Bogor botanical gardens

Bogor Botanical Gardens

The Bogor Botanical Gardens (Indonesian: Kebun Raya) are located 60 km south of the capital of Jakarta in Bogor, Indonesia. The botanical gardens are situated in the city center of Bogor and adjoin the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace). The gardens cover more than 80 hectares and was build by Java's Dutch Governor-General Gustaaf Willem, Baron van Imhoff who was governor of Java at the time.

The extensive grounds of the presidential palace were converted into the gardens by the German-born Dutch botanist, Professor Casper George Carl Reinwardt. The gardens officially opened in 1817 as 's Lands Plantentuin ('National Botanical Garden') and were used to research and develop plants and seeds from other parts of the Indonesian archipelago for cultivation during the 19th century. This is a tradition that continues today and contributes to the garden's reputation as a major center for botanical research.

Today the garden contains more than 15,000 species of trees and plants located among streams and lotus ponds. There are 400 types of exceptional palms to be found along the extensive lawns and avenues, helping the gardens create a refuge for more than 50 different varieties of birds and for groups of bats roosting high in the trees. The bats can be easily detected by the noise they make while competing for space under the canopies. The orchid houses contain some 3000 varieties. In 1862, the Cibodas Botanical Gardens were founded as an extension of the Bogor garden at Cibodas, approximately 45 kilometers to the southeast of Bogor.

indonesian safari

Indonesian Safari Park

The Taman Safari Indonesia or Indonesian Safari Park, is a drive-through game park created for animals in an environment as close as possible to their natural habitat. Watching various kinds of animals from all continents roaming nearby you tour bus is a very interesting experience that can not be found in ohter zoos. Adjacent to the park is Baby Zoo which will offer another interest where you could hold friendly lion cubs, shake hands with orang utan and see a very unique white tiger.

The drive heading to Safari Park in Cisarua to see animals from all continents roaming freely in this 35-hectare park. Among the animals kept here are some comparatively rare species such as anoas, rhinos, giraffes, white tigers and European, American and Asian bears. Adjacent to the park is recreational grounds with a swimming pool, an artificial lake, waterfall and children’s playground and amusement park.

Puncak pass

Puncak Pass is one of interesting destination in the West Java Province. It is located in the south of Jakarta and can be reached by an hour journey. Puncak is an ideal place for weekend, as well as a good location to find a fresh mountain air. Besides, many attractions can be found nearby, such as the Bogor and Cibodas Botanical Gardens; the Gede Pangrango National Park; tea Plantations and the Safari Park.

Puncak is a small town located in West Java, Drive through one of Jakarta's suburbs and lovely countryside, this tour takes you to Bogor via toll Jagorawi approx 1,5 hour, 60 km south of Jakarta and on to Puncak area at and altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level, winding mountain road that passes through small resort towns and tea plantations you will arrive to Puncak that meaning "summit". At this high altitude, it's cool and often misty. Tea pickers with their colorful costumes and big broad hats are good objects for photo lovers it is a popular escape from the heat and crowds of Jakarta. This small town is well known as a relaxing place for people from Jakarta as Puncak is not very far from it.

Telaga Warna

Make a tour at Ciliwung river, why not? It is because various interesting tourism places can be enjoyed there, starting from upper course of the river at Puncak area to its stream body at Bogor, West Java. One of them is a conservation called Lake Telaga Warna means color lake. The conservation is located between tea plantation and dense forest.

At this conservation, tourist will find a natural lake which its surface seems colorful. Its color is sometime green, and sometime mingled with red, brown and gold color. It is a color playing of sunray on lake surface. Up of the lake, there is sloping side with big trees covered as canopy.

Roving through the conservation, we will find another lake. before we arrive there, we will walk along soil path hardened by small stones and pass in the middle of tea plantation and small hills. At the end of hills and plantation, we will arrive at a huge green valley. At this green valley, we will find a small lake called Cisaat Lake. Around the lake, there are some plantation houses.

Telaga Warna lake and Cisaat lake and the area around them are decided by the Indonesian government as a conservation recently, and it is called Telaga Warna Conservation. As the story goes, this tourism place has been well-known since 5 centuries ago. According to a poet lived at the year of Sunda kingdom, Bujangga Manik, the place was called Talaga Warena.

The ticket price of this tourism area is about 10.000 rupiahs for one person. Beside enjoying the natural beauty and tranquality of the area, visitors can also do photography activities, bird-watching, and cycling.

After tired and satisfied with the tour, the visitors can rest at Melrimba Garden. It is a simple restaurant not far from the conservation. We can enjoy traditional Indonesian foods and also buy plant or flower, and learn how to take care of it. The visitors are also free to choose other restaurants such as Rindu Alam, which can be found along Puncak Pass.

Bogor, the rain city

Bogor is on a main road from Jakarta to Bandung, over the Puncak pass. To the south of the city are large tea plantations. During colonial times the Bogor area developed as a centre for plantations. Apart from the tea (Mount Mas), there were coffee plantations at nearby Sukabumi and later vast rubber plantations that stretched from Bogor as far as Citereup and Bukit Sentul.
Bogor is Kota Hujan, meaning "City of Rain". Statistically, it's the rainiest city on Java, and locals jokingly advise getting any sightseeing done in the morning because it's guaranteed to rain in the afternoon. Then again, tramping through the Gardens can actually be more pleasant in a cool drizzle. Lovers of Bogor will tell you that most of the time it is dry; normally, the rain falls only in heavy bursts late in the day.
#note: i'm sorry, the quality of all pictures of istana bogor aren't good because i didn't bring my digicam (i put it in car.. because i though i couldn't took any pictures in there.. but i was wrong.. so i took the pictures with my camera phone)