 Banda Neira or Banda Naira is one of the island in Kepulauan Banda (Banda Archipelago) - Maluku. Its an old city who had memory and be part of unforgetable international history, known as “een klein Europeesche Stad in Zuid-Oost Azie", which mean a group of european cities in southeast Asia. Banda has a beautiful scenery that bring peacefull thought. Jacques Causteau, said that seeing Banda Neira is like inventing a new heaven. In the map, Banda archipelago just like sprinkling of black rice on the southeast side of Ambon island. In his diary, Francisco Serrau, said “We sailed from Malaka on November 11, 1951 on the west wind season. By that time, we did not had enough stock since war with Malay Sultan still occured. Within 2 months sailing, we running out of stock. To survive, we have to eat everything we found in the ship, cocroach, mouse, and stinky cheese for instant. In the middle of Januari 1512, we arrived at beautiful Banda Neira. So many adventurer try to discovered this heavenly island, rich with nutmeg, but we contributed to our success to find it”.
Underwater Banda Sensation
Banda Islands is not only known to have well-preserved old town of the XVIII and XIX century, but also known as a place with incredible underwater sea park that attract divers and snorkeling enthusiast. The beautiful Napoleon fish and Mandarin fish are the most wanted animal to the divers that can be found here easily. The existance of those fishes supported by the finest microbiology in Banda Sea, as a main nutrition to form corals and other marine biota.
During 2001 and 2002, The Conservancy comitted ecological study in Banda island. There are 310 reef-building coral and 871 fish species, include shark and grouper. It proposed as a World Heritage Area. Lucipara island is one of the clusters of Banda island, surrounded by white sand as a turtle habitat.
Transportation and Accomodation
We can reach Banda by flying or boating. We can use Pelni ships which depart every 2 weeks or local sailing route using local boat or speedboat from Ambon. We also can use Merpati Airline to travel to Banda from Ambon. We can spend the night at Laguna Hotel, Maulan Hotel, Mutiara Hotel or Delfika Hotel, and also enjoying Namasawar Restaurant.
 As information, this bay located in District Tanggamus, Lampung Province. Its about 3-4 hours (80 km) from Bandar Lampung City. We also can find on GPS by coordinate S5.749252 W105.192740. It has hilly valley to explore, we can reach there by off road vehicle.
Dolphins in this bay known as the largest in the Asia, even worldwide. We can watch dolphins in real habitat and with some luck we can also see green turtle (Chelonia Mydas) and hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate). There are 2 species in this water, bottle nose dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) and long beak dolphins (Stenella Longirostris). Bottle nose dolphins physically bigger and more timid than long beak dolphins. By boating little bit more, we can watching dolphins dance in their herd. Sometimes they approach to boat just to let us know that they are friendly. This attraction can be fine at Lengkalit, Bera bay, Legundi island, Rakata island, Tabuan island, and Hiu island.
Besides dolphins, we can find the finest fishing spot or circling the island with Katir boat. In the afternoon, we can boating arround the island while watching primates such as Gibbons (Symphalangus syndactylus), Simpai (Presbythis Melalops) and Coucang (Nycticebus Coucang).
Facilities
Lodging facilities on Kiluan Bay are’nt various. In the Kiluan island there is only 1 homestay that has 4 rooms and every room charge Rp150.000,00 per night. This homestay lighted with generator, so we can not use any gadget that consume a lot of electricity in this area. We can also stay in mainland with better condition.
Access
For backpackers, here is an alternative route:
From Merak harbour we use ferri at cost Rp15.000,00 (economy) or little bit more comfort at Rp30.000,00 for about 2 hours. Toward Bandar Lampung City we use urban transport at cost Rp15.000,00 for about 2 hours. Continuing to Kiluan at cost Rp45.000,00 for about 3-4 hours. If we want to Kiluan island, we can use small boat at cost Rp15.000,00 per person for about 15 minutes. Want to “hunt” dolphins dance? It cost Rp250.000,00 per boat (max 3 person) and we can “hunt” for about 2-3 hours.
 Kapoposang island is famous underwater tourism in South Sulawesi, where we can dive, snorkle, or fishing while we enjoy the landscape. It has one of the best fishing spot in Indonesia. Kapoposang island is one of the island in spermonde at Makassar Strait. Administratively located in Pangkep District, South Sulawesi Province, about 68 km from Makassar City. Kapoposang Islands Underwater Park consists of 3 island, Kapoposang island, Papandangan island, and Gondong Bali island. There are also Suranti island, Pamanggangang island and Tambakhulu island with their beautiful white sand.
Its condition support to become the best diving spot in South Sulawesi. Divers can find heaven in this area with hard or soft coral, coral fish and invertebrates. Uncontaminated and clear water conditions, has attract various types of colorful fish and dancing cheerfully likely welcoming travelers. Few spots become favourite divers, such as Cave Point, Shark Point, and Turtle Point. Other spots like Tanjung Point and Aquarium Point offering divers to interact with wrasse (small fish) who played between soft koral dan reef.
In the south, we can find big atoll called Takabakang. Strong current makes Tuna, Schooling Grouper, Giant Trevally, and Cod visiting this spot. That's why this spot become favourite fishing spot and spear fishing.On the other side of Kapoposang island, we can find turtle habitat and we can (only) watch them. Hawksbill turtle (Erethmochelys imbricata) usually laying their eggs in the sand of Kapoposang island between December-April. Unfortunatelly, there is no captivity for this rare turtle who vulnerable to human distraction or predators.
We can watch, taking picture, even touching these turtle in their natural habitat in Turtle Point. To do that, we have to swim about 500 meters and dive about one and a half hour in this spot. We can find them swim arround or resting in cave in the reef.
PT. Makassar Tirta Wisata providing resort completed with restaurant and sport facilities for tourists, or we can use homestay and dive resort who run by locals. We can also rent cruise ship of 20 tons weight to take us to diving spot and favourite fishing spot. Diving facilities usually operate from Makassar City. They'll give us pleasure by dropping us off onto spot where we can meet pelagis fishes such as Tuna, Shark, or sea mammals (whales & dolphines) that cross by. They offering shallow dives and dives in within 5-30 minutes from resort.
We can access this magnificent place from Paotere harbour within 6 hours or using speed boat from POPSA dock within 3 hours, both of them in Makassar City, from Kalibone dock in Maros District within 7 hours, and 8 hours from Tonasa dock in Pangkep District. To go to Makassar, tourists can use airlines (domestic or international) from Jakarta, Surabaya, or Denpasar
 Padaido is an archipelago in southeast Biak island, Biak Numfor District, Papua Province. This was called Schouter islands named after William Schouter, Nederland sailor who discovered this islands in 1602. Padaido means beauty that can not be disclosed. Padaido consist of 30 small islands and has the world's largest coral ecosystem.It has 95 species of coral and 155 species of fish, including reef sharks and octopuses.
This islands has beautiful beaches and various types of habitats such as atolls, reef edge, and underwater caves. Padaido Islands has reef flats 9,252.1 square hectares and 328.2 hectares deep reef. Divers said Padaido is the most spectacular coral reefs in the world, it's like haven for snorkling lovers or diving experience.
Favourite island are Ureb island and Mansurbabo island which had white sand and clearly water to see through seabed. Underwater caves are chalenges to be explored, besides carcasses of ships, planes, and tanks which become home for coral reef and other species.
From Jakarta, tourists can use direct airline to Biak Numfor. It takes an hour motor-boating from Bosnik harbour or about 3-4 hours using canoe to reach Padaido.
Local government developed this area into diversification of fishing activities, such as fishing tours using traditional fishing boat, dive tour packages arround carcasses ships, planes, or tanks, and also regional cruise using Phinisi boat and sea-plane to reach remote islands.
 Yogyakarta or Jogja known as student city because many university-level education in the various regions so we can easily found it. For that, education is the main issue in this city. Local authority capture the need of it, and in 2003 they built Taman Pintar near fort Vredeburg complex as a means of expression, appreciation and creation in a fun atmosphere. The main object is to develop the interest of children and young people to science through imagination, trials, and games in order to obtain qualified human resources. This building inspire by the famous educational icon, Ki Hajar Dewantara, who said (in javanese) Niteni, Niroake, Nambahi means to understand, to follow, and to develop.
 Taman Pintar has hugh area with several section, they are: Playground:Welcoming and games area and also functionalized as public space. After entering the gate, we're greeted by water corridor with Peace Gong at the end of corridor. Gong is one of gamelan component, and this gong represent peacefull condition in Indonesia. We also can find some educational games such as Story-telling Pipe, Wishpering Plate, Tree House, Dancing Fountain, Water Corridor, Picturesque Village, Color Spectrum, Singing Wall, Pulley System, Shaking Bridge, Teeter, Sand Palace, Stone Forum, and Engklek (traditional javanese games). Heritage Building:This area is intend for pre-school and kindergarten. Completed with educational computers and interactive games to develop their skill and knowledge.. Oval Building:This area devided into Exhibition Zone, Exposure Zone, History Zone, and Science Zone. We can actually study in this area by read, listen, and interactive with existing tools. Kotak Building:It has three floors and the most complete zone in Taman Pintar. In 1st flor we can find exhibition area, audio visual chamber, kid's radio station, food court, and souvenir center. We can find basic science and its application in 2nd floor, such as My Country Indonesia, Science Bridge, Populer Technology, and Library. Top floor (3rd) consists of Science Laboratorium, Animation and TV, 3D Cinema Theatre, and Courses Class. Facility:- Interactive science tools - Exhibition and audio visual area - Food court - Mosque - Souvenir Shop - Information Center PS: Do not visit on Monday, they're close.
 Is that real?
Courious with the statement??
Parangtritis Beach is famous beach in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Province about 27 km southern Jogja City. Public transportations toward location available untill 5 PM. Its known in domestic tourists for the beauty and the legend. A lot of tourists come to this beach to watch the sunset. Not just beatiful sunset, its provides a lot of fun, such as horse riding, bendi or horse-drawn carriage, rent ATV or we can play kite with children, eventhough we never had experience on it.
We can see the hole area of Parangtritis, from south to the horizon, through the cliff called Gembirawati. There also Gembirawati temple on the eastern of the cliff. This temple only few meters from shore. To reach this site, we can pass the ramp near Queen Hotel than straight to west about 100 meters. If we want to stay for a while, we can find lodgings or hotels to spent the night.
Its beauty, calls for photographers to capture the opportunity, such as pre-wedding session. This beach also used by the Royal of Jogjakarta Sultanate and locals to held ceremonial associated with Ratu Kidul, whom believed to be the ruler of the ocean. Since this beach known as the gate to the Ratu Kidul empire, the queen seek someone with green clothes to be her maid through this gate. For that, this beach known as beach without tourists dressed in green.
Now our curiosity has been answered, isn't it?. There is no hidden intention, just a mere expression.
 Mount Merapi is one of the most active mount in the world. Since 1548, this mountain has erupted 68 times. This mountain located in 4 districts within 2 provinces. Mountain's slope in the south side included in the territory of Sleman District, Yogyakarta Province, the other side included in the territory of Central Java Province. They are Magelang District on the west side, Boyolali District on the noth and east side, and Klaten District on the southeast.
Eventhough this mountain is active, it never devoid of climbers and tourists to visit Gunung Merapi National Park in the height of 2,968 meters above sea level. The most dangerous thing about this mountain is the hot cloud that came out when its erupted, who has already taken so much lives. This cloud contains hot gas, volcanic ashes, and rocks comes with eruption, also known as Pyroclastic flow. Locals called it "Wedhus Gembel" or sheep, because of its shape. When it comes out, the temperature extremely high about 1,000 degree Celcius in top of mountain and about 600 degree Celcius below, and it has speed of lighting to decline from top of mountain, about 200 km/h. Its swept everything while descending from top mountain, trees, houses, even its caretaker "Mbah Maridjan" became victims of it. But, this eruption did not scare locals. They believed that the eruption is common natural phenomena and brought prosperity to them. Mount Merapi is the most popular climbing object, because of its view. Common and closest route is through north side from Selo, Boyolali District, Tlogolele village to be exact. This village located between Merapi mount and Merbabu mount. Through Selo, climbers will reach top of the mountain within 5 hours. There are alternatives routes, through Kaliurang in Sleman District (south side), Sawangan in Magelang District (nothwest), and Kemalang in Klaten District (southeast). Kaliurang route is more steep than the other and took at least 6-7 hours to reach the top of the mountain.  The typical product of this territory is salak fruit, and the most famous are salak Pondoh and salak Nglumut. This species can not grew in other places. If they forced to plant in other places, the fruit does not taste like original one. According to the farmer, whom i speak to, the unique taste of this fruit came from the soil. It contains ashes and sands that came out from mount Merapi. Beside farming, Merapi sand is also known to use as construction materials.
Yogyakarta or Jogja is almost as famous as Bali. It has beautifull landscape such as beaches and temples, also comes with lots of traditional stuff such as batik. One of the icon of Jogja is Malioboro, road which runs between train station (Tugu Station) up to the palace (Keraton). Along this road, we can find any souvenir shops, historic buildings, traditional market, hotels, restaurants, and malls.  Fort Vredeburg is one of dutch heritage buildings in Jogja, located at south of Beringharjo. It was built in 1760 by Dutch Government in Keraton's land. This building was named Fort Rustenburg which mean castle resort. After earthquake in 1867, this fort was renovated and named Fort Vredeburg mean bastion of peace. Since 1760, this building has experienced various changes in the function. In 1760-1830 it become bastion, but it's all just strategy to observe Yogyakarta Sultanate and to prevent them from rebellion. In 1830-1945 serve as military base for Dutch and Japanese. Between 1945-1977 used as Indonesian military base and Bataliyon 403. On April 1985 this fort was developed into Perjuangan Museum and opened for public in 1987. Inside fort Vredeburg, there is bridge and trench, gate and guardhouse, barracks, warehouse, hall, and residences.
 We can found so many batik shops here, but if we want to feel the pleasure of shopping in traditional markets, we can visit Beringharjo market. Its located at the south area, before fort Vredeburg. This traditional market devided into 3 section, garments section, groceries section, and fresh market. At the garments section, we can find any kind of batik, from clothes, bed linens, curtain, tablecloth untill accessories. Its located at the west side of Beringharjo. Fresh market located at east side of Beringharjo, providing herbs, fruits, vegetables and household needs. Groceries section located between garment section and fresh market. We can find any make-up accessories, clothing accessories, carnival supplies, etc.
Semarang City is capital of Central Java. For local tourists, Semarang known as city of lumpia. Lumpia itself is some snack made from young bamboo combine with egg, meat (chicken or shrimp), and other kitchen herbs, wrapping with flour that made just as thin as paper. Beside lumpia, we can find soft spines Milkfish (Bandeng Presto), Wingko Babad, Moci cake, Tahu Pong, etc. Want to buy some of them? Try to locate Pandanaran Street, we can find them there.
Not just foods, Semarang also known for mistics tourism, such as Lawang Sewu or we can take a tour on old city of Semarang. Lawang Sewu located in the heart of Semarang City, it means A Thousand of Door, located on northeast of Tugu Muda. Its a former Nederlands-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij office, and now it become preserve historic building. Lawang Sewu became a mistical tourism since there are sighting seen by people.
Tugu Muda is a statue to remember the 5 days battle between Netherland colonial against freedom fighters in Semarang. In the north side of Semarang, there is old city which explain how the living society back to Netherland invasion era. Its a heritage of Netherland colonial that local government tried to preserve this area and to maintain the condition of the buldings. One of them is Imanuel Church, also known as Blenduk Church, where chrisitian doing their cermonial until now.  Icon of Semarang City is Simpang Lima. Its a field in the middle of cross-section in business area. Simpang Lima often used for concerts and other performances, and surrounded by hotels, malls, movie theatres, hospital, and mosque. On weekend, this area usually close to vehicles since people used to exercise in this area, such as jogging, bicycling, aerobic, badminton or just gathering around with family.
Semarang harbour called Tanjung Emas, located on north side of Semarang City. This harbour frequently visited by cruise ship and serves domestic and international shipping. Not so far from the harbour, there is a public beach called Pantai Marina with exhibition area in the west side of it.
Natural scenic beauty such as coral reefs, seagrass, and seagrass beds with diverse marine life, mangrove forests, mountains and lowland tropical forest remaining, all in an unspoiled stretch of making Karimun islands as a Marine National Park. On the other hand, was varied fauna, such as long-tailed deer and monkeys as well as aquatic fauna which consists of 242 species of 133 genera of ornamental fish and aquatic. Moreover, at this location there is also a rare species of fauna on the island berhabitat Geleang Bird and the island, such as the sea eagle and white chest and two species of turtles, namely hawksbill and green turtles. The archipelago is administratively a sub district of Jepara district, located about 45 miles northwest of the town of Jepara. The total area is 107,225 ha of territorial Publications, mostly sea (100,105 ha), land area alone is 7,120 ha. This area is influenced by tropical sea breeze blowing throughout the day with an average temperature of 26 sd 30 degrees Celsius, with a minimum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature of 34 degrees Celsius.
With the beautiful natural and relatively pristine, Karimunjawa attraction offers a beautiful natural attractions, the marine tourism and adventure travel nature. Besides the beautiful nature, Karimunjawa a multiethnic population makes this region also interesting to unique culture and tradition. Offers a variety of marine tourism and sports tourism activities associated with natural islands. Some tours and sports activities that can be done in this area are as follows.
Diving
It took place in north and west Karimunjawa island, east of Menjangan Besar island and Menjangan Kecil island, soth and west of Geleang island, west of Bengkoang island, west of Parang island, around of Katang island, north and east of Krakal Kecil island, and west of Kumbang island.
Snorkling
This activity can be done on Menjangan Besar and Menjangan Kecil island, west of Bengkoang island, around Kembar island, north and east Krakal Kecil island.
Fishing
Tourist can fishing around Menjangan Besar, Menjangan Kecil island, Menyawakan island, Tengah island, Kemujan island, Parang island, Kembar island, and west of Bengkoang island
Sun-bathing and swimming
Almost every spot in Karimunjawa beach that has white sand, can be used for sun-bathing. And also for swimming.
Marine Aquarium
Can be found at Menjangan Besar island, where some species can not be found in other place.
Sharks Breeding
Tourist not just see the sharks swim around the pool, they can interact with the shark in same pool.
Locals and tradition made Karimunjawa has cultural tourist attraction, such as reog, pencak silat, rebana, and javanese gamelan. Tourists also performed by locals with turtle release, boat release ceremonial, and Haul Sunan Nyamplungan. Nyamplungan legend makes this territory more attractive to pilgrims to visit Sunan Nyamplungan tomb and artifacts.
Various kinds of handicrafts are mostly made of rare woods, such as Setigi wood, Dewadaru wood, and Kalimasada wood, the uniqueness of Karimun Islands. The results of the other craft in the form of a stick, keris, and beads. Just like other places, in these islands there are also other souvenir items in the form of domestic industries, such as jerseys, hats, anchovies, salted fish, porridge, processed foods from seaweed, and coconut oil. These craft items can be easily obtained at shops selling souvenir items that are in downtown Karimunjawa.
In Karimun area there are variety types of cottage type residence, homestead, cottage floating, up to the hotel. The fee was quite varied, ranging from Rp 40,000, - to Rp 300,000, - (data until 2006). Accommodation facilities are spread across the island of Karimun, Menjangan Besar island, Tengah island, and Menyawakan island.
We can reach Karimunjawa through Tanjung Mas harbour (Semarang) and Kartini harbour (Jepara). From Semarang, we can use KMP Kartini that depart every monday on 7pm and saturday on 9pm. From Jepara we can use KMP Muria with schedule on 10pm every monday, 9pm every wednesday and saturday. To return, scheduled at 2am on Sunday and 9pm on Tuesday, KMP Muria on 9pm every Monday and Thursday.
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