History of Krakatoa

Krakatau (Krakatoa) Volcano lies in Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Java Islands. It belongs to Lampung Province. Krakatau Volcanic Complex consists of Rakata, Sertung, Panjang and Anak Krakatau Islands. Anak Krakatau is the currently active centre at the volcano and emerged from the sea in 1930.

Krakatau became famous after the paroxysmal eruption on August 27, 1883. The volcano erupted more than 18 cubic km of ash to a height of 80 km, and produced a tsunami as high as 30 m along the west coast of Banten and south coast of Lampung.  The tsunami hit 295 villages and killed over 36,000 people.

The best known eruptions of Krakatoa culminated in a series of massive explosions on August 26–27, 1883, which was among the most violent volcanic events in modern and recorded history.

With a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6,  the eruption was equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT (840 PJ) – about 13,000 times the nuclear yield of the Little Boy bomb (13 to 16 kt) that devastated Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II and four times the yield of the Tsar Bomba (50 Mt), the largest nuclear device ever detonated.

The 1883 eruption ejected approximately 21 km3 (5.0 cu mi) of rock, ash, and pumice. The cataclysmic explosion was faintly heard as far away as Perth in Western Australia, about 1,930 miles (3,110 km) away, and the island of Rodrigues near Mauritius, about 3,000 miles (5,000 km) away.

Near Krakatoa, according to official records, 165 villages and towns were destroyed and 132 seriously damaged, at least 21,007 (official toll) people died, and many thousands were injured by the eruption, mostly from the tsunamis that followed the explosion. The eruption destroyed two-thirds of the island of Krakatoa.

Eruptions at the volcano since 1927 have built a new island in the same location, named Anak Krakatau (which is Indonesian for "Child of Krakatoa"). This island currently has a radius of roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and a high point around 324 metres (1,063 ft) above sea level,  growing 5 metres (16 ft) each year.

Although there are earlier descriptions of an island in the Sunda Strait with a "pointed mountain," the earliest mention of Krakatoa by name in the Western world was on a 1611 map by Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer, who labeled the island "Pulo Carcata." (pulo is the Sundanese word for "island"). About two dozen variants have been found, including Crackatouw, Cracatoa, and Krakatao (in an older Portuguese-based spelling). The first known appearance of the spelling Krakatau was by Wouter Schouten, who passed by "the high tree-covered island of Krakatau" in October 1658.

The origin of the Indonesian name Krakatau is uncertain. The main theories are:

Onomatopoeia, imitating the noise made by cockatoos (Kakatoes) which used to inhabit the island. However, Van den Berg points out that these birds are found only in the "eastern part of the archipelago" (meaning the Lesser Sundas, east of Java).

From Sanskrit karka or karkata or karkataka, meaning "lobster" or "crab". (Rakata also means "crab" in the older Javan language.) This is considered the most likely origin.

The closest Malay word is kelakatu, meaning "white-winged ant". Furneaux points out that in pre-1883 maps, Krakatoa does somewhat resemble an ant seen from above, with Lang and Verlaten lying to the sides like wings.

Van den Berg (1884) recites a story that Krakatau was the result of a linguistic error. According to the legend, a visiting ship's captain asked a local inhabitant the island's name, and the latter replied, "Kaga tau" (Aku enggak tahu)—a Jakartan/Betawinese slang phrase meaning "I don't know". This story is largely discounted; it closely resembles other linguistic myths about the origin of the word kangaroo and the name of the Yucatán Peninsula.

The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program cites the Indonesian name, Krakatau, as the correct name but says that Krakatoa is often employed.  This has been attributed to a sub-editor at The Times (who may have typographically swapped the 'a' and 'o' of the Portuguese spelling) interpreting telegraphic reporting on the massive eruption of 1883.  Also, like Egypt a couple of decades earlier, Polynesia (South Pacific) was in vogue in the late 19th century, and the Polynesian-like suffix -oa (as in Samoa) may have caught on as a result.  While Krakatoa is more common in the English-speaking world, the Indonesian Krakatau tends to be favored by others, including geologists. Rogier Verbeek seems to have started the modern convention of using Krakatau for the island proper and reserving Rakata for the main cone.

At some point in prehistory, an earlier caldera-forming eruption occurred, leaving as remnants Verlaten, Long, Poolsche Hoed, and the base of Rakata. Later, at least two more cones (Perboewatan and Danan) formed and eventually joined with Rakata, forming the main island of Krakatoa. The dating of these events is currently unknown; the Sunda Strait was first mentioned by Arab sailors around 1100 AD.

416 AD event

The Javanese Book of Kings (Pustaka Raja) records that in the year 338 Saka (416 AD):

A thundering sound was heard from the mountain Batuwara [now called Pulosari, an extinct volcano in Bantam, the nearest to the Sunda Strait] which was answered by a similar noise from Kapi, lying westward of the modern Bantam [Bantam is the westernmost province in Java, so this seems to indicate that Krakatoa is meant]. A great glowing fire, which reached the sky, came out of the last-named mountain; the whole world was greatly shaken and violent thundering, accompanied by heavy rain and storms took place, but not only did not this heavy rain extinguish the eruption of the fire of the mountain Kapi, but augmented the fire; the noise was fearful, at last the mountain Kapi with a tremendous roar burst into pieces and sank into the deepest of the earth. The water of the sea rose and inundated the land, the country to the east of the mountain Batuwara, to the mountain Rajabasa [the most southerly volcano in Sumatra], was inundated by the sea; the inhabitants of the northern part of the Sunda country to the mountain Rajabasa were drowned and swept away with all property

... The water subsided but the land on which Kapi stood became sea, and Java and Sumatra were divided into two parts.

There is no geological evidence of a Krakatoa eruption of this size around that time; it may describe loss of land which previously joined Java to Sumatra across what is now the narrow east end of the Sunda Strait; or it may be a mistaken date, referring to an eruption in 535 AD, for which there is some corroborating historical evidence.

535 AD event

David Keys, Ken Wohletz, and others have postulated that a violent volcanic eruption, possibly of Krakatoa, in 535 may have been responsible for the global climate changes of 535–536.  Keys explores what he believes to be the radical and far-ranging global effects of just such a putative 6th-century eruption in his book Catastrophe: An Investigation into the Origins of the Modern World. Additionally, in recent times, it has been argued that it was this eruption which created the islands of Verlaten, Lang, and the beginnings of Rakata—all indicators of early Krakatoa's caldera's size. To date, however, little datable charcoal from that eruption has been found.

Thornton (p. 47) mentions that Krakatoa was known as "The Fire Mountain" during Java's Sailendra dynasty, with records of seven eruptive events between the 9th and 16th centuries. These have been tentatively dated as 850, 950, 1050, 1150, 1320, and 1530 (all AD).

1680

In February 1681, Johann Wilhelm Vogel, a Dutch mining engineer at Salida, Sumatra (near Padang), on his way to Batavia (modern Jakarta) passed through the Sunda Strait. In his diary he wrote:

... I saw with amazement that the island of Krakatoa, on my first trip to Sumatra [June 1679] completely green and healthy with trees, lay completely burnt and barren in front of our eyes and that at four locations was throwing up large chunks of fire. And when I asked the ship's Captain when the aforementioned island had erupted, he told me that this had happened in May 1680 ... He showed me a piece of pumice as big as his fist.

Vogel spent several months in Batavia, returning to Sumatra in November 1681. On the same ship were several other Dutch travellers, including Elias Hesse, who would be called a travel writer nowadays. Hesse's journal reports that on the 19th [of November 1681] we again lifted anchor and proceeded first to the north of us to the island of Sleepzie [ Sebesi ], uninhabited, ... [here he tells of a legend about crying ghosts, which actually were orangutans ], and then still north of the island of Krakatou, which erupted about a year ago and also is uninhabited. The rising smoke column of this island can be seen from miles away; we were with our ship very close to shore and we could see the trees sticking out high on the mountain, and which looked completely burned, but we could not see the fire itself.

Vogel returned to Amsterdam in 1688 and published the first edition of his journal in 1690.

These reports of an eruption in 1680–81 pose something of a puzzle. These are the only two reports of an eruption that have been found to date, yet at the time, the Sunda Strait was one of the heaviest-travelled waterways in the world. Records for this time period are particularly detailed, because there was an intense effort to wipe out pirates that were preying on vessels in the Strait. Neither Vogel nor Hesse mention Krakatoa in any real detail in their other passings, and no other travellers at the time mention an eruption or evidence of one. (In November 1681, a pepper crop was being offered for sale.) Both Van den Berg and Verbeek conclude from this that Vogel must have exaggerated the extent of the eruption he saw. Even so, there must have been an eruption around this time, since in 1880, Verbeek investigated a fresh unweathered lava flow at the northern coast of Perboewatan, which could not have been more than a couple of centuries old.

Visit by HMS Discovery

In February 1780 the crews of HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, on the way home after Captain James Cook's death in Hawaiʻi, stopped for a few days on Krakatoa. They found two springs on the island, one fresh water and the other hot. They described the natives who then lived on the island as "friendly" and made several sketches. (In his journal, John Ledyard calls the island "Cocoterra.")

Dutch activity

In 1620 the Dutch set up a naval station on the islands and somewhat later a shipyard was built. Sometime in the late 17th century an attempt was made to establish a pepper plantation on Krakatoa but the islands were generally ignored by Dutch colonial authorities. In 1809 a penal colony was established at an unspecified location which was in operation for about a decade. By the 1880s the islands were without permanent inhabitants; the nearest settlement was the nearby island of Sebesi (about 12 km away) with a population of about 3,000.

Several surveys and charts were made, but mainly for the purpose of mariners, and the islands were little explored or studied. An 1854 map of the islands was used in an English chart, which shows some difference from a Dutch chart made in 1874. In July 1880, Rogier Verbeek made an official survey of the islands but he was only allowed to spend a few hours there. He was able to collect samples from several places and his investigation proved important in judging the geological impact of the 1883 eruption.

The 1883 eruption

While seismic activity around the volcano was intense in the years preceding the cataclysmic 1883 eruption, a series of lesser eruptions beginning in mid-June 1883 led up to the disaster. The volcano released huge plumes of steam and ash lasting until late August.

On August 27 a series of four huge explosions almost entirely destroyed the island. The explosions were so violent that they were heard 3,500 km (2,200 mi) away in Perth, Western Australia and the island of Rodrigues near Mauritius, 4,800 km (3,000 mi) away. The pressure wave from the final explosion was recorded on barographs around the world, which continued to register it up to 5 days after the explosion. The recordings show that the shockwave from the final explosion reverberated around the globe 7 times in total.  Ash was propelled to a height of 80 km (50 mi). The sound of the eruption was so loud it was said that if one was within ten miles (16 km), they would go deaf.

The combined effects of pyroclastic flows, volcanic ashes, and tsunamis had disastrous results in the region. The official death toll recorded by the Dutch authorities was 36,417, although some sources put the estimate at more than 120,000. There are numerous documented reports of groups of human skeletons floating across the Indian Ocean on rafts of volcanic pumice and washing up on the east coast of Africa up to a year after the eruption.

Average global temperatures fell by as much as 1.2 degrees Celsius in the year following the eruption. Weather patterns continued to be chaotic for years and temperatures did not return to normal until 1888.

Anak Krakatau

Verbeek, in his report on the eruption, predicted that any new activity would manifest itself in the region which had been between Perboewatan and Danan. This prediction came true on 29 December 1927, when evidence of a submarine eruption was seen in this area (an earlier event in the same area had been reported in June 1927). A new island volcano, named Anak Krakatau or Child of Krakatoa, rose above the waterline a few days later. The eruptions were initially of pumice and ash, and that island and the two islands that followed were quickly eroded away by the sea. Eventually a fourth island named Anak Krakatau broke water in August 1930 and produced lava flows faster than the waves could erode them. Of considerable interest to volcanologists, this has been the subject of extensive study.

Current activity

Anak Krakatau has grown at an average rate of five inches (13 cm) per week since the 1950s. This equates to an average growth of 6.8 meters per year. The island is still active, with its most recent eruptive episode having begun in 1994. Quiet periods of a few days have alternated with almost continuous Strombolian eruptions since then, with occasional much larger explosions.

The eruption in April 2008 saw hot gases, rocks, and lava released. Scientists monitoring the volcano have warned people to stay out of a 3 km zone around the island.  There are several videos of Krakatoa uploaded onto YouTube showing recent footage of it erupting  and inside its crater filmed at the edge of the volcano rim.

On 6 May 2009 the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia raised the eruption alert status of Anak Krakatau to Level Orange.

James Reynolds posted footage to YouTube  from as recently as November 1, 2010 showing some spectacular eruptions, and NASA has released satellite imagery  of the recent activity.

Source: Wikipedia

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Rinjani Mountain - West Nusa Tenggara

Indonesian Trip - Mount Rinjani or Gunung Rinjani is an active volcano in Indonesia on the island of Lombok. Administratively the mountain is in the Regency of North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (Indonesian: Nusa Tenggara Barat, NTB). It rises to 3,726 metres (12,224 ft), making it the second highest volcano in Indonesia.

On the top of the volcano is a 6 km by 8.5 km caldera, which is filled partially by the crater lake known as Segara Anak (Child of the Sea). This lake is approximately 2000 metres above sea level and estimated at being around 200 metres deep, the caldera also contains hot springs.
Geography

Lombok is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, a small archipelago which, from west to east, consists of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba and the Timor islands; all are located at the edge of the Australian continental shelf. Volcanoes in the area are formed due to the action of oceanic crusts and the movement of the shelf itself.
Rinjani is one of at least 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, four of which belong to the volcanoes of the Sunda Arc trench system forming part of the Pacific Ring of Fire – a section of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and South East Asia. The islands of Lombok and Sumbawa lie in the central portion of the Sunda Arc. The Sunda Arc is home to some of the world's most dangerous and explosive volcanoes. The eruption of nearby Mount Tambora on Sumbawa is known for the most violent eruption in recorded history on 15 April 1815, with a scale 7 on the VEI.

The highlands are forest clad and mostly undeveloped. The lowlands are highly cultivated. Rice, soybeans, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cinnamon, cacao, cloves, cassava, corn, coconuts, copra, bananas and vanilla are the major crops grown in the fertile soils of the island. The slopes are populated by the indigenous Sasak population. There are also some basic tourist related activities established on Rinjani primarily in or about the village of Senaru.

Rinjani volcano on the island of Lombok rises to 3,726 metres (12,224 ft), second in height among Indonesian volcanoes only to Sumatra's Kerinci volcano. Rinjani has a steep-sided conical profile when viewed from the east, but the western side of the compound volcano is truncated by the 6 x 8.5 km, oval-shaped Segara Anak caldera. The western half of the caldera contains a 230 metre-deep lake whose crescentic form results from growth of the post-caldera cone Barujari at the eastern end of the caldera.
Geologic summary

On the basis of Plate Tectonics Theory, Rinjani is one of the series of volcanoes built in the Lesser Sunda Islands due to the subduction of Indo-Australian oceanic crust beneath the Lesser Sunda Islands, and it is interpreted that the sources of melted magma is at about 165–200 km depth.

The geology and tectonic setting of Lombok (and nearby Sumbawa) are described as being in the central portion of the Sunda Arc. The oldest exposed rocks are Miocene, suggesting that subduction and volcanism began considerably later than in Java and Sumatra to the west, where there are abundant volcanic and intrusive rocks of Late Mesozoic age. The islands are located on the eastern edge of the Sunda shelf, in a zone where crustal thickness is apparently rapidly diminishing, from west to east.
The seismic velocity structure of the crust in this region is transitional between typical oceanic and continental profiles and the Mohorovičić discontinuity (Moho) appears to lie at about 20 km.  These factors tend to suggest that there has been limited opportunity for crustal contamination of magmas erupted on the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa. In addition, these islands lie to the west of those parts of the eastern-most Sunda and west Banda arcs where collision with the Australian plate is apparently progressing.

The volcano of Rinjani is be located between 165 and 190 km above the Benioff Zone. There is a marked offset in the line of active volcanoes between the most easterly Sumbawa Volcano (Sangeang Api) and the line of active volcano in the Flores. This suggests that a major transcurrent fault cut across the arc between Sumbawa Island and Flores. This is considered to be a feature representing a major tectonic discontinuity between the east and west Sunda Arcs (the Sumba Fracture).  Further. A marked absence of shallow and intermediate earthquake activity in the region to the south of Lombok and Sumbawa is a feature interpreted to represent a marked break in the Sunda Arc Zone. Faulting and folding caused strong deformation in the eastern part of Lombok Basin and is characterized by block faulting, shale diapirs and mud volcano.

Rinjani National Park
The volcano and the caldera are protected by the Gunung Rinjani National Park established in 1997. Tourism is increasingly popular  with trekkers able to visit the rim, make their way into the caldera or even to make the more arduous climb to the highest point;  fatalities, however, are not uncommon.  In July 2009 the summit route was closed due to volcanic activity at that time and subsequently reopened when the activity decreased. During early 2010 up to and including May 2010 access to Rinjani was at times again restricted due to volcanic activity.

The park is popular for mountain climbs and trekking and represents an important nature reserve and water catchement area. The park is officially 41,330 hectares within the park boundaries and includes a further 66,000 hectares of protected forest outside. The mountain and its satellites form the Mount Rinjani National Park (Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani) - officially 41,000 hectares within the park boundaries and a further 66,000 hectares of protected forest outside. In 2008, the Indonesian government proposed to UNESCO that Mount Rinjani be one of the world's official geoparks. If this was approved by UNESCO, Mount Rinjani would become the first such geological park in Indonesia.

It has been claimed that the preliminary documentation required for UNESCO registration has not received sufficient support from the Nusa Teggara Barat government offices. Among the requirements to become a geo-park sufficient information must be supplied to show that the location has sufficient and appropriate management, information services, access to educational instruction to facilitate "knowledge-based geotourism", the implementation of a sustainable regional economy, biodiversity conservation, and to have established public access to the park area.
Mount Rinjani has obtained the World Legacy Award from Conservation International and Traveller (2004), and was a finalist for Tourism for Tomorrow Awards (2005 dan 2008) from the World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC).

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Death Ceremony Rambu Solo

 

 

Tana Toraja is one of the Indonesian tourist attraction, inhabited by a tribe who inhabit the mountains of Toraja and maintaining a distinctive lifestyle and still show the original Austronesian lifestyle and culture are similar to Nias. This area is one tourist attraction in South Sulawesi is very interesting and should not you miss.

In Toraja, there are 2 very famous traditional ceremony, the first is the traditional ceremony Rambu Solo '(a ceremony for the cemetery) with Randanan Sweep event, Tombi Saratu', and Ma'nene ', and the second ceremony is the ceremonial Rambu Tuka' . Traditional ceremonies, both Rambu Solo 'or Rambu Tuka' accompanied with dance performances and art of music typical Toraja a wide range of variety.

 

Rambu Solo

 

Rambu Solo is customary funeral which requires the family of the deceased to make a final ceremony as a mark of respect to the deceased who had died.

Death In Ceremony Rambu Solo

Ceremony Rambu Solo 'is divided into several levels and refers to the social strata in society Toraja, namely:

·          

• Listed Bongi: the funeral ceremony is only performed in 1 night only.

•  Dipatallung Bongi: the funeral ceremony which lasted for 3 nights and carried home late and made slaughterhouse.  

• Dipalimang Bongi: the funeral ceremony which lasted for 5 nights and carried around the house late and the animals are slaughtered.

• Dipapitung Bongi: the funeral ceremony that lasted for 7 nights on each day are slaughtered animal. 

Highest Ceremony 

Usually the highest ceremony held 2 times the time span of at least 1 year. The first ceremony is called Aluk Pia, Pia Aluk implementation usually located around Tongkonan bereaved family. The second ceremony is Rante ceremony, usually held disebuah special field because the ceremony is to be the culmination of the funeral procession is usually encountered various traditional rituals that must be followed, such as: Ma'tundan, Ma'balun (wrapped the body), Ma'roto (affix ornaments of gold and silver thread in the coffin), Ma'Parokko Alang (lower body kelumbung to be buried), and that was the last Ma'Palao (ie carrying the corpse to the place of last resort).

Various cultural activities of interest was shown well in this ceremony, among others: 

 

• Ma'pasilaga tedong (buffalo fighting), which pitted the buffalo buffalo Tana Toraja has a typical characteristic of having horns bent down or [balukku ', sokko] who skinned striped (tedang bonga); Sisemba' or fight with the foot. 

• Dances associated with the ritual Rambu for solo 'among others: Pa'Badong, Pa'Dondi, Pa'Randing, Pa'Katia, Pa'papanggan, Passailo and Pa'pasilaga Tedong; Meanwhile, for the art of music, among others: Pa 'pompang, Pa'dali of control and Unnosong

• Ma'tinggoro tedong (Cutting buffalo with typical Toraja society, with bull neck cut with machetes, carried out with a single slash). Buffalo for the slaughter, usually moored to a rock called Stone Simbuang

·         Famous buffalo type of Toraja is Tedong bonga. Bonga Tedong price is very high, up to hundreds of millions of dollars. Buffalo Tedong bonga is categorized in groups of mud or water buffalo Bubalus bubalis, is an endemic species found only in Toraja only. The difficulty in breeding and coupled with a tendency to slaughter as many in traditional ceremonies, making germplasm (genetic resources) that native endangered. By usainya Ceremony Rambu Solo ', families are required to give thanks to the late creator and Rambuifies the completion of funeral Rambu Solo'.

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Besakih Temple Bali

Pura Besakih is a complex of temples that are located in Besakih Village, Rendang Karangasem regency District, Bali, Indonesia. Pura Besakih Complex consists of a central temple (Pura Besakih Upgrading General) and 18 Pura Assistance (1 Pura Pura Basukian and 17 Other). At Temple Basukian, this is the first time in the area where the receipt of God's revelation by Hyang Rsi Markendya, the precursor of Hindu Dharma in Bali now, as its center. Pura Besakih is the center of activities for all temples in Bali. Among all pretend that included in the complex Pura Besakih, Pura Agung is the temple Upgrading the largest, most buildings pelinggihnya, most types of ceremony and is the center and all existing temples in Besakih complex.
In the Pura Agung Upgrading statue or temple there are 3 main symbols of the nature of God stana Tri Murti, namely Brahma, Vishnu and Lord Shiva which is the symbol of God the Creator, Preserver and Dewa Dewa fuser / Reincarnation.

 

The physical presence of buildings Pura Besakih, not just a place bersemayamnya God, according to Hindu Dharma Religious belief, the largest on the island of Bali, but inside it has a background connection with the meaning of Mount Agung. A highest mountain on the island of Bali which is believed to be central Government Spirits of Nature, Nature of the Gods, who served as a messenger of God to the island of Bali and surrounding areas. So fitting that on the slopes of Mount Agung Southwest created a building for the sanctity of the human race, Pura Besakih philosophical significance.
Terkadung philosophical meaning in the Pura Besakih in its development contain elements of culture that includes:
   1. Knowledge systems,
   2. Live equipment and technology,
   3. Civil society organizations,
   4. Livelihood,
   5. Language system,
   6. Religion and ritual, and
   7. Art.
The seven elements of culture is embodied in ideas of cultural form, a form of cultural activity, and form of material culture. This has appeared both in pre-Hindu and the Hindu who has been experiencing growth through mythic stage, stage ontology and functional stages.
Pura Besakih as the object of research related to social and cultural life of society in the Karangasem Regency of Bali Province.
According to one study, the physical building Pura Besakih has undergone development from pre-Hindu culture with evidence of relic menhir, punden berundak-steps, statues, which developed into a building in the form of Meru, pelinggih, gedong, or Padmasana as a result of the Hindu culture.
Background of the existence of a physical building Pura Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung is a place of worship to worship the god of the mountain is conceived as the supreme god's palace.
At that stage of human functional Bali finds himself as a gay man has a religious and social nature of religious cultures, that culture-related activity is always associated with the teachings of Hinduism.
In the Hindu culture of Bali, it turns out the meaning of Pura Besakih identified as part of the development of social culture of the Balinese began pre-Hindu is heavily influenced by changes in the elements of culture that flourished, thus affecting cultural change in the form of ideas, a form of cultural activity and cultural form material. The changes are related to the doctrine Tattwa concerning the concept of God, Tata-moral teachings that govern how the Hindus in bertingka behavior, and teaching arrangements in the ceremony is a ritual activity from people offering to his Lord, so that the third tenet is a unity in the teaching of Religion Hindu Dharma in Bali.


Besakih Temple is located in the village of Besakih, Besakih Temple District Rendang, Karangasem regency or about 62 km from Denpasar.

Pura Besakih Complex consists of 1 and 18 Main Pura Pura companion, Pura Besakih is the center of activities for all existing temples in Bali. Besides, Pura Besakih is also one tourist attraction that has its own uniqueness compared to other attractions.

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Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat Beautiful Scenery

Raja Ampat is one of the resorts are highly coveted by travelers to visit. This place really has a tremendous appeal. If it can be compared, then the sights of the Raja Ampat is like heaven on earth:) Are you ever visited? If not, yes the same as mine: D. Little information for anyone who wanted to travel to Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat is one of the counties located in the province of West Papua. This district has 610 islands, of the total only 35 islands are inhabited by people. The rest, still empty largely uninhabited even have a name yet. Some of the larger islands are inhabited island Misool, Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo. Oh yes, the capital of Raja Ampat is Waisai.

As a county island, the main transportation is here using the sea route. Types of transport available is a fast boat with a capacity of 10, 15 and 30 people. Waisai can be reached by approximately 1, 5 to 2 hours at a cost of Rp. 2 million. But do not worry, these costs are borne by the seluaruh passengers, instead of your own:)

Raja Ampat is the most visited tourist destination because of its underwater beauty of the scenery. Most tourists who come to Raja Ampat has a goal to dive.

Raja Ampat exists in the center of coral triangle, that is the center of the richest natural tropical marine diversity in the world, today.
With 456 coral species (this number is more half of the total global coral species) and around 828 coral fish species, and also dusted with the beautiful coral islands, make this area has a high value as the natural conservation and tourism interest.
Not to mention, many unique floras in the islands and the existence of many endemic animals (like, spotted couscous, the yellow-crested cockatoos, parakeets, frogs and snakes) have enriched conservational value of this area as an extremely interesting ecotourisme destination area.

Source : Gorajaampat.com

The archipelago is a series of four adjacent islands and is located in the western part of the Bird's Head (Vogelkoop) Guinea. Administratively, this group is under the Raja Ampat, West Papua Province. The islands are now a destination for divers who are interested in the beauty of underwater scenery. The four islands that became members named by the four largest islands, namely Pulau Waigeo, Misool Island, Salawati Island, and Island Batanta.
The origin and history

The origin of the name of Raja Ampat according to the local community myth came from a woman who found seven eggs. Four grains of which hatch into four princes who split up and each one becomes the king's ruling Waigeo, Salawati, Misool Misool East and West. Meanwhile, the other three eggs into a ghost, a woman, and a stone.

In the course of history, the Raja Ampat Islands have long been inhabited by fishing communities and apply the customary system of Maluku. In this system, the community is a member of a village community. Each village was led by a king. Since the founding of two Muslim sultanate in the Moluccas, Raja Ampat to be part of the Sultanate Tidore claims. After the defeat of the Dutch Empire Tidore, Raja Ampat Islands became part of the Dutch East Indies claims

apart from that all the Raja Ampat is a very beautiful island as "paradise in eastern Indonesia" here are some photographs the natural beauty of Raja Ampat:

Raja Ampat Beautiful Scenery

Raja Ampat Coral Reefs

Raja Ampat Beautiful Scenery

Raja Ampat Beautiful Scenery

Raja Ampat Beautiful Scenery

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Pasir Panjang Beach - Singkawang - West Kalimantan

INDONESIA TRIP - Pasir Panjang Beach is located approximately 17 km from the city of Singkawang by car. Pasir Panjang Beach is a very popular recreational area in West Kalimantan, with views overlooking a white sandy beach sloping into the sea and looks visible Natuna island, Lemukutan island and island Randayan  that add charm to the beauty of this beach.


Available facilities of small boats and speed boat to go to these islands. also there are Resort and Hotel, cottages, shops, discos and other facilities available this region.


Tourists can reach the Randayan island by boat or canoe, this small island known for its beauty and uniqueness of the reefs rocks, and various types of tropical fish and marine life around it. coconut palm trees waved and warm of the white sandy beach shaded smooth and comfort of small villas overlooking the beautiful sea blue nan. Less Over 2 hours with a speed boat ride from  Pasir Panjang beach.

About 17KM from Singkawang,  Pasir Panjang beach has long been a popular recreation place, overlooking the sea, lies, and some small islands in the surrounding areas, As a place of recreation, tourism has been equipped with various facilities and support in the vicinity of the beach has many hotels, cottages, shops, discotheque, and other facilities available for tourists.


Conditions have been signed in asphalt road and can be passed by four-wheel vehicles. Transportation to and from Pasir Panjang common form of vehicle, taxi, minibus and private vehicles.

Paving stones and white sand stretching along with blowing wind and waves a safe area as bathing, Pasir Panjang atmosphere will feel at the time of sunrise and drowned in the firmament. Accompanied with mountain and trees add more charm and uniqueness of this tour.

Facilities are complete and you can feel comfortable while on holiday or travel to the beach is Pasir Panjang. Commercial lodging, the family swimming pool, a playground of children, stalls, food stalls and sports facilities such as motorcross, and road race . You can also directly to the fishing area of the sea.

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Situ Patenggang Bandung

Situ Patenggang Bandung

Situ Patenggang Bandung

Located at an altitude of about 1600 m above sea level, Situ has an enchanting panorama. Green carpet like a carpet of tea gardens of nature, coupled with the cool and clean air and warm sun, giving the impression of peace and tranquility itself for visitors. From the edge of the road to a quiet location, appear to be behind a lake among the tea plantations the trees are towering.

 

Lake Patenggang or better known as Situ by local people, occupying an area of ​​150 Ha. Formerly this area is an area of ​​nature reserve or national park, but in 1981 has been officially transformed into a tourist park
To enjoy this attraction there are facilities that boats can be rented for around a small island located in the middle of the lake called Island Sasuka. This island looks shady with many tall trees that grow in it. While across the lake there is a pretty interesting site called Stone Love allegedly believed would provide the continuity of love for couples who come to visit these localized.
Boats that are available are quite numerous, and in good condition or maintained when I visit there. Colors are bright enough boats or markedly contrasts with the surrounding environment is dominated by green color. Water transportation facilities are rented at this place a rowboat rentals, boat and water bikes at a price that can still be negotiated with the owner. There is also a gazebo facilities and places to sit without a roof made of cement for the purpose of enjoying the panorama around the lake. The traditional food affairs is not a difficult thing because the number of rows of stalls selling food near the parking area.
To reach this area is not difficult. Because the existing asphalt road until towards the region. Even if not driving, can also use public transport facilities of the terminal Ciwidey with tariff of Rp. 5.000, - per person includes admission (admission Rp. 1.000,- / person). It would be different if your visitors are using personal vehicles (both 2 wheel and 4-wheel) or by bus entourage. Road conditions are flat (paved), enabling visitors to come to the region. Along the road to Situ plastered expanse of forests and tea gardens. Strawberry plantations also were encountered during the trip. Strawberry plantations generally provide facilities for visitors to pick their own strawberries from a tree planted in plastic bags.

Situ Patenggang Legend
The area has a legend so it appears the name Situ. Situ history or myths about this emerging to the surface due to a prince and a princess who fell in love. But they do not love the journey as smooth and as wonderful as imagined by keudanya because separated by circumstances. So that their tears formed a lake there or. Furthermore, the lake was named by Situ taken from the word-teangan pateangan derived from the Sundanese language, which means each search.

Situ Patenggang Bandung

Situ Patenggang Bandung

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Pangandaran Beach - West Java

Small mainland peninsula with a national park with beaches and stunning scenery to rival the beaches of Bali on the south coast of Java. Pangandaran is one of Java's best-kept secrets as far as international tourists are concerned, but has been extremely popular with locals for along, long time. A small fishing town, it possesses one of Java's finest beaches and Pangandaran Nature Reserve teems with wild buffalo, barking deer and monkeys. The people are very friendly, this combined with the idealize surroundings make this a great place to spend a few days relaxing island-style. Pangandaran is halfway between Bandung and Yogya, about 5 hours by bus from Bandung and 8 hours from Jakarta.

This is the second beach resort area on the Indian Ocean after Pelabuhan Ratu. The site is 223 from Bandung and 400km from Jakarta. The trip by car or bus is recommendable because the road conditions are good. However, if we prefer to take the train, get into Bandung-Yogyakarta Express train and get off at the Banjar railroad station about 4 hours later. From here it will be another 50 km by bus to Pangandaran. The beach is called Penanjung, where most of the cottages and hotels are located, however, of modest ratings. Nothing luxurious should be expected. Pangandaran is especially of interest to nature lovers, as there is a wildlife reserve in the vicinity where wild birds and other indigenous animals live about freely to be enjoyed by visitors. In Pangandaran visitors will like fine white beaches, blue ocean and fine seafood. Twelve kilometers before arriving at Pangandaran visitors will see a huge rock on the beach, which is called Karang Nini.

Another place of special interest for nature lovers is a forest Conservation Park, close to the camping ground, which has basic facilities suitable for the younger set. Somewhat further out, west of Pangandaran, driving 23 km on the way to Parigi, lays Batu Hiu, meaning Shark's Rock, a coastal rock that has the shark shape.

Beautiful Pangandaran Beach is a beach which located on the southern coast as well as by Asia Rooms is the best beach on the island of Java. This beach is located in the Village Pananjung, District Pangandaran with a distance of ± 92 km south of the West Java town of Ciamis.
Some features of this beach are:

• Able to see the sunrise and sunsets from the same place

• Sloping beach with clear water and the distance between the ups and downs are relatively long to allow us to swim safely

• There are beaches with white sand

• There are rescue teams coastal tourism

• The road is paved smooth environment with adequate street lighting

• There is a marine park with fish and marine life is fascinating.

• Place the landing of Japanese troops during World War II and therefore there still are some caves the Japanese army's defense was used as hiding places of Japanese soldiers who intended to attack the Dutch soldiers. 

Event tourism is usually held in Pangandaran Beach:

• Sea Ceremony, namely the ceremony conducted in Pangandaran fishermen as the embodiment of their gratitude to the Almighty God's mercy in a way melarung offerings to the sea. This event is usually held on every Muharram, with the East Coast took place in Pangandaran.

International Kite Festival (Pangandaran International Kite Festival) with a variety of supporting activities which we can see in every month of June or July.

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Sengigi Beach - Lombok

Senggigi Beach is a famous tourist spot in Lombok. Located on the west coast of Lombok Island. Senggigi Beach is not at Kuta Beach in Bali, but once we were here will feel like staying in Kuta Beach, Bali. Coastal beaches are still beautiful, although it is still littered with garbage foliage because rarely cleaned. Very beautiful underwater scenery, and tourists can do as much snorkeling as the waves are not too big. Coral reefs towering wave magnitude ketengah cause rupture in the middle. There are also hotels with prices ranging from expensive to economical hotel is worthwhile.

About half an hour by foot, the tourists can find Batu Bolong in this beach. This is a temple built on the reef which is located on the waterfront. According to local legend of yore often held sacrifice a virgin to fed to the sharks in this place. Another legend says early days, many women who deploy away from this place into the sea because of a broken heart. From this place also seen Mount Agung in Bali.

Not far from Batu Bolong contained the tomb of a scholar. This is a sacred place for the adherents of Wetu Telu.

 

Senggigi Beach, located on the north ward, is the most popular beaches and is famous for its beauty. The beach is located 12 kilometers northwest of Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Lombok, stretching nearly 10 km long with white sand that seemed to tempt you to sit on it and for a moment forget all your life routine, traffic density city , and breathe in fresh air to enjoy the scenery of sea water blue green shades and enjoy the beautiful sunset on the beach of Senggigi.

Getting There
There are several alternatives to achieve Senggigi Beach, namely:

• From Bali; Arrive in Sheet Harbour, you can go straight to Senggigi beach by bus 3 / 4 or chartered car with other passengers.

• From Jakarta and other big cities; Arrive at the airport, you can ride a taxi that will take to the hotel where you stay.

• From Ampenan, you can climb Bemo is available from 06.00 AM to 06.30 PM for about Rp. 1.500 majors Ampenan-Senggigi, or Senggigi-Ampenan

Where to Stay
In the vicinity of Senggigi Beach there are many lodging options that can be tailored to your needs. Ranging from hotels, resorts, hotels jasmine to lodging. Some places to stay that can be used as an alternative is the Holiday Inn, the Oberoi, Sheraton Senggigi, Melati Dua Cottage, Pool Villa Club, Panorama Cottage, and others.

Senggigi Holiday Resort Hotel

Dining Guide
Along the beach, lined up restaurants that provide various types of Lombok's cuisine and other dishes. During his stay in Lombok, do not forget to taste the Chicken Taliwang and Plecing Kangkung.

Tour
If you want around Senggigi beach, but do not want to get tired, you can climb Cidomo "NTB typical freight pulled by a horse. Or you can also walk around the beach with

Things to See or Do
Many of the activities you can do here, such as swimming, canoeing, diving, snorkeling or just sunbathing and enjoying the scenery.

Souvenir
Along the Senggigi beach, there are many souvenir shops that offer unique goods Lombok handicrafts such as paintings, handicrafts, woven cloth Lombok, pearl jewelry and others.

Tips 

• Do not forget to bring sun block and extra clothes.

• Do not forget to bring a bathing suit.

• When you are swimming, please be careful because there are many coastal rocks.

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