tourists want to see the sea of ​​sand, it is advisable to go through the north door. Conversely, if the desired is watch the sunrise, it is more practical through the west door.
The nearest village from the direction to reach Bromo Probolinggo is Cemorolawang (± 45 km from Probolinggo). This village can be reached by using public transportation from Probolinggo. From Cemorolawang toward Bromo visitors can rent horses, jeeps, or on foot.

E. Ticket Prices
Still in the confirmation.

F. Accommodation and Other Facilities
In addition to walking, to facilitate the ascent of the climbers to hire "motorcycle taxi" horse and jeep vehicles. Because the air temperature ranged between 20-20 0C, then the visitor can also enjoy drinks and a bonfire provided by the small shops nearby. If forced to stay, do not worry because a variety of lodging types ranging from shelters, hostels, to hotels available around Bromo. A variety of restaurants, cafes telephone, souvenir shop, mupun public toilets are also available on this site.
To get to the top of Bromo has been provided from the concrete stairs.

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Posted in: East Java

Wakatobi

In wakatobiyou will find high-value marine species and uniqueness well, with stunningpanoramic underwater. In general, the waters of the sea has a configuration ofthe starting level to sloping towards the sea, and there are some waters thatvery steep. the water depths is Varying, the deepest reaches 1044 meters with abottom mostly sandy and rocky.

This national park has 25 pieces ofcoral reef with a circumference of the coast of the islands along the 600 km.More than 112 species from 13 families including corals Acropora formosa, A.hyacinthus, Psammocora profundasafla, Pavona cactus, Leptoseris yabei, Fungiamolucensis, Lobophyllia robusta, Merulina ampliata, Platygyra versifora,Euphyllia glabrescens, Tubastraea frondes, Stylophora pistillata,throchelliophorum Sarcophyton, and Sinularia spp.

Fish species richness of this nationalpark which is owned as many as 93 species of food fish and ornamental fishtrade among argus spots (Cephalopholus argus), takhasang (Naso unicornis),pogo-pogo (Balistoides viridescens), napoleon (Cheilinus undulatus), red fish(Lutjanus biguttatus ), rabbitfish (Siganus guttatus), Amphiprion melanopus,Chaetodon specullum, Chelmon rostratus, Heniochus acuminatus, Lutjanus

In addition in wakatobi there are several types of sea birds such as geese andmiles of brown (Sula leucogaster plotus), kettle Malay (Charadrius peronii),erasia kingfisher (Alcedo atthis); also there are three types of turtles thatoften landed on the islands is in the national park that is hawksbill turtle(Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles pot (Caretta caretta), and cracked turtle(Lepidochelys olivacea).

Indigenous people living around the nationalpark that is called the sea tribe or Bajau tribe. According to the ancientChinese and European explorers, mentions that people are human beings who hascapability of boating can explore Merqui Islands, Bangkok, Singapore, Sulawesiand the Sulu Archipelago. From whole human boating in Southeast Asia that stillhave traditional cultures boating is only Bajau tribe. See their daily life isan interesting and unique, especially diving into the sea without the equipmentto spear fish.

Hoga Island (Resort Kaledupa), IslandBinongko (Resort Binongko) and Resort Tamia is visited especially attractivefor diving activities, snorkeling, sightseeing ancient, swimming, camping, andcultural tourism.

The best visiting season: April / d inJune and October / December each year.

How to reach the location: from kendarito bau-bau island can be reached with regular speed boat twice a day with andit takes time five hours, or every day with a timber ship for 12 hours. Frombau-bau to Lasalimu take a four wheeler vehicle for two hours, then take WanciLasalimu speed boat it takes time approximately one hour or the last option youcan take timber ship-Wanci Lasalimu for 2.5 hours. Wanci is the first gate intothe Wakatobi National Park area.

TheDetails of Wakatobi Island :

1.39 million hectares of area

Determined by the Minister of Forestry,SK No.. 765/Kpts-II/2002

1.39 million hectares of area

Location of Buton regency, SoutheastSulawesi Province

Air temperature of 19 ° - 34 ° C

Rainfall is 1000-2200 mm / year

Altitude of 0-3 meters above sea level

The geographical position of 5 ° 12 '-6 ° 10' S, 123 ° 20 '- 124 ° 39' E

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Posted in: Travel to Sulawesi

What is IMT-GT...?

After I posted an article about the new flight routes from three countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, I'm wondering what is IMT-GT...?

Searching into the internet and found an (old) article from Asian Development Bank website:It's interesting to know that North Sumatra & NAD provinces involved on this project.

The Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) consists of the two Indonesian provinces of North Sumatra and Daerah Istimewa (DI) Aceh; the four northern Malaysian states of Kedah, Penang, Perak, and Perlis; and five provinces of southern Thailand--Narathiwat, Pattani, Satun, Songkhla, and Yala.

Following the request for assistance from the governments of the three countries in 1993, ADB undertook a study and prepared a development strategy for IMT-GT to promote regional economic cooperation in this growth area. The overall goal is to accelerate private sector-led economic growth and development in the IMT-GT.

The initiatives identified seek to

• promote foreign direct investment and facilitate economic development of the subregions by exploiting underlying economic complementarities and investment opportunities
• enhance international competitiveness for direct investment and export production
• lower transport and transaction costs
• reduce production and distribution costs through economies of scale.

In December 2001, ADB approved the project Strengthening the Subregional Cooperation in the Transport Sector of the EAGA and the IMT-GT Regions [ PDF ] to review the key issues affecting the transport sector, since the countries concerned require such information, and its analysis, to discuss and agree on the necessary collective actions.

I'm sure, in theory, this project should give benefits for these two provinces. The pdf link, consist of the background & rationale, the technical assistance, the President decision, the technical assistance framework and also cost estimation and financing plan.

Source: Asian Development Bank

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Posted in: Indonesia,Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam,North Sumatra,Visit Indonesia Year 2008 the program

Access to Soekarno-Hatta Airport back to normal

It's been a hard weather here in Jakarta for the past week, specially in last Friday. I tried to inform the condition but unfortunately I can't be on line for 24 hours per day. Flood in several areas in Jakarta including the freeway to the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, fog at the airport which closed the airport for about 3.5 hours that day and several flights were transfered to Halim Perdanakusuma Airport are the main issues last week.

In my opinion, the access to the international airport in Jakarta (actually it's located in Tangerang, Banten) is very-very poor. There is only one poor highway and limited main roads in Tangerang that can accommodate the traffic. There are no trains, no LRT/MRT and no fly-overs from/to airport to/from Jakarta City, there are no LRT/MRT. There are buses but they still use the one and only highway.

Indeed it's a bad campaign for Visit Indonesia Year program. Latest news from Jakarta Post said that access to the airport back to normal. That's a good news since I have to go to the airport next Monday.

Traffic on the toll road between Jakarta and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport returned to normal early Monday morning, according to toll operator PT Jasa Marga.

"We opened access to all kinds of vehicles at 5 a.m. this morning. At noon, we started charging the toll again," Jasa Marga corporate secretary Okke Marlina told The Jakarta Post on Monday afternoon.

The Sedyatmo tollway, the main access route from the capital to the airport, had been closed since Friday due to floods, especially along kilometer 26 in Kamal, North Jakarta.

Airport traffic police chief Comr. Sutimin told the Post as of Monday morning part of the road was still flooded with about 15 centimeters of water but that this was not enough to disrupt traffic.

Separately, airport administrator Herry Bhakti also confirmed that it was business as usual at the airport starting Monday morning.

"Everything is back to normal. There are a few delays but nothing is unusual," he said, adding that the problems over the weekend were not caused by the airport's design.

"If several parts of the road and runways were flooded, it was merely caused by the power of nature," he said.

Separately, Okke said Jasa Marga would start adding new lanes from kilometer 24 to 27 of Sedyatmo toll road next month.

"We expect the construction to start in March this year. It is scheduled to finish in a year and it is estimated to cost Rp 260 billion (US$ 26 million)," Okke said.

She said there would be one new elevated lane going in each direction. The lane head from the city to the airport would raised 1.5 meters over the existing mangrove forest.

"I want to clarify, we won't take out the mangrove forest. We will just build columns on it," Okke said.

"The construction won't disturb the traffic in the existing lanes," she said.

Okke said while waiting for the new lanes to be completed, Jasa Marga would coordinate with the city's public works agency to improve drainage along the toll road.

"What happened on Friday was the water in Tanjungan creek in Kamal was intercepted by the sea water in the north. Therefore, the water from the city came back south, flooding the toll road," she said.

In November, a high tide cut off the airport toll road. The operator now has 14 pumps to deal with flooding, but during Friday's flood, the water came from both the north and south and was too much for the pumps to handle.

The closure of the airport toll road and the delays of more than 200 flights between Friday and Sunday cost airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II Rp 5.3 billion.

PT Angkasa Pura president director Eddie Hayoto said the airport operator lost landing and take-off fees from the airlines.

Source: Official Website of Ministry of Culture and Tourism

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Posted in: Airports in Indonesia,Banten,Jakarta