Interesting Places

Tawangmangu

Tawangmangu is located 40 km east of Solo, this recreational resort offers fresh weather; scenic views, swimming pools, bungalow style hotels and restaurants. Tawangmangu, a mountain resorts at an elevation of almost 1 km above sea level, which promises a cool escape from the city's heat. It lies on the slopes of Mt. Lawu, at an elevation of 1300 m above sea level. A cool splendid hill resort also on the slope of mount Lawu, at about 1400 M height above sea level. The road from Solo via Karangpandan is a fine trip thru magnificent green terraced hills. Tawangmangu has all kind of facilities, hotel, camping ground, forest tourism, etc. The climate is fresh and one can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Other features include nearby temples, a national park and 40m in high waterfall of Grojogan Sewu.

It is a 100 M high waterfall; the pool at the bottom has very chilly water. In front of the gate to Grojogan Sewu, horses for rent are available to ride around Tawangmangu.

Jatijajar Cave

Jatijajar cave is located about 49 km west of Kebumen, or 20 km from Gombong. It is the most interesting cave in Central Java with its stalactite and stalagmite. Inside the cave, there is Kamandaka statue, which has its own legend. The legend inside the cave describing about the legend of Raden Kamandaka or lutung kasarung legend, which this story is represented by statues inside of cave. It is believe that water from water source inside cave can make some one well preserved. The length of this cave is about 250 meters. To reach the location there is available transportation such as angkot (a small bus), and also some representative hotels and restaurants. The name of Jatijajar is come when there were two of twin jati trees growths in mouth of cave in the first time founded. The cave complex is equipped by Dinosaurs statue discharges water from his mouth, whereas water comes from sources inside cave every day. There are also another beautiful cave in the area of Jatijajar cave, such as, Intan Cave and Dempok cave completed by a pleasure park Also there is park available, with the name Taman Kera as many of monkey statues in there. Inside mouth of cave there are many stalactites and stalagmites, a natural process since thousands years ago.

Dieng Plateau

Dieng Volcanic Complex (also called the Dieng Plateau) is a complex volcano. A complex volcano is an extensive assemblage of spatially, temporally, and genetically related major and minor volcanic centers with the associated lava flows and pyroclastic rocks. This is another place worth visiting in Central Java, situated around 2000 m above sea level and 100 km from Borobudur. This area northwest of Yogyakarta is in the volcanic mountains and over 2,000 meters elevation. The name "Dieng" means "abode of the gods." There the visitor can find restarted temples build around year 800, colorful lakes and steaming ones. On the road we will see how the farmer use all the land available by using terraces. It's also fresher up here and we are almost above the clouds. The plateau, located 2,093 meters above sea level, offers two sunrises, the golden sunrise and the silver sunrise. Both are equally amazing natural phenomena. The golden sunrise refers to the first sunrise between 5:30 and 6 a.m. It is said to be golden because of its sparkling golden red color. We can enjoy this sunrise from a viewing post at a height of 1,700 meters above sea level in Wonosobo. The place, located in a mountainous area, is easily accessible because the roads leading to this area are all paved.

After savoring the beauty of the double sunrise, a natural phenomenon perhaps found only on Dieng Plateau, we could still enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature. Walk about 10 minutes over a distance of some two kilometers to the southeast of the temple where there is a colorful lake. From the top of a hill the lake reflects a greenish yellow color, the reflection of the sulfate acid that the lake water contains. Beside this colorful lake there is another lake with pristine water. Locals call it the mirror lake because the water is very clear. The surface of the lake water also reflects sunlight. Unfortunately, this beautiful morning panorama is slightly impaired by the rampant felling of trees around the lakes. Unless the tree feeling is checked, this beautiful panorama will soon vanish for good.

Beside the beautiful panorama above, there is also small monuments, which are not more than 50 feet high stand on a crater floor amidst sulfurous fumes and underlined by the presence of a few of the starkest Shivaite temples at an elevation of more than 6.000 feet, are impressive. The site is located four hours from Semarang. In this site, the visitor will see some of the oldest Hindu temples of Java. On the way to the Dieng Plateau, visitors will pass through tobacco plantations and beautiful mountain scenery. This area can reach about four hours from Semarang, the site of some of the oldest Hindu temples on Java. These 50m-foot high monuments stand on a crater floor amidst sulfur fumes. The road to the Dieng Plateau passes through tobacco plantations and beautiful mountain scenery.

Baturaden

The interesting place to see is Baturaden, located 15 km north of Purwokerto. Baturaden is a classical highland country in the foot of Gunung Slamet volcano. Central Java's outstanding resort is approximately 14 km north of Purwokerto. It occupies a fine site on the slope of Mount Slamet, at an elevation of 650 m above sea level. It has remarkable weather with a cool mountain breeze. The temperature ranges from 18 degree C to 25 degree C. The resort area is surrounded by nice gardens, hot springs, ponds and bungalow-style hotels. Other features include 200 ha of pine forest, a nearby market and marvelous views. Some European groups are known to spend a day trekking through its Splendid Natural Forest and Villages. Always green, the area is blessed with an abundance of natural water resources spouting out in numerous waterfalls and rivers, which flow between the huge boulders of hardened lava. The huge boulders also points out to Ravines and river bank and form some kind of path, apparently having rolled down from Mount Slamet during a eruption many centuries ago.

Baturaden is renowned for local tourism; with attraction of hot spring, trekking and camping. The main attraction for tourist is the Loka Wisata Baturaden, a recreational Park with a swimming pool, water slide, lake; children's play ground with an Old Dutch Merry-go-round, Hot water mineral spring and Botanical Gardens. We can come to spend the whole day, picnicking on the grassy lawn or along the river or bathing in the mineral waters, which contain sulfur. There are two natural hot spring in Baturaden, namely Pancuran Telu and Pancuran Pitu. The park connects with "Pancuran Tujuh" (Seven Fountains) of warm sulfuric spring water about 2,5 Km's away. The camping ground is called Wana Wisata. There are 76 hotels ranging from the star grade to the modest one for overnight stay. We can go perum berkoh there are one elite house in this city.

Bledug Kuwu

Bledug Kuwu is one of tourist attractions in Wirosari area in Grobogan Region, Purwodadi, Central Java. Bledug Kuwu is a local name for something that burst in pool. This is rather strange pool that far from volcano. The vapor burst came from carbon dioxide release. The temperature is mild. Visitors might experience a stunning natural occurrence of small, frequent bursts from mud crate with a sound resembling a mount eruption. This natural phenomenon is resulted from geothermal motion inside the earth bed. Witness said that a big burst could even create small quakes that quiver the area.

Bledug Kuwu looks like just another muddy pond. But every one or two minutes, the placid water erupts in an explosion of mud, followed by a plume of white steam. The pond is located just off the alternative road connecting Purwodadi and Cepu in Central Java, on a site measuring some 4.5 hectares. Bledug Kuwu has become a tourist attraction in the area. The visitors can watch the geyser from a distance of between 10 meters and 20 meters. The eruptions of water and mud shift positions from time to time. But there are two spots where the geyser regularly erupts. The locals call the one in the east Mbah (Grandpa) Jokotua and the one in the west Mbah (Grandma) Rodenok. They have given the spots where the geyser erupts names, as they believe that the place is sacred.

Gajah Mungkur Dam

This Gigantic picturesque dam is located about 3 km from the town of Wonogiri. The water supply of the dam is from Bengawan Solo River, the longest river in Java. Its construction was in 1975 until 1981. The lake of the dam covers an area of 8.800 ha and has capacity to irrigate 23.600 ha of rice fields in the regencies of Klaten, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar and Sragen. It supplies the drinking water for Wonogiri and electrical turbine with capacity of 12,4 M.W. This is also a beautiful place for water recreation. There is a pier for boots to take people around the lake and also available facilities for water skiing, fishing and floating restaurant. The hand-gliding sport can be enjoyed here.

There, we can find Sendang recreation park that located at the bank of Gajah Mungkur dam, about 6 km from the town center of Wonogiri town to the South. The visitor can enjoy boating, fishing, water skiing, swimming or engage in hang gliding sport which starts from a hill near the dam.

Cipendok Waterfall

Cipendok waterfall is located at a plateau in Banyumas region and officially made open for public in February 27, 1986 by the Banyumas Regent, R.G Roydjito. Go north of Cipendok, lies the largest mountain forest in Java. To be able to reach the bottom of Cipendok Waterfall we must walk some steps down. In the stream at the feet of the waterfall, there is a group of black, monstrous stones soaked by the heavy water. Cipendok Waterfall is a perfect site for those who seek solace or quiet surrounding for meditation.

Curug Semawur Waterfall

Curug Semawur, located at Blumah Village in Plantungan district, Kendal, Central Java is about 33km from Semarang. The journey to the waterfall can be a memorable experience as visitors would witness lines of wooden-house of the villagers, in addition to encounters a bunch monkeys along the way. Endless streams of waterfall heavily even in the driest season of the year, not to mention its unusual height, which could reach up to tens of meters. It has legend that the waterfall actually consists of seven levels and very few people have been able to climb up its peak.

Karimunjawa

Karimunjawa is and island chain stretching in a northwesterly direction 83 km from Jepara. Central Java. This archipelago is a cluster of 27 islands in the java sea. Only seven of the islands are inhabited. The reefs are a mixture of fringing, barrier, and patch with bottom depths ranging from 15 to 40 meters. The name of Karimunjawa is taken from Javanese language 'Kremun kremun saking tanah Jawi' addressed by one of Wali Songo (the Nine Saints who had introduced Islam in Java) to describe how far this mini archipelago from Java, to be exact from Semarang and Jepara. Stands from 27 islands, this mini archipelago became marine national park and it's like a treasure for those who love marine life. Here can be found protected coral reefs (very colorful plateaus and plains in deep and shallow waters), secluded and tranquil white beaches, pelican and hornbill, sea grass and kinds of sea creatures, from crabs, anchovy, starfish, sharks, stingray, jellyfish, red snappers, etc.

Kyai Langgeng Park

Kyai Langgeng Park located at the western part of Magelang, and occupying land of about 19 hectares, with the tranquility of a rural atmosphere, is easily accessible as it lies only about 1 km from the center of the town. Convenient public transport brings the tourist there, leaving town life behind to go back to nature.

Sangiran

Sangiran is located 15 km from Surakarta. It is a village located 17 Km north of Solo, on the road to Purwodadi. It is an important place for Pithecanthropus Erectus, the pre-historic Java man. It is fossilized land of prehistoric living things. The Pleistocene Museum keeps some skills of the erectus, fossils of plants and animals. Sangiran and other places such as Wajak (near Tulungangung) and Trinil (near Ngawi) are significant places for human evolution/theory. It is interesting place for scientific tourism in the field of geology, anthropology and archeology. Many experts came to this site to do some research and study among other; Van Es (1939), Duyfyes (1936), Van Bemmelen (1937), Van Koeningswald (1938), Sartono (1960), Suradi (1962) and Otto Sudarmaji (1976). Van Koeningswald said that more than five different types of hominoid fossils have been found in Sangiran, it was incredible. There is no other place in the world like Sangiran. The Sangiran fossils are very various, they were earth as well as sea fossils. There was a possibility that island of Java was erected from the bottom of sea million years ago.

Ambarawa Railway Museum

Ambarawa is famous nationwide by the credo Palagan Ambarawa. Small city that forgotten nowadays but became one of the important base camp of National heroes during Dutch occupancy in World War II. A small city in the junction of national road between Yogyakarta to Semarang and accessible to several small cities nearby like Salatiga, Magelang and Bandungan. Fifty km south of Semarang, Ambarawa has locomotives of various types and ages, and it is still possible to ride on a cog railway between Ambarawa and Bedono, a village nearby. Ambarawa Railway Museum 50 km south of Semarang, Ambarawa is the home of Java's antique locomotives, housed in a museum. Prior arrangements should be made for groups. Also of interest are a collection of antique telephones and other instrument used for railway communication.

The museum was established in the 1970s primarily to preserve a wide selection of the steam locomotives, which were then coming to the end of their useful lives on the 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge railways of the Indonesian State Railway (the Perusahaan Negara Kereta Api, PNKA). These are parked in the open air next to the original station, originally a transhipment point between the 4ft 8 in gauge branch from Kedungjati to the northeast and the 3ft 6in gauge line onward towards Yogyakarta via Magelang to the south. It is still possible to see that the two sides of the station were built to accommodate different size trains. Ambarawa lays some way above sea level and was an administrative centre for the Dutch colonialists. Now the provincial Government of Central Java is increasingly taking an interest from the point of view of its heritage significance and its potential as a tourist attraction. Non-Governmental bodies like the Semarang Heritage Society are also acting to assist and there is also an unofficial overseas group 'The Friends of Ambarawa Railway Museum'.

Pengging Palace

Pengging Palace, in Boyolali city 1.5km from Solo-Semarang highway, three has bathing pools whose water remains fresh and so clear despite having been visited many times. Located 10 km west of Solo Airport in Banyudono district. Moreover, the spring water never runs dry even at the driest season of the year. It is believed that the bathing pools were specially designed for kings of Pengging Kingdom. At the back of the compound lies a fishing pond where visitors can fish and grill their catch right away. There are several springs here; the one called Umbul Pengging has been built as a recreational park. The graveyard of Yosodipuro, one of the famous poets of Kraton Surakarta, which attracts some pilgrims, is also in this village. The spring nearby the mosque of the graveyard is considered of having holy water. Pengging is also a place with magical value. Some believe it was the site of Ki Ageng Pengging or Adipati/Viceroy Handayaningrat at the end period of Majapahit Kingdom. He was the grand father of Sultan Hadiwijoyo of Pajang Kingdom. Thus all the kings / rulers of Mataram, Yogya and Solo palaces are direct descendants of Pengging.

Bengawan Solo River

This longest river in Java flows along the eastern edge of the town from its source in the lime stones hill of the south, near East Java border to its mouth nearby Surabaya, on the Java sea. Regretfully, the river is now shallow it is not navigable anymore. But in the past it was an important link between Solo and the north cost of East Java. It length is 600 km flowing in 2 provinces which are Central Java Province and East Java Province with the irrigation width 16.000 km2, was the biggest and the main river basin area. It rises on the slope of Mount Lawu volcano (10,712 feet [3,265 m]) and the southern limestone range (Sewu Mountains) and flows north, then east to discharge into the Java Sea at a point opposite Madura Island, northwest of Surabaya. In recent 30 years development of irrigation facility at the Bengawan Solo river area have reach a significant level of development. This was mark by the completed of irrigation building, which still in progress or even have been built such as reservoir, dam, dike, irrigation net, and others. Investment have been spent to reach this development level is very big. Those buildings have functions as a flood controller, Hydraulic Power Generator, water supply for farming, industry, drink water, fishery, and others.

There is a well-known song 'Bengawan Solo' composed by Mr. Gesang. In the central Javanese city of Solo, a statue of Gesang Martohartono looks over the gently flowing Bengawan Solo, or Solo River. It was the famous Indonesian singer-songwriter Gesang, who composed the celebrated Indonesian melody "Bengawan Solo" during World War II -- when the country was under Japanese occupation. The song describes the legendary river in a poetic and nostalgic way, that it is surrounded by mountains, its sources are near the city of Surakarta, that it ends in the sea, and that the merchant class always makes use of it. It is in the local Keroncong style, a popular folk style with influences from Portuguese. The Japanese, who occupied the country during World War II, brought the song with them to Japan after returning from the war. There, and also in the rest of Asia and later worldwide, the song became very famous.