Archive for August 29th, 2006
The most popular and well known. of East Java’s tourist attractions is undoubtedly Mt Bromo. The pre-dawn departure and trek across the mountain’s ’sand sea’ to watch the sun rise at the crater rim has become something of a ritual, enacted daily by people of every nationality.
Bromo is actually Just one crater in the vast, 800 km2 Tengger massif, which forms the largest of East Java’s five main volcanic ranges. Although by no means the highest mountain in the region (2392m), it has gained its reputation partly because of its unique location and partly through the reverence shown to it by the local inhabitants, the Tenggerese, who claim descent from a princess of Majapahit. Isolated for centuries in the mountains, the Tenggerese have remained loyal to the. old religion which, though basically Hindu/Buddhist, reserves a special place for the god of Mt Bromo (Brahma).
Each year, on the l 4th day of the Tenggerese month of Kasodo, which falls in December, a special ceremony is held on the edge of Bromo’s active crater.Livestock and agricultural produce are sacrificed to placate the spirit of the mountain and ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming year. The Tenggerese believe that failure to observe this annual ritual will result in disaster. As it is, they are blessed with a cool climate and rich volcanic soil which allows the cultivation of many types of fruit and vegetable which are impossible to grow on the plains.There are several ways to get to Mt Bromo. The well worn route is from the north coastal town of Probolinggo, The road winds up into the hills via Sukapura and ends at Ngadisari, one of the largest of the 38 traditional Tenggerese villages. An alternative route leads from Pasuruan via Wonokitri and Tosari to the summit of Mt Penanjakan, which is rapidly becoming the favoured spot to welcome the dawn.
As the sun rises, the early morning mist dissipates to reveal a fantastic, almost lunar landscape. Two deeply furrowed volcanic cones stand side by side on a vast, perfectly flat expanse of sand 10 kilometres across. Bromo’s crater is active, emitting dense clouds of sulphureous steam. Reasonably quiescent at the moment, the mountain has erupted three times this century at fairly regular 30 year intervals. The last major eruption was in 1974. Beside Bromo stands its dormant twin, Mt Batok, whose sides rise in a perfect cone shape to a flat summit. The entire plain is surrounded by steep cliffs, which form the rim of an enormous caldera.
The southern part of the Tengger range is dominated by Mt Semeru, named after the ‘cosmic mountain’ and abode of the gods of Hindu mythology. Semeru was very active during the 19th century and continues to send up a cloud of smoke at irregular intervals.
The Bromo/Semeru region is now a nature reserve containing a rich variety of flora and fauna. There are a number of wild plants here which are unique to the area and, according to a local botanist, several more which are as yet uncatalogued. The range of wildlife, too, is still not fully recorded, though a few species, such as the wild pig, Timorese deer and muncak (barking deer) are known to exist in considerable numbers. There are also leopards and flying squirrels and the lake areas are home to a wide variety , duck and waterfowl.
source : www.eastjava.com
August 29th, 2006
KAWAH IJEN-MERAPI-MAGELANG RESERVE
The volcanic cones of Ijen and Merapi dominate the eastern end of Java, near the town of Banyuwangi. While Merapi is extinct, the crater of Ijen contains a vast, turquoise/blue lake, streaked with sulphur. The crater is active and the lake has been known to boil over from time to time. Together with Mt Bromo, Ijen is undoubtedly the most outstanding of East Java’s natural wonders
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BALURAN NATIONAL PARK
Baluran occupies the entire north east corner of Java, in the middle of which stands the extinct mound of the volcano Baluran. Extensive savannah provides a grazing ground for feral buffalo, deer and banteng, the Javanese wild ox. Also possible to see are leaf monkeys, monitor lizards, squirrels, fruit bats, civet cats, wild pigs and leopards. Birds species include the green jungle fowl, kingfishers, bee-eaters, owls and peacocks.
SOUTH BANYUWANGI RESERVE
This reserve occupies the whole of the eastern peninsular known as Blambangan, or alas purwo. Aside fron the game reserve at Sadengan, which rivals Baluran, the Peninsula boasts one of the world’s finest surfing beaches. Much of the original monsoon forest here has been replanted with teak. Wild life includes jungle fowl, wild pigs, deer, banteng, leopard, leaf monkeys and species of wild dog, known as asu ajak.
source : www.eastjava.com
August 29th, 2006
If one is fortunate to fly over East Java on a clear day it will be possilble to appreciate the abundance of natural forest and wild, mountainous terrain still in existence. The province now possesses eight official National Parks, protected areas for native flora and fauna.
ARJUNO-LALIJIWO RESERVE
Situated between Surabaya and Malang, the reserve is dominated by the volcanic peaks of Mt. Arjuna (dormant) and the semiactive Mt Welirang, both towering more than 3,000 metres above sea level. The peak of Welirang is a source of sulphur and collectors travel a well worn path daily to the summit area of the mountain from the resort of Tretes. Wildlife includes deer and wild pig; forests are of hardy casuarina trees.
BROMO-SEMERU RESERVE
The Bromo-Semeru massif covers some 800 square kilometres in the centre of the province, to the east of Malang. It is the largest volcanic region in East Java and contains the island’s highest mountain, Semeru, rising 3,676 m above sealevel. The 10 kilometre wide ’sand sea’ of Bromo has become East Java’s most famous attraction. The reserve is home to quite a number of rare and protected plants; lake areas are frequented by a variety of waterfowl and wildlife includes deer and a few leopards.
.NUSA BARUNG RESERVE
Nusa Barung is an uninhabited island off the south coast of East Java and has been a nature reserve since 1920. The cliffs and shore are a haven for sea birds and edible birds nests built by swifts are also found here.
HYANG PLATEAU RESERVE
The Hyang Plateau Reserve covers about 40,000 Hectares, including the summit of Mt Argopura (3,088 m). The area once contained an enormous population of deer, but their numbers have been reduced drastically in the past fifty years, Other types of wildlife include wild cats, pigs and jungle fowl.
MERU BETIRI RESERVE
Meru Betiri, on East Java’s south coast is best known for being the last place on the island where the Javanese tiger is still believed to exist. The last official report revealed that there were between three and five left. The extinction of this species, then, appears to be inevitable. Conservation efforts at Meru Betiri are concentrated for the most part on the turtle nesting beaches, particularly at Sukamade, where the turtles are monitored closely and their eggs protected Meru Betiri contains some truly magnificent natural rain forest.
source : www.eastjava.com
August 29th, 2006
Penataran is the largest and most important Hindu temple complex in East Java. It lies Just 10 kilometres north of Blitar on the lower slopes of Mt Kelud. Dedicated to the god Siva, the temple was in use for at least three hundred years, from the 14th to 16th centuries. Most of the buildings which can be seen today, however, were constructed during Majapahit’s golden century.
The layout of the temple is similar to that found in the Balinese
pura today. A number of small buildings are scattered within a sacred, walled enclosure, with the largest and most important temple at the rear of the complex. Hindu legends, among them the Ramayana epic, are carved in relief on the temple walls and terrace foundations.
source : www.eastjava.com
August 29th, 2006