YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY. (Bogor)

Member Name: Aang

Product:	Bogor
Date:	14/08/00 (795 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: World Class friendly people (when not being roused by provocateurs) and walks.

Disadvantages: Supporters of the Old Order (before May '98) are allegedly causing some problems in parts of Indonesia. There is some lack of faith in the forces of law and order. (You'll be safer in Bali).

Bogor, an hour's drive from Jakarta, is second to none.

This moist, hillocky, and handsomely shaped little city lies languorously beneath a steep sided volcano, Mount Salak, and is crossed by rivers and canals on either side of which stretch miles of red tiled residences, and gardens overflowing with bougainvillea, hibiscus and jasmine.

It could be Southern Europe in the nineteenth century; down a half-seen alley a veiled woman is hanging flimsy garments on a washing-line; young ginger on a kaki lima cart is squeezed to extract its fragrant juice; in a half-hidden cul-de-sac goats nuzzle the haunches of slender kids; gorgeous cocks strut and crow in the backyard of an old Dutch house; schoolgirls in white uniforms walk arm in arm past the deer park and Palladian palace; blue and magenta kites soar high above the scarlet flame trees; in a deep gorge naked boys splash and tumble in the river; birds in gilded cages sing their siren song.

And they have Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken and two 4* hotels.(Service is not perfect).

The nicest thing of all is to walk in the countryside and chat to the friendly locals. (Ask the locals which areas to avoid. You do not want to meet drugged youths with machetes).

Once the army has settled down (Maluku and Timor...) this could be the nearest you get to Paradise?

HOW TO GET THERE? - From Jakarta, take a taxi/hired car from a reputable company (buses and trains are not too safe, being frequented by thieves) for the one and a quarter hour drive along the motorway to Bogor. (Take advice on which taxi firm you use. Some taxi drivers rob tourists.)

WHERE TO STAY? -

Hotel Salak is now 4 star and cheap (it was about £20 a night but will have gone up!) and right next the botanic gardens/ presidential palace. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, CNN, etc. The restaurant is NOT great. Guard your valuables carefully at all times! r><b
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Hotel Novotel Coralia is 4 star and not quite so cheap and NOT central. It is at Golf Estate Bogor Raya, near the toll road, in the middle of a golf course. It's fine if you have a car. And you can explore the local kampungs (villages) on foot or by bike.

Service is casual/relaxed/poor in many hotels.

HEALTH? Indonesia is one of the worst countries for typhoid, dysentery, TB and similar diseases. And the Bogor area is remarkably short of good medical facilities.

Don't eat the salad in some of these badly managed fast food American franchise restaurants (the names may be American but the staff are local).

If you get ill, go to the private Pondok Indah hospital in Jakarta or maybe risk the new private hospital in Bogor (Not the filthy Red Cross/ Red Crescent hospital or the Karya Bhakti).

Government hospitals in Indonesia are often regarded as death traps.

Avoid mosquito bites by wearing long trousers/skirts/sleeves.

NIGHT LIFE? It does exist in the form of music and dance and disco in one or two locations. Ask locally about which places are protected by the strongest faction of the army. Fighting among army/police factions is not unknown. Go with an Indonesian if possible. Crime has been rising in Indonesia. But, most of the time you will be safer than in the UK. In most neighbourhoods, the local people keep an eye on each other and stamp hard on troublemakers. Persistent criminals sometimes get beaten up and killed. Most crime is committed by members of the armed forces, the same people that allegedly run the various rackets.

MARKETS? wonderful markets in abundance. Start around the railway station area, but also explore the streets near the entrance to the Botanic Gardens. You can buy clothes, shoes, music cassettes, herbs, spices, handicrafts, and just about anything else you can imagine.

CHILDREN? Bogor has a small park with fun-fair amusements. Wel
l outside Bo
gor there is a Safari park.

SHOPPING? Some good shopping malls. Very cheap 'designer clothes and watches'... Keep an eye on the fire escapes. Shopping malls have a habit of being burnt down, either by accident or by design. Shopping is cheaper than in most of Asia!

EXCURSIONS? Hop on a mini-bus and head up towards the volcano, Mount Salak. OR head off in almost any direction.

You will encounter rivers in steep gorges, butterflies, patches of rainforest, happy children flying kites, unspoilt kampungs with little red roofed houses, views of volcanoes.... Chat to the people.... get invited into their homes.

Imagine you are Lawrence Durrel exploring Corfu.

Don't content yourself with just the Botanic Gardens. YOU COULD SPEND MONTHS AROUND BOGOR AND NOT BE BORED.

ISLAM? Bogor has many churches and many mosques and many temples. You will receive a friendly welcome in all of these. Most Moslems are wonderfully kind, hospitable and tolerant.
Their Islam seems almost to be a mixture of Buddhism, Hinduism, Animism and Islam.

The so called 'militants' are often part of some political game. Corruption among the elite in Jakarta has persuaded some people to turn to Islam as a way of protest.

Bogor has a number of holy sites linked to ley lines and the ancient past.

CHILDREN? The Mental Hospital (RS Jiwa) on Jalan Dr Semeru has a few abandoned children who would love a visit. You could, with permission, take them for a walk in the hospital's beautiful gardens and buy them some biscuits and milk in the hospital shop.

PHOTOGRAPHY? Bogor rivals Bombay in terms of sheer colourfulness.

THE ARMY? The top generals are all trained by the USA. The army makes most of its money from running various businesses. They allegedly control various militias. Certain generals are allegedly the secret controllers of Laskar Jihad. Every village and haml
et will contain a
soldier whose job it is to keep an eye on things. Every branch of government contains military or former military people. Allegedly the top officers are often unable to control their own troops. Avoid contact with the army and police if at all possible. I found that soldiers were often threatening and intent on taking money from me. What stops the army from exercising total control is that they are thoroughly divided into factions.

LANGUAGE? Indonesian is the easiest language in the world.
Hello - Hello
Where - Deemana?
How are you - Apa Kabar?
Fine - Bike
I go to shops - saya pergee kay toekoe toekoe
Bus - biss
Manchester United - Manchester United
9 11 was an inside job - Osama CIA
Sick - sackit
want drink - minta minoom

Very best web site on Bogor-

http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/~wm/wm6.html#bogor