Sightseeing in Indonesia Sightseeing Dining and Drinking Entertainment SIGHTSEEING For additional information Kramat Raya 81 Jakarta P.O. Box 409 Tel (021) 310-3117 Fax: (021) 310 1146 or the nearest regional/provincial tourist office. Way Kambas Elephant Training Center The center is an international project partially funded by the World Wildlife Fund. The aim of the center is to train elephants to be useful to mankind. Visitors may ride the elephants. Way Kambas is near Bandar Lampung. Fantasy Land In Fantasy Land, you are taken on a journey of Old Jakarta, Africa, America, Indonesia, Europe, Asia and the Palace of the Dolls. Located inside Ancol Dreamland (Taman Impian Jaya Ancol). Jalan Lodan Timur Ancol, Jakarta Tel (021) 681512 Indonesia in Miniature Park This 400 acre (160 hectare) cultural park has pavilions in the shape of traditional houses from each of the 27 provinces. Every Sunday there is a regional dance performance in one of the pavilions. Also within the park are an aviary, Museum Indonesia and the Keong Emas theater. Jalan Raya Rd. Gede Kramat Jati Jakarta Tel (021) 840-0022 Jaya Ancol Dreamland (Taman Impian Jaya Ancol) This dreamland occupies 343 acres (137 hectares) of former marshland, right by the sea. It has a resort hotel, art market and gallery, restaurant, hawker stalls, nightclubs and various other entertainment facilities. Ancol, Jakarta Keong Emas Imax Theater Located within Indonesia in Miniature Park, this theater is in the shape of a snail. The theater features a film on Indonesia. Jalan Raya Rd. Gede Kramat Jati Jakarta Kuta The village of Kuta is a thriving tourist resort. If you are looking for some action, this is where you will find it - discos, hotels, restaurants and shops abound. It is also the best place to see traditional Balinese music and dance performed. Bali Lake Toba This lake was formed by a massive prehistoric volcanic explosion. The lake is the largest inland body of water in Southeast Asia. Lake Toba is 50 miles (80km) long and 16 miles (26km) wide, and it has a depth of 1,400 feet (420m). The town of Parapat lies on its shores and is an ideal place to relax and escape the heat, as the climate here is cool and dry. Parapat offers hotels, villas and recreational facilities. Samosir Island is in the middle of Lake Toba. Parapat, North Sumatra National Monument The monument is a 449 feet-high (137m) stylization of the ancient Hindu Linnga/Yoni, symbolizing fertility. You can take an elevator to the top where, from the viewing platform, you will see a spectacular view of Jakarta. Located in Mederka Square. Jakarta Tel (021) 681512 Medan Crocodile Farm This is the largest crocodile farm in Indonesia. There are over 2,000 crocodiles of different varieties. Here you can see how crocodile eggs are hatched. Asam Kumbang North Sumatra Tugu Khatulistiwa (Equator Monument) Standing exactly 109º, 20 minutes east of Greenwich. During the March and September equinoxes, the column's shadow disappears, which is an excuse for a party in Pontianak (a large river city in Kalimantan). Jl. Khatulistiwa West Kalimantan Yogyakarta The cultural center of Java. It is an excellent destination for those interested in the traditional arts. Here you may experience performances of wayang puppets (famous shadow puppet plays depicting Javanese history and folklore) and classical and contemporary Javanese dance and theater. We recommend that you visit the palace in the center of the city. It is located at the foot of the active Merapi volcano. Java Bogor Botanical Gardens These famous gardens border the Presidential Palace built for the Dutch Governor General in 1745. The gardens cover 218 acres (87 hectares) with thousands of different species from all over the world. If you intend on visiting the Palace, a permit must be obtained. Bogor Located 31 miles (50km) from Jakarta Orchard Garden A landscaped garden with thousands of orchard species and varieties native to Indonesia. Inside a mini-laboratory you will be taught how to grow orchards and cross seeds. Slipi, Jakarta Panorama Park The park overlooks the Ngarai Canyon. Jalan Panorama South Sumatra Taman Bundokandung Kind-Hearted Mother Park Jalan Kanduamoto South Sumatra Ujung Kulon National Park Located on the southwestern tip of West Java, this park is a wilderness preserve of 127500 acres (51,000 hectares). Included are the islands of Panaitan and Peucang and the Ujung Kulon Peninsula. This is the home of the 50 or so last surviving one-horned rhinoceros. DINING AND DRINKING As in the rest of Asia, Indonesian food is heavily based on rice, supplemented by vegetables, a little bit of fish and once in a while, meat and eggs. Indonesian cuisine is known for its combination of contrasting flavors and textures, its influences having originated in all corners of the world. Each culinary art of foreign origin can be distinguished in Indonesian cooking, yet each is blended creatively with the islands' own cooking secrets. Each province or area has its own cuisine, which varies in the method of cooking and the ingredients used. The Javanese cuisine is probably the most palatable to the general taste and usually consists of vegetables, soybeans, beef and chicken. The Sumatrans generally eat more beef compared to other regions. West Sumatra is known for its Pandang specialty restaurants found nationwide. Aside from their hot and spicy food, these restaurants are known for their unique style of service. Further to the east, seafood is featured in the daily diet, either grilled or made into curries. In Bali, Irian Jaya and the highlands of North Sumatra and North Sulawesi, pork dishes are specialties. As the population of Indonesia is predominantly Moslem, pork is usually not served except in Chinese restaurants, non-Moslem regions and places serving international cuisine. The most popular dishes in Indonesia are: gado-gado, salad with peanut sauce; nasi goreng, fried rice; bakmigoreng, fried noodles; and sate, skewered grilled meat. There are a wide variety of tropical and subtropical vegetables all year round. Some fruits such as mangoes and watermelons are seasonal, but most of the other fruits are available throughout the year. Although Indonesia is a Moslem country, alcoholic beverages are widely available. The two most popular beers, both light lagers, are the locally brewed Anker and Bintang brands. Imported liquors, like whisky and gin, are usually sold only in the more expensive restaurants and hotels. Brem, or rice wine, Arak, rice whisky, and Tuak, palm wine are locally produced and readily available. Drinking unboiled water in Indonesia is considered unsafe because of poor sewage disposal and improperly treated water supplies. Contaminated water is known for transmitting diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. Avoid ice cubes unless they have been made from boiled water. The freezing of water does not kill the organisms, nor does the alcohol in a drink. Western bottled and canned drinks are widely available and comparatively cheap in Indonesia. ENTERTAINMENT Cultural shows, discotheques, cinemas, comedy and puppet shows keep the Indonesians entertained every day of every year. Movie theaters are found throughout Indonesia, and grade B and C Italian and American films are generally in English with Indonesian subtitles. Check the paper for listings. Ticket prices are comparable to those in the West, about $5 per head for an air-conditioned theater. Western style discos abound, and wealthy youth in designer clothes pack the fashionable clubs every weekend. The disco craze hit the country a decade ago, and it appears to have taken root. A couple of hotel establishments have ruled the scene for some time now. The cover charge and drinks are expensive, and dress code is in effect. Shadow puppet shows are very popular. Performances are staged when a transitional event occurs in the life of a family such as a birthday, wedding or as ritual entertainment during family feasts. These shows dramatize life with its contradictions and anomalies and teach the meaning and purpose of life. A single performance can last up to nine hours.