Mount Bromo : A Peak of Spectacular Tengger Caldera

Mount Bromo is the most famous mountain on Java Island. It is an active volcano and part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Mount Bromo is only one of many peaks inside the massive Tengger Caldera, but it's easily recognizable as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. Mount Bromo is about 2,382 meters above sea level. It is a vast mountain. An eruption of massive proportions blew off its top leaving a huge caldera in which two peaks are located. One is the active volcano of Mount Bromo and the other is the non-active of Mount Batok. The inside of the caldera, aptly dubbed the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) is coated with fine volcanic sand and the overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

As time goes by the caldera has been filled with grey sand and this expanse is known as the Sand Sea. It is about 10 km. Across the Sand Sea is Mount Batok with its almost perfect cone. To the south, Mount Semeru, the highest mountain in Java provides a fining backdrop for this unearthly scene. While crossing the Sand Sea, low-lying fog which often envelop the caldera's floor, adds to the mystery of the surroundings. As the temperature drops several degrees, the combination of cold air and the strange echoing of horse's hoofs create a fantastic sensation of walking across a huge frozen lake. Temperatures at the top of Mount Bromo range about 5 to 18 degrees Celsius.

Something make the area unique is that it is a volcano inside a volcano. The base of the mountain actually rises from an old volcanic crater of the bigger Mount Tengger. Another unique feature about Mount Bromo is a reminiscent of a moonscape rather than anything related to the earth offers such breathtaking experiences, like observing sunrises and gazing into the volcano's crater. Even the journey to the crater is an exciting experience in itself. Before arriving at the Mount Bromo visitor needs to get across the Sea of Sands (Lautan Pasir), another unique landmark of the national park. Mount Bromo is also well known for spectacular sunrises.

Mount Bromo was traditionally visited by the Buddhist Tenggerese to celebrate ceremony of Kasodo. The offering ceremony of Kasodo is held each year by Tenggerese on the 14th day of full moon Kasodo (Tenggerese Calendar). Inhabitants of Tengger Mountain gather at the rim of Mount Bromo's active crater to present annual offerings of rice, fruits, vegetables, flowers, livestock, and other local products to the God of the mountain. As adherents of religion combining elements of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism, they ask for blessing from the supreme God Hyang Widi Wasa. According to legend, this practice started as the King Joko Seger and Queen Roro Anteng prayed for children, and in return, promised to sacrifice the last child. The Queen had 25 children, but refused at first to sacrifice the last child. When threatened by the gods with fire and brimstone, the queen finally did perform the sacrifice. As the child was being thrown into the crater, the voice of the child was heard ordering an annual ceremony to be performed at the volcano.

A Hindu temple is situated at the foot of the mountain, from which 250 steps lead to the edge of the crater.

Location of Destination
Mount Bromo is situated within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, about 145 km south of Surabaya, capital of East Java Province, Republic of Indonesia

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hata Airport (Jakarta). Then by domestic flight about 70 minutes from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to Juanda Airport (Surabaya).
Then by bus or train for 2 -3 hours from Surabaya to Probolinggo.
Then by minibus about 1 hour from Probolinggo to Ngadisari.
Then it will take about 2 hours on foot, or about an hour and a half on horse back, from Ngadisari to Cemorolawang and Mount Bromo.

Best Time to Visit
May to October, on dry seasons

Accommodation for Traveller
Bromo Cottages, Java Banana Bromo, Lava View Lodge, Cemoro Indah

Barong and Rangda Dance of Bali Culture

Barong dance is probably the most well known dance on Bali. It is another story telling dance, narrating a classic tale of the fight between good and evil spirits. Barong represents the good spirit and Rangda represents the evil spirit. Barong dance represent the omission of culture of Pre Hindu using extant doll of ancient human being or quadruped having the power of magical.

Barong, a mystical creature with a long way back and curved tail, represents the protector of mankind, and the favorable spirits associated with the right and white magic. The widow witch Rangda, the Barong’s antagonist, rules the evil spirits and witches who haunt the graveyards late at night. Her habitat is darkness and her specialties lie with the practice of black magic, the destructive force of the left. Both figures are of the same earthly substance, possessing strong magical prowess. In a mythical past, the Barong was won over to the side of humanity, and, in the play, fights on behalf of the people against the intruding evil force of Rangda.

The Barong dance describe that Rangda, the mother of the King in the tenth century, Erlangga, was condemned by her husband because she practiced black magic. After she became a widow, she summoned all the evil spirits in the jungle, the leaks and the demons, to come after Erlangga. A fight occurred, but she and her black magic troops were too strong that Erlangga had to ask for the help of Barong. Barong came with Erlangga's soldiers. The fight ensued. At one point in the fight, Erlangga’s soldiers rush to the Barong's assistance by violently attacking Rangda. Rangda casted a spell that reverses their fury back into themselves, and they begin to plunge the blades of their keris inward against their own bodies. It made all Erlangga’s soldiers wanted to kill themselves and pointing their poisoned keris into their own stomachs and chests. Barong casted a spell that turned their body resistant to the sharp keris. At the end, Barong won, and Rangda ran away.

In this phenomenal self-stab, no matter how forcefully they plunge the daggers against their chests, the tips of the blades do not puncture the skin. At the end of the play, the keris dancers, that represents the Erlangga’s soldiers, are revived by the ‘Pemangku’, who sprinkles them with holy water which has been dipped in the beard of the Barong.

The most holy mask and the one often used in the play is that of the Barong Keket, "The Sovereign Lord of the Forest", a beast representing no known animal. In the extreme coordination of the lively Barong, one forgets the fantastic creature isn't acting on its own accord, as it mischievously side steps and whirls around, snapping its jaws at the gamelan, and swishing flies with its tail. After the Barong's dance, everyone falls silent. The Barong Keket dance accompanied by gamelan called Semar Pagulingan

The masks of Barong and Rangda are made of a wood which is taken away from a ghostlike place like grave. That's why Barong and Rangda represent the very sanctified sacred thing by Hindu's society in Bali. Before they are brought out, a priest must be present to offer blessings by sprinkling them with holy water taken from Mount Agung.

Location of Destination
The show of Barong dance can be found especially at Pura Dalem Ubud Temple in Gianyar regency. It also can be found in Batubulan village about 10 km north Denpasar, capital of Bali Island, Republic of Indonesia.

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hata Airport (Jakarta). Then by domestic flight about 1 hours and 50 minutes from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (Bali Island). Or by international direct flight to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (Bali Island).
Then by car about 20 minutes from Denpasar to Batubulan village.

Best Time to Visit
May to October, on the dry seasons.
The show usually begins at the time 19.30 PM.

Accommodation for Traveller
To attend at the show of Barong dance in Batubulan village, tourists usually stay in some hotels in Denpasar.
Aria Luxury Villas & Spa, Oranjje Denpasar, Hotel Puri Ayu Denpasar, Grand Santhi

Others
It’s available brochures about the Barong dance show printed in English, French, Italian, Indonesian, Japan, and Mandarin on the location.

Ubud : Center of Balinese Traditional Culture

A tour to Bali remains incomplete without visiting Ubud. Ubud can be described as a magical, wonderful, and cultural heart in Bali. Far removed from the drunken bikini scene in Kuta. The area is sometimes referred to as the craft villages of Bali, though the area is a bit more built-up and congested than one might infer from the term - village.

This traditional country town, Ubud, is almost infested with artists' workshops and galleries. There are hundreds of shops selling antiques, woodcarvings, crafts, textiles, paintings and jewelry as well as some of the best art museums in the country, dozens of art studios, an excellent local craft market, and galleries selling local and international art. mostly retailing cheap reproductions for tourists. The road to Ubud from the south passes a series of small towns which specialize in the production of particular arts and crafts, including Batubulan (stone carving), Celuk (jewelry), Batuan (painting), and Mas (wood carving). Most of Bali's museums and galleries are centered in Ubud. These museums and galleries offer paintings, woodcarvings, textiles and all kinds of souvenirs for viewing and also purchase. Undoubtedly, the spots like Museum Puri Lukisan in centre of Ubud, Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women and Agung Rai Museum in Pengosekan, Neka Museum in Campuhan, Goa Gajah, Gunung Kawi, and Tirta Empul are a great pleasure to the travelers in Ubud, Bali.

In additional of these museum and arts galleries that interest the visitors, there are plenty of sightseeing places in Ubud. The scenic beauty of Ubud is absolutely breathtaking. And of course the beautiful view of terraced rice fields. Travellers can take a long walk across the woods to explore nature in its myriad forms. There are also many rivers around Ubud. So water sports freak can easily go kayaking down the rivers. Visitors can avail any of the guided tours meant for Sightseeing in Ubud. Bird watching can also be a lot of fun in Ubud as Ubud is home to hundreds of different species of birds. Visitors can also try elephant riding and explore the different parts of Ubud including a calm and quiet village life that attracts people.

Gua Gajah (The Elephant Cave) is a popular excursion destination only about 3 kms away from Ubud, Bali. This is a cave, with a mouth that resembles a demon's mouth. Inside the cave, there are statues of the ‘lingam’ and ‘yoni’ (phallus and vagina) statues, as also a statue of Lord Ganesha. Statues stand guard around pools near the entrance and a little path leads to a waterfall, rice fields and some Buddhist stupa fragments.

Gunung Kawi (The Poet Mountain) is presumed to be the burial complex of King Anak Wungsu and his many wives, and is about 18 km northeast from Ubud. Reached by climbing down 371 steps, the location at the bottom of a steep valley lined with paddy fields is stunning. The smaller complex on the south side of the river is presumed to be for the king's wives, while the larger complex is thought to be for the King himself.

Monkey Sanctuary in Ubud, is a natural forest full of ravenous monkeys. Deep inside the forest, is Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal (A Temple of the Dead) which is another attraction in Ubud.

Tirta Empul, 20 km northeast from Ubud, Bali, is considered to be one of the holiest temples on Bali, and is surrounded by hot springs that are considered to have miraculous powers. Balinese themselves come here to bathe and purify themselves physically and spiritually, and during Galungan the sacred barong masks are bathed here.

Ubud's role as the epicenter of Balinese culture makes it the perfect place to see traditional Balinese dance and drama. Balinese Hinduism, cremation ceremony, or celebration of some kind remains stronger in Ubud than elsewhere in Bali. Balinese Hinduism is distinct from that of India and has absorbed the animism of Bali's pre-Hindu ancestors, inspired by the extraordinary beauty of Bali's landscapes, such as rice fields, mountains, river gorges, villages and ancient temples.

Location of Destination
Ubud is located about 10 km northeast Denpasar, capital of Bali Island, Republic of Indonesia.

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hata Airport (Jakarta). Then by domestic flight about 1 hour and 50 minutes from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (Bali Island). Or by international direct flight to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (Bali Island).
Then by car approximately 90 minutes from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to Ubud.

Best Time to Visit
Anytime

Accommodation for Traveller
Spirit Hotel, Hotel Tjampuhan Spa, Amandari, The Viceroy Bali, Four Seasons Sayan, Anahata Villa & Spa Resort, Ubud Hanging Gardens, De Ubud Villas, Kupu Kupu Barong Villa and Tree Spa, The Ubud Village Resort, Nandini Bali Jungle Resort & Spa, Barong Resort and Spa, Sri Bungalows, Dewa Bungalows.

Others
There are a number of spas, and healing clinics, where the tired and stressed out traveler can have massages and treatments to soothe him.

Toba Lake : One of the Largest Lake of the World

Toba Lake is the highest lake in the world, the largest lake in South East Asia, and also one of the most spectacular, surrounded by tall mountains and with a large Samosir Island in the middle of the lake, at an altitude of 1.000 meters. Toba Lake is 100 km long and 30 km wide, bigger than Singapore, formed by a gigantic volcanic eruption. it is probably the largest resurgent caldera on Earth.

Toba Lake is estimated that was formed during a volcanic eruption about 70.000-75.000 years ago and which was the most recent super volcano eruption. It is estimated that volcanic materials that were spewed out the mountain totaling 2800 cubic km, with 2,000 cubic km of ignimbrite that flowed over the ground and 800 cubic km volcanic ash that is estimated was blown (wind) to the west for 2 weeks. After this eruption, a caldera was formed that was filled by water afterwards and now known as Toba Lake. The pressure from the dormant magma, which has not yet erupted, caused Samosir Island to emerge. The region that now known as Samosir Island originally was a peninsula that attached to the Sumatra mainland.

Toba Lake lies in the Batak highlands, visited by both domestic and foreign tourist, and has become one of the main tourist attractions for a long time in North Sumatra apart from Bukit Lawang and Nias. It has a very enchanted scenery for being surrounded by green hills with steep, pine covered sloped. It offers beautifully magnificent view, fresh air, tranquillity, and pleasant. If visitors descend from the mountain they see the lake glittering in all its beauty.

The island in the middle of the lake - Samosir Island - was joined to the caldera wall by a narrow isthmus, which was cut through to enable boats to pass; a road bridge crosses the cutting. Tuk Tuk, named after the linguist Herman Neubronner van der Tuuk, is the main town to stay on Samosir Island. On the western side of the Samosir Island, just across the causeway from Pangururan, there are hot springs. In the Island, visitors can also find many big statues as Cemeteries for Batak people ancestors especially King Sidabutar's Graveyard, traditional houses of Batak Toba Samosir tribe, Batak museum with traditional dance performed in Simanindo, stone chairs used for judgement and executions in Ambarita, and see a waterfall up the hill around Tuk Tuk. In Samosir Island, there are two other lakes namely Lake Sidihoni and Lake Aek Natonang. Generally visitors go to Samosir Island by ferry from Parapat, a town on the side of Sumatra mainland.

Many types of flora live within the boundaries of Lake Toba, include various types of phytoplankton, emerged macrophytes, floating macrophytes, and submerged macrophytes. Lake Toba also offers a nurturing environment for fish such as the tilapia mossambica, aplocheilus pachax, lebistes reticulatus, osphronemus goramy, trichogaster trichopterus, channa striata, chana gachua, clarias batrachus, clarias nieuhofi, clarias. sp., nemachilus fasciatus, cyprinus carpio, puntius javanicus, puntius binotatus, osteochilus nasselti, lissochilus sp., labeobarbus sora, and rasbora sp.

Location of Destination
Lake Toba encompasses three districts, Simalungun, Parapat, and Ambarita districts. It lies about 176 km southwest Medan City, Capital of North Sumatra Province, Republic of Indonesia.

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hata Airport (Jakarta). Then by domestic flight about 2 hours from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to Polonia Airport (Medan).
Then by car approximately 4 hours from Polonia Airport (Medan) to Toba Lake. Or by train about 2 hours from Medan to Pematang Siantar town, then by car about 1 hour from Pematang Siantar to Toba Lake.

Best Time to Visit
May to August, or when there is event 'Toba Lake Traditional Party'

Accommodation for Traveller
Niagara Hotel, Panorama Hotel, Patra Jasa Hotel, Romlan Guesthouse (in Samosir Island), Tabo Cottages (in Samosir Island)