It was fun listening to Pak Gatot, our tour guide, telling us about the Kota or City of Malang in Indonesia. According to him, Malang is East Java’s second largest city. It has a history dating back to the Singhasari, a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that flourished between 1222 and 1292. I smiled to myself, feeling like a student being lectured by his history professor. Informative and accommodating, Pak Gatot has got to be one of the best guides I’ve ever had in this media trip.
Malang is known for its rather cold climate, hence its nickname “Paris of East Java,”. Thirty minutes from the city lies a small mountainous town called Batu, which has impressive natural green scenery. It is situated 700 - 1100 meters above sea level, which makes it the best place for beautiful orchids, rare flowers, and sweet-tasting organic apples.
“Batu’s government has built a thriving agro-tourism industry over the years,” explained Pak Gatot as we were heading to the Kusuma Agrowisata, a hotel that doubles as a resort, park, and convention center. “In fact, Batu is also home to rare fauna including endemic species of birds, spiders, monkeys, and others.”
We reached Kusumu Agrowisata in no time. I glanced around the luxurious place, feeling awed at the beauty of its exterior and interior. The place has everything you’d want for a relaxing vacation—cottages, restaurants, cafes, tennis court, a picnic area, and etc. All amid lush, green scenery that seems to be the central theme everywhere in Batu.
We were lucky to have been able to spend the night there. I read that Kusumu Agrowisata is one of the pioneers of Indonesia’s Agro Tourism industry, having been established as early as the 1990s.
As I wandered around the hotel, I couldn’t help but marvel at the wonderful design work put into action. A blend of nature and modernity, you’d get the comfort of being in an urban hotel plus the peace and serenity of being in the mountains.
After settling in our rooms, we went around touring the orchard area, picking apples, oranges, guavas, dragon fruits, strawberries and other hydroponic vegetables or vegetables that are organic and free from pesticides.
After seeing the fauna in Agrowisata, we were brought to the Wildlife Museum or Museum Satwa. Standing like the Greek Parthenon in front of the Mount Panderman, the Wildlife Museum is a recreational and educational museum that has now become one of the new icons of tourism in East Java.
Malang is known for its rather cold climate, hence its nickname “Paris of East Java,”. Thirty minutes from the city lies a small mountainous town called Batu, which has impressive natural green scenery. It is situated 700 - 1100 meters above sea level, which makes it the best place for beautiful orchids, rare flowers, and sweet-tasting organic apples.
“Batu’s government has built a thriving agro-tourism industry over the years,” explained Pak Gatot as we were heading to the Kusuma Agrowisata, a hotel that doubles as a resort, park, and convention center. “In fact, Batu is also home to rare fauna including endemic species of birds, spiders, monkeys, and others.”
We reached Kusumu Agrowisata in no time. I glanced around the luxurious place, feeling awed at the beauty of its exterior and interior. The place has everything you’d want for a relaxing vacation—cottages, restaurants, cafes, tennis court, a picnic area, and etc. All amid lush, green scenery that seems to be the central theme everywhere in Batu.
We were lucky to have been able to spend the night there. I read that Kusumu Agrowisata is one of the pioneers of Indonesia’s Agro Tourism industry, having been established as early as the 1990s.
As I wandered around the hotel, I couldn’t help but marvel at the wonderful design work put into action. A blend of nature and modernity, you’d get the comfort of being in an urban hotel plus the peace and serenity of being in the mountains.
After settling in our rooms, we went around touring the orchard area, picking apples, oranges, guavas, dragon fruits, strawberries and other hydroponic vegetables or vegetables that are organic and free from pesticides.
After seeing the fauna in Agrowisata, we were brought to the Wildlife Museum or Museum Satwa. Standing like the Greek Parthenon in front of the Mount Panderman, the Wildlife Museum is a recreational and educational museum that has now become one of the new icons of tourism in East Java.
The Wildlife Museum is part of Jawa Timur Park 2, a large park area that consists of children rides, a zoo, a safari farm, and others. It holds thousands of preserved endangered animals and ancient fossils imported from various countries across the world including the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Arctic and Antarctic.
The museum even displays replicas of ancient animals such as the Apatosaurus, Tyrannosaurus-Rex, Stegosaurus, Mammoth, and others. We were assured that the museum strictly follows the objectives of the Ex-Situ Wildlife Conservation, which is never to acquire dead animals by hunting.
The museum even displays replicas of ancient animals such as the Apatosaurus, Tyrannosaurus-Rex, Stegosaurus, Mammoth, and others. We were assured that the museum strictly follows the objectives of the Ex-Situ Wildlife Conservation, which is never to acquire dead animals by hunting.
Throughout the tour, I was curious about the animals and how they successfully started the museum. How much of an effort it would have taken to gather all the specimens from different locations and bring them to the highlands.
I guess I still have more to explore. I would really love to visit again someday. I really have to, otherwise, I’d miss the opportunity to know more about the animals. The Wildlife Museum was one of the best museums I have visited so far in one the most populated countries, Indonesia.
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