Sight Seeing

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 is 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.

Dinning 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 is 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.

Visitors Information

Directorate General of Tourism (DGT)
Jalan Kramat Raya 81
P. O. Box 409
Jakarta
Tel (021) 310-3117
Fax: (021)3101146

 The DGT is under the direction of the Department of Tourism - Post and Telecommunications, which has offices in all major tourist destinations. These offices are known as Kanwil Depparpostel or Regional Offices of Tourism. Each of the 27 provinces of Indonesia has its own tourist office, which is known as Diparda (provincial tourist service). Each of these offices can offer information and assistance for their area.

Useful Phrases

Good Morning - Selamat pagi
Good day - Selamat siang
Good evening - Selamat sore
Good night - Selamat malam
Goodbye - Selamat tinggal (said by those leaving to people staying)
Goodbye - Selamat jelan (said by those staying to people leaving)
Thank you - Terima kasih
How are you? - Apa kabar?
I'm fine - Kabar baik
How much? - Berapa
I don't understand - Saya tidak mengerti
What is this? - Apa ini?
I'm sorry - Maafkan saya
Excuse me - Permisi, Ma'af