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Papua Indonesia Air System

2010-05-29T01:22:00.001-07:00

Papua Indonesia Air System is an airline based in Biak, Papua, Indonesia. It was established in 2003 and started operations on 1 February 2003 and operates a cargo service between Jayapura and Wamena

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Nusantara Buana Air

2010-04-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Nusantara Buana Air is an Indonesian airline serving destinations Aceh from its hubs at Medan Polonia Airport and Banda Aceh Airport. Nusantara Buana Air is listed in category 2 by Indonesian Civil Aviation Authority for airline safety quality.

It competes with Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter for government-charters scheduled services to towns and cities within Aceh, taking over from SMAC for 2009 after SMAC operated the routes in 2008. As of January 2010, there are no flights.

Previous routes were operated from both Medan and Banda Aceh to Blangpidie, Kutacane, Meulaboh, Simeulue, Singkil, Takengon and Tapaktuan, as well as to Pulau Nias via Padang, using a single Indonesian Aerospace NC-212-200.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Nurman Avia

2010-04-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

Nurman Avia is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates passenger and cargo charters. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

History

The airline was established in 1997 as a sister company to HeavyLift Indonesia, and once ran charter services for, now defunct airlines, Bouraq Indonesia Airlines and Sempati Air.

Fleet

As of March 2007 the Nurman Avia fleet includes:

* 2 Fokker F28 Mk4000

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Mimika Air

2010-04-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Pt. Mimika Air, formerly known as GT Air (Germania Trisila Air) is a charter airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was established in 1998 and operates charter services for Djayanti, an Indonesian forestry company. Its main base is Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta.

History

GT Air was established in 1998. Its official name is Germania Trisila Air. From November 2004 to mid-2006, GT Air operated scheduled flights between Denpasar (Bali) and Lombok.

In 2006, a DHC-6 Twin Otter was chartered to transport aid workers to Aceh and North Sumatra provinces in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In July 2007, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation cancelled the Air Operator's Certificate of Germania Trisila Air, along with another eight Indonesian airlines.

Fleet

In August 2006, the GT Air fleet comprised the following aircraft:

* 2 Dornier Do 28
* 2 Fokker F27 Mk500
* 6 DHC-6 Twin Otter

Accidents and incidents

* On 23 February 2005, DHC-6 Twin Otter PK-LTY of GT Air struck a fence on landing at Enarotali Airport on a flight from Timika.
* On 12 April 2005, DHC-6 Twin Otter PK-LTZ of GT Air crashed near Enarotali while on a flight from Timika to Enarotali while on a scheduled passenger flight. The wreckage was not discovered until 17 April. All three crew and fourteen passengers were killed.
* On 17 April 2009, Mimika Air Flight 514, operated by Pilatus PC-6 PK-LTJ crashed into Mount Gergaji, Papua New Guinea killing all ten people on board.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Merpati Nusantara Airlines

2010-04-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Merpati Nusantara Airlines is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is a major domestic airline operating scheduled services to more than 25 destinations in Indonesia, as well as scheduled international services to East Timor and Malaysia. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

History

The airline was established and started operations on 6 September 1962. It was set up by the Indonesian government as the second state airline, with the main objective of taking over the network of domestic services developed by the Air Force since 1958. During 1962, it also took over the routes previously operated by KLM subsidiary, De Kroonduif, which had been flown by Garuda since 1962. In October 1978, the airline was taken over by Garuda, but continued to operate under its own name. Merpati was integrated into the Garuda Indonesia Group in September 1989, but was granted government permission to separate in 1993, although the split did not actually take place until April 1997. It is owned by the Indonesian Government (93.2%) and Garuda Indonesia (6.8%). Because of heavy weaknesses in its security Merpati Nusantara Airlines as well as all other Indonesian airlines have been put on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union, so that for all planes landing on airports in the European Union is prohibited.

It has a Maintenance Facility based at Juanda International Airport, Surabaya.

The word merpati is Indonesian for "dove", and Nusantara is a geographic term referring to parts of Indonesia.

Destinations

Merpati Nusantara serve the following cities:

Domestic

* Balikpapan (Sepinggan International Airport)
* Bandung (Husein Sastranegara International Airport)
* Banjarmasin (Syamsudin Noor Airport)
* Batam (Hang Nadim Airport)
* Biak (Frans Kaisiepo Airport)
* Bima (Bima Airport)
* Cilacap (Tunggul Wulung Airport)
* Denpasar (Ngurah Rai International Airport)
* Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport)
* Jayapura (Sentani Airport)
* Kendari (Wolter Monginsidi Airport)
* Kupang (El Tari Airport)
* Makassar (Hasanuddin International Airport)
* Malang (Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport)
* Manado (Sam Ratulangi International Airport)
* Manokwari (Rendani Airport)
* Mataram (Selaparang Airport)
* Maumere (Maumere Airport)
* Merauke (Mopah Airport)
* Medan (Polonia International Airport)
* Padang (Minangkabau International Airport)
* Palembang (Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport)
* Palu (Mutiara Airport)
* Pekanbaru (Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport)
* Sorong (Sorong Airport)
* Surabaya (Juanda International Airport)
* Tanjung Karang (Radin Inten II Airport)
* Ternate (Babullah Airport)
* Waingapu (Waingapu Airport)
* Ujungpandang (Hasanuddin International Airport)
* Yogyakarta (Adisucipto International Airport)

International

* East Timor
o Dili (Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport)
* Malaysia
o Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur International Airport)
* Papua New Guinea
o Port Moresby (Jacksons International Airport)
* Philippines
o Davao (Francisco Bangoy International Airport)

Previously operated

At August 2006 the airline also operated :

* 2 BAe 748 Series 2A
* 3 McDonnell Douglas DC-9
* 3 Boeing 737-200
* 3 De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter
* 2 Fokker 100
* 2 Fokker F27 Mk500
* 22 Fokker F28 Mk4000
* 5 Fokker F27 Mk500F
* 10 Indonesian Aerospace CN-235-100
* 5 Indonesian Aerospace 212-200
* 5 Vickers Vanguard

Accidents and incidents

* On 10 November 1971, Vickers Viscount PK-MVS of crashed into the sea 75 miles (121 km) off Sumatra killing all 69 people on board.
* On 5 April 1972, a Vickers Viscount of Merpati Nusantara Airlines was the subject of an attempted hijacking. The hijacker was killed.
* On 18 June 1988, Vickers Viscount PK-MVG of was damaged beyond economic repair when it suffered a hydraulic system failure and departed the runway at Polonia International Airport, Medan.
* 1995 - Merpati Nusantara Airlines de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter crashed
* On 2 August 2009 - Flight Merpati Nusantara Airlines 9760, a Twin Otter, went missing in the region of Papua
* On 3 December 2009, Fokker 100 PK-MJD made an emergency landing at El Tari Airport, Kupang when the left main gear failed to extend. There were no injuries among the passengers and crew.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Manunggal Air Service

2010-04-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

Manunggal Air Services is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates charter passenger and cargo services within Indonesia and neighbouring regions. Its main base is Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta.

The airline is on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union.

History

The airline was established and started operations in 1997.

In March 2007 the Indonesian transport ministry, under huge political pressure to improve air safety in Indonesia, warned it will close seven airlines unless they improve training and maintenance within the next three months. The ministry developed a formula for ranking the airlines in three bands. Those in the third (least safe) band are: Adam Air, Batavia Air, Jatayu Airlines, Kartika Airlines, Manunggal Air Services, Transwisata Prima Aviation and Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines.

Fleet

As of March 2009 the Manunggal Air fleet consists of:

* 1 BAe 146-100
* 1 Transall C-160

Incidents and accidents

On 6 March 2008 a Transall C-160NG (registered PK-VTQ) was destroyed on landing. All the plane's occupants survived.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Mandala Airlines

2010-04-05T02:20:00.000-07:00

andala Airlines is an Indonesian low-cost domestic airline. Mandala operates scheduled services to 17 destinations within Indonesia (plus 11 other destinations served by codeshare agreement with TransNusa Air Services). Its main operational base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. The airline is positioning itself as a provider of safe and reliable service combined with a competitive pricing scheme.

History

PT Mandala Airlines was founded in April 17, 1969. The founders were Col. Sofjar, Maj. Gen. Raden Soerjo, Adil Aljol, Maj. (Air Force) Soegandi Partosoegondo, Kasbi Indradjanoe and Darwin Ramli. The airline was owned by PT Dharma Kencana Sakti, which in turn was the commercial arm of Yayasan Dharma Putra Kostrad, a foundation linked to Kostrad, the strategic reserve command of the Indonesian army. The airline was named after Operation Mandala, the military operations to incorporate West Papua into Indonesia. The name also refers to mandala, a Sanskrit term for a diagram symbolizing the universe, which is used as the logo of the corporation.

In its early years Mandala Airlines operated flights between Jakarta and destinations in eastern Indonesia, such as Ambon, Gorontalo, Kendari, Makassar and Manado. In 1972 Mandala took over Seulawah Air Service (another military-owned business), which flew to cities in western Indonesia, such as Banda Aceh, Banjarmasin, Medan, Padang, Palembang, Pekanbaru and Pontianak, giving the airline a national coverage.

Under military management, Mandala Airlines kept a relatively quiet existence as a second-tier airline. In 1992, it retired the last of its aged turboprop fleet and replaced them with leased second hand jet aircraft. In 2001, it suffered from a financial scandal, in which no less than IDR 135.5 billion (about USD 13.5 million) was stolen from the company funds by a senior Kostrad officer.

Despite being awarded as Indonesia's "Most Potential Brand in Airlines Service" in 2002, Mandala found it hard to compete with other recently-emerged Indonesian airlines. In 2005, Mandala experienced a high profile crash in Medan. At about the same time, political developments in Indonesia meant that military businesses were no longer acceptable, resulting in demands that Mandala Airlines be divested. After the Indonesian government refused to take over Mandala Airlines, Cardig International acquired the airline for IDR 300 billion (USD 34 million) in April 2006. Indigo Partners acquired 49% of Cardig's shares in October 2006.

Within one year of its acquisition, Mandala Airlines transformed its image into a modern airline satisfying international standards of safety. It adopted the low-cost carrier model, in order to compete with other low-cost airlines in Indonesia. Mandala Airlines created a special niche among Indonesia's low-cost carriers by creating an image as a safe airline, taking advantage of the relatively young age of its fleet. Mandala has now completed the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and other manufacturer audits. It contracted maintenance of its aircraft to Singapore Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC). Its safety improvements were recognised by the European Union as Mandala was among four Indonesian airlines (the others were Garuda Indonesia, Airfast Indonesia and Premiair) officially struck from the EU airline ban list on July 14, 2009.

In January 2009, Mandala Airlines completed the phasing out of its older Boeing aircraft, replacing them with newer Airbuses. In April 20, Mandala moved its Jakarta operations to the new Terminal 3 of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Corporate identity

The airline's logo is a golden eight-pointed mandala reflecting the eight characters of humanity and the eight elements in Javanese tradition, with a five-petaled lotus in its centre reflecting Indonesia's five-principled state ideology, Pancasila. A new logo was unveiled in November 1, 2006, emphasizing the new image of the corporation. The new logo keeps the mandala and lotus theme of the original, but has a more streamlined design.

The current livery of Mandala Airlines is a eurowhite scheme, comprising of a white fuselage with a blue 'mandala' title. The company logo is applied on the tail and the outboard sides of engine nacelles. Mandala's previous livery was also a eurowhite scheme with a different typeface for the 'Mandala' title, a blue tail and the original logo. The airline's earliest

scheme was a bare-metal lower and white upper fuselage with a blue cheatline across the cabin windows and a red 'MANDALA' title.

Other recent liveries used by Mandala Airlines include a gold and blue wavy scheme with a large billboard 'Mandala' title introduced in early 2006, a mainly-white scheme with gold and blue hockey stick

stripes on the fuselage and a blue tail, and an all-white scheme.

Destinations

Mandala Airlines currently concentrates in Western Indonesia, serving destinations in Sumatra, Java, Bali and Kalimantan:

* Balikpapan (Sepinggan International Airport)
* Banjarmasin (Syamsudin Noor Airport)
* Batam (Hang Nadim Airport)
* Bengkulu (Fatmawati Soekarno Airport)
* Denpasar (Ngurah Rai International Airport)
* Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport) hub
* Jambi (Sultan Thaha Airport)
* Kupang (El Tari Airport)
* Medan (Polonia International Airport)
* Singapore (Singapore Changi Airport)
* Padang (Minangkabau International Airport)
* Pangkal Pinang (Depati Amir Airport)
* Pekanbaru (Sultan Syarif Qasim II International Airport)
* Pontianak (Supadio Airport)
* Semarang (Achmad Yani International Airport)
* Surabaya (Juanda International Airport) secondary hub
* Tarakan (Juwata Airport)
* Yogyakarta (Adisucipto International Airport)

Further expansion is expected to bring Mandala to other destinations throughout Indonesia, several of which were former destinations:

* Ambon (Pattimura Airport)
* Banda Aceh (Sultan Iskandarmuda Airport)
* Bandar Lampung (Radin Inten II Airport)
* Gorontalo (Jalaluddin Airport)
* Kendari (Wolter Monginsidi Airport)
* Malang (Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport)
* Makassar (Hasanuddin International Airport)
* Manado (Sam Ratulangi International Airport)
* Mataram (Selaparang Airport)
* Palembang (Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport)
* Palu (Mutiara Airport)
* Sorong (Jefman Airport)

In cooperation with TransNusa, Mandala serves destinations in Nusa Tenggara from Denpasar and Kupang:

* Bajawa (Padhameleda Airport)
* Bima (Muhammad Salahuddin Airport)
* Ende (H. Hasan Aroeboesman Airport)
* Kalabahi (Mali Airport)
* Labuan Bajo (Komodo Airport)
* Mataram (Selaparang Airport)
* Maumere (Wai Oti Airport)
* Ruteng (Satar Tacik Airport)
* Sumbawa Besar (Brang Biji Airport)
* Tambolaka (Tambolaka Airport)
* Waingapu (Mau Hau Airport)

In-flight service

Mandala Airlines is a single class service airline. It has a buy on board service offering food and beverages for purchase by passengers, but no in-flight entertainment. Seats are reserved and allocated during check-in. Free in-flight magazines and newspapers are provided during flight.

Mandala Airlines has a baggage allowance of 20 kg (44 lb) per passenger, with an extra 5 kg (11 lb) for priority passengers. Priority passengers also benefit from better seat locations (at the front of the aircraft), free lounge access and free food and beverages (both in lounges and during flight).

Ticketing

In line with current airline practice, Mandala Airlines uses an electronic ticketing and an e-payment system. The airline has a 24-hour call centre and a website

for customers to book and pay for tickets electronically. Tickets for TransNusa destinations can be booked from the website, but flights involving the different airlines need separate bookings for each leg.

Codeshare

* Trigana Air Service, trading as TransNusa Air Services

Incidents and accidents

During its 40 years of operation, Mandala Airlines has experienced two significant accidents and several minor incidents. However, it has had no incidents since 2007, when it began to retire older aircraft and introduce newer ones.

* On February 1, 1975, a Vickers Viscount overran the runway during landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Republic of China and ended up in a paddy field. Another Viscount overran the runway of Manado Airport on January 7, 1976. The aircraft was landing in intermittent slight rain, touching down 520 meters (1706 feet) down the runway, crossed a ditch and 3 drains before coming to rest 180 meters (591 feet) past the end of the runway. There were no fatalities in both incidents.
* On October 18, 1977, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 crashed in Manila, Philippines during a certification flight. Two of three crew members were killed.
* On May 1, 1981, a Vickers Viscount ran off the runway at Semarang, causing the right main gear and nose gear to collapse. Another Viscount belly-landed at Yogyakarta on January 13, 1985. In both cases there were no fatalities but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
* On November 30, 1985, a Lockheed L-188 Electra had its main gear wheels separated when approaching for landing at Padang. The wheels fell through the roof of a watch repair shop. The aircraft was diverted to Medan for a wheels-up landing. All propellers broke off and the aircraft burst into flames after coming to rest. All 45 passengers and crew members survived, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
* On July 24, 1992, Mandala Airlines Flight 660, a Vickers Viscount flying from Makassar to Ambon, crashed into Inahau Hill (located at Liliboy village, about 15 km (9 mi) west of the intended destination) while on an instrument approach in a heavy rainstorm. All 70 passengers and crew members were killed. At the time, it was Indonesia's third worst aviation accident.
* On September 5, 2005, Mandala Airlines Flight 091, a Boeing 737-200 departing for Jakarta, crashed seconds after taking off from Medan. Out of 117 passengers and crew members, 100 died. One passenger died later from injuries sustained during the crash in a hospital. As the aircraft crashed into a heavily populated residential area, 49 persons on the ground were also killed, and at least 26 were injured. This accident is the second worst aviation accident in Indonesia, and also the the world's worst accident involving a Boeing 737-200.
* On October 3, 2006, a Boeing 737-200 arriving from Balikpapan skidded 50 meters off the runway during landing at Tarakan. There were no injuries. Visibility was below 400 meters at the time due to heavy haze. Months later, on December 18, another Boeing 737-200 skidded off the runway at Malang due to adverse weather. No injuries were reported to the 77 passengers on board. Malang was the scene for another incident on November 1, 2007, when another Boeing 737-200 skidded when landing due to adverse weather. No serious injury occurred, but 5 persons were slightly injured out of 89 passengers and crew members.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Lorena Airlines

2010-03-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

PT Eka Sari Lorena Airlines is an Indonesian airline which is based in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. It uses 2 Boeing 737-300 aircraft to fly from Jakarta-CGK to Palembang, Pekanbaru and Surabaya.

The CEO of this airline is Eka Sari Lorena Surbakti, daughter of the owner of Lorena Group, a bus operating company.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Lion Air

2010-03-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

PT Lion Mentari Airlines, operating as Lion Air, is Indonesia’s largest private carrier and Asia’s first hybrid carrier which offers both economy and business-class seating, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Lion Air also flies to Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta. It operates scheduled passenger services on an extensive domestic network from Jakarta to 42 destinations with 226 daily flights (as of December 2009).

Along with many other Indonesian carriers, Lion Air is on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union due to safety concerns as of December 2009.

History

The airline was established in October 1999 and started operations on June 30, 2000, when it began scheduled passenger services between Jakarta and Pontianak using a leased Boeing 737-200. It is fully owned by Rusdi Kirana and family. The airline is also planning to become an IATA member, thereby becoming the second IATA Indonesian carrier behind Garuda Indonesia.

Starting February 2010, Lion Air will increase the number of flights to Jeddah to five times weekly. This route will be served by the two Boeing 747-400 with 496 seats.

Lion Air Australia

In January 2008, Lion Air announced plans to start operating from Australia. The new airline, to be named Lion Air Australia, is set to operate as a domestic and international airline. There has been no news on this airline since.

Destinations

Lion Air serves 42 destions; 37 domestic and 5 international (as of December 2009).

Modernization

* On 26 May 2005, Lion Air signed a preliminary agreement with Boeing for the purchase of up to 60 Next Generation Boeing 737 aircraft, valued at $3.9 billion. These would replace the current fleet and provide for further expansion. Subsequently in July 2005, Lion Air confirmed a contract for 30 Boeing 737-900ERs, with options for another 30. It can carry up to 215 passengers in a single-class layout, and will be powered by CFM56-7B26 turbofan engines.
* On 17 July 2006, Lion Air announced that it had converted options for another 30 Boeing 737-900ERs into firm orders (now total of 60 aircraft on order), with deliveries commencing early 2010 through to 2012.
* On 27 April 2007, Boeing delivered the first Boeing 737-900ER to launch customer Lion Air. The aircraft was delivered in a special dual-paint scheme that combines Lion Air's trademark lion on its vertical stabilizer and the Boeing livery colors on the fuselage.
* On 18 June 2007, Lion Air announced at the Paris Air Show orders for an additional 40 737-900ER planes bringing its orders to 100.
* On 4 December 2007, Lion Air announced an additional order of 22 737-900ERs, bringing the total order to 122.
* On 19 February 2008, during the 2008 Singapore Airshow, Lion Air added 56 of the 737-900ERs, increasing the order to 178 planes
* On 19 November 2008, Lion Air signed an MoU for 10 new ATR72-500 aircraft plus 10 options, with the aircraft designated to be operated by Wings Air. The new aircraft will begin delivering in 2009.
* Lion Air is one of the first seven airlines to incorporate the new, spacious 737 Boeing Sky Interior starting in late 2010. The interior features soft, blue-sky-like overhead lighting .

Incidents and accidents

Lion Air has suffered two incidents and three accidents, one of which was fatal, since being formed in 1999.

* On 14 January 2002, Lion Air Flight 386, a Boeing 737-200 crashed on take-off and was written off; however, no-one was killed.
* On 30 November 2004, Lion Air Flight 538, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashed in Surakarta, killing 25 people. This is the airline's first and only fatal accident as of February 2010.
* On 4 March 2006, Lion Air Flight 8987, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, after landing at Juanda International Airport. Reverse thrust was used although it was stated to be out of order. This caused the aircraft to veer to the right and skid off the runway coming to rest 7,000ft from the approach end of RWY10. No-one was killed but the aircraft was damaged with a repair bill of $3,000,000.
* On 24 December 2006, Lion Air Flight 792, a Boeing 737-400, landed with incorrect flap configuration and was not centered with the runway. The plane landed hard and skidded along the runway causing the right main landing gear to detach, the left gear to protrude through the wing and some of the aircraft fuselage to be wrinkled. No-one was killed.
* On 9 March 2009, Lion Air Flight 793, a McDonnell Douglas MD-90, overran the runway in Jakarta in heavy rain. No-one was killed.
* On 13 December 2009, Lion Air Flight 391, a Boeing 737-400, overran the runway at Pekanbaru, Indonesia after a flight from Batam. There were no reported injuries or damage to the aircraft. The airport was closed for one hour to allow all 160 passengers to disembark the aircraft and for the the aircraft to be towed away.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kartika Airlines

2010-03-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

Kartika Airlines is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates domestic services from Jakarta. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

History

The airline was established in 2001 and started operations on 15 May 2001. It is wholly owned by PT Truba. The airline was grounded in November 2004, but resumed services on 15 June 2005 with Mr. Kim J Mulia (Wisma Intra Asia, Jl. Soepomo, Jakarta Selatan) .

Services

- Fleet Boeing and McDonnell Douglas
- Premier Class & Deluxe Class configuration for passengers and cargo.
- Domestic and routes
- Privilege Class: Special price for students and seniors (above 60 years)

Destinations

* Batam - Hang Nadim Airport
* Jakarta - Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Hub
* Jambi - Sultan Thaha Airport
* Medan - Polonia International Airport
* Padang - Minangkabau International Airport
* Palembang - Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport
* Pangkal Pinang - Pangkal Pinang Airport

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kalstar

2010-03-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Kalstar is an airline based in Serpong, Indonesia.

Fleet

The Kalstar fleet includes the following aircraft (as of 21 September 2008):

* 1 ATR 42-300 (which is operated by Trigana Air Service)
* 2 ATR 42-320 (which are operated by Trigana Air Service)
* 1 Fokker F28 Mk4000 (which is operated by Pelita Air Service)

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kalimantan Air Service

2010-03-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

Kalimantan Air Service is an airline based in Kalimantan, Indonesia. It plans to operate scheduled domestic passenger services linking towns and cities on the island of Kalimantan.

History

The airline was established in January 2004 following an agreement between Merpati Nusantara Airlines and the four Kalimantan provincial governments. It will use Merpati's air operators certificate and some of its aircraft.

Fleet

Kalimantan Air Service will use a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter on behalf of Merpati.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Indonesia AirAsia

2010-03-02T04:29:00.000-08:00

PT. Indonesia AirAsia is a low-cost airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates scheduled domestic services and is an Indonesian associate carrier of Malaysian low-fare airline AirAsia. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta. As of August 2008, Indonesia Air Asia, along with all Indonesian airlines, is banned from flying to the EU due to safety concerns. As of 15 April 2009, all AirAsia domestic flights from Jakarta will operate from terminal 3 but the international flights continues to operate from terminal 2. Prior to moving to T3, the airline flew from Terminal 1C.

History

The airline was established as Awair (Air Wagon International) in 1999 by Abdurrahman Wahid, former chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organisation. He had a 40% stake in the airline which he relinquished after being elected president of Indonesia in October 1999. It started operations on 22 June 2000 with Airbus 300/310 aircraft, but all flights were suspended in March 2002. Awair started operating domestically within Indonesia as an associate of AirAsia in December 2004. On 1 December 2005 Awair changed its name to Indonesia AirAsia in line with the other AirAsia branded airlines in the region. AirAsia has a 49% share in the airline.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Indonesia Air Transport

2010-02-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) is an airline and aviation company based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It provides a wide range of aviation services to the oil, gas and mining industries within Indonesia and South-east Asia, on and offshore. Its main base is Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta. The company also maintain a secondary hub for its oil & gas industry clients in Sepinggan International Airport, East Kalimantan, and operates limited scheduled services from Ngurah Rai International Airport on the island of Bali to the islands of Lombok and Flores.

History

The airline was established and started operations in 1968, initially for state oil company Pertamina and its foreign oil production sharing contractors. The airline is operated by PT Indonesia Air Transport Tbk (IDX: IATA).

On June 2008, PT Global Transport Services (subsidiary of PT Bhakti Invetama Tbk) owned PT Indonesia Air Transport Tbk. The company has 246 employees (at March 2007).

Destinations

As of October 2008 IAT offers scheduled services from Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport near Denpasar to Selaparang Airport at Mataram on the island of Lombok; and to Labuan Bajo's Komodo Airport on the island of Flores. The services are operated with Fokker 50 aircraft.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Garuda Indonesia

2010-02-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

PT (Persero) Garuda Indonesia is the national airline of Indonesia. It is named after the mythical bird Garuda. It is headquartered at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang.

In Indian Vedic tradition, Garuda is the carrier of the Hindu god Vishnu; a representation of Garuda appears in the coat of arms of Indonesia. The airline is based in Jakarta at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and also has a hub at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali. The airline flies to a number of destinations in South-East,East Asia, the Middle East and Australia. It also previously flew to several destinations in Europe and North America. From June 2007 to July 2009, Garuda, along with all Indonesian airlines, was banned from flying to the EU. However, this ban has been lifted since July 2009.

Garuda Indonesia is listed as a 4-star airline by Skytrax, and is also listed among Skytrax's Quality Approved Airlines. It is wholly owned by the Indonesian Government and employs 6,285 staff (at March 2007).

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

EastIndo

2010-02-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

EastIndo is a charter airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Fleet

The EastIndo fleet includes the following aircraft (as of 6 December 2008:

* 1 Fokker 100 (which is operated for Air Libya)

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Dirgantara Air Service

2010-02-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

Dirgantara Air Service is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates scheduled domestic services, as well as charters and aerial work. Its main bases are Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta, Syamsudin Noor Airport, Banjarmasin and Supadio Airport, Pontianak, with hubs at Temindung Airport, Samarinda and Juwata Airport, Tarakan

History

The airline was established and started operations in 1971. It is owned by UDI Upaya Foundation (40%), employees (30%) and others (40%). It has 232 employees (at March 2007).

In March 2007, the Indonesian Transport Ministry announced ratings of Indonesian airlines with some in the category of "holding potential for threatening safety of aviation". One of these was Dirgantara Air Service, although it remained operational. Other reports state that Dirgantara Air Service has been grounded, but actually the airline only had three of its airliners grounded because of poor safety compliance.

Destinations

Dirgantara Air Service operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations (at January 2005): Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Berau, Datadawai, Ketapang, Long Apung, Long Bawan, Nunukan, Pangkalanbun, Pontianak, Putussibau, Samarinda, Sampit, Sintang, Tanjung, Tanjung Selor and Tarakan.

Fleet

The Dirgantara Air Service fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007) :

* 1 ATR 42-300
* 6 Britten-Norman BN2A Islander
* 2 Indonesian Aerospace 212-100
* 6 Indonesian Aerospace 212-200

Previously operated

As of January 2005 the airline also operated:

* 2 Britten-Norman BN2B-20 Islander

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Deraya Air Taxi

2010-01-22T03:53:00.000-08:00

Deraya Air Taxi is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates commuter, charter, medical evacuation, and aerial photography services, as well as a flying school. Its main base is Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta, with a hub at Husein Sastranegara International Airport, Bandung.

History

The airline was established in March 1967 and started operations in 1967. It is wholly owned by the Boedihardjo Group. In January 2005 Deraya Air Taxi had its first Shorts 360 aircraft delivered.

Fleet

The Deraya Air Taxi fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007) :

* 2 Indonesian Aerospace 212-100
* 2 Shorts 330-100
* 2 Shorts 360-300
* 1 Shorts SC-7 Skyvan

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Citilink

2010-01-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

Citilink is a low-cost airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was established in 2001 and is the low-cost subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, set up to operate shuttle services between Indonesian cities. Its main base is Juanda International Airport, Surabaya.

Destinations

Citilink operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations (as of September 2009):

Indonesia

o Balikpapan - Sepinggan International Airport
o Banjarmasin - Syamsudin Noor Airport
o Batam - Hang Nadim Airport
o Jakarta - Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
o Makassar - Hasanuddin International Airport
o Surabaya - Juanda International Airport Hub

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Cardig Air

2010-01-13T06:24:00.001-08:00

Cardig Air is a cargo airline in Indonesia, based at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta. It operates cargo services within Indonesia and across Asia on a scheduled, contract and charter basis.

PT Cardig Air was established in April 2004 as a subsidiary of PT Cardig International. In July 2008, a group of investors led by CEO Boyke Soebroto injected new capital into PT Cardig Air. PT Cardig International remains a minority shareholder in PT Cardig Air.

Cardig Air is leasing two Boeing 737-300F aircraft from ORIX Aviation. The ex-Delta Air Lines aircraft had been recently converted by AEI/Commercial Jet. The aircraft arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on October 20, 2008. Cardig Air officially began its operating activities in January 2009.

Cardig Air currently has scheduled flights to Jakarta, Singapore, Balikpapan, and Padang. In addition, Cardig Air has charter flights to various domestic and regional destinations.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Batavia Air

2010-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Batavia Air (PT. Metro Batavia) is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates domestic flights to around 30 destinations and international services to Singapore, China and Malaysia. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

History

The airline was established in 2002 and started operations in January 2002. It was originally known as Metro Batavia and started operating using wet-leased Fokker F27 aircraft from Sempati. It launched scheduled services from Jakarta to Pontianak in January 2002. It is wholly owned by PT Metro Batavia.

Destinations

Batavia Air operates the following services (at September 2009):

Asia

* China
o Guangzhou - Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
* Indonesia
o Ambon - Pattimura Airport
o Balikpapan - Sepinggan International Airport
o Banjarmasin - Syamsudin Noor Airport
o Batam - Hang Nadim Airport
o Bengkulu - Fatmawati Soekarno Airport
o Berau - Berau Airport
o Denpasar/Bali - Ngurah Rai International Airport
o Gorontalo - Jalaluddin Airport
o Jakarta - Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Main Hub
o Jambi - Sultan Thaha Airport
o Jayapura - Sentani Airport
o Kendari - Wolter Monginsidi Airport
o Kupang - El Tari Airport
o Luwuk - Luwuk Airport
o Makassar - Hasanuddin International Airport
o Malang - Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport
o Manado - Sam Ratulangi International Airport
o Manokwari - Rendani Airport
o Mataram/Ampenan - Selaparang Airport
o Medan - Polonia International Airport
o Padang - Minangkabau International Airport
o Palangkaraya - Tjilik Riwut Airport
o Palembang - Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport
o Palu - Mutiara Airport
o Pangkalpinang - Pangkal Pinang Airport
o Pekanbaru - Sultan Syarif Qasim II International Airport
o Pontianak - Supadio Airport
o Semarang - Achmad Yani International Airport
o Samarinda - Temindung Airport
o Surabaya - Juanda International Airport
o Sorong - Sorong Airport
o Tanjung Karang - Radin Inten II Airport
o Tanjung Pandan - Buluh Tumbang Airport
o Tarakan - Juwata Airport
o Ternate - Babullah Airport
o Yogyakarta - Adisucipto International Airport
* Malaysia
o Kuching - Kuching International Airport
* Saudi Arabia
o Jeddah - King Abdulaziz International Airport (Waiting for the approval from Saudi Arabian government)
* Singapore
o Changi - Singapore Changi International Airport

Accidents and incidents

* On 24 November 2009, Flight 711, operated by a Boeing 737-400 made an emergency landing at El Tari Airport, Kupang after a problem was discovered with the landing gear.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Auvia Air

2009-12-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

Auvia Air is a cargo airline based in East Jakarta, Indonesia. It was established and started operations in 2004 and operates cargo services.

Fleet

As of January 2005 the Auvia Air fleet includes :

* 1 Boeing 737-200

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Airmark Indonesia

2009-12-24T15:56:00.000-08:00

Airmark Indonesia Aviation is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates scheduled, regional and domestic, passenger services. Its main base is Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta.

History

The airline was established in 1998 and is owned by the Bellgrand Group and undisclosed Indonesian investors.

Services

Airmark Indonesia operates the former Bouraq Indonesia Airlines shuttle between Bali and Lombok, and also flies to Sumbawa.

Fleet

As of March 2007 the Airmark Indonesia fleet includes

* 1 Indonesian Aerospace 212-200

Previously operated

At August 2006 the airline also operated :

* 1 Antonov An-12
* 1 Antonov An-32

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Airfast Indonesia

2009-12-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

Airfast Indonesia is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It specialises in contract operations, aviation management services and charter passenger and cargo services to the oil, mining and construction industries in Indonesia and other countries in the area. It is also involved in aerial mapping, survey flights, heli-logging and medical evacuation services. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

History

The airline was established and started operations in 1971. It was established to provide helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to the oil exploration industry in Indonesia, initially as an Australian-Indonesian joint venture, but evolved into a fully Indonesian-owned and operated company in 1982. It was owned by Frank Reuneker (53%) and other shareholders (47%). Frank Reuneker died on Feb 22 2008 from Cancer and is succeeded by his wife Irma Reuneker as President Director.

Services

* Helicopter services include onshore and offshore passenger transport, medical evacuation flights, internal and external load transport, drilling rig moves, construction support and aerial survey work.
* Fixed wing services include passenger and cargo charters, medical evacuation flights, non-scheduled airline operations and aerial survey work.

Fleet

The Airfast Indonesia fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007):

* 1 BAe 146-100
* 1 Raytheon Beech 1900D Airliner
* 1 Boeing 737-200
* 2 McDonnell Douglas MD-82
* 3 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300
* 1 Indonesian Aerospace 212-200
* 1 Embraer ERJ 135 Legacy

Previously operated

* At August 2006:
o 1 BAe 748 Series 2A

* As of January 2005:
o 4 Bell 412
o 1 Bell 212
o 2 Bell 204
o 2 MD-902

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Air Regional

2009-12-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

Air Regional is an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates domestic and charter services in the Papua region. Its main base is Wamena Airport (WMX), with hubs at Nabire Airport (NBX) and Sentani Airport, Jayapura.

History

The airline was established in 2002 and started operations on 16 October 2002. It is owned by Pinky Firmansyah (51%), President and Chief Executive of the company and Ibrahim Ishaq (49%), Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner. It has 50 employees (at March 2007).

Fleet

The Air Regional fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007) :

* 3 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ragunan Zoo

2009-12-20T15:47:00.000-08:00

Ragunan Zoo is a zoo located in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, Indonesia. Its area is about 1.4 km². The zoo was established in 1864 and moved to its present location in 1966. It is inhabited by 295 species and 4,040 specimens.

On 19 September 2005, following the order of the city's governor, the zoo was closed temporarily for about three weeks after various birds were found to have contracted avian influenza. It reopened on October 11.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra

2009-12-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra site was listed in UNESCO World Heritage list in 2004. It comprises three Indonesian national parks on the island of Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The site is listed under Criteria vii - outstanding scenic beauty; ix- an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes; and x- contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation.

Location and size

The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra consist of three national parks: Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) (8629.75 km²), Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) (13,753.5 km²) and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) (3568 km²). The total area of the rainforest is 25,000 km². The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra was chosen because, first, it represents significant area of forests on the island of Sumatra, because of the biodiversity, of lowland and mountain forest. This once vast island of tropical rainforest has been condensed to secluded areas, in the space of 50 years.

Second, the national parks that make up the heritage are all located on the well-known key spine of the Bukit Barisan Mountains, known as the ‘Andes of Sumatra’, and that all around it there are magnificent views. The mountains of each site represent important mountainous backdrops to the established and developed lowlands of Sumatra. The mixture of the stunning Lake Gunung Tujuh (the highest lake in Southeast Asia), the splendour of the giant Mount Kerinci volcano, many small volcanic, coastal and glacial lakes in natural forested settings. This shows the beauty of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Lastly, all three national parks have a very varied habitat and have outstanding biodiversity. Altogether the three sites make up 50% of the total plant variety, in Sumatra. At least 92 local common species have been recognized in GLNP. The nomination contains populations of both the world’s largest flower (Rafflesia arnoldi) and the tallest flower (Amorphophallus titanum).The Tropical Rainforest of Sumatra has just recently become apart of the World Heritage List, in 2004.

Geography

GLNP in the north is 150 km long, over 100 km wide and is mostly mountainous. 40% of the park, which is mainly in the north, is steep, and over 1,500 m. 12% of the Park only, in the lower southern half, is below 600 meters but for 25 km runs down the coast. 11 peaks are over 2,700 m and the highest point is Gunung Leuser, which 3 466 m high.

KSNP in the centre extends 350 km down the back of the Bukit Barisan, averaging 45 km wide and 2000 m above sea level. The northern half has a lower eastern mountain range, between 800-1500 m. Three quarters of the park is steep. The highest point, and highest volcano in Indonesia, is the Mount Kerinci, standing at 3 805 m.

BBSNP is also 350 km long but only 45 km wide on average. The northern two-thirds are rocky, averaging 1500 m with the highest point, Mount Pulung standing at 1,964 m. The southern half is lower; 90 km of it is a cape and the Park borders the sea for half its length. Many of rivers derive in the Parks and there are several lakes and hot springs.

The mountains have year-round little changing high temperatures, high humidity and high rainfall for 9 months in wetter areas, 7 months in drier areas. This climate has encouraged the high speciation (formation of new species) and variety of species. GLNP, receives 3000 mm of rainfall, in the north, and collects 4657 mm in the lowland south. Temperatures average between 21 °C to 28 °C and the humidity is always above 60%, especially when over 1700 m. In KSNP, the rainfall averages 2990 mm, temperatures range from 16° to 28 °C and humidity is always high (77-90%). In BBNP, the rocky west is wet especially during the November to May monsoon: rainfall is 3000-4000 mm. The east is drier, with 2500-3000 mm of rainfall and the temperature ranging between 20°and 28 °C.

Flora and fauna

GLNP is a part of the 18 Indonesian regions classified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) among the 200 global ecoregions of importance for preservation of the world’s biodiversity. 174 mammals, 3 being endemic and 21 listed as threatened in 2000. Little is known about the smaller mammals. 380 species of birds are listed, 13 being endemic and 52 threatened. Some of the important species: the orangutan, Sumatran rhinoceros, and the pigtailed monkey. Important plants are: Rafflesia arnoldi, and Amorphophallus titanum. Several important bird species: Rueck's Blue-flycatcher, and White-winged Wood Duck.

In KSNP, 85 mammal species are recorded, 5 endemic and 23 listed threatened 370 species of birds are listed, 13 being endemic and 58 threatened. Some important mammal species: Bornean Clouded Leopard, Asian tapir, and Sumatran rhino. Several important bird species: White-winged Wood Duck and Sumatran Ground-cuckoo. A few of important plant species: Hopea beccariana and Shorea ovalis ssp. seicea.

BBSNP, has 98 mammals are recorded, with 1 endemic and 25 threatened 379 species of birds are listed, 7 being endemic and 58. 59 reptile and amphibian species are recorded. BBSNP has the same bird species as KSNP. Some important mammal species: Sumatran elephant, and leatherback turtle.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Sangiran

2009-12-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

Sangiran is an archaeological excavation site at the island of Java in Indonesia. The area comprises about 48 km² and is located in Central Java, about 15 kilometers north of Surakarta in the Solo River valley. In 1996 it was accepted as World Heritage by the UNESCO.

In 1934 the anthropologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald started to examine the area. During excavations in the next years fossils of some of the first known human ancestors, Pithecanthropus erectus ("Java Man", now reclassified as part of the species Homo erectus), were found here. About 60 more human fossils, among them the enigmatic "Meganthropus", have since been found here. In addition, there are considerable numbers of remains of the animals that these primitive humans hunted, and of others that merely shared the habitat.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Prambanan

2009-12-16T09:04:00.000-08:00

Prambanan is the ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to Trimurti, the highest three gods in Hinduism. The temple compound located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta city on the boundary between Yogyakarta and Central Java province.

The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and is one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia. It is characterised by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the towering 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Penataran Temple

2009-12-15T09:24:00.000-08:00

Located roughly 10 km north of Blitar, Penataran Temple (or Candi Penataran) is the largest temple complex in East Java, Indonesia. Believed to have been under construction from the 12th Century to the 15th Century, the temple played a significant role in the Majapahit Kingdom, especially under King Hayam Wuruk. The site is being considered to be put on the World Heritage list of sites who have "outstanding universal value" to the world.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 19, 1995 in the Cultural category.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ngada

2009-12-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

The cultural Region of Ngada is located in eastern Flores, Indonesia, where the Ngadha language is spoken. It is one of the poorest regions in the country but is increasing in popularity among international tourists.

Site description

The two most visited areas in the Ngada region are Bena and Wogo, both unique megalithic complexes with traditional housing. To Ngadha society, the traditional houses occupy an important role as organizational units, as villagers must each belong to a house, thereby a clan. Clan totems can be ornately crafted symbols of this social organization.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 19, 1995 in the Cultural category.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Lorentz National Park

2009-12-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Lorentz National Park is located in the Indonesian province of Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya (western New Guinea). With an area of 25,056 km² (9,674 mi²), it is the largest national park in South-East Asia. In 1999 Lorentz was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

An outstanding example of the biodiversity of New Guinea, Lorentz is one of the most ecologically diverse national parks in the world. It is the only nature reserve in the Asia-Pacific region to contain a full altitudial array of ecosystems spanning from marine areas, mangrove, tidal and freshwater swamp forest, lowland and montane rainforest, alpine areas, and equatorial glaciers. At 4884 meters, Puncak Jaya (formerly Carstensz Pyramid) is the tallest mountain between the Himalayas and the Andes.

Birdlife International has called Lorentz Park “probably the single most important reserve in New Guinea” (Birdlife International, 1999). It contains five of World Wildlife Fund's "Global 200" ecoregions: Southern New Guinea Lowland Forests; New Guinea Montane Forests; New Guinea Central Range Subalpine Grasslands; New Guinea Mangroves; and New Guinea Rivers and Streams.

Lorentz Park contains many unmapped and unexplored areas, and is certain to contain many species of plants and animals as yet unknown to Western science. Local communities' ethnobotanical and ethnozoological knowledge of the Lorentz biota is also very poorly documented.

The park is named for Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, a Dutch explorer who passed through the area on his 1909–1910 expedition.

Cultural aspects

The forests of Lorentz encompass the traditional lands of several ethnic groups, including the Asmat, Amungme, Dani, Sempan, and Nduga. It is widely acknowledged that conservation management strategies for the park will have to incorporate the needs and aspirations of these peoples if the park is to succeed in protecting biodiversity. Moreover, cultural diversity is another important measure of success for the park as well.

Ecological threats

The main threats to the biodiversity of Lorentz are from commercial logging, forest conversion for plantation agriculture, smallholder agricultural conversion, mining/oil/gas development, and the illegal species trade. Global warming also poses a substantial threat.

As of 2005, there was no reported commercial logging or other large-scale threats present inside the park. There are no currently active forest conversion projects, and agricultural conversion is minimal. The illegal species trade is known to be a serious problem. The large Freeport gold/copper mining operation has been active for decades to the west and north of the park but is not active inside the park boundaries. Oil exploration inside and to the northeast of the park is ongoing.

The overall health of the biodiversity of Lorentz Park is currently excellent. While logging and other threats have yet to materialize, it is likely that this will become a threat in the future. Climate change poses a very real threat, but its specific implications for Lorentz are uncertain.

Conservation

The first formal protection of a 3,000km² core area of the Lorentz landscape was applied by the Dutch Colonial Government in 1919 with the establishment of the Lorentz Nature Monument. In 1978, the Indonesian Government established a Strict Nature Reserve with an area of 21,500km². Lorentz National Park was established in 1997, with a total area of 25,056km², including an eastern extension and coastal and marine areas.

As of 2005, there were no park staff or guards assigned to Lorentz. However, the park's success largely depends on local communities' understanding of and support for conservation, rather than external enforcement alone. Several conservation organizations are working in the Lorentz area.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Komodo National Park

2009-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Komodo National Park is a national park in Indonesia located near the Lesser Sunda Islands in the border region between the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. The park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, and a total area of 1817 km² (603 km² of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 in order to protect the Komodo dragon. Later it was dedicated to protecting other species, including marine species. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin. About 4000 people live within the park. In 1986 the national park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Scuba diving is popular Komodo National Park because of its high marine biodiversity, including whale sharks, ocean sunfish, manta rays, eagle rays, pygmy seahorse, false pipefish, clown frogfish, nudibranchs, blue-ringed octopus, sponges, tunicates, and coral.

Since 1995, the national park authority has been supported by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), an American environmental organization. A new management plan was co-authored with TNC and implemented in 2000 to address the problem of increasing resource exploitation, both marine and terrestrial. Most pressure on marine resources originates from fishing communities and commercial enterprises from outside the park. However, regulations and restrictions on resource use impact mostly on park residents, who have few options to make a living but rely on what the park has to offer. The provision of alternative livelihoods is part of the overall management strategy, but communities within the park are yet to benefit from appropriate measures addressing their needs.

The development of – largely marine-based – ecotourism is the main strategy to make the park self-financing and generate sufficient revenue through entrance fees and tourism licenses to cover operational and managerial costs. To this end, a joint venture between TNC and a tourism operator were granted a tourism concession, that also entails extensive park management rights . This concession has generated an ongoing controversy. The joint venture has been accused of making decisions behind closed doors, and many people in and around Komodo claim that they haven’t been consulted regarding decisions that ultimately affect their lives.

Most controversy, however, was caused by the death of several fishermen since the 1980s. The circumstances of the fishermen’s deaths are contested. While park patrol (including, at the time, police and navy personnel) claim they acted in self-defense, fishing communities accuse park management of having deliberately killed the fishermen.

Komodo National Park remains an awe-inspiring experience for tourists and travelers, but the conflict between park management, TNC and local communities continues unabated.

Komodo National Park has been nominated and made it to the last 28 finalists to become one of the new 7 wonders of the world.

Mercury Development Solutions, a Bali based real estate company, is active in the promotion and support of Komodo, to make this fantastic area well know internationally. Kanawa island, is the first step taken by the company to improve facilities and accommodations to the guests, bringing the services to high standards in a eco-friendly self sustained resort.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kerinci Seblat National Park

2009-12-04T16:25:00.000-08:00

Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest national park in Sumatra Indonesia. It has a total area of 13,791 km2, and spans four provinces: West Sumatra, Jambi,Bengkulu and South Sumatra.

It is located between 100°31'18"E - 102°44'01"E and 1°07'13"S - 3°26'14"S. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Gunung Leuser national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

The park area includes a large part of the Barisan mountain range, including the highest peak in Sumatra, Mount Kerinci (3,805 m). The park includes hot springs, rivers with rapids, caves, scenic waterfalls and the highest caldera lake in Southeast Asia - Lake Gunung Tujuh.

The park is home to diversity of flora and fauna. Over 4,000 plant species grow in the park area, including the world's largest flower, Rafflesia arnoldi, and the tallest flower, Titan Arum. The fauna include Sumatran Tigers, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran elephants, Bornean Clouded Leopard, Malayan Tapir, Malay Sun Bear and 370 bird species.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gunung Leuser National Park

2009-12-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

Gunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 km² in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The national park, named after 3,381 m height of Mount Leuser, protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary of Bukit Lawang is located inside the park. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Geography

Gunung Leuser National Park is 150 km long, over 100 km wide and is mostly mountainous. 40% of the park, which is mainly in the north, is steep, and over 1,500 m. 12% of the Park only, in the lower southern half, is below 600 meters but for 25 km runs down the coast. 11 peaks are over 2,700 m and the highest point is Gunung Leuser, which 3 466 m high.

Ecology

Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the two remaining habitat for Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii). In 1971, Herman Rijksen established the Ketambe research station, a specially designated research area for the orangutan.

Ecological services

Water Supply As mentioned, the first signs of reduced water replenishment have already been seen in and around the Leuser Ecosystem. Groundwater reservoirs are rapidly being exhausted and several rivers fall completely dry during part of the year. This has severe consequences for the local community. Both households and industries need to anticipate water shortages and higher costs for water.

Fishery Coastal fisheries and aquaculture in and around Leuser are very important. They provide a large portion of the animal protein in local people’s diets and generate ample foreign exchange. Their annual value currently exceeds US $171 million. If the Leuser Ecosystem is degraded, the decline in fresh water may have a detrimental impact on the functioning of the fishery sector.

Flood and Drought Prevention Flooding generally becomes more frequent and more destructive as a result of converting forests to other uses. Annual storm flows from a secondary forest are about threefold higher than from a similar-sized primary forest catchment area (Kramer et al., 1995). In Aceh, local farmers have reported an increasing frequency of drought and damaging floods due to degradation of the watercatchment area. In May 1998, over 5,000 ha of intensive rice growing areas were taken out of active production. This was the result of the failure of 29 irrigation schemes due to a water shortage. Furthermore, floods in December 2000 cost the lives of at least 190 people and left 660, 000 people homeless. This cost the Aceh province almost US $90 million in losses (Jakarta Post, 2000a). Logging companies are slowly recognising their role in increased flooding and have made large donations to support the victims (Jakarta Post, 2000b).

Agriculture and Plantations Agriculture is a major source of income for the local communities around Leuser. Large rubber and oil palm plantations in northern Sumatra play a major role in the national economy. Almost all remaining lowland forest has been given out officially for oil palm plantations. Yield decline has been recorded, however, in several Leuser regencies. This decline can be ascribed mainly to a deterioration of nutrients in the soil, along with soil erosion, drought and floods, and an increase in weeds. Clearly, these causes of decline are linked to the deforestation of Leuser. For example, the logging of water-catchment areas in Leuser is found to be responsible for taking 94% of failed irrigation areas out of production (BZD, 2000a).

Hydro-electricity Several regencies, such as Aceh Tenggara., have hydro-electricity plants that use water from Leuser. The plants operated in Aceh Tenggara are designed as small-scale economic activities. It appears that the operational conditions for the hydro-plants have worsened in recent years. Increased erosion of the waterways has forced the operators to remove excessive sediments from their turbines. This has led to frequent interruption of the power supply, higher operational costs and damage to the blades of the turbines. One plant closed down due to lack of water supply. Most of these disturbances are considered abnormal and may therefore be attributed to deforestation.

Tourism Low-impact eco-tourism can be one of the most important sustainable, non-consumptive uses of Leuser, thereby giving local communities powerful incentives for conservation. Given the opportunities to view wildlife such as orang-utans, some experts view eco-tourism as a major potential source of revenue for communities living around Leuser (van Schaik, 1999).

Biodiversity People living in areas with a high biodiversity value tend to be relatively poor. Hence, the highest economic values for biodiversity are likely to be found within institutions and people in wealthy countries. Funds can come from several sources, including bio-prospecting, the GEF and grants from international NGOs (with donations possibly being proportional to biodiversity value) (Wind and Legg, 2000).

Carbon Sequestration Anthropogenic increases in the concentrations of greenhouse gases (such as CO2) in the atmosphere are widely believed to lead to climate change. Carbon sequestration by rainforest ecosystems therefore has an economic value, since the carbon fixed in the ecosystem reduces atmospheric concentrations.

Fire Prevention To what extent does primary rainforest have a fire prevention function, and thus an additional value for preventing economic damage? There are various factors that make disturbed forest more prone to fires than primary forests. The likelihood that a forest will burn depends on the level of fire hazard and fire risk: (1) fire hazard is a measure of the amount, type, and dryness of potential fuel in the forest. Logged forest has relatively large amount of dry logging wastes lying around; (2) Fire risk is a measure of the probability that the fuel will ignite. In the presence of abandoned logging roads, which provide easy access to otherwise remote forests, the fire risk is greatly increased when settlers use fire for land clearance.

Non-timber forest products NTFP can provide local communities with cash as long as exploitation does not surpass a threshold level.

Threats

In November 1995 the Langkat Regency government proposed a road to connect an old enclave, known as Sapo Padang, inside the park. In pursuit of business opportunities, 34 families who had been living in the enclave formed a cooperative in March 1996 and subsequently submitted a proposal to develop an oil palm plantation in August 1997. The oil palm proposal was accepted by the regency and the head of the park agreed to the road construction.

In accordance to the government's Proverty Alleviation Program, the oil palm project proceed with 42.5 km² of clearance area, but the project has made a major forest destruction of the park during its implementation. The local cooperation unit formed a partnership with PT Amal Tani which has strong relationship with the military command in the area. In January 1998, the Indonesian Forest Ministry granted a permission of 11 km road to be built. In June 1998, local office of the Forestry Service issued a decree stating that the Sapo Padang enclave was no longer legally a part of the national park; a controversial decision which consequently led to further forest destruction during the road construction and invited newcomers to slash and burn forest area to create local plantations a way deeper to the park.

In 1999, two university-based NGOs filed a legal suit to the Medan State Court, while a group of 61 lawyers brought a parallel case in the National Administrative Court. In July 1999 the National Administrative Court rejected the case, while the local NGOs won with 30 million rupiahs damage, but the legal process continues with appeals. The legal process did not stop the project that extensive logging and clearing, road-building and oil palm plantation continue operating inside the national park.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gunongan Historical Park

2009-11-29T06:47:00.001-08:00

Gunongan Historical Park (or Gunungan) is located in the Aceh Province of Sumatra, Indonesia. Possibly built by Iskandar Muda, the grounds of the historical park contain a 17th Century palace, garden, and white circular structure whose purpose is unknown.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 19th, 1995 in the Cultural category.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Goa Gajah

2009-11-27T02:33:00.000-08:00

Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave, is located on the island of Bali near Ubud, in Indonesia. Built in the 9th century, it served as a sanctuary.

Site Description

At the facade of the cave is a relief of various menacing creatures and demons carved right into the rock at the cave entrance. The primary figure was once thought to be an elephant, hence the nickname Elephant Cave. The site is mentioned in the Javanese poem Desawarnana written in 1365. An extensive bathing place on the site was not excavated until the 1950s. These appear to have been built to ward off evil spirits.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 19, 1995 in the Cultural category.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Fort Belgica

2009-11-20T06:53:00.000-08:00

Fort Belgica, one of many forts built by the Dutch East India Company, is located in the Banda Islands, Maluku Province, and is one of the largest remaining European forts in Indonesia.

History

Constructed in 1611, the fort was an important defensive structure commanding over the bay of Bandanaira. Its construction gave the Dutch an edge over other colonial powers in the area, and still remains the largest extant structure on the Banda Islands.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on in the Cultural category.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

2009-11-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is a national park in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Range

The park has a total area of 3,568 km², and spans three provinces:

* Lampung,
* Bengkulu,
* South Sumatra

Starting as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1935, the area became a National Park in 1982. Together with Gunung Leuser and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Endangered species

The park is home to many endangered species, including:

* Sumatran Elephant (about 500 animals, or 25% of the total remaining population of this sub-species live in the park)
* Sumatran Striped Rabbit
* Sumatran Rhino (an estimated 60-85 Sumatran rhinos live in the park, the largest population anywhere on Sumatra)
* Sumatran Tiger (approximately 40 adult tigers or 10% of the remaining Sumatran tigers live in the park).

Illegal activity

The park has recently lost 20% of its forests to illegal agriculture, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature. WWF found that more than 450 km² of park land is being used for growing coffee, and the organisation is now working with multinational coffee companies (including Nestle) to help them avoid buying illegally grown coffee.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Borobudur Temple Compounds

2009-11-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

Borobudur Temple Compounds is a compound of 3 Buddhist temples in Central Java, Indonesia. It comprises Borobudur Temple, Mendut Temple, and Pawon Temple. These 3 temples are located in a straight line. All of the temples were built on Sailendra dynasty (eight–ninth centuries).

Location three Buddhist temples, Borobudur-Pawon-Mendut, in one straight line.

Mendut Temple.

Pawon Temple.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Borobudur

2009-11-09T02:35:00.000-08:00

Borobudur is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Waterbom Park

2009-11-04T15:00:00.001-08:00

Waterbom Park and Spa is a water ride park company that operates in Tuban, Bali and Jakarta, Indonesia. The name was changed to Water Park and Spa after the 2002 Bali bombings due to locals worries, but it was reverted months before the 2005 Bali bombings. The park spans over 3.8 hectares of Indonesian Tropical Landscape.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

2009-10-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) or "Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park" (literally translated) is a culture-based recreational area located in East Jakarta, Indonesia. It has an area of about 250 acres. The park is a synopsis of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life in Indonesia's 26 (in 1975) provinces encapsulated in separate pavilions with the collections of architecture, clothing, dances and traditions are all depicted impeccably. Apart from that, there is a lake with a miniature of the archipelago in the middle of it, cable cars, museums, a theater called the Theatre of My Homeland (Theater Tanah Airku) and other recreational facilities which make TMII one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.

History

This idea of building this smaller scale of Indonesia as whole was originally came from former Indonesian first lady, Siti Hartinah or best-known as Tien Suharto. The idea came out at a convention on 8 Cendana Street at March 13, 1970. Through this recreational site, she hoped more people will have more national pride than before. The project called "Indonesian Miniature Project" was started by Harapan Kita Foundation in 1972. The concept of building this recreational area was taken from the fact that Indonesia has unparalled richness from many different sources.

Characteristics

TMII was originally located on a public area of 145 ha, as farms and fields. Later, the team was able to convert these fields into a suitable location for the construction. The topography of TMII is rather hilly, consistent with what the builders required. The team claimed the advantage of utilizing this uneven terrain was the ability to create interesting and diverse landscapes and enclosures, as well as reflecting the various characteristics of the Indonesian environ.

Parts of TMII

Venues

Since each Indonesian province maintains its own distinct cultures, shelters, attire and dialects, TMII built a model of each of the houses from the 26 different provinces. TMII attempted not only to reconstruct the homes of the various provinces, but also to create a realistic model of the environment and shelters of the various people of Indonesia. The venues, which are situated around the main lake in a similar fashion to the different islands of the Indonesian archipelago, are thematically divided into six areas in respect to the main islands of Indonesia; Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan (Borneo), Sulawesi, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku and Papua.

Gardens

There are about ten gardens spread out at TMII, but most are located primarily on the north and northeast side of the main lake:

* Anggrek Garden
* Apotek Hidup Garden
* Cakot Garden
* Kaktus Garden
* Melati Garden
* Bunga Keong Emas Garden
* Akuarium Air Tawar Garden
* Bekisar Garden
* Burung Garden
* Prasasti APEC Garden

Museums

There are fourteen museums at TMII:

* Indonesia Museum
* Keprajuritan Museum
* Perangko Indonesia Museum
* Pusaka Museum
* Transportasi Museum
* Listrik & Energi Baru Museum
* Telekomunikasi Museum
* Penerangan Museum
* Olahraga Museum
* Asmat Museum
* Komodo Zoological Museum
* Serangga Museum
* Research & Technology Information Centre
* Minyak & Gas Bumi Museum

Other parts

* Istana Anak-Anak Indonesia
* Kereta Gantung
* Perahu Angsa Arsipel Indonesia
* Taman Among Putro
* Taman Ria Atmaja
* Taman Renang Ambar Tirta
* Teater Imax Keong Emas
* Desa Wisata
* Teater Tanah Airku

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kidzania Jakarta

2009-10-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

Kidzania Jakarta is an educational indoor theme park located in Jakarta, Indonesia. Opened in November 2007 at the Pacific Place Jakarta, Kidzania Jakarta is the first of the Kidzanian franchises to open in Southeast Asia and somewhat larger than its Monterrey equivalent. It was the fourth ever Kidzania theme park to be built. Just like its Tokyo, Monterrey, and Mexico City (La Ciudad De Los Ninos) predecessors, Kidzania Jakarta had similar establishments such as Flight Simulator, but unlike its predecessors, Kidzania Jakarta excludes some other establishments like a Garage and some activities on similar establishments. Upon entering Kidzania Jakarta (somewhat different of things received during entry, but mostly similar to other tenants), one is given a boarding pass, a map of the city, and a 50 Kidzos (the official currency of Kidzania) paycheck upon entry. Inside, one can work on over 70 different professions. Some establishments require children to pay a significant amount of Kidzos. If one runs out of money, they must work in establishments that offer salaries in a significant amount of Kidzos. A security bracelet is required during entry so that parents can find you if you are lost, and can only be removed upon return to Jakarta.

Hours of operation

During its first days of operation, Kidzania Jakarta opened at these times:

Monday-Friday:

* Morning session: 9am-2pm
* Afternoon session: 3pm-8pm

Weekends, National and School Holidays:

* Morning session: 10am-3pm
* Afternoon session: 4pm-9pm

As of late 2008, Kidzania Jakarta opens at:

Monday-Thursday:

* 7 hour session: 9am-4pm
* 5 hour session: 11am-4pm

Friday-Saturday & Holidays: Follows earlier Monday-Friday schedule.

Changes during the past 2 years of operation

In its first two years of operation, Kidzania Jakarta underwent major changes within establishments. The latest major change in establishments occurred on June 8, 2009, when Kidzania Jakarta opened the Research & Development Centre which is sponsored by Cosmos. Creativity is important for this establishment, as the main goal for this establishment is to develop new ideas for electronics in daily life. The second establishment is the Coffee Factory, which is sponsored by local coffee manufacturer Kapal Api. In this establishment, children will learn about the process of making an instant coffee.

Previously, Kidzania Jakarta did not have any local governments like real life cities. But on May 13, 2009, Kidzania Jakarta launched its first "Congrezz" government. The government's job is to maintain the Kidzanian Spirit and to give recommendations to the Ministry of City Culture and Technology of Kidzania for things either liked or disliked by Kidzanians. 14 members were chosen and inaugurated by June 22, 2009. They were chosen by SMS polling and the direct polling all over 5 establishments of Kidzania, where visitors could elect their competent leaders into a "Congrezz" position. The selected contestants were inaugurated by Mr. Moh. Riza Chalid, the president of Kidzania Indonesia.

The first period of Kidzania Congrezz includes 14 "CongrezzKids" who have a good achievement grade at school and their social community around Jakarta and nearby cities:

* Eagan R. Pangestiarso (Eagan)
* Duta Noor Vijaya Rianto (Bonie)
* Zaneta Naomi (Neta)
* Janice Tjioe (Janice)
* Joshua Martin Limyadi (Josh) non-active member
* David Theo Halim (David)
* Grace Glory Herianny (Gege)

* Maghfira Ramadhanty (Afie)
* Nadine K. Saadha (Nadine)
* Quinsha J. Haq (Queen)
* Khonsa Khoiriyyah (Khonsa)
* Tracy Anabella Hermansyah (Tracy)
* Rischa Indira Sabrina (Rischa)
* Shahnaz Medina (Nanaz)

Other parks

Its predecessors, KidZania La Ciudad De Los Ninos, KidZania Monterrey, and KidZania Tokyo, opened between 1999-2006. Two of these tenants are smaller than KidZania Jakarta, although they contained more establishments than its Jakarta successor. Two other KidZanias opened in 2009, Koshien being the first. KidZania Lisbon opened on June 1, 2009, being the first of its type to open in Europe. Other plans are now under way in Dubai, Santiago, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi, China and Seoul; there are also plans for a second Mexico City-based park. Despite the larger capacity, Kidzania Jakarta contained less visitors compared to that of other Kidzania theme parks, scoring below 10.000 visitors. The park's theatre was also criticized for repeated shows that have been played since the opening, in which visitors considered boring. Nevertheless, the park was highly accclaimed by several notabe Indonesians, including Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono, on National Children's day, and on the Indonesian Independence Day, for such unique celebrations.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ancol Dreamland

2009-10-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

Taman Impian Jaya Ancol otherwise known as Ancol Dreamland is an integral part of Ancol Bay City, a resort destination located along Jakarta's waterfront, Indonesia.

It is owned by PT. Pembangunan Jaya Ancol Tbk. (They manage the resort and develop housing estates along Jakarta Bay). Ancol Dreamland opened in 1966 and it is currently the largest integrated tourism area in South East Asia. Boasting an international championship golf course, a theme park, hotels and other recreational facilities.

Dunia Fantasi / Dufan (Fantasy World)

Dunia Fantasi is Jakarta's own theme park complete with over forty rides and attractions. The theme park is divided into eight regions, which are Indonesia, Jakarta, Asia, Eropa (Europe), Amerika (America), Yunani (Greece), Hikayat (Fantasy) and Balada Kera (Monkey Parody). The theme park complies with international standards through ISO 9001:2000 certification.

Among its most famed attraction is the Halilintar twisted roller coaster ride, Niagara flume ride, Istana Boneka (a local version of Disney's It's a Small World) and Balada Kera (Monkey Parody - animatronics show) Theater show. Other attractions include Bianglala (ferris wheel), Kora-Kora (swinging ship) and Poci-Poci (spinning cups ride).

Several of the latest and newest rides are Kicir-Kicir (Power Surge) (2004), Perang Bintang (Star Wars) (2005) - an interactive dark ride, Meteor Attack (2006) and Tornado (Windshear by Zamperla) (2007). Some seasonal attractions include Le Belles cabaret show, Russian Circus and Euro Kids Circus. Major renovation have been completed on the main entrance facade and ticket booths.

One of the most famous attraction is named Rama Sinta. It is a dark ride that retells the famous Indonesian folktale of the same name with advanced technology. However, this ride has been closed due to fire that broke out early in the morning. The theater that used to house the ride has been emptied and converted into a large indoor exhibition hall, occasionally hosting special shows. As of now, there are no publicly announced plans to use the space for future rides.

Water Parks

Ancol Dreamland has several water parks dedicated for both animals and entertainment. These parks include Atlantis Water Adventure (Water park), Gelanggang Samudra (Animals), SeaWorld (Aquarium), and 2 Beaches.

Atlantis Water Adventure

Atlantis Water Adventure is built on the former site of Gelanggang Renang (Swimming Courtyard). Occupying over five hectares of land, this water park is themed on the mythological underwater world of Atlantis. Its facilities include a wave pool, continuous flowing river pool, rainbow ball pool, several slides, and two children's pool, an onsite foodcourt, volleyball court and event center is also available to accommodate the needs of visitors.

Gelanggang Samudra

Gelanggang Samudra featured several animal shows, small aquarium, and a 4D theatre. The trained animal shows are dolphin show, sea lion show, and various animal show. The 4D theater shows 3D image cinema with sensations such as cool breeze and water spray.

SeaWorld

Owned by Lippo Group SeaWorld is opened in 1996 as the largest ocenarium in South East Asia of the time. Larger than Singapore's Underwater World, it features the acclaimed antinessa tunnel as well as other pools including the sea friends pool, main pool, alligator pool, and shark pool.

During its first years of operation, SeaWorld's crews entered the six meter shark pool without any protection to feed the sharks. This shark pool contains three out of the five most fierce shark species in the world. Once, the shark started attacking the feeding crew. Luckily, the feeding crew was able to escape and survive. However due to this incident, feeding crews are required to enter a steel cage before entering the shark pool.

Beaches

There are two main beaches within the resort, the Carnival and Festival beach.

Entertainment

Ancol Dreamland has several facilities dedicated to just entertaining its guests. One of these facilities is Jaya Bowling. This bowling center is the first and largest bowling center in Indonesia. Indonesia's National Bowling Training Center is in Jaya Bowling.

Ancol Dreamland also offers a location to shop for art. Pensa Seni is an Art Market that started over 25 years ago. It has become a center for handicrafts and art products. This art market has an open state, plaza, and souvenir shops. Pasar Seni has also became a center where artists would create and sell their products.

Executive Golf Fun

Ancol's Golf Course has recently relaunched as Executive Golf Fun. This is Indonesia’s first international beach golf course with 18 holes spread over the area of 33 hectares. The golf course has a pro-shop, an executive room, a meeting hall and restaurants.

Future Developments

Ancol Taman Impian is planned to be expanded mainly through land reclamation along Jakarta's bay with the currently land reserve of over eighty hectares. Ancol Taman Impian is aiming for the Ancol Spektakuler 2015 (Ancol Spectacular 2015), a long term goal which include a major expansion over the current Dunia Fantasi theme park as well as the construction of Marina Sports Centre and Carnival Beach Club. The expansion plan also include the addition of new hotels, service apartments and mice facilities.

Transportations

Because Ancol Dreamland is so large, effective transportation has been a concern. Some transportation methods around Ancol Dreamland include becak (rickshaw) and other vehicles such as gondola to help tourists navigate around the area to their next destination.

Gondola

This is the latest transportation alternative in the area. The Gondola is a skylift cable car system with thirty-seven cars built along the shore of Jakarta's bay. It offers a view of the resort and the sea as well as the city.

Hotels

* Putri Duyung Hotel is the home of contemporary beach cottages with over 137 waterfront rooms.
* Mercure Convention Centre is a four-star contemporary hotel that consists of a hotel tower and large mice facility.
* Hotel Raddin Ancol is an Accor's managed hotel located by the side of Dunia Fantasi.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Danau Sentarum National Park

2009-10-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

The Danau Sentarum National Park is one of the world's most biodiverse lake systems, located in Borneo Island, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. It lies in the upper Kapuas River basin some 700 kilometres upstream from the delta. The basin is a vast floodplain, consisting of seasonal lakes, freshwater swamp forest and peat swamp forest. The National Park is located in the western part of this basin, where three-quarters of the seasonal lakes occur. Approximately half of the the park consists of lakes, while the other half consists of freshwater swamp forest.

An area of 800km² was first gazetted as Wildlife Reserve in 1982, which in 1994 was extended to 1,320km² when it became a Ramsar site. In 1999 it was declared a National Park, however a National Park Authority was only established in 2006.

Danau Sentarum National Park has a rich fish fauna with around 240 recorded species, including the Asian Arowana and Clown Loach Botia. There have been 237 bird species recorded including the Storm's Stork and Great Argus. Of the 143 mammal species 23 are endemic to Borneo including the Proboscis Monkey. There is a relatively large population of the endangered Orangutans present in the park. The 26 reptile species include the False Gavial and Estuarine Crocodile.

The lakes support a large traditional fishing industry. The western part of the upper Kapuas floodplain is inhabited by almost 20,000 people, 88% of which are Malay fishermen. About 3,000 people live in about 20 village enclaves within the Park.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ubud Monkey Forest

2009-10-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Ubud Monkey Forest is a nature reserve and temple complex in Ubud, Bali. It houses approximately 340 Crab-eating Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys (32 adult males, 19 male sub adult, 77 adult females, 122 juvenile and 54 infants). There are four groups of monkeys each occupying different territories in the park. The Sacred Monkey Forest is a popular tourist attraction in Ubud, and is often visted by over 10,000 tourists a month. The forest comprises approximately a tenth of a square kilometer (approximately 27 acres) and contains at least 115 different species of trees. The Monkey Forest contains the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal temple as well as a "Holy Spring" bathing temple and another temple used for cremation ceremonies. The Monkey Forest is owned by the village of Padangtegal and village members serve on the Monkey Forest's governing council. The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation manages the Monkey Forest and serves to maintain its sacred integrity and to promote the sacred site as a destination for visitors.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gita Persada Butterfly Park

2009-09-11T08:13:00.001-07:00

Gita Persada Butterfly Park was founded in 1997 to counter the extinction of Sumatran butterflies due to deforestation and damage to their natural habitat. The founders of the park, Anshori Djausal and Herawati Soekardi, hope that this park can be a model for butterflies conservation. The park located at the southern tip of Sumatra at the foot of Mount Betung about fifteen minutes from Bandar Lampung. The park currently contains over 100 species of Sumatran butterflies.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

West Bali National Park

2009-09-09T01:57:00.001-07:00

West Bali National Park in Indonesian as Taman Nasional Bali Barat is located on the north western side of Bali, Indonesia. The park covers around 770 square kilometres (300 sq mi), which is approximately 10% of Bali's total land area. To the north, it includes a 1,000-metre (3,300 ft) long beach, reef and islets. A seaport at Gilimanuk is west of the park, and the village of Goris is to the east. The National Park can be reached by roads from Gilimanuk and Singaraja, or by using ferries from Ketapang, Java.

There are several habitats in the National Park, a savanna, mangroves, montane and mixed-monsoon forests, and coral islands. The center of the park is dominated by remnants of four volcanic mountains from Pleistocene era, with gunung Patas at 1,412 metres (4,630 ft) its highest elevation.

Some 160 species can be found inside the park, including the Banteng, Barn Swallow, Black-naped Oriole, Black Racket-tailed Treepie, Crested Serpent-eagle, Crested Treeswift, Dollarbird, Hawksbill Turtle, Indian Muntjac, Java Sparrow, Javan Lutung, Large Flying Fox, Leopard Cat, Lesser Adjutant, Long-tailed Shrike, Milky Stork, Pacific Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Rusa Deer, Sacred Kingfisher, Savanna Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Water Monitor, Wild Boar, Yellow-vented Bulbul and the critically endangered Bali Starling.

There are also several endangered flora species in this national park, such as: Pterospermum diversifolium, Antidesma bunius, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Steleochocarpus burahol, Santalum album, Aleuritas moluccana, Sterculia foetida, Schleichera oleosa, Dipterocarpus hasseltii, Garcinia dulcis, Alstonia scholaris, Manilkara kauki, Dalbergia latifolia and Cassia fistula.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Way Kambas National Park

2009-09-06T19:38:00.001-07:00

Way Kambas National Park is a large national park covering 1,300 square kilometres in Lampung province, South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Way Kambas consists of swamp forest and lowland rain forest, but was extensively logged before becoming a reserve in 1972 so there is little primary forest. The reserve still has a few Sumatran Tigers and reasonable numbers of elephants. It is also provides excellent birdwatching, with the rare White-winged Duck among the species present. Accommodation is available at the village of Way Kanan, where there is a small guest house.

Another special feature of this national park is the Sumatran Rhino still present in the area. Only 275 remain in South East Asia today. In Way Kambas a managed breeding center or Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) has been build up in 1995. At this moment 5 Sumatran Rhinos live at the Sanctuary, most have been translocated from zoos to the large enclosures (with natural habitat) at the SRS.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ujung Kulon National Park

2009-09-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

Ujung Kulon National Park is located at the western-most tip of Java, Indonesia. It includes the volcanic island group of Krakatoa and other islands including Handeuleum and Peucang. The park encompasses an area of 1,206 km² (443 km² marine), most of which lies on a peninsula reaching into the Indian Ocean.

It is Indonesia's first national park and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 for containing the largest remaining lowland rainforest in Java. It is also one of only two homes of the critically endangered Javan Rhinoceros. A population of fifty to sixty live in Ujung Kulon, a smaller population of possibly 10 or less, live in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam. The mainland part of Ujung Kulon was formerly farmland until it was devastated and depopulated by the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa after which it returned to its original forested state.

Permits for the park are available at the town of Labuan, where there is a National Park office. There is also an office at Tamanjaya. Accommodation is available on Handeuleum and Peucang islands.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Thousand Islands (Indonesia)

2009-09-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

Thousand Islands (Indonesian: Kepulauan Seribu) is the only regency of Jakarta, Indonesia. A string of 105 islands stretching 45 kilometres north into the Java Sea, with the closest lying in Jakarta Bay only a few kilometres off mainland Jakarta.

With total land area of 8.7 km² the population is about 20,000. Pulau Pramuka is the regency seat of the Thousand Islands although the most populated island is Panggang. The area is a marine national park although development is allowed on 37 of the islands. Some islands are uninhabited, others have resorts and a number of them are privately owned by wealthy Jakartans.

Administrative

Formally a regency of North Jakarta, it is divided into 2 subdistricts:

* North Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu Utara)
* South Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu Selatan)

Trade

Fishing is the main trade of the islands. However, there has been a drop in the value of the trade due to overfishing by fishing vessels operating in the area.

Islands

Bidadari is a resort island only several kilometers off shore, Kelor is adjacent Bidadari on which the ruins of a Dutch fort lie, and Onrust is also adjacent Bidadari and has the remains of an 18th century shipyard. Ayer and Laki are resort islands also only several kilometers offshore.

Panggang the district centre, and Kelapa the most populous island are about 15 kilometers north of Jakarta and are poor fishing villages. Panjang has the islands' only airstrip while Bira has a golf course. Kotok, Macan Besar, Putri, Pelangi, Sepa, Papa Theo, Antuk Timur, and Antuk Barat are all further off shore and have resorts.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Tesso Nilo National Park

2009-09-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

Tesso Nilo National Park is a National Park in Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. It was declared a National Park by the Indonesian government in 2004. The area of the park is 385 km², but the decision has been made to expand it to 1000 km². Tesso Nilo National Park houses the largest coherent rainforests on Sumatra.

Endangered Sumatran elephants and Critically endangered Sumatran tigers and Sumatran orangutans live here. The park suffers heavy encroachment from illegal loggers and illegal settlers who clear the park for crops and palm oil plantations, as well as village sites. Wood was delivered illegally to Indah Kiat paper mill. The paper industry firm that owns the paper mill received millions of US$ from European credit agencies, including the German Hermes. In May 2006, Indonesian officials agreed to expand the 330 km² park to 1,000 km², but have yet to make good on the promise.

In October 2006, fires burnt 1 km² of the park.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Tanjung Puting

2009-08-31T17:25:00.002-07:00

Tanjung Puting National Park is a national park in Indonesia located on the island of Borneo in the Indonesian state of Central Kalimantan. The park is composed of 415,040 hectares of dryland dipterocarp forest, peat swamp forest, heath forest, mangrove and costal beach forest, and secondary forest. The park was set aside in the 1930s by the Dutch colonial government for the protection of the organutan and proboscis monkey, and was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977 and a national park in 1982. In addition to orangutans and proboscis monkeys, the park is also home to gibbons, macaques, clouded leopards, sun bears, wild boars, porcupines, and Sambar deer. The park also features many reptiles, including crocodiles, monitor lizards, and pythons, birds, including hornbills and kingfishers, and insects, such as the giant Bornean butterfly.

Four research centers have been established within the park for the study and rehabilitation of orangutans and other primates. Camp Leakey, founded in 1971 with assistance from the Leakey Foundation, was the first of these centers. It was here where Dr. Birute Galdikas began her career studying the behavior of rescued and orphaned orangutans that were reintroduced into the wild. Her research was highlighted as the cover article of National Geographic in October 1975. Dr. Galdikas is now considered the world’s leading expert on orangutan behavior and is the founder and Orangutan Foundation International.

Today Tanjung Putting National Park is a popular ecotourism destination, with many local tour companies offering multi-day boat tours to view wildlife and visit the research centers. The park was home to 105,000 people as of 1997. The park was heavily damaged by fires in 1997 and 1998, and today remains threatened by illegal logging, illegal mining, and forest clearing for agricultural uses.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Siberut National Park

2009-08-31T17:25:00.001-07:00

Siberut National Park comprises 1,905 km2 (47%) of the island of Siberut in the Mentawai Islands of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located at 1°22′S 98°56′E / 1.367°S 98.933°E / -1.367; 98.933Coordinates: 1°22′S 98°56′E / 1.367°S 98.933°E / -1.367; 98.933.

The notable aspects of the park are its endemic fauna, flora, and indigenous inhabitants, the Mentawai, who still live according to hunter-gather traditions. The Mentawai Islands are thought to have been isolated from mainland of Sumatra for over 500,000 years, thereby producing unique ecosystems.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park

2009-08-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park is a national park on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, on the province of South East Sulawesi. It was declared in 1989, and has an area of 1,050 km². The park ranges from sea level to the altitude of 981 m.

The park has varied vegetation: sub-montane rain forests, mangrove forests, coastal forests, savanna and freshwater swamp forests. It is home to Babirusa, both species of endangered Anoa – essentially miniature Water Buffalos – and 155 bird species, of which 37 are endemic to Sulawesi, and 323 species of plants.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Mount Halimun Salak National Park

2009-08-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Mount Halimun Reserve is a conservation area in the Indonesian province of West Java on the island of Java. It is located near the better known Mount Gede Pangrango National Park, and to the city of Bogor home to Bogor Botanical Gardens. It is 400 square kilometres in area, half of which makes up what is arguably the best and most complete forest area in Java.

Its mountain tops reach 1,929 metres and are often mist-shrouded, while its valleys are thought to hide much that remains to be discovered. The lower zones hold apparently secure populations of the endangered West Javan Gibbon (Hylobates moloch moloch) - a sub-species of the Silvery Gibbon. Mount Halimun is its most secure habitat, but its range is restricted to a thin ring around the park as the species is not found above 1,200 metres. Javan Lutung (Trachypithecus auratus), and other endemic species are evident; about half its 145 known bird species are rarely seen elsewhere in Java.

The park protects the water catchments for the densely populated areas urban and agricultural areas to the north.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park

2009-08-27T19:17:00.001-07:00

Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park is located on the island of Sumba in Indonesia. This national park consists plenty of steepy slopes. There are about 118 plant species protected in this national park including Toona sureni (suren), Sterculia foetida (taduk), Schleichera oleosa (kesambi), Alstonia scholaris (pulai, Ditabark), Tamarindus indica (asam, Tamarind), Aleurites moluccana (kemiri, Candlenut), jambu hutan (Syzygium sp.), cemara gunung (Casuarina sp.), and Lantana camara (lantana, Spanish Flag).

There are also 87 species of birds protected in this region, with 7 bird taxa are endemic to the island of Sumba. These are Sumba Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata), Sumba Green-pigeon (Treron teysmannii), Sumba Flycatcher (Ficedula harterti), Sumba Cicadabird (Coracina dohertyi, Apricot-breasted Sunbird (Nectarinia buettikoferi) and Sumba Hornbill (Aceros everetti).

57 species of butterflies are also protected here, 7 of them are endemic to this island. These are Papilio neumoegenii, Ideopsis oberthurii, Delias fasciata, Junonia adulatrix, Athyma karita, Sumalia chilo, and Elimnia amoena.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Lorentz National Park

2009-08-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

Lorentz National Park is located in the Indonesian province of Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya (western New Guinea). With an area of 25,056 km² (9,674 mi²), it is the largest national park in South-East Asia. In 1999 Lorentz was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

An outstanding example of the biodiversity of New Guinea, Lorentz is one of the most ecologically diverse national parks in the world. It is the only nature reserve in the Asia-Pacific region to contain a full altitudial array of ecosystems spanning from marine areas, mangrove, tidal and freshwater swamp forest, lowland and montane rainforest, alpine areas, and equatorial glaciers. At 4884 meters, Puncak Jaya (formerly Carstensz Pyramid) is the tallest mountain between the Himalayas and the Andes.

Birdlife International has called Lorentz Park “probably the single most important reserve in New Guinea” (Birdlife International, 1999). It contains five of World Wildlife Fund's "Global 200" ecoregions: Southern New Guinea Lowland Forests; New Guinea Montane Forests; New Guinea Central Range Subalpine Grasslands; New Guinea Mangroves; and New Guinea Rivers and Streams.

Lorentz Park contains many unmapped and unexplored areas, and is certain to contain many species of plants and animals as yet unknown to Western science. Local communities' ethnobotanical and ethnozoological knowledge of the Lorentz biota is also very poorly documented.

The park is named for Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, a Dutch explorer who passed through the area on his 1909–1910 expedition.

Cultural aspects

The forests of Lorentz encompass the traditional lands of several ethnic groups, including the Asmat, Amungme, Dani, Sempan, and Nduga. It is widely acknowledged that conservation management strategies for the park will have to incorporate the needs and aspirations of these peoples if the park is to succeed in protecting biodiversity. Moreover, cultural diversity is another important measure of success for the park as well.

Ecological Threats

The main threats to the biodiversity of Lorentz are from commercial logging, forest conversion for plantation agriculture, smallholder agricultural conversion, mining/oil/gas development, and the illegal species trade. Global warming also poses a substantial threat.

As of 2005, there was no reported commercial logging or other large-scale threats present inside the park. There are no currently active forest conversion projects, and agricultural conversion is minimal. The illegal species trade is known to be a serious problem. The large Freeport gold/copper mining operation has been active for decades to the west and north of the park but is not active inside the park boundaries. Oil exploration inside and to the northeast of the park is ongoing.

The overall health of the biodiversity of Lorentz Park is currently excellent. While logging and other threats have yet to materialize, it is likely that this will become a threat in the future. Climate change poses a very real threat, but its specific implications for Lorentz are uncertain.

Conservation status

As of 2005, there were no park staff or guards assigned to Lorentz. However, the park's success largely depends on local communities' understanding of and support for conservation, rather than external enforcement alone. Several conservation organizations are working in the Lorentz area.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Lore Lindu National Park

2009-08-23T21:38:00.002-07:00

Lore Lindu National Park is a forest preserve on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, in the province of Central Sulawesi. The area is 2,290 km² covering both lowland and montane forests with an altitude range of 200 – 2,610 m. Some of its more popular inhabitants include the Red-Knobbed Hornbill and the Giant Civet. 227 bird species have been observed in the park, 77 of which are endemic to Sulawesi. In addition to the rich wildlife, the Bada Valley located in the park also contains stone megaliths dating from ca. 1300. The national park is also an official UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Since 2000, the Indonesian-German Collaborative Research Center "STORMA" (Stability of the Rainforest Margin in Indonesia) is intensively investigating Lore Lindu National Park and its buffer zone.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park

2009-08-23T21:38:00.001-07:00

Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park is located on the island of Sumba in Indonesia. All kind of forests that exist on this island can be found in this national park. Some endemic plant species are protected in this national park, such as jambu hutan (Syzygium sp.), pulai (Alstonia scholaris), beringin (Ficus sp.), kenari (Canarium oleosum), kayu manis (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), honggi (Myristica littoralis), suren (Toona sureni), taduk (Sterculia foetida), kesambi (Schleichera oleosa), and hangkang (Palaquium obovatum).

Some endemic animal species being protected in this national park are kera ekor panjang (Macaca fascicularis fascicularis), babi hutan (Sus sp.), biawak (Varanus salvator), ular sanca Timor (Phyton timorensis), ayam hutan (Gallus gallus), burung walik rawamanu (Ptilinopus dohertyi), punai Sumba (Treron teysmannii), gemak Sumba (Turnix everetti), kakatua cempaka (Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata), nuri (Lorius domicella), sikatan Sumba (Ficedula harterti), kepodang-sungu Sumba (Coracina dohertyi), and madu Sumba (Nectarinia buettikoferi).

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Komodo National Park

2009-08-21T23:08:00.002-07:00

The Komodo National Park is a national park in Indonesia located near the Lesser Sunda Islands in the border region between the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. The park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, and a total area of 1817 km² (603 km² of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 in order to protect the Komodo dragon. Later it was dedicated to protecting other species, including marine species. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin. About 4000 people live within the park. In 1986 the national park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Scuba diving is popular Komodo National Park because of its high marine biodiversity, including whale sharks, ocean sunfish, manta rays, eagle rays, pygmy seahorse, false pipefish, clown frogfish, nudibranchs, blue-ringed octopus, sponges, tunicates, and coral.

Since 1995, the national park authority has been supported by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), an American environmental organization. A new management plan was co-authored with TNC and implemented in 2000 to address the problem of increasing resource exploitation, both marine and terrestrial. Most pressure on marine resources originates from fishing communities and commercial enterprises from outside the park. However, regulations and restrictions on resource use impact mostly on park residents, who have few options to make a living but rely on what the park has to offer. The provision of alternative livelihoods is part of the overall management strategy, but communities within the park are yet to benefit from appropriate measures addressing their needs .

The development of – largely marine-based – ecotourism is the main strategy to make the park self-financing and generate sufficient revenue through entrance fees and tourism licenses to cover operational and managerial costs. To this end, a joint venture between TNC and a tourism operator were granted a tourism concession, that also entails extensive park management rights . This concession has generated an ongoing controversy. The joint venture has been accused of making decisions behind closed doors, and many people in and around Komodo claim that they haven’t been consulted regarding decisions that ultimately affect their lives.

Most controversy, however, was caused by the death of several fishermen since the 1980s. The circumstances of the fishermen’s deaths are contested. While park patrol (including, at the time, police and navy personnel) claim they acted in self-defense, fishing communities accuse park management of having deliberately killed the fishermen.

Komodo National Park remains an awe-inspiring experience for tourists and travelers, but the conflict between park management, TNC and local communities continues unabated.

Komodo National Park has been nominated and made it to the last 28 finalists to become one of the new 7 wonders of the world.

Mercury Development Solutions, a Bali based real estate company, is active in the promotion and support of Komodo, to make this fantastic area well know internationally. Kanawa island, is the first step taken by the company to improve facilities and accommodations to the guests, bringing the services to high standards in a eco-friendly self sustained resort.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kerinci Seblat National Park

2009-08-21T23:08:00.001-07:00

Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest national park in Sumatra Indonesia. It has a total area of 13,791 km2, and spans four provinces:

* West Sumatra,
* Jambi,
* Bengkulu and
* South Sumatra.

It is located between 100°31'18"E - 102°44'01"E and 1°07'13"S - 3°26'14"S. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Gunung Leuser national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

The park area includes a large part of the Barisan mountain range, including the highest peak in Sumatra, Mount Kerinci (3,805 m). The park includes hot springs, rivers with rapids, caves, scenic waterfalls and the highest caldera lake in Southeast Asia - Lake Gunung Tujuh.

The park is home to diversity of flora and fauna. Over 4,000 plant species grow in the park area, including the world's largest flower, Rafflesia arnoldi, and the tallest flower, Titan Arum. The fauna include Sumatran Tigers, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran elephants, Bornean Clouded Leopard, Malayan Tapir, Malay Sun Bear and 370 bird species.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kelimutu National Park

2009-08-16T03:25:00.001-07:00

Kelimutu National Park is located on the island of Flores, Indonesia. It consists of a region with hills and mountains, with Mount Kelibara (1.731 m) as its highest peak. Mount Kelimutu, which has the three coloured lakes, is also located in this national park. This unique natural attraction is a destination for tourists from many regions.

Some endagered plant species are protected in this national park, such as: Toona spp., Anthocephalus cadamba, Canarium spp., Diospyros ferra, Alstonis scholaris, Schleichera oleosa, Casuarina equisetifolia and Anaphalis javanica. Some endangered animals can also be found here, such as: Cervus timorensis, Sus sp., Gallus gallus, Elanus sp. and Dicrurus sulphurea.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kayan Mentarang National Park

2009-08-16T03:24:00.000-07:00

Kayan Mentarang National Park is a densely forested national park in East Kalimantan province, Kalimantan, Indonesia. The national park is named after a great dispersed (Mentarang) mountain trails plateau of Apau Kayan which covers entire park from Datadian area in south region to Apau Ping area in mid region until Long Bawan in north region.

Animals found in the park include the Malayan pangolin, the Long-tailed macaque, the Proboscis monkey, the Bornean Gibbon, the Greater slow loris, the Western tarsier, the Clouded leopard, the Marbled cat, the Flat-headed cat, the Oriental small-clawed otter, the Sun bear, the Hose's palm civet, the Rhinoceros Hornbill, the Helmeted Hornbill, Bulwer's Pheasant, and the Wrinkled Hornbill.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Kakaban

2009-08-13T20:27:00.002-07:00

Kakaban island is part of the Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The island has an area of 774,2 ha and is quite steep with limestone cliffs covered with dense jungle right down to the water's edge and few beaches. The wall drops to 180 m and currents can be strong with upwelling, downcurrent and reversing directions.

This place is similar to jellyfish-lake in Palau, Micronesia.

The most distinctive feature is the huge brackish water lake in the middle of the island, in the local dialect Kakaban means "hug" as the island hugs the lake from the surrounding seawater.

Jellyfish Lake

In the middle of this island is a mangrove fringed lake, slightly above sea level, where thousands of non-stinging jellyfish live making it interesting for diving. The jellyfish consist of four different species which have lost their natural defense system because of the lack of major predators in the lake.

The lake has warm brackish water and the bottom is covered with marine green algae. There are other animals living here, some sea cucumbers, gobies, anemones, tunicates, crustaceans, nudibranchs, orange purple clams and yellow clams on the branches and snakes.

The lake is at most 17m deep with poor visibility and is 10 minutes walk from the beach. Kakaban was probably uplifted during the Holocene and sea water was trapped turning the area and formed a landlocked marine lake. The water is now a mixture of salt water and sweet water from the rain.

Barracuda Point

This is a steep wall, where the current brings large pelagics like whitetip sharks, leopard sharks, jack, tuna, barracuda, snapper, trevally and of course a large school of barracuda. You can do a drift dive but a grab line has been permanently secured at 24 m across a relatively flat area on the upcurrent side of the point. Currents can be fierce with down currents.

Blue Light Cave

The cave starts at a hole on the top of the wall (2 m deep) and descends through a narrow chimney. At about 21m the chimney opens into a large cavern with the bottom at 30 m, the ceiling of the cave for about 120m. When approaching the exit of the cave the blue light of the sea can be seen. The exit is a long vertical crack in the wall and about 2m wide and lies at 44 m. There is also another exit at 64 m.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gunung Rinjani National Park

2009-08-13T20:27:00.001-07:00

Gunung Rinjani National Park is located on the island of Lombok, Indonesia. The park covers about 413 km² and consists of mountainous areas. Mount Rinjani (Gunung Rinjani), which is the third highest mountain of Indonesia (3.726 m), is located in this national park, giving this park its name.

Some of endangered plants are protected in this national park, such as: Pterospermum javanicum, Swietenia macrophilla, Ficus superba, Toona sureni, Vanda sp., Usnea sp and Anaphalis sp.

There are also several endangered fauna protected in this national park, including rusa deer, indian muntjac, Sunda Porcupine, surili monkeys, Helmeted Friarbird, several cockatoos and Scaly-crowned Honeyeater.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gunung Palung National Park

2009-08-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

Gunung Palung National Park lies in the kabupaten of Kayong Utara, in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, north of Ketapang and east of Sukadana. The park is notable for its diversity of habitat types, ranging from mangrove and freshwater swamp forest, to lowland alluvial (empran bench) forest, to mountane forest, and for its diversity of wildlife. It is one of only a handful of parks in the world where orangutans can be seen in the wild.

A research station (Cabang Panti) was established at the western foot of the main Gunung Palung mountains in 1985, and is owned and operated by the park management authority. Research there has contributed significantly to our understanding of Borneo forest biology.

Illegal, non-mechanized, 'hand logging' has been a problem in the park, especially from ca. 2000-2003. Recent initiatives by park authorities and NGOs (increased policing, monitoring by microlight, educational activities) have contributed to a reduction of illegal activities. The park was one of the key sites of the EU-funded Illegal Logging Response Center (ILRC, now continued in FLEGT).

The Park has enormous potential for ecotourism, and has a number of attractive sites for visitors.

The Gunung Palung Orangutan Program operates guided walks (you have to supply your own food) from Sukadana to a basic forest camp, which is an uphill hike of at least 90 minutes through humid, slippery, spectacular rainforest. The wooden house has no mattresses, sheets or pillows (as at June 2008), so pack accordingly.

There are also organised 7-day tours to the park from Pontianak.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gunung Leuser National Park

2009-08-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park

2009-08-07T05:24:00.002-07:00

Mount Gede Pangrango National Park is a national park in West Java, Indonesia. The park is centred on two volcanoes—Mount Gede (2,958 m) and Mount Pangrango (3,019 m)—and is 150 square kilometres in area.

It evolved from already existing conservation areas, such as Cibodas Nature Reserve, Cimungkat Nature Reseve, Situgunung Recreational Park and Mount Gede Pangrango Nature Reserve, and has been the site of important biological and conservation research over the last century.

Lower and upper montane and subalpine forests are within the park and have been well studied. To the north of Mount Gede is a field of Javanese Edelweiss (Anaphalis javanica). The park contains a large number of species known to occur only within its boundaries, however, this may be a result of the disproportionate amount of research over many years.

The area is two hours drive from the Indonesian national capital, Jakarta, usually via Cibodas Botanical Garden.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Gunung Ciremai National Park

2009-08-07T05:24:00.001-07:00

Mount Ciremai National Park or Gunung Ciremai National Park is located on the province of West Java, Indonesia. Some endemic or endangered flora and fauna are being protected in this national park, such as Pinus merkusii, Castanopsis javanica, Fragraera blumii, Villubrunes rubescens, Macaranga denticulatan, Lithocarpus sundaicus, Elacocarpus stipularis, Ardisia cymosa, Platea latifolia, Phantera pardus, Javan Muntjac, Zaglossus brujini, Javan Surili, Spizaetus bartelsii and Python sp.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Bunaka

2009-08-05T04:45:00.001-07:00

Bunaka island is a volcanic island part of the Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is part of the Pombato chain east of Kalimantan, and sustains a mainly fishing, shellfish gathering population of 6,750 as of 2005.

The economy is mainly based upon the fisheries and is completely dependent on mainland Indonesia for food and other supplies. Bunaka is a small island of 348 km². Its significance is that it marks the boundary between the islands to the west, the East Kalimantan province, and the region to the east that is mainly under the jurisdiction of Central Sulawesi.

The island of Bunaka is mainly populated by the ethnic group, the Balinese, who is said to have fished in the surrounding waters since the 9th century.

Location

Bunaka lies within the chain of the Derawan Islands between the larger neighboring islands of Kakaban to the west and Tarimun to the east. Not only is the island famous for its heritage of fishing and pearl collecting but also for the exotic, rare birds that make their nests on the island, particularly on Mount Kalabali, giant birds such as the Javanese Lapwing migrate annually to this island and generates much interest from foreign environmental scientists.

History

Bunaka was not settled well into the 17th century, though fishing throughout the region had been going on for centuries prior. Bunaka was settled by a group of Balinese fishermen and oyster gatherers until a permanent settlement formed. Bunaka is also mentioned in several Arab trading texts and records as a source for fresh water and fruit, which helped combat scurvy, an illness brought on by a lack of Vitamin C. During three centuries of Dutch influence, administration of the islands was generally ignored and the people were mostly exempt from the colonial taxes the Dutch imposed on the larger Indonesian islands. In spring 1846, Captain Bradley, an English whaler setting out from India to New Zealand was forced to make anchor on the island for repairs of damages suffered on his schooner from a seasonal spring storm. He and his crew were able to live upon the hospitality of the natives, which he called the males "Jerries" and the females "Juns", until help arrived from the ships of the Dutch East India Company. This incident was mentioned in the 1847 publication of the Queen's Naval Journals, though the credit of the natives were greatly diminished. During World War II, and subsequent Japanese occupation, Bunaka was a frequent destination for Japanese deep sea fishing vessels. A Japanese transport ship was sunk off the coast by Gato class submarine USS Hake (SS-256) on January 11, 1944. After independence, Bunaka was made part of the Kalimantan province, administered directly from Samarinda, capital of East Kalimantan. Bunaka suffered heavily from the 1997 East Asian financial crisis, and as a result a number of fishermen left the islands for better conditions during this period.

Climate

Due to its location and extremely small size, Bunaka sometimes has harsh weather. At times, ships are unable to dock because of strong northwestern winds in winter. The climate is warm and humid, and heavily influenced by warm sea currents. Precipitation is high throughout most of the year (annual average - 1532 mm), with occasional typhoon during the summer due to dominating southernly winds. The water around the island is about 15 degrees Celsius in winter, when the water is coolest. It warms to about 35 degrees Celsius in August, at its peak.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Bukit Tigapuluh National Park

2009-08-05T04:44:00.001-07:00

Bukit Tigapuluh National Park (also called Bukit Tiga Puluh and Bukit Tigapulah) - The Thirty Hills - is a 143,143 hectare National Park in eastern Sumatra, consisting primarily of tropical lowland forest, largely in Riau province, with a smaller part of 33,000 ha. in Jambi province. It is famous as one of the last refuges of endangered species such as the Sumatran Orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran elephant, Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian tapir and Sun bear, as well as many endangered bird species, and is also home to the indigenous peoples of the Orang Rimba and Talang Mamak tribes.

The Park itself has been under consistent threat from illegal logging and Palm oil plantations, with two thirds of the park logged. Surrounding buffer zones and wildlife corridors are diminishing, with 30,000 hectares, the largest area of forest remaining outside the Park, released in May 2009 by the Indonesian government for logging, with the licence granted to a joint venture company involving Asia Pulp & Paper/Sinar Mas Group (APP), to clear the largest area of forest outside the Park.

This area forms part of the Tesso Nilo Complex biodiversity hotspot.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

2009-08-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park

2009-08-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is located in East Java, Indonesia. It consist of hills and mountains, with Mount Semeru (3,676m) as its highest peak. This is also the highest mountain on Java. There are also 4 lakes and 50 rivers in this national park.

It is the location of the 10-kilometre wide Tengger Caldera within which lies the Bromo Crater.

Some endangered flora are protected in this park, such as: Fagaceae, Moraceae, Sterculiaceae, Casuarina junghuhniana, Anaphalis longifolia and about 200 species of endemic orchids.

There are also about 137 species of birds, 22 species of mammals and 4 species of reptiles protected. Examples are: Accipiter virgatus, Pavo muticus, Cervus timorensis, Cuon alpinus and Panthera pardus.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park

2009-08-01T02:18:00.001-07:00

Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park is a 2,871.15 km² (1,108.56 mi²) National Park on Minahassa Peninsula on Sulawesi island, Indonesia. Formerly known as Dumoga Bone National Park, park was established in 1991 and was renamed in honour of Nani Wartabone, a local resistance fighter who drove the Japanese from Gorontalo during the World War II.

The park has been identified by Wildlife Conservation Society as the single most important site for the conservation of Sulawesi wildlife and is home to a large number of species endemic to Sulawesi. The species observed in the park include among others the endangered Anoa and Cinnabar Hawk Owl, which was only described scientifically in 1999 from a specimen collected from the park. The park is threatened by uncontrolled logging, poaching and illegal gold mining.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Betung Kerihun National Park

2009-08-01T02:16:00.000-07:00

Betung Kerihun National Park (previously Gunung Bentuang) is a national park in the province of West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. It is located inland, along the Malaysian border. The park was established 1992, and has a total area of 8,000 km2 (3,100 sq mi).Together with Malaysian 2,000 km2 (800 sq mi) Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary it has been proposed to form a World Heritage Site, Transborder Rainforest Heritage of Borneo.

Betung Kerihun National Park is hilly and mountainous, with the highest peaks Mt. Kerihun (1,790 m/5,870 ft) and Mt. Lawit (1,770 m/5,810 ft). The park largely consists of two ecoregions, Borneo montane rain forests, which covers about 2/3 of the area, and Borneo lowland rain forests. In the lowland forests the dominant emergent tree is dipterocarp species, which are replaced at higher altitude with oaks (Quercus and Lithocarpus ssp.) and chestnut trees (Castanopsis ssp.). The fauna of the park is rich, with 300 species of bird (25 endemic to Borneo), at least 162 fish species and at least 54 mammals. The park is home to endangered Bornean orangutan and seven other primate species.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Baluran National Park

2009-07-30T06:24:00.001-07:00

Baluran National Park is located in East Java, Indonesia. It has a relatively dry climate and consist of lowland forests, savanna, mangrove forests and hills, with Mount Baluran (1,247m) as its highest peak.

This park protects some endangered plant species, such as: Ziziphus rotundifolia, Tamarindus indica, Dioscorea hispida, Aleuritas moluccana and Corypha utan.

There are also about 155 species of endangered birds, including Hirundapus caudutus. Other endangered animals being protected are: Bos javanicus, Cuon alpinus, Muntiacus muntjak, Pavo muticus (recent research has suggested that the subspecies in the national park is distinct from the one in Ujung Kulon), Gallus sp., Felis pardus and Felis viverrina.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Alas Purwo National Park

2009-07-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

Alas Purwo National Park is situated on Blambangan Peninsula in Banyuwangi regency, at the southeastern tip of East Java. The park's name means "first forest", in accordance with a Javanese legend that says the earth first emerged from the ocean here. With an area of 434 km², the park is made up of mangroves, savanna, lowland monsoon forests and coral-fringed beaches. An internationally renowned surf break peels along the edge of the park at Plengkung on Grajagan Bay. Mount Linggamanis (322m) is also located in this national park. Between the months of April and September, thousands of surfers from all over the world visit G-Land, which is about half a day's travel from Bali.

Flora

There are some endangered flora, which are protected in this national park, such as: Terminalia catappa, Calophyllum inophyllum, Sterculia foetida, Barringtonia asiatica and Manilkara kauki.

Fauna

It is home to some of Java’s endangered species, such as the Javanese bull (Bos javanicus).

There is no valid information of bull population in the park. In the middle of April 2004, there were only 57 bulls found in the savanna of Sadengan, while the population the previous year was estimated to be 80 to 100. Groups of bulls usually come to Sadengan in the morning and afternoon in search of plants.

The biggest enemy of the bull is humans. Poachers set traps outside the park during the dry season to snare bulls wandering outside the park in search of water. The bulls are slaughtered and the meat sold.

Other threatened animal species protected in Alas Purwo include the dhole (Cuon alpinus), silvered leaf monkey (Presbytis cristata), Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus), junglefowl (Gallus sp.), Olive Ridley, (Lepidochelys olivacea), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Green turtle (Chelonia mydas).

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ullen Sentalu Museum

2009-07-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Ullen Sentalu Museum is a museum located in Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

National Museum (Indonesia)

2009-07-27T19:00:00.002-07:00

The National Museum of Indonesia (Indonesian: Museum Nasional, sometimes referred to as Museum Gajah) is an archeological, historical, ethnological, and geographical museum located in Jakarta.

History

On April 24, 1778, a group of Dutch intellectuals established a scientific institution under the name Bataviaasch Genotschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, (Batavia Society for Arts and Science). This private body had the aim of promoting research in the field of arts and sciences, especially in history, archaeology, ethnography and physics, and publish the various findings.

One of the founders - JCM Radermacher - donated a building and a collection of cultural objects and books, which were of great value to start off a museum and library for the society. Due to the growing collections, General Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles built a new premises on Jalan Majapahit No. 3 at the beginning of the 19th century and named it the Literary Society. In the 1862 the Dutch East Indian government decided to build a new museum that would not only serve as an office but also could be used to house, preserve and display the collections.

The Museum was officially opened in 1868 and became known as Gedung Gajah (Elephant House) or Gedung Arca (House of Statues). It was called Gedung Gajah on account of the bronze elephant statue in the front yard donated by King Chulalongkorn of Siam in 1871. It was also called Gedung Arca because a great variety of statues from different periods are on display in the house.

On February 29, 1950 the Institution became the Lembaga Kebudayaan Indonesia (Indonesian Culture Council) and on September 17, 1962] it was handed over to the Indonesian government and became the Museum Pusat (Central Museum). By decree of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 092/0/1979 of May 28, 1979 it was renamed the Museum Nasional. The Museum Nasional is not only a centre for research and study into the national and cultural heritage. In 2007, a new building next to the old one opened, featuring many artifacts from prehistoric times to modern times.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Museum Prabu Geusan Ulun

2009-07-27T19:00:00.001-07:00

The Museum Prabu Geusan Ulun is a museum located in Sumedang on West Java, Indonesia. It is located on Geusan Ulun Road 40B.

The museum houses a collection of traditional Sundanese weaponry, as well as the crown jewels and other finery.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Museum Affandi

2009-07-25T08:16:00.001-07:00

The Museum Affandi is a museum located in Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesia.

On the bank of the Gajah Wong River on Solo Street, the painter Affandi designed and constructed a home for himself, which also functions as a museum to display his paintings. The building is uniquely constructed, with a roof that resembles a banana leaf. The museum has around 250 of Affandi’s paintings. The high air humidity and temperature are causing concerns about the condition of the paintings. The Affandi Foundation, which manages the museum, finds it difficult to manage the museum properly, due to a lack of funds and revenue.

Before passing away, Affandi spent a lot of time sitting around in his own museum, observing his paintings. He said once, “I want to die in simplicity without giving anyone unnecessary trouble, so I could go home to Him in peace.”

After suffering a complication of illnesses, on Wednesday, the May 23, 1990, Affandi died. He is now buried in the museum complex, as he wished to always be surrounded by his family and his works.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Jakarta History Museum

2009-07-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Jakarta History Museum is a museum located in Jakarta on Java, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Indonesian Record Museum

2009-07-12T18:32:00.001-07:00

Indonesian Record Museum (Museum Rekor Indonesia or MURI) is a museum located in Semarang,Central Java, Indonesia. A collection of Indonesian records is presented in this museum. Created on January 27, 1990 by Jaya Suprana, this museum contains about 1200 records through July 2005.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Ambarawa Railway Museum

2009-07-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

The Ambarawa Railway Museum is a museum located in Ambarawa on Java, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Purbakala Archaeological Museum

2009-07-10T19:38:00.003-07:00

The Purbakala Archaeological Museum is a museum located in Bedulu on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Neka Art Museum

2009-07-10T19:38:00.001-07:00

The Neka Art Museum is a museum located in Ubud on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Museum Semarajaya

2009-07-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

The Museum Semarajaya is a museum located in Klungkung on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Museum Rudana

2009-07-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Museum Rudana or Rudana Art Museum was built in Peliatan, Gianyar Regency, Bali, by Nyoman Rudana. It is reflected in the concept of Bali philosophy Tri Hita Karana, where art has a great contribution in spreading world peace, prosperity and brotherhood amongst mankind. Humanism concept of Rudana Art Museum is the main philosophy of Nyoman Rudana in collecting paintings in the museum.

History

Its blessing ceremony was held on 11 August 1995 as part of the commemoration of the 50th Indonesian Independence with its Golden Indonesian Spirit. The late President Soeharto officially opened it on 26 December 1995.

Architecture

The 500 square meters building of Museum Rudana was built in a 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) of land and its cornerstone was laid on 22 December 1990.

Nyoman Rudana conceptualised the building, which is three story building holding Balinese architecture and philosophy. Tri Angga, naming the three parts of a human body: the head, trunk, and legs; Tri Manggala, the division of a compound into 3 sections: the inner, middle, and outer sections; Tri Loka, the concept of the universe which is divided into bur, bwah, swah: the worlds beneath, intermediate and above. These philosophical concepts, connected with the fine art development of Bali, are reflected in the regeneration of artists from the past to the present time, a continuation on which is comparable to a link of sustainable golden thread.

The outer walls of the museum reflect the national flag of Indonesia, red, from the red bricks and white from sandstones.

Location

Museum Rudana is located in Peliatan village, in the Ubud subdistrict of Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia about 16 km from Denpasar, the capital city of Bali, in the Museum Rudana compound.

Collections

Museum Rudana exhibits more than 400 pieces of the work of fine art and sculpture of various Indonesian artists. The arrangement of paintings represents a harmony of style which inline with the philosophical concept of the building indicated earlier.

On the first and second floor, the works of modern Indonesian artists are displayed, such as those of Affandi, Basuki Abdullah, all have been deceased, Srihadi Soedarsono, famous for his series of Borobudur paintings, Nyoman Gunarsa, Made Wianta etc. The works of post modern Indonesian artists such as Nyoman Erawan and Made Budhiana which mostly depict abstracts in their works are also presented. Museum Rudana also collected many paintings depicted other famous temples in Indonesia such as Besakih in Bali and Prambanan in Central Java.

On the third floor, various traditional work of traditional Balinese masters from Ubud and Batuan such as those of the late I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, I Gusti Ketut Kobot, and many others are exhibited.

The museum also exhibits the works of prominent foreign artists reside in Bali such as the late Don Antonio Blanco (Spain), Yuri Gorbachev (Russia), Jafar Islah (Kuwait) and Iyama Tadayuki (Japan).

Exhibitions

Museum Rudana conducted several exhibitions overseas. In 1997 and 1998, an era where monetary crisis occurred in Indonesia, it held exhibitions in Kuwait City, Kuwait and again in the year 2000, in Rome, Italy, where Nyoman Rudana received L’albero dell’umanita (The Tree of Humanity) Award from the Government of Italy

Regular exhibitions are also held several times a year, the biggest one is usually taking place in August, as a commemoration of its anniversary. The 4th anniversary in 1999 and the 8th in 2004 were commemorated by presenting The Ksatria Seni Awards to fellow artists dedicated their works for the development of Indonesian arts.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Museum Puri Lukisan

2009-07-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Museum Puri Lukisan is the oldest art museum in Ubud, Bali specializing in modern traditional Balinese paintings and wood carvings. The Museum Puri Lukisan is located in Ubud, Bali – Indonesia. Its mission is to preserve, develop and document traditional Balinese art. It is home to the finest collection of modern traditional Balinese painting and wood carving on the island, spanning from the pre-war (1930 – 1945) to the post-war (1945 – present) era. The collection includes important examples of all of the artistic styles in Bali including the Sanur, Batuan, Ubud, Young Artist and Keliki schools.

Museum Buildings

* Building I (North) – the Pitamaha Gallery houses the Pre-War modern traditional Balinese paintings (1930 – 1945) and I Gusti Nyoman Lempad collection
* Building II (West) – the Ida Bagus Made Gallery houses the Ida Bagus Made Estate Collection
* Building III (East) – the Wayang Gallery houses Wayang Painting Collection and used for temporary exhibitions.

Highlights of the Collection

Ida Bagus Nyana (1912 – 1985)

Ida Bagus Nyana was a talented wood sculptor and a gifted dancer. He is known for his impressionistic, elongated woodcarvings whose fluid shapes, devoid of excessive detail, often appear as if they had been pulled from taffy. His sculpture of the Goddess Pertiwi (Mother Earth), with its spidery legs and coiled serpant, is dreamlike and surrealistic. Nyana's son, Ida Bagus Tilem, was also a talented woodcarver. Both father and son were known for their ability to impart life to inanimate wood, thereby transforming it into magnificent forms with an extraordinary sense of movement and full use of all the dimensions.

Ida Bagus Gelgel (1900 - 1937)

Ida Bagus Gelgel grew up in Kamasan, far away from direct western influence, but his works evolved beyond the conventions of the Wayang tradition. He was so creative, that in 1937 one of his paintings won a silver medal at the International Colonial Art Exhibition in Paris. One of his works, the Priest Dharmaswami, painted in 1935 using naturals dyes on paper, is one of the masterpieces of the Museum Puri Lukisan. It tells the story of a Priest who rescued a monkey, a snake and a tiger from a well. When the priest was arrested by a prince on false charges, the animals came to his rescue. The paintings shows these animals bringing gifts as a gratitude for saving their lives.

I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (~1862 – 1978)

A true master and "Renaissance Man", Lempad is a legendary figure in the Balinese community as well as in artistic circles abroad. His fame extends not only beyond geographical borders but also beyond the ordinary borders of craftsmanship and artistic expression. Lempad’s specialty was classical scenes, rendered in a relatively formal way. To these he applied creative genius, and the passionate intensity of his personality, in creating works that inspired many artists who followed him. Although he maintained closed friendships with the foreign artists who lived in Bali, including Bonnet and Spies, Lempad never compromised his distinctive identity as a Balinese artist. Lempad had a broad range of talents in many art forms: including painting, sculpture and architecture. He designed some of the palaces and temples in and around Ubud, including parts of the Puri Lukisan Museum. He also painted the murals at the entrance of the North building of the museum. Lempad's drawing, the Dream of Dharmawangsa, is one of the masterpieces of the museum and is rendered in his unique linear style.

Anak Agung Gde Sobrat (1919 – 1992)

Sobrat was the son of an aristocratic family. As a child, he delighted in the spectacles of the Balinese Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet performances). His grandfather, a well-known Wayang puppeteer, taught him to carve the rawhide puppets and familiarized him with the Hindu epics: the Ramayana and Mahabharata. His artistic talent drew the attention of other artists. Under the tutelage of Walter Spies, he learned to paint Balinese landscapes with surreal perspectives, and later from Bonnet he developed the techniques for portraiture. From 1957 to 1959, Sobrat taught at the highly regarded Academy of Fine Arts in Yogyakarta, where he developed his academic style. His painting of the Balinese Market was exhibited at the opening of the Museum Puri Lukisan and remains one of its masterpieces. Although the colors have faded, the composition of human figures clearly shows the influence of Bonnet.

I Gusti Made Deblog (1910 – 1978)

This exceptional artist started his career as an apprentice in the studio of the Chinese photographer, Yap Sin Tin. Deblog's work portrays a passionate sense of the beauty of nature, rendered in elegantly refined detail that reveals the presence of a deeper reality underlying the world around us. His drawing, the Birth of Hanuman (1936) was presented to the Puri Lukisan Museum by the chairman of the Ford Foundation, and depicts a lush forest with magical nymphs and other forest dwellers bringing offerings to the newborn Hanuman.

Noted Exhibitions

Pre-War Balinese Modernist (1999)

Featuring the pre-War Balinese paintings from the Leo Haks collection. Over 100 paintings and drawings were personally selected by Leo Haks to showcase the pre-War works of artists from Ubud, Sanur and Batuan. Many of the pieces came from the paintings collected by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead during their field study in Bali from 1935 to 1937.

Pioneers of Balinese Painting (July 14 - September 12, 2008)

Featuring masterpieces of Balinese art on loan from the Leiden University Museum, collected between 1929 and 1958 by Dutch artist Rudolf Bonnet, this exhibition showcases the specific characteristics, and style of Balinese artists from four geographic regions: Tampaksiring, Ubud, Batuan and Sanur. The Leiden University collection was supplemented by similar works from the permanent collection of the Puri Lukisan Museum, which were also selected by Rudolf Bonnet. This exhibition is accompanied by a catalog entitled “Pioneers of Balinese Painting” by Helena Spannjard.

Ida Bagus Made (July 14 - December 31, 2008)

Featuring paintings from the estate of maestro Ida Bagus Made Poleng, one of the original members of Pitamaha and student of Rudolf Bonnet, this exhibition celebrates the visual artistry of one of the foremost painters of Ubud. In 2000, following the artist’s last wish, the widow of Ida Bagus Made loaned about 100 paintings from the artist’s private collection to the Puri Lukisan Museum. Fifty of these paintings will be presented to the public for the first time. This exhibition is accompanied by a catalog: “Ida Bagus Made – the Art of Devotion” co-authored by Kaja McGowan et al.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Museum Bali

2009-07-07T19:44:00.001-07:00

The Museum Bali is a museum located in Denpasar on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Le Mayeur Museum

2009-07-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

The Le Mayeur Museum is a museum located in Sanur on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Blanco Renaissance Museum

2009-07-07T19:42:00.002-07:00

The Blanco Renaissance Museum is a museum located in Ubud on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Agung Rai Museum of Art

2009-07-07T19:42:00.001-07:00

The Agung Rai Museum of Art is a museum located in Ubud on Bali, Indonesia.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress

2009-07-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

The Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress (AMCP) is located in the city of Agats, in the Papua province of Indonesia. It was conceived by the Crosier missionary Frank Trenkenschuh in 1969 as a way to preserve traditional Asmat art as well as provide economic outlets to the Asmat people. It was built by the Diocese of Agats-Asmat, which also owns the museum. The American artist Tobias Schneebaum and Ursula Konrad helped in establishing the museum and it officially opened on August 17, 1973. The museum has catalogued approximately 1,200 items to its collection.

The current director, as of 2007, is Eric Sarkol with John Ohoiwirin as assistant.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Sipura

2009-07-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sipura, or Sipora located off Sumatra in Indonesia, is the smallest and most developed of the four Mentawai Islands at only 845 km². The regency capital of the Mentawai Islands, Tua Pejat, is found on Sipora. An estimated 10-15% of the original rainforest remains on this island.

Sipora is a popular surfing destination. World-class surf spots Hollow Trees and Lance's Left break off the southern end of the island. Numerous excellent surf spots break in the northwestern region of this island including Telescopes, Iceland, and Scarecrows. The ocean swells are most consistent from April to October, but Sipora is a viable year-round surfing destination. Wind conditions can vary by the hour, and are often calm and glassy. For accommodation near Sipura, most surfers stay on yachts that can be chartered in Padang and motor between surf breaks as conditions change. Some visiting surfers choose to stay on the island itself at resorts or with local families in Tua Pajet.

The islands North Pagai (Pagai Utara) and South Pagai (Pagai Selatan) are situated to the south, and also have extensive surf breaks along their western coasts.

Surf breaks

Northern:

* Iceland
* Telescopes
* Suicides

Western:

* Arik
* Seven palm point

Southern:

* Lances

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

North Pagai

2009-07-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

North Pagai (Indonesian: Pagai Utara) is one of the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is south of Sipura and north of South Pagai (or Pagai Selatan) Island.

Surf breaks

* Silabus
* Macca's
* Macca's Right
* Bommie Peak
* Gilligans

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Mentawai Islands

2009-06-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about seventy islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Siberut (4,030 km²) is the largest of the islands. The other major islands are Sipura, North Pagai (Pagai Utara) and South Pagai (Pagai Selatan). The islands lie approximately 150 km off the Sumatran coast, across the Mentawai Strait. The indigenous inhabitants of the islands are known as the Mentawai people. The Mentawai Islands have become a noted destination for surfing.

History

Following the Pleistocene glaciation, the Mentawai Islands were separated once more from the Sumatran mainland by rising sea levels. The Mentawai people are estimated to have arrived on the islands somewhere between 2000 and 500 BCE, migrating from the north through Siberut and then moving south to Sipora and the Pagai islands. Their Austronesian language, their customs and habits of life indicated as early as Crisp's report an origin that was distinct from the nearby coast of Sumatra.

The Portuguese were aware of the islands early in the 17th century: a map dated 1606 shows Siberut as "Mintaon". In August 1792 John Crisp, an employee of the British East India Company, visited the Pagai ("Poggy") islands at his own expense to study the Mentawai people. His account was published in 1799,providing the first details of the Mentawai people in western literature. The Mentawai Islands officially became part of the Dutch East Indies on 10 July 1864, not having been subject to the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. In 1901 the German Royal Missionary Society established a presence on the south coast of North Pagai island at the invitation of the Dutch colonial authorities. The first missionary was murdered, and it wasn't until 1915 that the first person was converted, with the program then being extended to other islands.

After Indonesian independence, Catholic Italian missionaries established a presence in the islands. Post-independence government policies relocated the indigenous population into villages, in contrast to their traditional dispersed house groups (uma), with the aim of promoting "development". Cultural tourism started to develop in the late 1980s, and when in the mid-1990s world-class waves were discovered by some Australian surfers, surfing tourism started to develop.

The island of Siberut was extensively logged from the 1970s after the government granted logging permits for most of the island. In 1993, the logging concessions were revoked and about half the island was declared a national park. In 2001 logging recommenced after a new logging permit was granted for an area of 500 km².

Administration

The Mentawai Islands have been administered as a regency within the West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) province since 1999. The regency seat is Tua Pejat, located on the island of Sipura. Padang, the capital of the province, lies on the Sumatran mainland opposite Siberut. The regency is divided in four subdistricts (kecamatan):

Pagai Utara Selatan, Sipora, Siberut Selatan, and Siberut Utara.

Ecology

The islands have been separated from Sumatra since the mid-Pleistocene period, which has allowed at least twenty endemic species to develop amongst its flora and fauna. This includes five endemic primates: the Mentawai or Kloss Gibbon (Hylobates klossii), Mentawai Macaque (Macaca pagensis), Siberut Macaque ("Macaca siberu"), Mentawai leaf-monkey (Presbytis potenziani), and snub-nosed monkey (Simias concolor). Some areas of the Mentawai Islands rain forest ecoregion are protected, such as the Siberut National Park.

Geology

The Mentawai Islands lie on an active and powerful megathrust earthquake zone lining the south side of Sumatra island, dividing the Pacific Plate and Indian Ocean plates. Earthquake and tsunami activity has been high since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In 1833, the region was hit with an earthquake possibly similar in size to the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and also another large one in 1797.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/

Lagundri Bay

2009-06-29T20:08:00.001-07:00

Lagundri Bay is a horseshoe shaped bay at the southern end of the island of Nias off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is a popular tourist destination and a noted surf break.

Lagundri Bay Surf Break (often also called "The Point", "Soraki Point", or simply "Nias")

The main break within the bay is a barrelling right-hander breaking over reef along the western side of the bay. The correct name of the point where the wave breaks is "Soraki" (which apparently means "many reefs"). A break further out along the bay is called Indicators, which breaks dangerously onto dry reef and is surfed only on rare occasions. On the opposite side of the bay a left-hander called The Machine breaks sometimes, but needs a very high tide and large swells. "Kiddies Corner" is the name of the inside section of the wave at "the Point". All the waves have been affected by recent uplift from the 2005 Sumatran Earthquake.

The surf break was discovered in 1975 by travelling surfers Kevin Lovett and John Giesel together with Peter Troy. Lovett and Giesel, aged 20 and 22, were travelling through south-east Asia, living rough and pursuing the surfer's dream of perfect uncrowded waves. They were drawn to Nias by a map they saw in a chieftain's house in North Sumatra. On their final sea leg to the island they found legendary surf traveller Peter Troy was among their shipmates, which they took as a good karmic sign.

On the island and after travelling 15 km through jungle they finally reached the bay and were greeted by, as Lovett put it, "Relentless sets of smokin' 6-to-8 foot almond-eyed waves". (That's 6 to 8 Hawaiian scale.) They lived there for 3 months surfing it alone.

Giesel and Lovett made a pact to keep the place secret, but word leaked out over the years. Giesel never got to enjoy Lagundri again, he suffered repeated bouts of malaria he'd contracted on their travels and died of pneumonia just 7 months later. Lovett maintained his connection with the place, returning many times and getting involved with helping the local people. In around 1995 he learnt from the local siulu (chief and head magician) that the two had actually been in considerable danger from headhunting, which still went on back in 1975.

The 2005 Sumatra earthquake (28 May 2005) devastated the local village, and caused an uplift up to several metres over much of the island, with some eastern parts of island also reported to have sunk several feet or more in places. A number of structures both within the local village and throughout the island were toppled (with reportedly several thousand deaths, particularly in the north of the island), and a small tsunami also occurred, apparently up to the height of door frames on the first floor at Lagundri Bay, which also caused damage to houses and hotels within the bay. Locals report that the tsunami arrived about 15–20 minutes after the earthquake. A number of people in the local village lost their goods and livelihoods from this earthquake and tsunami. The uplift seems to have been part of a regular cycle of megathrusts followed by gradual sinking. On this occasion the uplift was about 2 feet within the Bay itself, and it has actually improved the main surf break, but reduced the quality of the others. Where previously The Point only broke from about 4 foot and up (Hawaiian scale) it now breaks from 2 foot and the main section of the tube has lengthened from 7 seconds to perhaps 9 in good conditions, with a second tube section a little further down from the main part of the wave on occasions. On the other side of the bay however The Machine has suffered, needing an even more fickle combination of large swell and higher tides to be surfable.

The wave characteristics of "the Point" have long been considered world-class, and include: a remarkably easy paddle out; a machine-like, jacking, perfect almond-shaped tube (particularly when >4 feet) and which has reportedly held waves up to 15 feet (Hawaiian scale-that's ~30 feet wave faces) since the earthquake; and a sculptured wave face which is partially smoothed out by a weak 'reverse current'- which sucks water from the bay into the wave and acts to 'smooths out' the breaking wave face, even under light onshore wind conditions.

The wave jacks and pitches quickly out of relatively deep water, and has surprising energy and roundness over about 4 feet (Hawaiian scale), particularly since the earthquake, also breaking in relatively deep water (at least for the roundness of the barrel) on all tides. The world-class section of the wave only breaks for about 60-80m, before it dies out in deeper water, afterwards forming a slow moving, low-quality wave which breaks for around another 100m or so ("Kiddies Corner"). The water within the surrounding bay has a sharp and remarkably deep drop-off, and it is likely the peculiar, long and narrow U-shape of the bay acts to focus the incoming swell energy onto the main part of the point, to produce both the weak 'reverse current', and the consistently almond-shaped tubes.

Other Nias Island Surf Breaks

There are other waves both to the west and east of Lagundri Bay, which have been variably affected by uplift from the earthquake. A medium quality left-hander breaks about 2 hours walk west from the main point, called locally "the Shark Hole", and another very dubious right-hander breaks about 15 minutes walk to the west of the main point. There are waves to the north along the west coast of Nias island, one of which, "Afulu", has apparently been severely affected and reduced in quality by recent uplift.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/