Banten -- Historical Town

Banten, once a powerful maritime capital rivaling the vast Javanese Mataram empire, is today a fishing village with an illustrious past. The Capital City of Banten Province is Serang. Old Banten is one of the well know historical objects, only 10 km from the town of Serang. In this site, we can find a lot of remains of Islamic Banten Kingdom which was founded between 16 and 18 century. This is the coastal area where the Dutch formerly landed to trade. Banten has few relics to show of its past grandeur, however, there are the ruins of powerful Moslem kingdoms such as the pala¬ces of Surosowan and Kaibon, the grand mosque of Mesjid Agung Banten (1599) and a Dutch fortress and an old Chinese temple. Old Banten is the city which was the capital of the Republic of Indonesia.

Tourist Office:
Jl. Ayib Usman No.1, Kaligandu, Serang 42151 Phone. (0254) 219836 Fax. (0254) 200220 Website : http//www.dispardabanten.comJl. Raya Air Kuta No.2 Bali, Phone (0361) 766184 http :// http://www.bantentourism.info/

Places of Interest

Baduy Traditional Society

Baduy Traditional Society. In the area of 5,101 hectares consisting or two parts : inner and outer Baduy tribes. Live in harmony with nature, avoid modern life. It is located at Lebak Regency.

Keraton Surosowan

Keraton Surosowan (The Palace of Surosowan) was built during the reign of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin (1525-1552). Most of buildings were partly totally damaged. What remains is only the wall of the fortress ciecling the ruin of the monument. According to the old maps it is known that in the past the complexes of the palace were surrounded by a ditch as a guard. It was said, that in the past small ship was able to sail along the ditch or along the canal to the open sea.

Tasikardi

Tasikardi at Margasana village, Kramatwatu district is a part of arceological complex of Old Banten. Its width is approximatelly 5 hectares and in the cebter of the lake there is a square formed “islands”. During the period of the Kingdom of Banten, Tasikardi used irigate the recifields and as a water treatment system in Surosowan Palace.

Speelwijk Fortress

Speelwijk Fortress is located at kampung Pamarican, around at Banten Gulf. In the past it was used as the fortress of the Sultanate of Banten, before the Deutch pene¬trated to and accupied Banten.

Ujung Kulon National Park

Ujung Kulon National Park. One of World Natural conservation as UNESCO declared. Observe the natural tropical forest, found the rare single horn rhino. The grazing area of buffaloes peacock and specific animals completed by beautiful islands around. There is a bus each day from Labuan to Taman Jaya which is on the edge of the Ujung Kulon national park. There simple cabins can be hired and a ranger can then take you on a walk into the park. It takes about six hours to reach a camping site. Food is not readily available so take some with you from Matahari in Labuan. Boats from and of the west.

Taman Jaya where the wood carving community, located nearby Ujung Kulon National Park.
Pulau Dua/Pulau Burung

Pulau Dua/Pulau Burung (Birds Island) is a natural bird conservation area for bird watching, located about 3 miles from the northern of Karangantu harbor. It can be reached by motorized pats or sail boats in 15 minutes. From April to August the island is visited by thousand of bird coming from the continent of Africa, Asia and Australia to lay and hatch their eggs. Soon after the young birds become mature, they will return to their original places. At least 50 kinds of birds and generally those are fishering birds that only to fly far distance such as herons, ducks, teals, fowis and other be able to lay 2-4 eggs, and stayed together in Pulau Dua of 8 hectares land.

The Tower of Bojong

The Tower of Bojong. Built in 1885 the Dutch, it is 75, 7 meter in height and it is an eighteen-story house light in Anyer Kidul. This area is an historical place. It is very well known for its 1000 km Daendles Post Road from Anyer to Panarukan (East Java) in 1811.

Karang Bolong Beach

Karang Bolong Beach is located 50 km from Serang town or 140 km from Jakarta, on Karang Bolong Street. Karang Bolong beach is the beach recreation area where there is a big rock with its hole in the center, facing the open sea.

The Hot Spring

The Hot Spring of Batu Kuwung. Its heat reaches 70-80 Fahrenheit degree. The hot water is iodized but it doesn’t contain any sulphur.

Mount Krakatau

Mount Krakatau is located at Sunda Strait. This volcano is very well known all over the world because its eruption in 1883 shocked the world and had caused a big disaster. The eruption of Krakatau was so powerful and its sound was heard in Australia and Colombo. The new volcano began emerged to surface in 1928. In 1951 geologists recorded that the height of Anak Gunung Krakatau was just above 72 m dpl, but right now it’s already reached a height of more than 200 m.

Rangkasbitung in Lebak Regency is a center of souvenirs made of Opal (Batu kali maya) and Onyx.

Bumi Jaya in Serang Regency produce various kind of export quality potteries.

Shopping Center Unleash the sense of discovery and experience some of the Indonesia’s most sophisticated shopping malls in Tangerang and Cilegon.

Golf Courses
Golf Courses. 11 golf course and 1 dri¬ving range all around Banten. The luxurious facilities, including 18 holes and first class accommodation.

Pulau Umang
Pulau Umang, white sandy beach over looking the crystal clear sea water, located 183 km about 4 hours driving by car and 5 min by boat from Jakarta, there is a resort and spa facilities to relax and living in nature with magnificient view of Krakatau and the Ujung Kulon National Park.

Mesjid Agung Banten
Mesjid Agung Banten This complex consists of a mosque monu¬ment having grave yards along its left and right sides, the monument of Tiyamah, a tower, and grave yard located in the north side.

Keraton Kaibon
Keraton Kaibon (The Palace of Kaibon) It is located at the village of Kroya on the bank of the road of Old Banten, approximately 7 km from the town of Serang or 1 km from Surosowan Palace. The name Kaibon was derived from the word Kai-i¬buan namely Ratu Asiah, taking over his son’s position, Sultan Rafiudin who was just 5 months old to lead the reign.

Source : my-indonesia.info

Bunaken National Marine Park

Bunaken National Marine Park is off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.




Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous dive areas, and it draws scuba divers from all over the world. In addition to Bunaken itself, a rather featureless banana-shaped island, the national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua, a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen,Montehagen, Nain and Nain Kecil.

The park is famed for the clarity of its water (35m visibility is common in the summer dry season), the abundance of coral and fish, and for the precipitous "walls" at some sites. Bunaken Timur, right off the east coast of the island and featuring all of the above, is according to some the best dive site in all Indonesia.

Except for the very largest pelagics, nearly everything can be found at Bunaken. Reef inhabitants include white and black tip reef sharks, giant sea turtles, napoleonfish and dugongs.
You may frequently run into dolphins, and occasionally schools of whales

Bunaken is about 45-60 minutes by boat from Manado. Most resorts will arrange transfers from the airport for their guests. Alternatively, a public boat leaves daily except Sunday at 2PM, or you can charter a boat anytime.

As of 2006, entry to the park costs either Rp 50,000/day (US$6) or Rp 150,000/Calendar year (US$17), usually paid at your lodgings. As proof of payment, you will receive a plastic tag that must be carried at all times; it is waterproof and can be attached to your diving gear.

Tourism on Bunaken has been very much geared towards divers over the years, but the trend seems to be changing and more and more snorkelers are visiting the area as too are those who wish to just relax immersed in nature...away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Possible activities for landlubbers include:
1. Beach-combing, especially at low tide when the reef top is accessible
2. Hiking to some of the secluded coves on the Eastern and Northern part of the island, but trails are poorly marked
3. Fishing, but only outside of the park boundaries: hire a boat or join one of the local fishing boats.

The thing to do in Bunaken is dive, dive and dive! However, the steep walls and occasionally strong, rapidly changing currents mean that many sites cater more to the intermediate/advanced diver, although there are beginner-friendly sites too and all dive shops can arrange intro dives and Open Water Diver courses. The North Sulawesi Watersports Association offers oodles of detail on diving in the park. The park also offers outstanding snorkeling!
All dive shops in the park are affiliated with resorts, so see Sleep below for listings.

Loadging :

1. Bastianos Dive Resorts, [1]. Located in Bunaken Island. 30 minutes from Mainland Manado.

2. Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort, tel. +62 813 56930370 (Skype: bunakenchacha), [2]. On the clean and tranquil eastern side of Bunaken with 10 cottages, all tastefully decorated, en-suit bathrooms (hot water showers), large balconies, 3 Cottages are equipped with A/C. Private white sand beach, house reef for snorkelers, massage treatments available. The beach top restaurant serves a variety of Indonesian/Asian dishes with emphasis on "Healthy Eating", Vegetarians are welcome. Wifi available in the Bar and Restaurant area. In house Multilingual PADI affiliated Dive Center meets the needs of diving guests of all levels of experience. Room & full board from US$60 per person/per night; room, full board and dive packages from US$130.

3. Bunaken Village Resort, [3]. Located along the Pangalisang beach on the east coast of Bunaken. 8 cottages, restaurant, dive shop, beach bar and swimming pool. Rooms 20-25€, 2 boat dives 40€.

4. Froggies Divers, [www.divefroggies.com]. A high quality dive operator with comfortable bungalows and excellent food.

5. Living Colours, tel. +62-812-4306063, [4]. Diver-oriented resort run by the shop of the same name, the bungalows are spacious and clean, but simply equipped (fan, mosquito net, cold water) and there is no beach to speak of. Rooms 30€/person, including three excellent meals and free Internet surfing. Two dives a day from 50€, gear rental 10€/day. Airport transfers 30€/one-way.

6. Lorenso's Bungalows, [5]. 5 min down the coast from Living Colours, offering cheaper but even more basic digs for around 10€/night.

7. M.C. Dive Bunaken, [6]. Located near the Bunaken Village Has a very nice beach and offers relaxed diving with experienced guides and good diving-equipment. Also offering Padi Dive Courses and Specialty's, Basic cottages 14€, more luxurious bungalows: 20€, including all meals, coffee, tea and water. 2 dives 40€, third dive 15€

8. Siladen Resort & Spa, tel. +62-431-856820, [7]. Small exclusive international resort on Siladen Island across from Bunaken. Multilingual PADI dive center, gourmet restaurant, lounge bar, Spa, large salt water pool. Located on the secluded western side of Siladen on a 300 meter stretch of white coral beach facing Manadotua Vulcano. Only 15 villas. PADI courses and full packages available.

9. Two Fish Divers, tel. +62-811-432805, [8]. Small and friendly PADI Gold Palm IDC Resort based on Bunaken Island. Cottages are basic but comfortable, and are right in front of the beach. Offers fun dives for experiened and inexperienced divers, with small groups of 2-4 divers per dive guide. Also offers a full range of PADI dive courses from Open Water Course through to Instructor.

source : http://wikitravel.org/en/Bunaken