West Java

The enchanting and beautiful land of Parahiyangan or Sunda stretches from the Sunda Strait in the west to the borders of Central Java in the east. The region is primarily mountainous, with rich green valleys hugging lofty volcanic peaks, many of which surround the capital of the province, Bandung. The Sundanese people of this region, the Sundanese are soft-spoken and colorful, with a rich and fascinating history.

The powerful and ancient kingdoms of Tarumanegara, Pajajaran, Banten and Cirebon have all risen, ruled and fallen in this province and provide fascinating studies for students of archaeology and history. West Java was one of the first contact points in Indonesia for Indian traders and their cultural influences, and it was here that the Dutch and British first set foot in Indonesia at Banten. The Dutch moved their center of operations to Sunda Kelapa (Jakarta) after fierce competition and rivalry with the British, only to return at a later date. West Java effectively surrounds the nation's capital of Jakarta on three sides and enjoyable roads provide good links to most of the province passing through spectacular panoramas of rugged mountains, sparkling paddy fields and intimate holiday resorts. There are a number of resorts on the western and southern coasts which have modern hotels and are popular during the week-ends, especially for people living in Jakarta.West Java provides visitors with a great number of fascinating and wonderful things to see and do; venture to the reminders of the explosive and awesome power of Krakatau; explore the undisturbed wildlife reserve of Ujung Kulon on the south-western tip of Java; admire the Pulau Dua Bird Sanctuary off the coast of Banten and visit the isolated communities of the mysterious Baduy in the remote Halimun Mountain Reserve; discover unspoiled beaches at Pangandaran; treasure the royal palaces of Cirebon and the world renowned botanical gardens of Bogor.

Bandung, the capital of the province is about 180 kms southeast of Jakarta and was once known as "The Parijs Van Java" because of its tree lined boulevards and artistic. The city gained international fame in 1955 as the venue for the first Afro-Asian Conference which brought together the leaders of 29 Asian and African Nations with the aim of promoting economic and cultural relations and taking a common stand against colonialism.

Garut
Garut Look Like Swiss! Garut is an Old Dutch hill station and a characteristic Sundanese town in the highlands, surrounded by mountains, volcanoes, and crystal clear lakes. Garut's Hindu temples and hot springs are often the destination for hikers attracted by spectacular views from the mountaintops. The choices of where to plan the next trek in the area are as varied as the sights along the way. Some like to hike across to Mount Telaga Bodas with its pale-green Crater Lake bubbling with pure sulfur. This cool place can be reached from Bandung in approximately one hour. Due to the scenic beauty of this there are many places of interest for nature lovers. The northern part of the region is reserved for the development of the city of Garut while the southern region is rich with a beautiful coastline, nature preserves and beautiful scenery. Since the time of the Dutch occupation, this region has been developed as a resting place.

The inhabitants of Garut are mostly Moslems and more than half of the people live on farming. The specific food from this place, which is very famous, is "dodol Garut", a sweet food made from sticky rice flour and sugar with various flavorings. This food is offered in different wrappings and can be store for a long time. In the past, Garut was also famous for its high quality oranges.

The hot springs resort at Cipanas has comfortable accommodations. Many people visit these laden springs, which have medicating effects to purify their skin. Mount Papandayan's crater is probably one of the most spectacular mountain scenes on Java Island. There is the Cangkuang temple situated by Cangkuang Lake, which was a major discovery of archaeological value as it was the first of its kind found in West Java, dating back to the 8th century. The site is located 17 km from Garut and 50 km from Bandung.

Garut has a specific cultural attraction, the "Ram Fight". Two strong male Ram, with big, long and strong horns are made to fight against each other in the center of a arena, usually in a field, accompanied by "Kendang Pencak" music. There are three centers for ram high performances: in the districts of Bayongbong, leles and Samarang. The participants mostly come from the surrounding place. In Garut there are a lot of interesting places to visit, some have been developed, some others are being developed and there are places, which are still left natural.