The Beautiful of Senggigi Beach

Senggigi is the most developed area for tourists on Lombok. You can find a variety of restaurants, bars, discotheques, travel agents, photo processors, money changers, souvenir shop and a range of accommodations starting from budget guest house to 5 star hotels. Restaurants and small cafes line the colorful main beach road. Swimming off the beach is safe.

The town of Senggigi spreads out along nearly 10 kilometers of coastal road. This road continues north to Bangsal, port for the Gili Islands. Along the way, a fantastic scenery of the north west coast of Lombok awaits. Most travelers start or end their stay at Senggigi because of the easy access to Mataram Airport and accommodations options are available to all budgets. If you are frugal or intrepid and take the slow ferry from Bali, it's best to arrange transport in advance from the ferry dock to Senggigi, since the dock on the Lombok side is in a remote spot several kilometers south of Mataram.

There are plenty of activities you can do to complete your holiday. Sightseeing or touring organized by reputable local tour operators is the best option to discover what Lombok has to offer. Renting a car or motor cycle is also good alternative to get around, either self-driving, or with a driver so you can relax and enjoy the view. Car rental in Lombok is more expensive than Bali. Tip driver pocket money for meals if you stop for lunch or diner. If you are pleased with service, tip the driver or local guide at the end. If you collide with anything, or it collides with you, you are responsible for all costs..

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1001 Stories aboutBorobudur Temple, the Magnificent UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site

As buildings that ever included in seven wonder of the world, Borobudur Temple was built by use more or less 55.000 m3 of stone. Buildings height was about 42 m, and width about 123 m. The temple that attain the age 12 of century mounted to the sky erectly and sturdily. Not a vestige of evidence why Borobudur temple become full of the darkness. Age of determining has done by observe the basic color of Borobudur Temple. Also by observe the carved object that indicate the pattern of Central Java in 8 century after date.

Since the temple was built in 8 of century after date, Borobudur Temple history was rise and set. Borobudur Temple becomes a research center and development place for Buddhist. All of this religion follower visit Borobudur Temple to study about Buddhist. The entire of Borobudur relief was containing about Buddhist precept. In those days Borobudur Temple become an attention place and a worship place as holy buildings.

But, all of it was ephemeral. Coincide with lessening of Buddhist; Borobudur Temple was left by the followers. After the Sailendra Dynasty was disappearing, Borobudur has no news about more. Borobudur Temple becomes terminated by the darkness for centuries. There is no more news or story about Borobudur Temple after those.

Borobudur Temple architecture was very interest and very unique, comprise of three main buildings. That was foundation section, middle section, and top section of the temple that called Stupa (dome enclosing an effigy of Buddha). Relief was carved in the wall of the temple. The relief was telling about a scene or story. There are thousands of relief and hundreds of sculpture in Borobudur Temple.

There is a unique thing, be in fact that Borobudur Temple has architecture with interesting format or highly structured in mathematics. Every foundation section, middle section, and top section of the temple has 4:6:9 ratio. Placement of the Stupa has a meaning also. And other amazing thing was the relief concerned with astrology. More, the obvious, Borobudur Temple built by no cement even a little, but use albumin of hen egg. No bodies that know how many hen eggs are used to gluing the stones of Borobudur Temple. All of it give evidence that Borobudur was already has a comprehensive culture. And Borobudur Temple is an evidence of history that very interest to learn.

Caused by movement of empire center, from Central Java to East Java. Borobudur becomes ownerless automatically. Traces of volcano eruption that cover Borobudur Temple make the temple become a grassy place, little trees was growing up and make Borobudur Temple become a mound that covered by thicket and look eerie.

In 18 of century, Governor of United Kingdom, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles receive a report about the massive temple that covered by thicket. Then he call his officer, H.C. Cornelius to visit the massive temple, that was Borobudur Temple. The thicket was cleaned, until appear a massive temple with hundreds of Budha sculpture. The temple condition was breaking the heart. There are so many section was fall out. There are so many sculpture was broken. So regrettable, United Kingdom Government was not going on for a long time. Research and effort to restore Borobudur Temple become unfinished again. Eventhough, Borobudur Temple become a place where many people come to visit the temple.

Government of Dutch-Hindia was being in command again. But, not all of man have a good purpose. Many beautiful sculptures and many beautiful temple sections was stolen by greedy and bad human in the Government of Dutch-Hindia. One of the examples was in 1896. Government of Dutch-Hindia, by passing Resident of Kedu, steals tens of sculpture and some of Borobudur Temple section that very beautiful to presented for King of Siam. King of Siam, Chulalangkon that ever visiting Borobudur Temple. Today, all of so much worth the thing from Borobudur saved in Museum of Bangkok, Thailand.

In 1907 to 1011, Borobudur Temple was restored by Government of Dutch-Hindia. The leader of this reparation was Th. Van Erp. A Netherlands engineer and talented. He has a serious attention for Borobudur Temple in the future. Great expense was available. The result of Van Erp’s effort was very satisfying. Again and again, nature condition was unpreventable. Rain, bird feces, and earthquake always make Borobudur has to fixed. Finally, in 10th August 1973, the Government of Republic Indonesia repair the Borobudur Temple massively. That restoration was well done and satisfying. As the result, today we can enjoy, learn, and knowing all about Borobudur Temple.

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Reog, The Origin Dances from Ponorogo

Ponorogo is most well known for the reog mask dance, which is said to have been created by one of the kings of Kediri in the 12th century. The performance re-enacts a legendary battle between Pujangga Anom, a minister from the court of Ponorogo, and Singa Barong, guardian spirit of the forest of Lodoyo. The former had aroused the anger of Singa Barong when he stole 150 tigers from the forest, apparently to be offered as a dowry payment for a princess of Kediri, whom the king of Ponorogo wished to marry.

A typical reog troupe, then, usually consists of the principal characters; Singa Barong, wearing an enormous tiger head and peacock feather mask, and his adversary Pujangga Anom. They are accompanied by one or more masked clowns/acrobats, as well as a number of hobby horse dancers, who are said to represent the troops of Pujangga Anom.

The people of Ponorogo have a reputation for being tough, both physically and mentally. The qualities of bravery and daring are fully displayed in a reog performance, where the focus of attention is on a trance dancer supporting a giant mask, often weighing more than 40 kg, between his teeth. The mask is a ferocious, snarling tiger's head, covered in real tiger skin and crowned with a gigantic three meter fan of peacock feathers.

The success of a performance, including the ability of the principal dancer to bear the weight of the mask, is said to depend upon the magical power of the leader of the dance troupe. Known as warok, these men are believed to possess special talents, gained through years of training. One of the unique features of the reog dance is that the hobby horse (jaran kepang) dancers are invariably young boys dressed as women. Known as gemblak, they accompany the warok, who are forbidden close association with females, in their travelling performances.

Contest of Reog dance is presented annually by the local government. Ngebel, a natural lake and batik printing of ponorogo are also worthwhile seeing.

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The Elegance of Pendet Dance

Pendet is the presentation of an offering in theform of a ritual dance. Unlike the exhibition dances that demand arduous training, Pendet may be danced by everyone: male and female pemangkus, women and girls of the village. It is taught simply by imitation and is seldom practiced in the banjars. Younger girls follow the movements of the elder women who recognize their responsibility in setting a good example. Proficiency comes with age, and often, t is the grandmothers who possess the most Man of the grouli. As a religious daqce, Pendet is usually performed during temple ceremonies.

All dancers carry in their right hand a small offering of incense, cakes, water vessels, or flower formations set in palm leaf With these they dance from shrine to shrine within the temple. Pendet, thus, may be performed as a serial and continue intermittently throughoin,the day and late into the night during temple feasts.

In 1968, a huge religious procession in Tabanan produced many versions of Pendet. One was danced by a member of the household, who presented the family's offerings in a slow Pendet before the approaching wave of thousands of people. In larger villages, a selected group of young girls, bare-shouldered and formally dressed in wraps of gold cloth, carried silver bowls of flowers as they danced a more elaborate Pendet, choreographed in interweaving rows and files (see page 103). When the procession settled before a small temple, old women dressed in ordinary clothes began to dance still another form of Pendet. They carried no offerings but moved feverishly as if possessed by the music.

Recently, Pendet was introduced to open the Legong. Here, the young girls are accomplished members of a dance troupe, and their movements are coordinated and exact. Toward the finish of the dance, the girls make praying gestures and throw flowers to the audience-a welcome and blessing to the public.

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Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

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.

Province Pavilions
The bulk of the facilities at TMII is made up of the regional pavilions. With more than twenty five pavilions to walk through, representative of the architecture of each province of Indonesia, the visitor is provided a very unique opportunity to view the breadth and scale of the full range of regional architecture. Each pavilion presents at least three typical examples of the regional style it represents.

Don`t have the time or the fortitude to venture to distant or out-ot-the-way locations? No need. Visit every pavilion and you will come away with a very clear impression of the diversity and richness of Indonesian architectural and living styles. To point out just a view, there is the `Bogonjong` house of the Ranah Minang from West Sumatra, a `Lamin` of the Dayak people from deep in the interior of East Kalimantan, a `Tongkongan` from Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, a traditional Batak `Bolon` house from North Sumatra; a `Joglo` house from Central Java, etc.

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