Kampong Batik Laweyan

Batik is a traditional art work that has been the source of living of Laweyan society for ages. Laweyan was known as “juragan batik” kampong. It achieved its best moment in 1970s. There are still many interesting batik showrooms that can be visited at present as one of expense tourism destination.



Laweyan was known as the center of batik at the era of Kingdom of Pajang in 1546. As a cultural pledge, there are a lot of historical sites can be visited. They are Laweyan Mosque, the burial ground of Ki Ageng Henis (the founding father of Mataram King), Ki Ageng Henis and Sutowijoyo’s (Panembahan Senopati) houses, the ex-Laweyan traditional market, the burial ground of Jayengrana (Untung Suropati’s soldier), Merdeka Mosque, Makmoer Mosque, and the residence of H. Samanhudi, the founding father of Serikat Dagang Islam.


Laweyan is also famous of its characteristic architecture and environment. The mix Javanese, Europe, Chinese and Islamic elements color the building architecture in Laweyan. High gateway, or is known as beteng, forms narrow alley for the entrance to the building.



Kampung batik KAUMAN :



Kauman Village has close links with the history of the move of Kartasura Palace to Solo which later changed its name to Kasunanan Palace. Kauman is a place of scholars consisting of several layers of society ranging from the prince commentary anom, preacher, muezzin, suronoto and courtiers (Indonesian translation: Kaum). The existence of the majority population in the region becomes the basis for the choice name "Kauman".



The courtiers get special training from Kasunanan Palace for producing batik either jarik (traditional Javanese cloth) or scarves and so forth. In other words, the tradition of producing batik is inherited directly by Ndalem Kraton Kasunanan Surakarta Hadiningrat (Kasunanan palace). Based on the provision of expertise provided by the Kauman community to produce works that directly relate to batik motifs that are often used by the royal family




In its development, the art of Kauman batik can be divided into three forms of classical batik motifs grip (batik tulis), pure batik stamp and a combination model between them. Batik-patterned grip that is heavily influenced by Kasunanan Palace is a prime product of Kampong Batik Kauman. Kauman batik products made using natural silk and woven silk, cotton and prime type premisima, rayon.





Kampong Batik Kauman which has 20-30s home industries of batik becomes the expense tourist destination intertwined hereditary. Most of the foreign tourists come from Japan, Europe, Southeast Asia and the United States. Uniqueness offered to the tourists is the ease of transactions, looking at the home venue for the activities of batik production. That is, visitors have the opportunity to find out and do the process of batik making.





Besides the production of batik, Kampong Batik Kauman offers many of historical sites such as joglo houses, Limasan, colonial, and the mixture between colonial and Javanese architecture. The buildings of the past remain strong amid towering modern architecture shopping malls, financial institutions (banks and foreign exchange). Not to mention home stays and hotels are widely available around the Kampong Batik Kauman. Other facilities around the village Kauman clearly provide special conveniences for all the tourists who visit in meeting other needs beyond batik

Klewer market solo

Off the west gate of Karaton's North Square, this old market selling all kinds of fabrics, predominantly batik. Other traditional fabrics are lurik (hand-woven striped cotton cloth) and tenun ikat. There are hundreds of shops jammed along narrow passageways. The visitors must be prepared to bargain. Batik cloths and garments, hand-woven fabrics, traditional and local jewelry, leather puppets, basketry, tortoise-shell accessories, trinkets, brassware and other decorative items, and all kinds of antiques are local specialties. Souvenir and art objects are available in all major towns of Central Java, mostly in the downtown areas and popular market places or shopping centers.

Ambarawa Railway Museum

Ambarawa is famous nationwide by the credo Palagan Ambarawa. Small city that forgotten nowadays but became one of the important base camp of National heroes during Dutch occupancy in World War II. A small city in the junction of national road between Yogyakarta to Semarang and accessible to several small cities nearby like Salatiga, Magelang and Bandungan. Fifty km south of Semarang, Ambarawa has locomotives of various types and ages, and it is still possible to ride on a cog railway between Ambarawa and Bedono, a village nearby. Ambarawa Railway Museum 50 km south of Semarang, Ambarawa is the home of Java's antique locomotives, housed in a museum. Prior arrangements should be made for groups. Also of interest are a collection of antique telephones and other instrument used for railway communication.

The museum was established in the 1970s primarily to preserve a wide selection of the steam locomotives, which were then coming to the end of their useful lives on the 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge railways of the Indonesian State Railway (the Perusahaan Negara Kereta Api, PNKA). These are parked in the open air next to the original station, originally a transhipment point between the 4ft 8 in gauge branch from Kedungjati to the northeast and the 3ft 6in gauge line onward towards Yogyakarta via Magelang to the south. It is still possible to see that the two sides of the station were built to accommodate different size trains. Ambarawa lays some way above sea level and was an administrative centre for the Dutch colonialists. Now the provincial Government of Central Java is increasingly taking an interest from the point of view of its heritage significance and its potential as a tourist attraction. Non-Governmental bodies like the Semarang Heritage Society are also acting to assist and there is also an unofficial overseas group 'The Friends of Ambarawa Railway Museum'.

gajahmungkur Dam

This Gigantic picturesque dam is located about 3 km from the town of Wonogiri. The water supply of the dam is from Bengawan Solo River, the longest river in Java. Its construction was in 1975 until 1981. The lake of the dam covers an area of 8.800 ha and has capacity to irrigate 23.600 ha of rice fields in the regencies of Klaten, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar and Sragen. It supplies the drinking water for Wonogiri and electrical turbine with capacity of 12,4 M.W. This is also a beautiful place for water recreation. There is a pier for boots to take people around the lake and also available facilities for water skiing, fishing and floating restaurant. The hand-gliding sport can be enjoyed here.

There, we can find Sendang recreation park that located at the bank of Gajah Mungkur dam, about 6 km from the town center of Wonogiri town to the South. The visitor can enjoy boating, fishing, water skiing, swimming or engage in hang gliding sport which starts from a hill near the dam.

sukuh temple

Sukuh temple is located in Berjo Village, Argoyoso district, in the slope of mount Lawu 35 Km east of Solo at a height about 910 m above sea level. The temple stretches from the east to the west with the main gate in the west. Sukuh Temple is decorated with wayang stone carvings of Hindu origin, the only erotic temple in Java. The stepped pyramid is like the ones in South America of the Maya culture. The temples are distinctive compared with other ancient temples in Central Java such as Borobudur and Prambanan, and its uniqueness lies in the landscaping, statuettes, and relief. The temples occupy an 11,000m2 area and consist of three terraces, each connected with an ascending alley. The most influential part is the last terrace, at the very back of the compound. At this very sacred area, once erected a homogenous phallic statue, which is now displayed at the National Museum, Jakarta. Another interesting and controversial factor of this historical site is the artistic relief on its floor, which depict male and female organs symbolizing the birth of life. This kind of construction is common in prehistoric time, especially in the megalithic era of pundan berundak (terrace grave). The temple consist of three terraces, the first terrace is the lowest level, followed by the second and the third above it. The terrace are connected with stairs to each other, each of it has an entrance gate. The temple has believed to be constructed in the 15th century during the declining years of Majapahit Empire. The relief found beside the first gate are believed had mean (sengkalan) reads Gapura Buta Aban Wong and Gapura Buta Anahut Bubut, meaning the year of 1359 saka or 1437 AD.

Bali Indonesia Vacation

by Winston Jenkins

Indulge in the Balinese locales, culture and lifestyle on a holiday and experience an ideal Bali Indonesia vacation. Being the largest tourist destination in Indonesia, Bali is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance , sculpture, painting and music. So, a Bali Indonesian vacation is sure to captivate the creative artist in you.

Bali Indonesia Vacation: Nature and Culture

Enthralling locales are a must see on a Bali Indonesia vacation. You will find coral reefs surrounding the island, white sand beaches in the south and black sand beaches towards the west and north of Bali. Bali's wildlife includes several species of barking deer, monkeys and civets. Bali boasts 300 species of birds, including the unique Balinese Starling. Mountain treks are a great way to have a closer look at the active volcanic activity in the region.

The Balinese culture is heavily inspired from both the Indian and Chinese cultures. To experience its real feel, visit various temples, palaces and monuments. The truly rare and recommended ones are:

Puri Agung Karangasem Palace: An old palace where the previous Raja reigned. Taman Ujung Water Palace: If you thought old ruins are not worth visiting, think again because this one located in Amplapura is worth it. Goa Gajah cave temple: Exploring this 11th century cave temple will take you back into a mythological mode. It features demon heads that flank the entrance, an elephant headed Hindu god, Ganesha and six enthralling statues of beautiful nymphs who hold water spouts.

Enjoy Ultimate Luxury on a Bali Indonesia Vacation

Head towards the sandy beaches and add adventure to your Bali Indonesian vacation. Enjoy water-related activities, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing and fishing. The spas attached to the resorts offer traditional massages and various other spa treatments, including sauna and steam baths, skin and hair treatments. The traditional Balinese massages use natural local ingredients, which are known to be wonderfully relaxing. A luxurious villa or a resort in Bali will make your Bali Indonesia vacation truly worthwhile and unforgettable. Bali is renowned for its luxury resorts or villas, set along long beaches and the clear blue seas. Most Bali villas are located in Canggu, Jimbaran, Kerobokan, Seminyak, Sanur and Ubud area. To enjoy total luxury and deluxe style, spice up your stay by visiting www.karmajimbaran.com.