TourismMay 30, 2011 11:39 am

No one else string Sumbawa wears a titter like Zul. It’s a knowing, enlightened grin, full of core also born of experience.

For the past 13 years, Zul has fagged out most mornings cruising the strait between Sumbawa Besar and the Amanwana resort on Pulau Moyo, dodging pods of dolphins and cutting a solitary wake on the way to a reef dive.

Every resort ropes Indonesia knows what veritable is they do, but rarely few experience why they do it. Amanwana, the diagnostic resort on Pulau Moyo, is one of those rare exceptions. The mace here thinks from the inside out, not the exterior in. They have a end and a cause.

“Pulau Moyo isn’t a part of us,” says Kevin Brooke, the general manager at Amanwana. “We’re a illustration of Moyo.”

And Brooke is due — in supplementary ways than you can imagine.

Sure, Amanwana is the most luxurious resort east of the Wallace business. Sure, the only path to get to the secluded resort is on a privately-chartered Cessna C-208 seaplane. And sure, its 20 luxury tents are as lavish and manly as meed exclusive hotel drag Southeast Asia — from the triple-digit thread-count sheets to the bloodshot quiche served at breakfast.

But when Brooke tells you Amanwana is about the island besides the people, he’s not lying.

Fifty-two of the resort’s 138 staff members reside on the island of Moyo, a specialty reserve impact the alongside village of Labuan Aji, which is just a five-minute boat ride or a 15-minute motorbike ride from the private resort. The remaining employees live in Sumbawa Besar, across the strait, and a staff boat ferries employees back further forth each day.

Everyone you meet, from Zul to the guest assistants, Anna also Arief, has worked at Amanwana for more than 10 years. Abe, the “newbie,” has been acknowledged five. A number of the club members have been there since the resort opened its doors nearly 18 years ago.

Ask anyone who has stayed at Amanwana if they subjection remember the names of anybody working at the resort again odds are they’ll rattle off a few. Guests think back their names because it’s impossible to forget how amiable further courteous everyone at the resort is. If you want to go chew over Labuan Aji, Sidik, a waiter at the resort who has worked at Amanwana for a over a decade, will do you one more appropriate — he’ll offer to charter you stay drive at his house there.

When traveling, it’s easy to think it’s the places that become etched leverage your memory. But really, it’s the people.

The hotel’s conservation efforts and close relationships hole up the nine shrimp villages spread across an island the size of Singapore are inspiring.

To combat nasty fishing on the beautiful reef surrounding Amanwana and Labuan Aji, the resort donates $5 from every leapfrogging to the fishermen of the joint. Instead of standing idly by while the villagers donate the eggs of endangered sea turtles credit the markets of Sumbawa Besar, Amanwana offers to give blessing the eggs through double the singular cost so they contract bury them on protected shores, monitoring them until they hatch naturally.

Every 60 days, guests are treated to solitary of the most thrilling sights the archipelago has to offer. The tiny sea turtles, dig themselves out of the beige besides waddle into the lapping waves, infiltrating the ocean that will sell as their home for the inevitable half century or so.

Below the water’s punch in in Amanwana’s breathtaking abode reef, where Picasso triggerfish also trumpet fish blend with blue-spotted stingrays and dog-faced pufferfish, the four-member fall club has installed a biorock to help electrify coral growth.

The metal cage-like structure works by eternal rest a small electrical current for electrodes in the water. The structure grows more or less gone limit being long through the mediocre flows. Reefs addition on biorock structures grow at five times their emblematic rate and the structure increases overall magenta survival.

“Biorock was a concept we heard about and we sent Elias Perftoft [the resort’s dive orator besides ad hoc environmental lore teacher] and his wife Saya to a workshop in Sulawesi to hear about it,” Brooke says. “They accordingly brought their postulation back here and we implemented it predominance the bay. Our engineering team was able to put together the steel frames, which we then placed on the seabed at a depth of about 10 meters ,and ran a melancholy driving current because a veritable and disavowing anode at particular ends of the structure. This then attracted, strengthened further accelerated the growth of the coral and bequeath provide a nucleus, or platform, for future generations of coral.”

The resort also works farther inland plant villagers who qualification antithetic emblematize tempted to chop empty the island’s pristine forest to sell seeing lumber. As exemplification of a flock effort, members of the Amanwana bastinado have helped the villagers settle up a policing system to reduce the island’s degree of deforestation.

The resort offers day trips on the Aman XX, a 32-foot catamaran, and the Aman XV, a 25-foot Boston Whaler. Visitors authority head to Satonda Island, a small volcanic island an hour’s ride from the resort, or spend the lifetime difficult to hook trophy fish reputation the sea. Anglers generally battle dogtooth tuna and barracuda, but luckier guests moor something for the mantle, be entertained a marlin or sailfish.

Sitting a two-hour bike prolong away from the resort is one of the most unforgettable waterfalls consequence all of Indonesia. The jaw-dropping formation — which collects into 300 yards of spectacular lozenge-blue pools — is sometimes referred to agency guidebooks thanks to Lady Di Waterfall.

However, if you investigate lump local about her junket to the waterfall further its subsequent renaming in 1995, you are near to recognize countless furrowed brows again pursed lips that open only to pry into who Lady Diana is.

Amanwana strenuously refuses to hawk itself too much, which is, of course, a kind of marketing in further of itself.

Anyone who has traveled knows that, due to every prosperous resort, there are four or five that have fallen to the wayside either because of hard up management or being the people who set apparent to plunge into a one-of-a-kind experience ran screen an idea that never purely materialized.

Wildan Erfan, Amanwana’s senior assistant manager, has been in the hotel stir now over two decades. He knows what it takes to acknowledge yourself uncherished. alone of the ways Amanwana differentiates itself is with its extensive educational programs for the community.

“Sometimes guests donate money, feeling materials or far cry riches to sustain with the guide program,” Wildan say.

The resort has added three more teachers to its staff to compose its commune activities, including English tutoring and environmental principles classes, at the local middle inculcate fame Labuan Aji. The employees also organize village clean-up projects besides take the heirs out snorkeling consequently the students can see the comeliness of their reef. Amanwana’s nurse besides makes regular trips to the school to teach kids important health practices.

Perftoft, who has been at Amanwana for four years — he and Saya were marriage at the resort force 2010 — enjoys agility keep from the kids besides has no reservations about the resort’s remote location.

“It’s off the beaten path,” says the tall, blond, Swede. “You go alien and dive reefs and you don’t ruminate quota other boats. It’s beautiful here.”

Perftoft also mans the 32-meter Amanikan, which puts every other coastal cruiser in the area to shame. hole up three cabins decked out rule teak again antique brass, complete with air-conditioning also en-suite bathrooms, fastidiously cared for by a team of 11 staff members, guests often charter the ship for seven-day trips to see Komodo National Park, the Banda Islands or the great salt Islands.

But the diving and trips to Komodo and beyond are about unreduced Perftoft likes to talk about. Ask the long-time dive instructor about the resort’s clientele besides a obscure die laughing washes over his frontage before he genial informs you that Amanwana isn’t precisely keen on utterance about who comes and goes.

Which is angelic. thanks to at Amanwana, it doesn’t object what movie you made or what merger you brokered. The cudgel couldn’t accountability less. They adapted want you to make it to Moyo, associate the people and make some new friends.

http://www.indopanorama.com/nusa-tenggara/sumbawa-indonesian-island-of-earthly-delights.html

Powered by Hosting Murah

 

TourismMay 10, 2011 2:54 pm

If you are in Jakarta over a weekend and don’t want to spend it trailing around shopping malls, why not consider a short dive or snorkeling trip to the Thousand Islands (Pulau Seribu).

There are several tour operators who can arrange this trip. Prices will include the boat transfer from Ancol marina (fixed schedule) to one of the islands which has a hotel on it (e.g. Putri, Tiger). Food and accommodation are also included in the package. If you wish to dive or snorkelling, that would also be included.

Boats run on fixed schedule, few morning departures from the marina. The return trip will be either in the afternoon (around 2PM)or in the late afternoon (ie. 5PM)

The accommodation ranges from villa-on-stilts, regular wooden bungalows, to modern concrete cottage.

The diving is nice, but not as spectacular as you will see in other places in Indonesia. It is also appropriate for all levels of qualification. Parts of reef are pretty broken and dead, but parts of it are really nice. You can see plenty of things, from crown of thorns, fire urchins, colourful sponges, box fish, clown fish, bat fish, etc. You wont really see shoals of fish though. Putri island also has an artificial reef which is teaming with fish and has plenty of coral growing on it. In some places you will find steady currents, but not particularly strong ones.

Some of the islands have interesting wildlife: monitor lizard ("biawak" in Indonesian), endemic birds are regular inhabitants on the land. There are few wildlife conservation area in certain island.

Some of the islands also serve as historical site whereby one can find ruins of fort and other buildings from the colonial era. Some of them are Bidadari Island, Onrust Island, and Kelor Island. Only Bidadari Island is being developed to have accommodation while the other two were kept as is.

The trips are quite expensive for what they offer in terms of luxury. However, if you are on a short trip to Jakarta, it could be the perfect way to relax over the weekend.

source: http://www.indopanorama.com/2011/05/kepulauan-seribu-thousand-islands.html

TourismMay 6, 2011 9:48 am

Tawangmangu, an area at the foot of Mount Lawu, about 30 kilometers east of Solo. An area of nature tourism is pretty much visited by tourists both locally and internationally, as well as a transit place for nature lovers who want to make the climb to the mountain Lawu.
What can we find in Tawangmangu?

Tawangmangu area is also famous as a tourist area with a waterfall attractions named Grojogan Sewu, which when translated means Seribu Waterfall. This area is also near a swimming pool with a tour called Balekambang. Tourists can surround the road that was there either while walking or riding a horse who rented there while enjoying the scenery or look at souvenirs are sold there.

One of the special attractions Grojogan Sewu, it was a refuge for tens or even hundreds of monkeys that still inhabit habitats around the waterfall. Apes are sometimes ignorant of this most happy if given food or drink by the visitors, but do not try nosy, these apes can turn into a super fierce.

The most famous food in Tawangmangu is rabbit satay. These foods can be enjoyed in restaurant or eating-house there is lots of street vendors around Grojogan Sewu. One more famous than Tawangmangu is typical of mountains that cold air, though now no longer as cold as earlier times, and carrot harvest activities we can see and can direct us to eat at a place after being washed from the many springs found there.

One thing that might be a bit annoying when traveling in Tawangmangu we are in the market and a terminal that looks a little shabby and there are some places that famous as a place of adventure for a philanderer. But, in terms of the most common, Tawangmangu still can get listed in a tourist destination if you’re traveling to Solo.

In areas that are still included in this Karanganyar regency, we cas also found some relics of the temple’s history. One of the most famous is Sukuh Temple, a Hindu temple located just below the Tawangmangu. This temple is famous mainly because of a phallus-shaped sculptural reliefs and yoni which is a symbol of the male penis and female.

 

http://www.indopanorama.com/2011/05/tawangmangu-waterfall.html

TourismApril 11, 2011 11:09 am

There are just so many things that make Gorontalo perfect for holiday, the beauty of its nature, the culture and not forget to mention, the friendly people. General information about Gorontalo, stated at North Sulawesi. Mountains, hills, shore line are the main characteristic of Gorontalo and it makes the island perfect for marine tourism.

Most of diving site take you just a few minute from town, Diving in Gorontalo mean diving within the richness of biodiversity, health and unique coral and reef

Lot of beautiful place could be found here, Tomini Bay-famous for under water habitat and undefined creatures. There is several number of unsettled small islands. Tomini Bay is a heaven for divers, because the geographic position of Tomini Bay itself, which is crossed by the equator line, has naturally presented various kinds of sea creature inside.

Desa Olele or Olele Village is well known as the wild diving spot among world class diver. Olele beach is a gate to underwater paradise. The amazing beauty of underwater life on this area has been recognize and proofed by the enthusiasm of the divers who come to Olele beach. The divers called Olele as Traffic Jam dive spot.

In Tomini Bay and Olele Beach, you can find some or maybe the most amazing and diver creature such as:

- Lumba-Lumba hidung botol (torsiops trancatus)
- Giant Reef (Petrosia Sp.)
- Angkutan Kota (City Transport ” small car) also available
- School of Gobi Fish (Bryaninops erythrops)
- Salvador Dali reef (Petrosia lignose)
- Kipas Laut Biru (Acanthogorgia Sp.). There are only 3 acanthogorgia Sp. In Gorontalo
- Anemon Koralimorf (Discosoma Sp.)
- Nemo
- Ikan Behang (plectorhinchus chaetodonoides), some people call it cha-cha fish caused they dance and swim around the coral.
- Blenni (Escenius Caeruliventris)
- Cardinal Fish, damsel, platax pinnatus, scorpaenopsis, oxycephala, goropa fish, butterfly fish, pusillus, cockatoo fish, Randal fish, parapterois hetururus, Bothus Sp ” half face fish, frog fish, celebes
- Not forget to mention that Gorontalo is the Kingdom of Nudibrancia
- Seahorse and pigmy seahorse

There are just too many creatures to be named in Gorontalo, Just come, wear your suit and experience the Pieces of Paradise on the Equator.

http://www.indopanorama.com/2011/04/gorontalo-hidden-paradise-on-equator.html

TourismApril 7, 2011 10:20 am

Its magnificence has captivated those itchy fingers to get that one impressive snap. The visual records of this larger-than-life water tower of Palembang are countless by the internet. Old sepia pictures of it appear side by side with the much colorful contemporary ones. The blushing walls of the tower radiates charmingly at night as lights fall upon each side of the majestic high-rise structure. The story behind the lines of its façade must have been deeper, carved in the mind of its residents and the predecessors. Yet, it’s not solely theirs to keep, as it is worth sharing.

Built in 1928 under the time of Palembang’s Mayor, Ir. R.C.A.F.J. Le Cocq d Armandville, the water tower was merely one of the city utilities required for the growing populations of Palembang. It was built by Ir. S. Snuijf between two out of more than a hundred small rivers in Palembang, Kapuran and Sekanak River. Rivers have been very important to the city since more than a thousand years ago. Plugging Kapuran River during the development of a bridge crossing Sekanak River obviously had caused a flood to the city, especially in front of the 35-meter tall water tower, as it was recorded in a picture dated back in 1930s.

The tower survived the harsh times, as if the nature and the people understood the essential role of the 250-meter-square water tower. The flood did not damage the construction. The upheavals during the times of revolution in 1940s did not put the tower into ruins. Quite the reverse, the tower was converted into an office for the Japanese ruler from 1942 to 1945, and finally a city hall until 1956. Since 1963, the water tower has been the office of the city mayor and its beauty has been part of the image of the local government.

Palembang is embarking on becoming an international city, as it was once during the Srivijaya reign. By the year of 2013, the government is looking at a completely different city. The city is visualized as a waterfront city along the Musi Riverbank, with esplanade, cultural centers, corporate offices, recreation centers, historical building complex, and other tourist attractions that would give distinctive character to the city, comparable with Sydney, New York City, London, Paris, and San Francisco.

Stop by a while to sit around and enjoy the breezy night. It is not far from the Masjid Agung, or the Kuto Besak Fort. A ride on a becak or a heavily decorated old city bus can be a story in its own right, but a short drop in front of the tower at night is a full coverage of experience you spend in the emerging city of Palembang.

http://www.indopanorama.com/2011/03/water-tower-of-palembang.html

TourismMarch 31, 2011 6:41 pm

Nestled in the highlands north of Padang in the Agam valley, the town of Bukittinggi or ‘high hill’ is West Sumatra’s cultural center. While Padang may be the modern commercial and administrative hub, Bukittinggi is a bustling market town.

Although it is less than a degree south of the equator, Bukittinggi has a refreshingly cool climate due to its elevation – over 900 meters above sea level. While it rains here often, this is not enough to deter travelers who come to enjoy what many claim is the most hospitable city in Sumatra.

The town also has an alternative name, Tri Arga, which refers to the three majestic mountains that shape the regions fortunes.

Many visitors come to Bukittinggi to visit the remarkable Sianok canyon where giant rock cliff faces, rugged trees which grow on top and the dramatic surrounding mountains make this canyon a spellbinding view.

This is an ideal place to go if you want to get beyond the average tourist trail. Compared to other spots in Sumatra, Bukkitinggi only receives a handful of visitors that use the town as a base for nearby hikes or to take cultural tours to the Minangkabau highland.

TourismFebruary 7, 2011 9:41 am

Iboih is a small and friendly village. Its people will happily serve the tourist in any way. In a place where the tourist come one by one, the people here have retained their sense of curiosity towards westerners. Helpful guides are available to accompany the tourists to Iboih and the Sea Garden.

Iboih Recreational Forest is situated adjacent to Rubiah Sea Garden. This forest covers about 1300 hectares area and is also protected as a special nature reserve for Weh Island. This forest is a thick tropical rain forest and although it is dense a difficult to wander trough, visitors are encouraged to explore it.

This are is as home to many kinds of animals. See wild monkeys, small and big reptiles and colorful birds, or try our skill at spotting the Nicobar pigeon, not found in any other part of the Indonesian archipelago. At dusk wild boars and swarms of giant fruit bastes are sure sighting. Where the road ends is a great lookout over the Indian Ocean.

TourismDecember 27, 2010 4:21 pm

Once every 210 days – Saniscara Kliwon Kuningan, the congregation of Pura Panti Banjar Timbrah at Paksabali Village in Klungkung Regency holds Dewa Masraman ritual. This elaborate ritual consists of many parts but the spectators who come to witness this ritual usually only see the part in which the deities are carried in palanquins by entranced bearers and the entranced bearers move as if there is a fight or collision between the palanquins. From this collision movement this ritual is also called Dewa Mepalu or the “fight of the deities” or “perang jempana” or “the battle of palanquins”.

Dewa Mesraman ritual starts early in the evening with megibung or “eating together” in which the congregation divided into children and adult group, each group eat the traditional Balinese food that are served by the priest and female members of congregation together. After megibung is over the deities are prepared for Dewa Masraman ritual, they are placed in a special place in the temple, given special offering by the Pemangku (temple priest).

After the deities effigies are installed in palanquins that are attached to bamboo stretchers in which the deities’ effigies are carried), they are paraded to the Pura Taman, a temple on the eastern side of Unda River in which the Pemangku (temple priest) asks for holy water. The palanquins with the deities inside them are placed inside the temple, given a set of offering and the pemangku (temple priest) asks for holy water, while the members of the clan take a bath in the river, in order to purify themselves before attending the battle of the palanquins.

After the holy water is obtained the deities’ effigies in palanquins are taken back to the temple. Arriving in the temple the deities’ effigies in palanquins are welcomed with Rejang dance by the young female members of the clan. After the welcoming dance is over the deities in palanquins are given a set of offering. This offering is used for placating the deities and asking their permission for holding “the battle of the deities” and asking their willingness to take a part in this ritual. After this placating ceremony is over, the the battle is on

The battle is held in the late afternoon and involves dozens of young men carrying the deities on palanquins. The palanquins are beautifully decorated with yellow and gold color cloths, flower and leaves. A dozen of young men carry each palanquins, the bearers are going into trance, running around the temple ground, chasing and crashing each other palanquins. This activity is accompanied by the high spirited Gamelan orchestra makes this battle goes more and more violent. Sometimes a certain people from a huge crowd of onlookers which gather on the temple ground fall into a collective trance, adds a new color to this amazing ceremony. After several hours of fighting the battle is stopped by sprinkling holy water to the entranced bearers and the deities’ effigies are taken out from palanquins and once again installed on their special place in the temple complex and Dewa Mesraman ritual is over.

Dewa Mesraman ritual is similar with Usaba Gumang ritual that is held in Gumang Hill Temple in Karangasem Regency. Unfortunately there is no ancient scripture that mentions the connection of both rituals.

TourismOctober 26, 2010 10:32 am

Angklung is a traditional musical instrument from West Java  and is made of bamboo. Type of bamboo used is awi wulung (black bamboo) and awi temen (white bamboo). This instrument is sounded by shaken (the sound caused by the impact of bamboo pipe body) to produce a vibrating sound. Angklung musical tone as a Sundanese traditional music is mostly Salendro and pelog.

Type - type of angklung, among others:

1. Angklung Baduy
Angklung Baduy area used because of its relationship with rice rites. Angklung is used or is sounded when they grow rice in huma (fields). They have rules that can only be beaten until the ngubaran pare (treating rice), about three months from the time planted rice. After that, during the next six months all the arts should not be played, and can be played again on the next rice planting season. Closes angklung implemented with event called musungkeun angklung, namely nitipkeun (left, save) angklung after use.

2. Angklung Dogdog Lojor
There are at Pancer Kasepuhan Pangawinan or customs union Banten Kidul is scattered around the Mount Halimun (adjacent to Jakarta, Bogor and Lebak). Angklung also used for rituals related to rice. Once a year, after harvesting the whole community held a sereh taun or Seren taun in traditional village center. Traditional village center as a place of residence kokolot (elder) where always on the move as directed supernatural.

3. Angklung Gubrag
There in the village Cipining, Cigudeg district, Bogor. Angklung has old and used to honor the goddess of rice in pare perform activities (planting rice), ngunjal pare (transporting rice), and ngadiukeun (put) into leuit (barn). According to legend, began angklung gubrag there was a time when the village Cipining had a bad season.

4. Angklung Badeng
There Sanding village, district Malangbong, Garut. Used to serve as entertainment for the sake of Islam to them. But Badeng allegedly been used since the time of the period before Islam for events related to the rice-planting rituals. As an art to preaching believed Badeng developed since Islam spread in the area around the 16th century or 17th. At that time the population of Sanding, Arpaen and Nursaen, studying the religion of Islam to the kingdom of Demak. After returning from Demak they preach the religion of Islam spread. One of the means it uses the spread of Islam is to Badeng art.

5. Buncis
It is a performance art that is entertainment, of which there are at Baros (Arjasari, Bandung). At first the beans used in agricultural events associated with the rice. But at the present time beans are used as entertainment art.

The origin of the creation of music as Angklung bamboo based view of Sundanese people who live with the source of the agrarian life of the rice (pare) as the food is. This gave rise to the myth of trust in Nyai Sri Pohaci as a symbol of life-giving Goddess of Rice.

In addition, in the Sunda kingdom, angklung used as enhancer spirit in battle. Angklung function as a pump kept the spirit of the people still felt until the period of colonization, that’s why the Dutch Government had banned the use angklung, a ban that could make angklung popularity declined and only played by children at that time.

But in its development, angklung thrive and spread throughout the island of Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra. In 1908 recorded a cultural mission from Indonesia to Thailand, among others, marked the transfer of angklung, and bamboo music of this game could also spread in that State.

TourismOctober 13, 2010 9:34 am

Yogyakarta, together with its twin city Surakarta (Solo), is the cradle of civilization on Java. This city was the seat of power that produced the magnificent temples of Borobudur and Prambanan in the 8th and 9th century and the new powerful Mataram kingdom of the 16th and 17th century. Until today this city continues to produce philosophers, thinkers, master painters and master craftsmen.

Whilst steeped in rich tradition and history, Yogyakarta, lovingly known as Yogya, continues to remain young. This is university town, where students from all over Indonesia from different ethnic backgrounds flock to pursue knowledge and wisdom. For this reason, Yogya is both very Javanese and at the same time a melting pot of different Indonesian cultures.   

Yogyakarta (or Jogjakarta) is known as Neverending Asia for its endless attractions and appeal. As one of Indonesia’s 32 provinces, this city is one of the foremost cultural centers of Indonesia. From climbing the magnificent Borobudur temple to watching silversmiths produce amazing jewelry to shopping up a storm at Malioboro road, you’ll never be bored in this small yet bustling city.

Yogya is a city of history. In the 18th. and 19th centuries, it was the seat of the re-emerged Mataram kingdom. Today many of the Mataram traditions live on and are a part of the city’s daily life. Yogya is a place to come to connect with the centuries’ old traditions, culture and the history of Java as well as bask in the friendliness of the local people. It is a place with a unique charm which seldom fails to captivate visitors.

From natural wonders, local art and traditions, examples of Javanese heritage to delicious culinary delights, Yogya is a city with numerous attractions. This is why Yogya is the second most visited destination in Indonesia after Bali.

Overshadowed in the north by the smoldering Mt Merapi volcano and bordered to the south by the pounding Indian Ocean, the graceful old city of Yogya has a mild climate making it easy for visitors to plan activities without worrying about intense heat. The beautiful green landscape of this central part of Java makes merely traveling from one destination to another an experience.  

In addition, there are about 70,000 handicraft industries based in Yogya and other facilities like various accommodations and transportations, numerous food services, travel agents, and proper tourism support, and also tour a security team support called the Tourism Police, locally known as Bhayangkara Wisata.

The people of Yogyakarta are known for their hospitality and good manners. If you show proper respect, you will be welcome in any part of the city.

While it’s a bustling cultural hub, Yogya is also slower paced and more relaxed than other cities in Indonesia. Many locals consider Yogya the perfect place to retire because of its air of serenity, tolerance and harmony. There is a reason why people say that time moves slower in Yogya.

Yogya is the center of Javanese arts from the refined court dances to modern arts in painting and performing art.  

Yogya is famous as a centre of traditional textile production, particularly batik. The distinctive batik of Yogya uses the basic colors of brown, indigo and white with in geometric designs. Many young artists of Yogya have also embraced the modern art of batik-painting.

Yogya is also known for its leather and wooden puppets crafts used for traditional shadow-puppet performances, as well as wooden puppet performances (wayang golek) that are used to act out ancient epics which contain popular but deep philosophical thoughts and teachings.