For two months, since March 18, 2010, Kawah Putih (White Crater) was closed for visitor due to bad weather and renovation. Starting today, May 8, 2010, the tourism object is open again. There are something new in the location. It provides better tourists facilitate and a new attraction which is Legenda Kawah Putih Domba Lukutan (Kawah Putih Legend).

Kawah putih is located at Ciwidey, Bandung Regency. It is very easy to get here from Bandung. Kawah Putih is an ecotourism which is a crater with white water. This place is used for tourism and pre-wedding photography location. The white water and stones bring dramatic view in the photograph.

Visit to Bogor with the family was not complete if not visit Mekarsari Park. Even for those who already have children, the park is well suited to introduce the eco tourism and biodiversity in the world’s largest tropical fruits park, in particular, the types of fruits that were collected from all regions in Indonesia.

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This tourism park that was established since 1995 are also doing cultivation research (agronomy), the glorification of (breeding) and the multiplication of seeds for later distributed to farmers and the public.

mekarsari waterfall building photo by Chika Nadya.?

In the area of 264 hectares is also equipped with facilities for tourism. The fruit garden is supported with various facilities so that visitors will be closer to nature, such as: Family Garden, Recreation Lake (20 ha), Baby Zoo, Deers park, Garden Center, watermelon Greenhouse, Outbound, Flowers park, Kids Fun Valley with View Tower , and the Waterfall Building (Puri Tirta Sari).

Activities that became a favorite for visitors include: company gathering, family picnic, fruit and vegetables pick tours, barbeque, morning gymnastics, and fruitwalk (a walk in the orchard).

To enter into Mekarsari Park, you are only required to pay the entrance fee for IDR 10,000 for adults and IDR 9,000 for children. As for the the entire orchard tour, you can use a train for IDR 3000 per person.

With the train, you and your child may stop at the tourism attractions you want and move on to the next train with free of charge. If the visited orchards were harvested, visitors can purchase directly by picking fruit on the tree. Meanwhile, if it is not harvest time, visitors can buy fruit at a stall in the garden or in the fruit shop in the area namely Krida Graha Sari.

Fruit Garden Mekarsari provide learning facilities to plant for children. Children will be given a pot, planting medium, planting equipment, and trees that will be planted. Children will be taught how trees are planted in plastic bags (polybags) was transferred to the pot. After that, the tree can be brought home.

Melon in Mekarsari photo by Reine_Erryn

Your children can also visit a small zoo and ride a horse, or playing in the playground. Mom can pick vegetables in the vegetable garden, such as eggplant and beans, while the father could be fishing. Entrance to this family park IDR 3,000 per person, rental equipment for fishing and bait IDR 6000. Vegetable and the fishes cought are then weighed to be paid and brought home.
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Kampung Naga is one of the traditional villages in West Java. The village of 10 hectares wide is located in the  Neglasari Village, Salawu, Tasikmalaya regency. It is about 380 Km south east of Jakarta.

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Kampung Naga is near to the Garut-Tasikmalaya highway, about 30 kilometers from the center of Tasikmalaya City or 25 km from Garut . This village was located 0.5 km below the highway, located in the valley of the River Ciwulan.

The people of Kampung Naga holding ceremony. Photo by yogi_aibara

Around 150 families of Sanaga (Naga residents) are still holding the customs and traditions inherited by their ancestors. One of them is the order of the township. There are 110 houses made of bamboo, wood, and roofed with palm leaves. The shape of the houses are similar to each other with the size 5 x 8 meters. This similarity is the symbol of togetherness and simplicity. The simplicity is also reflected by the life without electricity.

The value of local wisdom is also reflected from the environment and ecology of Kampung Naga that is still maintained pure until now. Ciwulan River which is the life vein of this village is still pure since they protect the forest in the upper river. Protection of water resources is part of the Sanaga tradition because water is the source of life that is used for fish and rice farming.

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Photo credit: Deka

Angklung is a genuine music instrument from West Java, Indonesia. It is a music instrument made from bamboo. To play the instrument is simply shake it on the desired note.

Today, angklung is not merely a traditional music instrument. It can be combined with modern instrument like keyboard, guitar, drums and many more. It can sing popular songs like Mission Impossible, Rihana’s Umbrella and all song you like. It can be played for either colossally or solo.

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Mission Impossible on Angklung

The most popular angklung performance is at Saung Udjo adressed at Jl. Padasuka 118 Bandung, Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia, 40192; Telephone: 62 227271714, Fax: 62 227201587. Here we can see the performance and experience to play angklung, and as well see the making of angklung.

Umbrella on Angklung Version

Credit: Wikipedia

Nature is amazing. That sentence is the most appropriate to express the unique and beauty of Papandayan Crater, a natural attraction at Garut, West Java. The crater of Papandayan Mountain is 2622 meters high. It is a worth visit place for those who love challenges during the travel to Indonesia. There are several active craters that tourist can observe closely. In 2002 there are several craters exploded such as Kawah (crater) Baru, Kawah Nagklat and Kawah 2002.

It is not only the tourist can observe craters but also nature preservation which perform its flora and fauna and giving the fresh air free.

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Credit: Wikipedia
How to get there
The location is about 84 kilometers from Husein Sastranegara Airport Bandung. Take taxi to the bus station or simply contact travel agent at the airport. From the bus station, take a bus to Garut. It is 24 kilometers from Garut bus station.

Where to stay
The closest hotel is Penginapan Kondang Sari, only 16 kilometers from the crater.