Batu Secret Zoo

Address: Jl. Oro-oro Ombo no.9, Batu, East Java 

Phone: +62 341 597777

Website: http://www.jawatimurpark2.com/batu-secret-zoo/

This zoo is part of "Jawa Timur Park 2" complex (or for short: JaTim Park 2). So even though you just want to see the zoo, your ticket can also get you in to the Wildlife Museum (Museum Satwa) that lies just beside it. The Wildlife Museum exhibits a collection of well-preserved animals.

The zoo itself is bigggg. My friends & I spent about 3 hours there.. and that was done without stopping for food, skipping the kiddie rides (of course) and going through the last parts of the zoo in a bit of a rush because we had prior engagements. We went inside the museum for a bit but as soon as we noticed it was quite big as well, our tired feet made us choose the exit door :)

That is why I feel you should allocate at least half a day if you want to explore the zoo and the museum. That said, you can easily make it a whole day experience.

The most fun part for me was taking pictures wih a few of the animals. There was a fee of course, but they said the money will be used for conservation purposes.

Museum Angkut (Transportation museum) in Batu

Address: Jl. Terusan Sultan Agung no. 2, Batu, East Java

Phone: +62 341 595007

Website: http://www.museumangkut.com/

The first floor of the Museum

This museum, located in Batu, holds an impressive collection of transportation related pieces. It claims to be the largest in Asia. But besides that, certain parts of the complex are built as a "movie studio" so there are lots of great photo opportunities! You can pretend that you are in Jakarta or even in Europe. No wonder it can be jam-packed on the weekends.

The ticket price is not cheap by Indonesian standards: IDR 60,000 on the weekdays & IDR 80,000 on the weekends (Dec '15). But, in my opinion, it is well worth it!

The car of Indonesia's 1st President and...

... his helicopter 

Replica of the Majapahit ship

"Jakarta" area

Batu, a city with modern tourist attractions

Batu is a small city in East Java, well-known originally for its apple production. It is recently gaining popularity as a main tourist destination due to several modern attractions such as Museum Angkut (a huge transportation museum) and recreational parks Jatim Park 1, Jatim Park 2 and Batu Night Spectacular (BNS). 
I've even heard from locals that development is underway for Jatim Park 3!

Actually, because of Batu's cool air, it has always been the go-to-place for people in the surrounding cities who need a quick break from their hectic city life. Previously, people would go visit its Apple-picking farms and Selecta park.

How to get there?
Since it has never been a main city, to reach Batu you can either take a train/plane to Malang or Surabaya followed by a 45-minute or 2,5-hour drive respectively.

I will blog about Museum Angkut in my next post...

Alun-Alun Batu (Batu Square)

Kota Tua, Jakarta's Old Town

This is probably the second most mentioned tourist destination of Jakarta (after Monas). It lies on the northern part of Jakarta, but quite easily reachable if you are adventurous enough to take the TransJakarta bus. If you get on the BlokM-Kota route (Corridor 1) which goes through Jakarta's main street Sudirman & Thamrin, you should get off at the very last station: "Kota".

The Old Town has European-styled buildings, a reminder of Indonesia's past being under Dutch rule. Most of the buildings are now turned into museums, so this is why I think the Old Town is quite interesting to spend a whole day at.

Jakarta History Museum

At the main square, you can easily explore:

- Jakarta History Museum (also known as Fatahillah Museum)

- Wayang Museum (houses a large collection of Javanese puppets)

Its website: http://www.museumwayang.com/

- Fine Art & Ceramics Museum

Its website: http://www.museumsenirupa.com/

And then there are also a few others in the neighbourhood:

- Maritime Museum

This museum is located a bit farther than the others. Its website: http://www.museumbahari.org/

- Bank Indonesia Museum

Bank Indonesia is Indonesia's central bank. I have never been to the museum before, but my friends all think the museum is quite entertaining. Opening hours info can be found on the Bank Indonesia website: http://www.bi.go.id/en/tentang-bi/museum/Default.aspx

- Mandiri Museum

Mandiri is one of the government owned banks. 

After exploring all the sights, you can have a nice meal at cafe Batavia, just opposite of the History museum. The interior here has a colonial feel to it. Many people come in just to take pictures because the prices are a bit high for us locals. For more affordable cafes, I prefer the few cafes near the side entrance of the square: Kedai Seni Djakarte, Historia Food & Bar, Bangi Kopitiam.

Another great thing to do in Kota Tua is to take a bike ride. Bikes can be rent independently or with "driver" who acts as a guide as well, telling the history of the neighbourhood.

Colorful bikes for rent

Sadly, I must mention one thing: 

Beware if you go to the Old Town during the weekends/holiday season. It can get verrryyyy crowded and veryyyy littered as well :(

Best to explore it on a weekday.

Bogor Botanical Garden (Kebun Raya Bogor)

Last week I went to the Botanical Garden in Bogor (in Indonesian: Kebun Raya Bogor). Bogor is just a one-hour drive from Jakarta so it is a nice alternative if you want to get away from Jakarta during the weekend. 

The Botanical Garden is hugeeeeee. Coincidently, the presidential palace (Istana Bogor) with its famous deers roaming around the ground can also be found here, although you need special permission to enter. Besides that, the Orchid House is also one of the places people come to see. There is even a Reflexology Path.

With a lot of ground to cover, walking around can be tiresome. Luckily, you can also bring your car. 

We entered through Gate 1 (there are many gates). The entrance fee was IDR 15,000 per person & IDR 30,000 for the car (August 2014). You can also join the mini tour carriage to help you navigate around this huge garden (since there seems to be a lack of signposts!). 

For this trip, we wanted to have a cup of coffee at the cafe which lies inside. It used to be called "De Daunan", but has now gone through some management changes and is called "the Grand Garden". 

In front of the cafe, there is a pond which is very serene and man-made looking, but just straight ahead you can enter back into the "wild forest" with tall trees and large roots crawling above the ground. I loved it!!

Pond in front of the Grand Garden Cafe

   

Some cute myths:

- The red hanging bridge. Legend has it that if you cross the bridge with your lover, your relationship will not last. 

- Pohon sejodoh (meaning: soulmate tree). Two trees standing side-by-side form "pohon sejodoh". They say anyone single should sit on the bench in front of it and pray so that they will soon meet their soulmate. Beware, those already with a partner should never sit on this bench! 

For more information, please go to its website: http://www.bogorbotanicgardens.org/

A general map is also there to print out (seriously, there is a major lack of signposts in the garden!): http://www.bogorbotanicgardens.org/intsite.php 

If your timing is right, you might catch a glimpse of the giant flowers blossoming (Rafflesia patma, Amorphophallus titanum).

Surabaya Heritage Track

As I mentioned in a post wayyyy bacckkkk, if you're in Surabaya, you should visit "House of Sampoerna museum". And while you're here, you should check out its Surabaya Heritage Track (SHT) program.

SHT is a free short tour around Surabaya. The tours are held regularly 3 times a day, every day except on Monday. For the detailed schedule, please follow this link: http://www.houseofsampoerna.museum/e_sht_main.htm
The starting and end point is at House of Sampoerna.

SHT tour bus

Last week, I got the chance to join this tour. It was unplanned, so luckily there was still a seat available on the tour bus. I would recommend that you book a seat in advance especially if you are going in a small group, or on the weekends. For reservations, please contact the following number: +62 31 3539000 ext. 24142 or e-mail: hos@sampoerna.com 

Once you've entered the House of Sampoerna complex, you should go to the Tracker Information Centre (TIC), which is the room in front of the cafe, to get your ticket. 

The tour I joined was the weekday morning tour and we went to two places. A guide was also on the bus, pointing out and explaining to us some of the historical buildings we passed along the way. At the places, we stopped for 10-15 minutes to explore and take some photos. All in all, it was a great way to spend time in Surabaya!!

Galeri Indonesia Kaya

Last week, I went to Galeri Indonesia Kaya which is located near the Blitzmegaplex movie theatre at Grand Indonesia mall. Basically, it is a place where you can know more about Indonesian culture.

The venue is a bit small but there are a few fun interactive attractions. 

From the moment you enter the location, you are greeted by screens of couples wearing traditional clothes. And then you get the chance to "try on" these clothes and even upload it directly to your facebook page.

Further along, there are touchscreen monitors which hold information on the typical cuisine, musical instruments and landmarks of various areas in Indonesia. 

 

You can also play some traditional games such as the congklak or more modern ones with augmented reality features.

 

Overall, it was a nice place to stop by - Nice alternative to spending hours at the mall ;)
Btw, Galeri Indonesia Kaya has an auditorium room with free performances on the weekends. I have seen them being advertised on Kompas newspaper.

Tex Saverio: Indonesian designer behind Katniss's wedding dress (The Hunger games)

I must admit, I didn't see the Hunger Games when it was in theatres, so I wasn't excited when its sequel came out : the Hunger Games - Catching Fire. But I had some spare time, so I decided to watch it this time. 

Maybe it was because I didn't have any expectations, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie!! And of course, Katniss's wedding dress caught my attention - how can it not, it was so beautiful!

Source pic: http://blbride.com/?p=1652

And to my surprise, this wedding dress was from an Indonesian designer named Tex Saverio, who presented a similar dress at Jakarta Fashion Week in 2010.

Source pic: http://blbride.com/?p=1652

This was not the first time he had international exposure. In 2011, Lady Gaga wore one of Tex Saverio's design for Harper's Bazaar. I think this was also absolutely gorgeous.

Source pic: http://gagafashionland.com/2011/04/lady-gaga-for-harpers-bazaar-tex-saverio/#sthash.bFWLKSwy.dpbs

And these are the latest design by Tex Saverio at Jakarta Fashion Week 2014.

Source pic: http://photo.sindonews.com/view/4248/rancangan-tex-saverio-pukau-penonton-jakarta-fashion-week-2014#3

Source pic: http://female.kompas.com/read/2013/10/20/1551452/Jakarta.Fashion.Week.2014.Tex.Saverio.Persembahkan.Busana.Siap.Pakai

Source pic: http://wolipop.detik.com/readfoto/2013/12/04/123452/2432194/941/3/

Monas again...

It has been awhile since I've gone to Monas. But last weekend I went there to see a housing exhibition - which turned out not to be there.

Failing to see the exhibition, I walked around and it was interesting to see the crowds of people (local & some international tourists) taking photographs and just having a fun day out with their families.

Since Joko Widodo (known better as Jokowi) has been appointed as the new governor of Jakarta, various events have been held at Monas. The most recent ones were the 19th Jakarta International Kite Festival and the World Royal Heritage Carnival 2013. It's a shame though that Monas doesn't have its own website to check the events, so you need to really search on the internet to know what is/will take place there.

The downside of Monas being more popular is of course the litter. We really need to be more disciplined in throwing our trash in the trash cans. But anyways, here are a few photos of my day at Monas.

Monas

Free train to get you to Monas' entrance

Souvenirs sold by sellers on the sidewalk

Horse-drawn carriage rides

Kerupuk

When you go to an Indonesian restaurant, don’t be surprised to see a plate of kerupuk on your table.

Kerupuk (pronounced as kahroopook) is a deep fried cracker to be eaten with your meal. It is usually made from tapioca flour mixed with other ingredients such as prawn or fish, which are the most common ones.

However in Indonesia, there are so many varieties of kerupuk that there is even kerupuk made from dried cow skin!

Kerupuk is such a common product in Indonesia that for those die-hard fans, they cannot have a meal without it.
I remember a friend of mine who, when studying abroad, ate chips as a replacement  for kerupuk with his meal just so that he can have some “crunch”.

Kerupuk can also be eaten separately; just add a bit of sambal on top of it and it becomes a delicious snack :)

Flight Simulator in Jakarta

Want to fly an airplane while doing your monthly shopping?
All is possible at Gandaria city mall, where you can find the only commercial flight simulator in Jakarta.

It is located on the ground floor and is hard to miss, since they actually use a real fuselage of Boeing 737! When word spread that they will be opening, I was quite excited. However, when they did open, the prices were a bit expensive..so be warned.

But if you are looking for a unique experience, I think it is still worth it.
For more info, check out their website: http://www.flightexperience.co.id/

Jakarta Great Sale 2013

Jakarta Great Sale is held every year to commemorate Jakarta's anniversary (which falls on June 22nd). This year, the event starts from 1 June - 14 July 2013.
Supposedly, there are discounts up to 80% for goods sold in various department stores and outlets across the numerous malls in Jakarta.

And specifically for this year, 14 malls will hold a midnight sale event on June 21st (today!). During this event, the malls will have special discounts starting from 21:00 until midnight.

Here is the list of participating malls for the midnight sale:

Central Jakarta:
- Senayan City
- Plaza Senayan

South Jakarta:
- Cilandak Town Square
- Kalibata City Square
- Kuningan City
- Plaza Blok M
- Tebet Green
- Plaza Semanggi

West Jakarta:
- Central Park
- Mal Matahari Puri Daan Mogot
- Mal Taman Palem

North Jakarta:
- Mal Kelapa Gading 

East Jakarta:
- Arion
- Kramat Jati Indah Plaza

Batik bags

It used to be difficult to find high quality batik bags i.e. bags made from batik tulis and leather (not the ones sold for Rp. 50,000 by street vendors in Jogja). But nowadays, there are quite a number of brands to choose from. I am going to share you a few of these brands that I follow. Many of them don't have an established shop yet, so they usually sell their goods on facebook. You can buy ready-made ones or have one custom-made for you.

- Pribumi
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pribumigj

I love Pribumi because currently it is the only one selling batik wallets that is large enough to fit all of my cards & receipts! Their service is excellent: fast response & friendly.

- Lovely batik
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/lovelybatik

- Envy
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/envy.batik.3
Envy also has another more premium line: http://www.facebook.com/envymebag

- Kunthi
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/kunthi.full
Same as Envy, Kunthi also has another more premium line: http://www.facebook.com/kunthi.prime

- Ziba label
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ziba.label.1
Ziba also has an online shopping website: http://zibalabel.com

- Gia
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/gia.batik

 

- Batik Queen
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/batikqueenpage

- Batik Chic
This is one of the first brands that I knew. Nowadays, it has opened a shop in Kemang and it also has an online-shopping website. Maybe because of this, their facebook page seems to be not that active anymore.

Website: http://batikchic.com/
Gallery: Jalan Kemang Selatan Raya no. 107B, Jakarta