Bengkulu

Bengkulu will remind you at Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who was appointed by the United Kingdom to become the Governor of Bengkulu in 1818. He arrived in Bengkulu month of March 1818 was accompanied by his wife, Lady Sophia Raffles and a traditional leader Rana Dipura Raden Java. When Raffles arrived in Bengkulu he found Bengkulu devastated by the earthquake, therefore Bengkulu city is called the Land of the Dead. But after that, Raffles, together with the people of Bengkulu build and revive the city of Bengkulu of debris Land of the Dead. So it is not surprising that the rest of the British influence is still felt to this day.

Bengkulu is located on the west coast of Sumatra Island and dealing directly with the Indonesian Ocean. Bengkulu is located at coordinates 59 LS 45 300 300 and 1 020 14-1020 22 BT with an area of ​​151.7 km. People who inhabit this city are from various ethnic groups, including Malays, Rejang, Serawai, Lembak, Bugis, Minang, Batak and others. Bengkulu has attractions that range from nature tourism, marine tourism, historical tourism, and cultural tourism.

Natural attractions that you can visit are Long Beach, where you will be welcomed shady pine trees that adorn along the coast. There is also the White Sand Beach near Ocean port Baii Island about 19 km from the city of Bengkulu with clean beaches and white sand. Rat Island you can travel with a nautical look small islands that surround the beautiful coral reefs.

Why do not you try to Revenge Tak Sudah Lake surrounded by small hills with Bukit Barisan in the background. Here the water Vanda orchid growing hookeriana along the lake. When the flower season, then you can enjoy how orchids make a beautiful lake into a charming and cool.

Bengkulu has a wealth of unique flora like Raflessia Arnoldy which were first discovered by Sir Thomas Raffles and Dr. Arnoldy in Lubuk But Hamlet in 1818. This interest is the world's largest flower diameter of 100 cm. This flower takes 6 to 8 months to grow and 15 days after flowering. The uniqueness of this flower is they have no roots, leaves and stems. These herbs include parasites because they have chlorophyll and haustoria that emit foul odors menyegat enough to attract insects. This flower is often grown and found in Taba Taba Penanjung I and III Penanjung around Central Bengkulu, Kepahiang area in the district, and the area Rejang Lebong regency.

There is also interest Kibut (Amorphopalus titanuum). These flowers are very attractive and beautiful because it has no trunk but have high interest reaches 3 m and the strong grow on the ground. This flower grows around Rejang Lebong surround Kepahiang, North Bengkulu, Bengkulu and South.

Bengkulu also has a variety of orchids of which the water or Vanda orchid hookeriana. Water orchid found only in Lake Revenge Not It is located about 5 km from the city of Bengkulu. Several kinds of wild orchids and other natural can be found in the province of Bengkulu.

Bengkulu has a wide range of forest goods such as wood medang, meranti, rattan, and resin. While other plants are cultivated by the society is palm oil, latex rubber, coffee, durian, citrus, and vegetables.

In Bengkulu can also find traditional ceremonies Tabot, the traditional ceremony of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein heroes who died in the battle against Yazid. This celebration was first performed by Sheikh Burhanuddin known as Sheikh Imam Senggolo 1685. Burhanuddin Bengkulu married a woman and then children, grandchildren, and his descendants are called as family tabot. The ceremony is held from 1 to 10 Muharram in Islam, therefore you should not miss to adjust the date of AD while visiting Bengkulu. Tabot ceremony is held every year. There are also other ceremonies that accompany such Tabot Land Taking Ceremony, held on 1 to 4 Muharram. Sitting Penjah every 5 Muharram, Menjara every 5-6 Muharram. Kids Radius and Turbans every 7-8 Muharram. Arak Gedang every 9 Muharram and Disposal Tabot every 10 Muharram.

Fauna in Bengkulu diverse as tigers, deer, elephants, monkeys and hornbills. There is also a veterinary practice that elephant in Way Kambas Elephant Training Center (ETC) in Seblat is located next to the river Seblat, Putri Hijau, northern Bengkulu. This training ground is one of the places existing practice in Indonesia (ETC others are in Lhokseumawe, Aceh; Sebangau, Riau; and Sebokor, South Sumatra). To visit it you can use four-wheel vehicles. is located 132 km from Bengkulu or approximately 3 hours drive.

Bengkulu has a marine park around Enggano, Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS), Hunting Park in Mount Nanu'ua, where natural forests are still located on the island Enggano. You can hunt wild bull, Bore (wild pig), deer, monkeys, and several other animal species.

ENTRANCE

Bengkulu Province is easily accessible via land, air and sea. You can take a bus directly from Medan, Padang or Jakarta. Every day there are many airlines fly to Bengkulu. But if you want to use sea transport then there are domestic ocean ships from Jakarta, Padang and Medan were stopped at the Port Baai, Bengkulu.

HISTORY

History Bengkulu less widely known, that duhulunya Bengkulu is a region consisting of small kingdoms based on ethnicity as the Royal River Planer, kingdom-wide, the Kingdom Pat Petulai, Kingdom Hall Buntar, the Royal River Lemau, the Kingdom Sekiris, the Kingdom of the Great House, and the Kingdom of Marau cheerfully. Majapahit had controlled the entire Bengkulu, then off after this great empire collapsed. Some areas of Bengkulu also been under the rule of the Kingdom Indrapura 17th century.

Bengkulu then British-controlled and monopolized the pepper, but the outbreak of malaria which continue to make England think again to master it and do not think of a promising region. Although earlier when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles came to Indonesia in 1818 as a representative of the British monarchy and successfully develop the pepper trade in Bengkulu Bengkulu and ordered people to grow coffee, nutmeg and sugar cane. After the Treaty of London in 1824, Bengkulu submitted to the Netherlands, in return for Malaka well as confirmation of ownership Tumasik or Singapore and Belitung. Since the agreement was Bengkulu become part of the Dutch East Indies.

In the 1930s, had become a dumping ground Bengkulu number of activists of freedom fighters, including Ir. Sukarno exiled here in 1938-1941. At this time acquainted with Fatmawati Sukarno who later became his wife.

CULINARY

As with other provinces in Indonesia, Bengkulu also have a delicious regional cuisine and famous, among which are pendap, goulash tempoyak, and bagar goats. Take your time while visiting Bengkulu to eat some of the culinary delights.

Pendap is delicious cuisines is the main ingredient of processed fresh fish cooked with flavored spices include garlic, kencur, chilli, mixed with grated young coconut. Fish rich in these ingredients and then wrapped in taro leaves, then boiled for not less than 8 hours. Pendap most delicious eaten together a plate of hot rice.

Tempoyak goulash or better known as tempoyak course is a dish made from fermented fresh durian. Durian is then cooked by adding chili and salt. Although tempoyak also known in other parts of Indonesia, Bengkulu, tempoyak mixed with shrimp instead of fish as well as in other provinces. Because of this tempoyak strong aroma and pungent, preferably tempoyak used as an ingredient in other dishes.

Meanwhile, Bagar goat is the goat meat cooked with some spices to flavor include coriander, nutmeg, pepper, tamarind, galangal, garlic, chili paste, and roasted coconut.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Most residents of Bengkulu is a Malay culture and habits are similar to the provinces in Sumatra. Bengkulu communities develop their own writing called ka-ga-nga.

Bengkulu has the traditional craft of batik Besurek, namely batik cloth decorated with Arabic letters bald. The art of music is Geritan, namely the story while melodious; Serambeak, in the form patatah-proverb; andi-andi, namely literary art form of advice. Traditional dance is, among others, Spear Buffalo Dance, Dance Princess Gading Cempaka, Foreword Dance, Dance Pukek, Andung dance, and dance Kejai.

tourist agency

Jl. P. Tendean 17 Bengkulu

Phone. (62-736) 21272

Fax. (62-736) 342200, 342 100

website: www.bengkuluprov.go.id