Getting there :
The province is efficiently connected to the rest of Java by good roads, regular trains, and air services between Surabaya and other major cities in the country including Denpasar on Bali, which is only half an hour’s flight away.

Tourism Events
- Reog Ponorogo is a unique and daring performance in which dancers carry a very heavy headdress of tiger head ornamented with peacock feathers. The dance depicts a fight between a tiger and two noblemen on horseback. The Reog Festival held every August 17 in Ponorogo, 200 km Southwest of Surabaya.
- Karapan Sapi (Bull Races) in Bangkalan Madura, about two hours by speedboat from Surabaya is a very popular sport among locals. It is an annual championship event and held every September and October after harvest.

Places of Interest

Trowulan-Pandaan-Tretes, Trowulan village and the surrounding area is believed to be the site of ancient capital of Majapahit. Archaeological excavations in the area have recovered many terracotta ornaments, statues, pottery and stone carvings, which are displayed at the Trowulan Museum. The map in the museum is a guide to nearby site of historical interest. The Candra Wilwatika open-air theatre in Pandaan, 45 km south of Surabaya presents classical East Javanese ballet performances on each full moon night from June to November. The performances are based either on the Ramayana stories or East Java’s legends and folklore. The backdrop of Mt.Panangungan makes the performances an enchanting experience. 10 km from Chandra Wilwatika is Tretes, one of the most beautiful mountain resorts of East Java.

Mount Kavi Fortune Hunting. This sage’s grave on Mt. Kawi is famous pilgrimage site for those who seek to increase their worldly blessings. Possessing an intensely Javanese atmosphere, with frequent wayang and gamelan performances, the grave itself is built on a hilltop. On the both sides of the long stairway leading to the top in assortment of sacred springs, Chinese houses of worship, flower and souvenir stalls and other interesting sights.

Surabaya. This city offers many good hotels, shopping centers and plentiful sources of entertainment. Its well-stocked zoological garden includes several species of Indonesia fauna: orangutans, komodo dragons and a collection of nocturnal animals. Kalimas is an old traditional harbor for the world famous Bugis Schooners, which can still be seen in all their former glory.

Mount Bromo. Many local and foreign travelers make the trek for the mystical experience of watching the sunrise from the crest of Bromo volcano. A pony ride from the village of Ngadisari takes you over a sea of sand to the foot of the volcano. Ascend the 50 steps to reach the rim. On the vast expanse of sand, formerly a Caldera, there are two volcanoes; the extinct Batok, which is the perfect cone and Bromo. Volcanic sulfur fumes and smoke still amanate from the depths, and when the God of Bromo begins to rumble, the surrounding population quickly brings their offerings. The annual offering ceremony of Kasada is held on the 14th day of Kasada, the 20th month in Tenggerese calendar year. It is a dazzling event wher villagers form the sorrounding areas bring their humble offering to holy volcano.

Alas Purwo National Park/Wildlife Reserve. Located on the tip of East Java, just off the Surabaya-Banyuwangi main road, is dry countryside of open savannah, forests and scrubland, bordered by marshes, swampy groves and white sand beaches. 81 km to the south of Banyuwangi, this park is a home to 700 wild buffaloes and many other species of world animals, which can be observed from viewing tower. A land rover of jeep is needed to traverse these rugged, grassy plains. In the nearby there is G (Grajagan) Land which the waves is famous for foreign surfers.

Kaliklatak is a commodities plantation 450-750 m above sea level on the slopes of Mt. Merapi. Kaliklatak covers 2.500 acres of land producing coffee, rubber, cocoa and spices. Tor the plantation to see the entire process, from cultivation to harvest and processing for export.

Sukamade Turtle Beach. 78 km south of Banyuwangi, the beach is known for its deep turquoise waters and 250 kg sea turtles which come to lay their eggs here.

Meru Betiri Reserve. Here at the southeastern tip of province is where the last of the Javanese tigers sought refuge. A hundred and fifty years ago the Javanese tiger inhabited most of Java and was even considered a nuisance in some populated areas. Wildlife of all kinds thrives here, like black pantrher, leopards and sea turtles.

Malang 90 km South of Surabaya lays Malang, one of the most attractive hill towns on Java. A strong sense of civic pride is evident from the well maintained and elaborately painted becaks, the groomed Main square and clea buildings and streets. The cool climate is a welcome respite from Surabaya. 20 km from Malang on the southern flank of Mt. Arjuna, are Selecta an Songgoriti, popular hill resorts with hot springs. Nearby Batu is famous for its apples gardens.

Singosari Temples. Between Surabaya and Malang is the town of Singosari, where remnants of the 13th century Singosari Kingdom include a temple and two gigantic guardian statues, the main gateway to the capital of the kingdom. Jago Temples dates back to 1268, and is one of the most enchanting temples in East Java. Scenes from folktales and the Mahabarata epic decorate the side panels. Kidal temple was completed in 1260 to honor one of the kings, and is a gem of Singosari Temple art. Located 120 km southwest of Malang and 11 km north of Blitar is well-preserved Penataran Temple in the Singosari-Majapahit Temple complex, dating from the fourteenth century. The temple terrace are decorated with Ramayana bas-reliefs.

Bull Races (Karapan Sapi). Across the Madura Strait, half an hour by ferry from Surabaya is the island of Madura, famous for its unique traditional bull races (Karapan Sapi).

Kawah Ijen (Ijen Crater). The volcanic cone of ijen dominates the landscape at the eastern end of Java. A spectacular turquoise blue lake, its surface streaked in wind-blown patterns of yellow sulphur, fills Crater of Ijen. Ijen Crater is the world’s largest highly acidic lake and is the site of a labor-intensive sulfur mining operation in which sulfur-laden baskets are hand-carried from the crater floor. Many other post-caldera cones and craters are located within in the caldera or long its rim. The largest concentration of post-caldera cones forms an E-W-trading zone across the southern site of the draw to its waterfalls, hot springs, and dramatic volcany scenery. It is located at Licin Sub District, 45 km from Banyuwangi.

East Java Tour Package

Day I : Arrival Surabaya
Upon arrival at the airport of Surabaya, you will be met and transferred to hotel for your accommodation. Today you will join a Surabaya City Tour featuring the UJUNG ferry harbor with views of the island of Madura known for its Bull Race. Visit also the JEMBATAN MERAH a memorial monument to freedom; the zoo, and the KAYOON flower market.

Day II : Surabaya-Malang/Batu (B,L)
Breakfast at hotel and depart for MALANG or BATU. On the way you’ll visit the SINGOSARI Temple with its giant DWARAPALA; SELECTA; SONGGORITI Waterfall; and the city of Malang Lunch enroute. Overnight at hotel in Malang or Batu.

Day III : Malang/Batu – Sukapura, Bromo (B,L)
Breakfast at hotel and depart for BROMO via north Semeru and Piket Nol-Lumajang route. Lunch enroute. Overnight at hotel at SUKAPURA village in Bromo area.

Day IV : Sukapura, Bromo-Surabaya (B)
At 04.00 morning excursion to Bromo to watch the spectaculer sunrise (weather permitting) and the creater of Mt. Bromo. Return to hotel for breakfast. At the appropriate time, transferred to Surabaya airport for your onward flight.
Note : flight departures must be mid-afternoon or later.

[View with PicLens]

12►

Among the hotel’s neighbors are the gleaming high-rise towers where Chase Manhattan Bank, Bank Central Asia, Bank Permata and Hongkong & Shanghai Bank are headquartered. The Jakarta Stock Exchange is just a few minutes away.

Grand Sahid Jaya Jakarta
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman No.86, Jakarta 10220, Indonesia
Contact Us

Located in the heart of Palembang city, closed to most government offices, main business district and within easy access to get to major shopping centers.

It takes less than 30 minutes to reach the hotel from Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport. Sahid Imara hotel is a brand new 3 star hotel with a unique classic European architecture yet provides modern simplicity interior to make you feel like at home.
Da Vinci Lounge, on the top floor of the building offers a panoramic city view and serves a remarkable range of dining experience, accomplished with a fine selection of wines and cigars with live piano and keyboard music…

Da Vinci Lounge is also a prefect venue to hold your private party, corporate gathering and any other functions…
Picasso Restaurant on the lobby level, offers a culinary journey of Indonesian, Asian, and Western dishes in a very cozy atmosphere.
The restaurant opens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with seat capacity around 60 guests.

The hotel features 72 well appointed guest rooms, consist of: Superior, Deluxe, Business Room and 2 luxurious Suites.
Each room is equipped with all modern facilities include in-room high speed internet access, in-room laptop size safe deposit box, electronic door lock system, mini bar, flat screen TV with 36 satellite channels, IDD telephone and hair dryer.

Other facilities include: Business Center, 24 Hours Room Service, Laundry & Dry Cleaning, Drug Store, Car Rental, Health Spa & Massage, Parking Space, and Valet.

With 3 meeting rooms (Mozart-Beethoven-Pavarotti) which can accommodate up to 200 participants, the hotel can be the ideal venue for small and medium type of functions; it could be formal corporate events or simply intimate family gathering.

Address:
Jl. Jl. Jend. Sudirman No.1111A, Palembang 30128
Contact Us ]]> http://www.sahidholiday.com/imara-palembang/feed 0 http://www.sahidholiday.com/central-java http://www.sahidholiday.com/central-java#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:29:59 +0000 admin http://www.sahidholiday.com/?p=917 History has left its footprints across Central Java, an area rich in culture and tradition descending from powerful Hindu and Buddhist past, and more recent Islamic influences. Under the Sailendra and Old Mataram Kings in the 8th and 10th centuries the Hindu-Javanese culture flourished, and it was during this period that Java’s most remarkable religious monuments were built such as Borobudur, the most magnificent monument to Mahayana Buddhism in the world, the enermous Hindu temple complex of Prambanan, and the ancient site of the oldest Hindu temples in Java on the Dieng Plateau.

Getting there :
An extensive network of good roads and railway links major cities and villages.Airport both in Semarang and Solo and the major seaport in Tanjung Emas, on the North of Semarang and a natural harbor in Cilacap provide national and international access. Door to door travel minibuses are available to and from Java and sumatra island.

Tourism Events
- Wayang Kulit (leather puppet shadow show) from 9.00 pm every Saturday until dawn in Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) Jalan Achmad Yani Semarang. It takes episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabarata epics.
- Wayang Orang (Javanese Opera) performed every night from 8 pm to 10 pm in Sriwedari Aditorium Solo, Sunday closed.
- Waisak Ceremony Magelang, Central Java. The “Waisak” is religious event observing the birth of Sidarta Gautama. The celebration is held at Mendut and Borobudur Temples. This ceremony is first started with religious praying in Mendut.
- Sekaten Fair, Solo, Central Java ; A traditional fair annually held during the Islamic month of Rabiul Awal or Maulud (Javanese Calender) to commemorate the birth of Propeth Muhammad). The fair takes place at Alun-alun Utara of the Kasunanan Palace’s North Square and open for visitors day and night.

Places of Interest
Semarang is situated on Java’s northern coast and it is the capital of Central Java. From Candi Hill you get amazing views of the port, the lowlands and green paddy fields, the city itself and the surrounding mountains. The environs around Semarang are perfect for day trips and side-excursions. In the older part of the city, near the harbor, you can still find an interesting collection of buildings dating back to the Dutch colonial era and the Dutch East Indies Company. The city offers evening performances of Wayang drama played by live actors, actresses and dancers at Ngesti Pandowo Theatre. For sport fans there are tennis courts in all major hotels and 2 golf courses located in the town’s suburbs. For short trips out of Semarang within a radius of about 60 km, the following places are recommended : Jepara, northeast of Semarang is surrounded by white sand beaches and is also famous for its wood carving industry. An ancient Portuguese Fort can be found to the East of Jepara.

Kudus, about halfway between Jepara and Semarang, is home to the Minaret Mosque, which was built in the 15th century. Also known with its kretek (traditional cigarette) industries. Demak has the oldest mosque in Central Java.

Bendungan and Gedong Songo Temple. This is a holiday resort on the slopes of Mt. Ungaran, about 900 meters above sea level. Gedong Songo (nine buildings), a group of small 8th century Hindu Javanese Temple, can be reached either by car or on horseback from Ungaran. Built at about the same time as the temples of the Dieng complex, Gedung Songo is one of the most beautifully temple complexes in Central Java. The views alone are worth the trip.

Tlogo Plantation has cool air and beautiful view with various plantations such as coffee, rubber, nutmeg and cloves. It is located 6 kms or only 10 minutes drive from the Ambarawa Railway Museum. (www.tlogoagro.net)

Dieng Plateau. About 4 hours from Semarang is the Dieng Plateau, the site of some of the oldest Hindu temples on Java. These 50-foot high monuments stand on a crater floor amidst sulfurous. The road to the Dieng Plateau passes through tobacco plantations and beautiful mountain scenery.

Baturraden. Central Java’s most outstanding resort, approximately 14 kms north of Purwokerto, an administrative town in the southern of Java island. It is occupies a fine site on the slopes of Mount Slamet, 650 m above sea level, feel the coolness air, nice gardens, pines forest, hot springs, ponds and bungalow-style hotels.

Jatijajar Cave, a magnificent cave near Pantai Ayah (Ayah beach) 170 km from Solo. It is also has along beautiful tunnel with manya stalagmite and stalactite. A diorama of the legend of “Lutung Kasarung” (a Prince that changed to a Monkey) and some lakes and rivers in the cave wait to be explored.

Sangiran, the Land of Mystery. In 1891, Eugene Dubois, a French anthropologist discovered fossils of Pithecanthropus Erectus, or ‘Java Man’. 1930 and 1931 marked the discovery of fossils of a man from the Pleistocene Period. In mid 1980, scientists were startled by the discovery of a complete 4 m tall elephant. It is located only 18 km from Solo.

Borobudur Temple. The name “Borobudur” believed to have been derived from the sanskrit words “Vihara Buddha Uhr”, (Buddhist Monastery on the Hill). The Borobudur Temple was built in the eighth century by the Syailendra Dynasty and is located at Magelang 90 km Southeast of Semarang or 42 km Northwest of Yogyakarta. One of the world’s most famous temples, it stands majestically on a hill overlooking lush green fields and distant hills. Borobudur is built of gray andesine stone. It rises in seven terraces, each smaller than the one below it. The top is the Great Stupa, standing 40 meters above the ground. The walls of the Borobudur are sclupted in bas-relief, a total length of six kilometers. It has been hailed as the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist reliefs in the world, unsurpassed in artistic merit, each scene an individual masterpiece.

Solo. A pleasant city with a lively character, Solo is also called “The City That Never Sleeps”. One can always find something to eat or buy, as vendors of all kinds and small footstalls remain open 24 hours. Home of two royal houses with centuries of power and influence over the city, Solo today remains distinctly Central Javanese with and elegance all its own. It is one of the major centers of Batik and souvenir hunters may find old Javanese antiques. Becak (three cycle rickshaw) and Andong (traditional horse carriage) are the most flexible type of traditional transportations within the city and are avaliable everywhere.

Kasunanan Palace.The royal residence of King Pakubuwono in the 17th century, the palace has an art gallery exhibiting royal heirlooms, antiques and other invaluable objects in a genuine royal Javanese atmosphere. Open from 9 am to 2 pm, Friday closed.

Pura Mangkunegaran (Mangkunegaran Palace). Another Palace built 1757 with typical Javanese architecture consisting of “Pendopo” (an open front hall to receive guests), “Pringgitan” (an porch to hold leather puppet shadow play) and private apartments. Two sets of 17th century Javanese gamelan instruments are exhibited and played every Wednesday in the Pendopo. The Palace also exhibits complete collection of masks, wayang orang costumes, leather and wooden puppets, religious articles and jewelry. Dancing practise in Mangkunegaran Palace : Wednesday from 10 am to 12 pm.

Tawangmangu. Located 40 kms east of Solo, this recreational resort offers fresh weather, scenic views, swimming pools, bungalow syle hotels and restaurants. It lies on slopes of Mt. Lawu, at an elevation of 1,300 m above sea level. Other features include nearby temples, a national park and the 40 m high waterfall of Grojogan Sewu.

Sukuh Temple. Not far from Solo is the Sukuh Temple, the pyramid “Inca” look like decorated with wayang stone carvings of Hindu origin, and erotic symbols. The temple is located only 34 km from Solo.

Kemuning Tea Plantation is located between Sukuh and Ceto Temple ; there is a 300 hectars rug of green tea plantation.

Ambarawa Railway Museum fifty kms south of Semarang, Ambarawa has locomotives of various types and ages, and it is still possible to ride on a cog railway between Ambarawa and Bedono, a village nearby. Prior arrangements should be made for groups. Also of interest are a collection of antique telephones and other instruments used for railway communication. Visit Rawa Pening (clearly swamp), the cool water lake near Ambarawa.

Mendut Temple located only 3 kilometers from Borobudur, Mendut is said to face toward Benares, India, where Buddha Gautama taught his five disciples. The smaller Temple of Mendut, which house the great statue of Buddha and the Pawon Temple, from an integral part of the Borobudur complex. The three-meter tall Buddha and the two Bodhisattva figures of Lokesvara and Vajrapani are among the treatest manifestations of Buddhist thought and art.

Gong Cave has incredible ornament which is about 256 m underground with 12 rooms 7 spring and one natural both, located about 7 km from Punung Market, on the way to Pacitan (70 km southern of Solo). The people believed that on the certain day of Friday there is a sound o traditional drum instrument called “Gong” come from this cave until now.

Ceto Temple is located in western slope of Mt. Lawu, Gumeng Village Jenawi District in Karanganyar – Surakarta. It is located in hill 1400 m from the sea level. Ceto Temple has site of 13 stages, from the lower places to higher places ar similar to Hiduism temple. Relief status of Ceto Temple symbolize a human passion and a portrayal of human being’s soul purification, the hardest seducation in purifying in passions.(www.wisata-karanganyar.go.id)

Semarang Tour Package

Day I : Tlogo Agro Tourism
Upon arrival at airport, proceed to Tlogo Agro Tourism about an hour drive from Semarang. The plantation consists of coffee, rubber, bamboo and some tropical fruit plants. You can use the facilities of the plantation such as swimming pool of fishing at its fish ponds. Enjoy the dishes they provide and relax your nerves by listening to gamelan (Javanese music instrument) at open air.

Day II
In the morning, the plantation staff will wake you up for early morning plantation tour to see the rubber picking process and the process of making rubber and coffee. The breakfast will be served before hand at the verandah of main plantation building.

Ambarawa Railway Museum
The Museum has a collection of old locomotives. You will ride an old train from the museum uphill to Bedono Station which will pass the wonderful natural landscape of paddy field, swamp and villages. The train is driven by a steam engine loco which use teak wood as fuel. Local snacks will be served during the tour.

Losari Coffee Plantation-Resort and Spa
Stop at Bedono Station, the bus will take you to Losari Coffee Plantation-Resort and Spa. The resort has plenty hectares of coffee plantation. They also plant herb plants in their plantation. Enjoy your lunch while observing the landscape surrounding and enjoying the view of five mountains in its verandah. Stay overnight in Javanese architectural tranquil resort.

Day III
Yoga, Massage and Spa, swimming are some of various activites you can do in this resort. Staying in Losari will become unforgettable moment of your holiday in Indonesia. At the end of the tour, you can continue the trip to Borobudur or Jogja or back to Semarang.

Reservation Please Contact Us

With 88 pleasant rooms and suites, delightful dining in the cakalang café, extensive banqueting and meeting facilities and variety of guest services. All room are fully air-conditioned with private bath and shower, colour TV with satellite channels and radio.

[View with PicLens]