Bogor Regency

Bogor Regency

About 60 kilometers (38 miles) at the foot of the highlands south of Jakarta is the peaceful town of Bogor. From 1870 up to the outbreak of World War II and the collapse of the Netherlands colonial empire, the Bogor Palace served as the official residence of the Dutch governors general. The former, governor general function of state and as a venue for international meeting is now as Indonesian Presidential Palace. The porticoes mansion with it’s stately pillars looks quite at home amidst the vast well groomed lawns where deer graze in the shade of big old trees.

The palace and the world famous Botanical Gardens which lie behind it are Bogor’s greatest pride.  Officially opened in 1817 by Prof. Reindwardt, a Dutch Botanist, and as Lieutenant Governor during the British interregnum from 1811 no. 1816, took up residence in the Bogor mansion. A small cenotaph dedicated to the memory of Raffles wife stands near the entrance in the sunduppled shade of tall cranium trees.Bogor is also known for it’s biological research facilities. The hills beyond Bogor abound with cool mountain resort. One of which has a Safari Garden with the  wild roaming free within a vast fenced in space.

The Epigraph

This is the footprint of King Purnawarman of Taruma Negara Kingdom, the greatest in the world. Such is a sentence written on a stone in Pallawa letter at Ciampea, Bogor Regency. The Pallawa letter itself was originally came from South India, and it’s language was Sanskrit. This inscribed Stone was originally in the times of King Purnawarman who ruled the Taruma Negara Kingdom about the year of 450 AD. A pair of footprint decorated this stone which is said it was the footprint of King himself. For those who interested in history or archaeology it is good for not to miss this inscribed stone.

The Bogor Palace

The Bogor Palace indeed stores much history. The Bogor Palace was residence of the Dutch Governor General during the colonial period. The former building with 19^th century architectural style. It’s wide yard inhabited by deer’s in tens which  are indeed breaded here. At the time of “Cold War” was in it’s peak at the beginning of six ties which can explode land caused World War III, the world war leaders. Who involved in the “War”, they once spend the night in this palace as the state’s guests of the Republic of Indonesia. This thing of can’t be separated from Indonesia’s political attitude at that time who chose “Non Block Policy”, even on the contrary, Indonesia took part actively to calm the critical situation.

Please observed attentively the guests who once spend the night in this palace : President Yoseph Broz Tito from Yugoslavia, Prince Benhard and Queen Juliana from Netherlands, President J.F. Kennedy from USA, Prime Minister Nikita Kruschev from Soviet Union, Prince Akihito from Japan, Ho Chi Minh from Vietnam, Prince Norodon Sihanouk from Cambodia, Mrs. Jeihan Sadat from Egypt and many more.In 1954, this palace was held a conference of fives countries namely : Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka as a preparatory work for Asia Africa Conference in Bandung.

Also The Bogor Palace was used as the venue for the 1995 APEC conference. Took place to commemorating era of Asia Pacific of Free Trade which attended by foremost countries of Asia Pacific such as Japan, China, Korea, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and also other countries by tens : The decision of which have a lot influence in the world especially in economic field. The APEC conference were represented by head of states or head of government, from Indonesia is President Soeharto at present time (Now Former President of Republic of Indonesia).Dating past : Kampung Baru Area, surrounded by greenery’s of tropical trees with a clean stream’s flow of river, 60 kilometers from Batavia (Today Jakarta), General Governor Baron Gustaf Van Inhof agreed with the proposal and ordered to build a rest-house and named it Buitenzorg which means free of care. It is sand that Bogor derived from the word Buitenzorg. Built in Balenheim Palace style residence of Duke of Marlborough in Oxford, England. Even once the building experienced a heavy damage caused by a rebellion headed by Kyai Tapa in 1750 – 1752. The building was just finished in the time of Herman Willem Daendles government in 1808 – 1811. Even in the time of Dutch Indies was ruled by British Kingdom and put Thomas Stamford Raffles as governor general, the building was restored on a large scale. The English ruler restored mid part of the building and made a wide garden in the surrounding palace arranged in such a way initiated English noblemen’s garden.

A heavy earthquake struck the building in 1834 and it was nearly even with land. The Dutch colonialist who had ruled again Dutch Indies decided to rebuilt this palace totally new one. It was Baron Van Der Capellen governor general at the time, who built the palace with 19^th century European style and it was finished in 1850. This building which stand erect strongly up to now.The Bogor Palace that stand erect on a 24 hectares width of land is situated at the mid of Bogor Botanical Garden and full of leaf big trees. Hundred of deer’s which are breaded and roaming here and let them play all around the palace yard, there are 200 qualified paintings as the product of Indonesia’s well known painters.

Beside the palace also full of sculptures and ceramics. Those paintings and sculptures were collected by the late Soekarno, first president of the Republic of Indonesia. Bogor Palace is one of the presidential palaces so that on who intend to enter the palace. One should have gotten permission from the head of presidential household in Bogor or State Secretariat in Jakarta. So, do you want to try to be the best Tour Adventure and research to Bogor ?

Bogor’s  Botanical Gardens

Bogor is Well known Botanical Gardens is a “Museum” of thousand of Flora’s species, lies 60 km south of Jakarta established in 1817, situated just behind the 19^th century presidential palace, with over 20,000 species of  plants. This is the largest collection of tropical plants in the world. And also collecting plants from the whole world. The width of the area is 111 hectares. At the beginning, the Bogor Botanical Garden was the part of the palace’s yards. J.E. Teysmann who headed this botanical garden from 1926 until 1929, he separated the botanical garden from the palace with a divider fence. Then, DR. RHCC Scheffer who replaced Teysmann, expanded this garden and equipped it with cultivation of seedlings.

J.E. Teysmann is not really a scholar. He only  managed the Governor General Van Den Bosch’s garden. He had rendered this botanical garden openly. He served his life to research world of tropical plants. Teysmann with his colleague DR. JH. Haskari, replanted all the plants collection and grouped them as they existed in their natural environment. Teysmann had laid a scientific basic for Bogor Botanical Garden. He also wrote his research’s products and published it in “Natural Tijd Schrift” magazine, in the Netherlands. His writings are very influential in promoting botany and make his name and Bogor Botanical Garden  well known internationally to the botanists before World War II.

The first Indonesian who headed this Bogor Botanical Garden was Prof. Ir. Kusnoto and then was Sujana Kasan. Their names were immortalized in it’s Bogor Botanical Garden : “Gudeg Kusnoto” or Kusnoto House for center for National Institute of Biology and “Taman Sujana” or Sujana Park is name for Garden. Currently, Bogor Botanical Garden is under the management of National Institute of Biology, and is a world famous center for scientific research and frequently visited by internal botanists. It is in this Bogor Botanical Garden found original rubber tree from Brazil namely “Havea Brazilliensis” which has developed in Indonesia’s plantations. This garden houses more than 20.000 species of tropical plants and trees, orchid nurseries and zoological museum. Those plants were not included yet the orchid and cactus which are placed in glass houses. The botanical garden is well arranged and very beautiful. The paths are made in such away that they connected to the whole area of the botanical garden. It makes the visitors and researchers easier to see the plants available in botanical garden. And the ponds which are decorated with lotus blooms beauty the botanical garden.

One of the well known plants in the botanical garden is Amorphophalus Titanum Buccari. The giant flower with 54 centimeters middle line and 2,5 meters of height came from the jungle of Sumatera. Found by an Italian name “Buccari”. It is also called Rafflesia because this English man, Mr. Raffles, who ever be a governor general of Malaya wrote on his journey book.The high altitude branch of the gardens is located in the mountains at Cibodas. Farther up to the south, approximately another 10 km from Bogor, through the Puncak.

The Wild Animals Safari Park

Taman Safari-The Wild Animals  Park located in hills above Cisarua Bogor, view exotic Indonesian and other imported, has an amazing variety of 40 species of wild animals from five continents about 400 animals in all roam in the park free. Driving through zoo where the animals roaming nearby our car is an exciting experiences. Just a few kilometers from Jagorawi (Jakarta-Bogor-Ciawi) tollgate we shall have been in the location of Safari Park, the only zoo in Indonesia whose animals are freely placed in natural habitat.Here we could see a flower garden where we could find bedding plant flowers from Australia, North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The landscaped park also has a children’s petting zoo, regular animal shows, theme rides and swimming pools.

To enjoy Safari Park you have to use a closed window car. Various kinds of animals from Indonesia as well as abroad are found here such as rare Tiger, Crocodile, Lion, Panda, Hippopotamus, etc. When you don’t take your car, you can use the Safari Park’s Bus by paying the ticket. The Safari Park area is wide enough to reflect the tropical jungle atmosphere. As family recreation place it seems you have to visit this Safari Park. As an environmental enthusiast and The Best Tour Adventure in the world, it is sorry to miss it. This is like the real jungle.

The Puncak Tea Plantations

The Puncak Tea Plantations located in Puncak Pass Mountain (Bogor-Cianjur). Puncak is the beautiful highlands area. The tea plantations in the mountain pass area of Puncak populer week-end escape. With fresh air and brisk walks through emerald green fields of tea shrubs. On the way to Bandung from Jakarta you will pass this area. The tortuous road with the interspersed between tea plantations at it’s left and right sides is a most impressive view. This Puncak area belong to two regions, Bogor and Cianjur regions. Puncak is best known as resort and recreation area. Spectacular scenery with views across  the valleys and lush green tea plantations, hiking, horse riding, paragliding and the cool misty weather make this a popular destination for city-dwellers who call it the “Playground of Jakarta”. We could rent sport equipments in this area, like for Hang Glider or “Gantole” sports.