Lampung to host Krakatau Festival 2016

 Photo source:
Photo document of Anak Krakatau Mount. (ANTARA/Muhammad Iqbal)

The Lampung provincial government, along with representatives from 15 districts and cities in the province, will host the 26th Krakatau Festival 2016.

"A series of activities have been prepared to enliven the Krakatau Festival," Head of Public Relations and Protocol of Lampung Province Bayana stated in Bandarlampung on Thursday.

Bayana noted that the Krakatau Festival will kick off with an art exhibition showcasing photographs of underwater and tourist attractions in Lampung, a fashion show, acoustic music performance, and talk show.

Creative seminars will be held in Mal Boemi Kedaton Bandarlampung on August 24-28, 2016. Furthermore, on August 25-26, 2016, the festival will feature kite competitions and an amateur photo contest, in which participants from Bali, Yogyakarta, and West Nusa Tenggara as well as from foreign countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and France will take part. A workshop is also planned that will be attended by 200 children.

According to Bayana, a food festival featuring a culinary bazaar and a variety of games for children will be held on August 26-28.

"As is the tradition followed in the previous years, a Krakatau cruising tour will be organized on August 27, 2016, to explore the Anak Krakatau Mount by boat. The event will be preceded by the ngumbai lawok featuring dozens of decorative boats," he revealed.

The event will conclude with the Lampung Culture and Tapis Carnival. The participants at the event will be the delegates from districts and cities who will showcase the rich culture of Lampung and the archipelago.

The event is themed "Topeng Lampung." A gala event titled "Summit Investor" will be held later in the evening. The dinner, featuring music and fashion creations of Lampung, will be attended by investors.(Antara)

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Indonesia to develop new tourist destinations around Borobudur

The government has revealed plans to develop surrounding areas of Borobudur temple in Magelang regency, Central Java as new tourist destinations, including Bener district, Salaman and Tritis. 

"Among the new destinations in the development concept are Bener district in Purworejo regency, Salaman in Magelang regency and Tritis in Kulonprogo regency," said Central Java Tourism Agency head Prasetyo Aribowo last week as quoted by Antara news agency. 

 The concept aims to lure tourists arriving at Yogyakarta’s new airport in Kulonprogo to visit the aforementioned destinations prior to visiting Borobudur temple, which attracts around 3.5 million tourists every year. 

"Therefore, people will not just come to Borobudur, but they will also enjoy other destinations," he said, adding that a new road would be built from Kulonprogo airport to the temple to support the plan.(Jakarta Post)

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CHENG HO CULTURAL FESTIVAL 2016 IN SEMARANG

Reviving the memory of the historic voyages of Admiral Cheng Ho from China into Indonesian waters, the provincial government of Central Java in collaboration with the leaders of the Tay Kak Sie Temple, Sam Poo Kong Temple, and the Chinese Community of Semarang will stage the Cheng Ho Cultural Festival on 30th to 31st July 2016 in Semarang, capital city of Central Java Province.

The festival will start with prayers and rituals, and highlight art performances, seminar and business meetings, with as pinnacle a cultural parade starting from the Tay Kak Sie Temple moving to the Sam Poo Kong Temple. Thousands of people will join the 6Km cultural parade carrying a statue of Admiral Cheng Ho - elsewhere better known as Zheng He.

The cultural parade follows the voyages made by the great admiral and his fleet as they made their way to reach Semarang. Since he commenced the expeditions in 1405 until he passed away in 1433, Admiral Cheng Ho conducted 7 (seven) consecutive international expeditions, visiting 37 countries in the course of 28 years. In these expeditions, the admiral called on countries from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In his 5 expeditions to the Indonesian Archipelago, Cheng Ho successfully introduced Chinese technology and lifestyle to the population.

At each place he visited, the admiral also planted a strong feeling of brotherhood with the inhabitants by building mosques and houses of prayer that show acculturation, fusing the culture of Islam with Chinese traditions and local beliefs and ways of life.

During one of his voyages in the 15th century, the admiral set foot on the northern coast of Java at the Simongan Beach in Semarang. Finding a small cave in a rocky hillside, Cheng Ho chose the site to pray and later built a small temple on the location.

After a short sojourn Cheng Ho left Java, however, many of his officers and crew decided to remain and settle in the area. They inter-married with local women evident from the many Simongan residents today who are from Chinese descent. In later years the Sam Poo Kong (also known as Gedung Batu/the Stone Building) Temple was constructed on the site where Cheng Ho prayed and meditated. The temple still stands today and is the oldest Chinese temple in Semarang. (Indonesia.travel)

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