Jawa is by far Indonesia’s most populated island.
It is divided into the provinces of :
Banten,
West Jawa,
Central Jawa,
East Jawa and
The special (administrative) regions of Jakarta and Yogyakarta.
Verdant Parahyangan
Predominantly mountainous
with lush green valleys and volcanic peaks, West Jawa has a host of Eco
attractions. The Bogor Botanical Garden built in 1817 covers an area of 87
hectares and shelters 15,000 species of rare trees and plants from all over the
world, as well as an extraordinary collection of 5000 orchids in its orchid
gardens. It borders the Presidential Palace, home of the Dutch Governor General
during the colonial period. Experience a typical Sundanese village life at
Cinangneng where you can bathe water buffaloes in a river, learn Sundanese
dances, or take a walk along the paddy fields. For authentic wayang golek
dolls, visit Pak Dase’s workshop at Lebak Kantin RT 02/VI, Bogor. Get bronze
gamelan gongs and instrument at the Gong Factory on Jl.Pancasan No.17, Bogor.
Bandung, the
provincial capital, was the favorite leisure destination for the Dutch during colonial
times. Even today, architecture in this highland city bears traces of the Dutch
heritage. Bandung is also the center of Sundanese culture. At Mang Udjo’s
Angkulng Workshop in the cool village of Padasuka, enjoy the soothing melody of
a bamboo orchestra. Bandung is also the famous for its hundres of factory
outlets, and the latest off-the-rack fashion.
Yet, many have also
come for healings in the highlands. The natural springs and cascading
waterfalls found on the volcanic slopes of West Jawa provide the perfect spot
for cleansing both body and mind.
There are also
activities for thrill-seekers and outdoor lovers, from paragliding,
hang-gliding, trekking in the highlands to the white-water rafting, surfing and
even diving in a cracked volcanic seascape around Krakatau, in the Sunda Strait.
Cradle of culture and classic traditions
The spread of
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam in Central and East Jawa has left spectacular
monuments that have stood the test of time; stark Shivaite temples on the Dieng
Plateau of Wonosbo, Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, and
the 9th century Hindu Prambanan temple complex in the outskirts of
Yogyakarta. The spread of Islam in Jawa also left several interesting monument,
such as the 15th century Minaret Mosque in Kudus, the oldest mosque
in Central Jawa.
The wayang Kulit or classic leather puppet theater performance usually
takes place all through the night until the early hours. It takes repertoire from either the Ramayana or Mahabarata epics. The
court dances of Yogyakarta are among the most refined and sublime of Javanese dances,
such as the Golek and Bedoyo, performed by nine female dancers, and the Golek. In
the Reog trance dance of Ponorogo, East Jawa the main performer dances in a
trance wearing a tiger mask and a huge headdress made of peacock feather
together with other dancers in demon costumes.
A Royal treat
Age-old culture,
traditions and values of the Javanese are kept alive in the courts of
Ngoyogyakarta Hadiningrat and Pakualaman in Yogyakarta and Mangkunegaran in
Surakarta. The grand and elegant Javanese architecture of the 18th
century kratons or palace guards priceless royal heirlooms and precious
antiques.
In Yogyakarta, the
walled-in-kraton compound is a veritable city within a city. It is home to
25,000 people and include the Sultan’s huge palace, the Taman Sari water castle,
a bird market and a several craft
industries. In the outskirts of Yogyakarta, Kotagede boasts lovely traditional
Javanese architecture, tranquility and languid pace of bygone eras when
Kotagede was the seat of the mighty Mataram Kingdom of the 16th century.
