Madura Tourism Travel Guide and Tourist Attractions
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Madura Tourism Travel Guide and Tourist Attractions in Madura, East Java, Indonesia.
Madura Island is part of East Java regency at northeastern coast of Java. The island comprises an area of approximately 4,250 km² and a population of about four million, most of whom are ethnically Madurese. The main language of Madura is Madurese, which is also spoken in part of eastern Java and on many of the 66 outlying islands. Madura is administered as part of the East Java province.
Madura that consist of four regencies : Bangkalan, Sampang, Pamekasan, and Sumenep has offer excellent quality of agriculture outputs and beautiful tourism objects. Subsistence agriculture is a mainstay of the economy. Maize is a key subsistence crop, on island's many small landholdings. Cattle-raising is also a critical part of the agricultural economy, providing extra income to peasant farmer families, in addition to being the basis for Madura's famous bull-racing competitions. Small-scale fishing is also important to the subsistence economy.
The most famous attraction of this island is the annual Bull Racing (kerapan sapi), which takes place during the dry season in August – September. These exiting and colorful tournaments consist of a race between two pairs of bulls, each team pulling a rider and sled. Then, the finals are held in Madura’s capital, Pamekasan on October.
The interesting part of this attraction is when a rider stands on the ‘Keleles’, yelling and slamming while his hands hold two sticks and slap the bull’s weight and attached to the bulls. A pair of male cow races each other in 200 m length or known with Kerapan Sapi. Madurese always hold this race yearly from sub district level, district, and finally to get a President Cup.
This tradition has done for so long and it is a symbol to thank to God by cow breeders in Madura. Brown cow, a Madurese cow which is always in the race. Tourists are also can notice "Sapi Kereman", to enjoy how Madurese takes care of their cows. It is the interesting part, begins with how the Madurese graze the cows, take care of the cow’s health with traditional herbs and train the cow about running. In the middle of "Kerapan Sapi", there is an additional attraction “Sapi Sono”. It is a female bull contest.
Among export industries, tobacco farming is a major contributor to the island's economy. Madura's soil, while unable to support many food crops, helps make the island an important producer of tobacco and cloves for the domestic kretek (clove cigarette) industry. Since the Dutch era, the island has also been a major producer and exporter of salt.
Madura tourism travel guide and tourist attractions popular destinations can be enumerated as below :
Adipura Park.
Adipura Park is located in the heart of the city of Sumenep, faced to the Great Mosque. Adipura Park is surrounded with various kinds of plantations. It is a place for taking a rest in the evening, suitable for family recreation, and enjoy regional foods like Bakso, Fried Rice, Fried Noddle, Sate and Kaldu. In the morning at about 6.00 am till 8.00 am, it is usually full of young people or youth to take a walk around, especially on holiday and Sunday.
Adipura Park is kind of city tour in Sumenep that is Sumenep gardens directly opposite the great mosque. The visitors can spend their tired day here with enjoy the fresh and the green tree around the park. There many merchants here, such as; merchants of foods, toys, accessories, etc.
Keraton Sumenep.
One hundred meters eastern of Adipura Park is the location of Museum and Palace (Keraton) Sumenep. The old building on the right side of the road is a place for keeping a gold carriage, a gift from Queen of England to Sumenep King. Beside that, it is also used to keep other inheritance, like; old chairs, old table and the other inheritance.
Sumenep Royal Palace (Keraton) is listed in front of Museum. This palace was built in 1762 in the reign of Tumengung Arya Nata Kusumo I. It consists of Gate, Pendopo, Palace itself, old Palace and Sare Park. The Gate is located in the left side of the palace. It is a great gate with Europe style. It is popular called Labang Mesem (Smiling Gate), an entrance way to the palace complex.
Lombang Beach.
Located in about 30 km in northwest side of Sumenep, in Lombang village, Batang – Batang district. There are many spruce fir farmers that sell their spruce fir bonsai trees. Obviously, Lombang beach bordered by thousands of natural spruce fir (casuarinas) that make the beach feels fresh. This Casuarinas Equisetifolia (Cemara Udang) is naturally growth along Lombang beach and it is very famous in the world, because Casuarinas Equisetifolia can live only in Indonesia and China, so that it feels calm and comfortable.
Lombang beach is interesting tourism object to be promoted to all Indonesia area, even to the world. The position of Lombang beach in south sea of Java Island can facilitated the visitors to see the beautiful sunrise. The other facility around Lombang beach is foods and beverage merchants, such as; Rujak and young coconut ice. The beach is very clean and has clear water with interesting small heap of white sand.
Bull Racing (Kerapan Sapi).
Bull racing is a sport unique and it popular since 15th century in Madura. These exciting contests are held between two or three pairs of Madurese bulls, guided by jockey who rides on a sledge pulled by the animals. The tradition is said to have been founded by She Ahmad Baidowi, also known as Prince Ketandur. He had a great fondness for agriculture and was the first of his people to use bull to pull the plow. As other followed him, it was soon discovered that the bulls liked to race while plowing the fields. The sport has since become a tradition among the Madurese, who hold annual races. Before the competition begins the bulls are brought around the arena accompanied with Seronen music and wipe dance. It is held at 09.00 a.m.
The bull owner are challenging with others to build a winner bull racing. They don't mind to spend a lot of money to get the best and win the racing. The Bull Racing competition always held on August to September that begins from sub-district, to district, and finally prefecture. Then the final racing will held in Pamekasan that fighting a president cup.
Kagean Island.
Kangean Island located in the east of Madura Island, East Java. Its the largest island on this region. Kangean Islands are featured with rice fields and plantations of teak plus white sand beaches and beautiful coral reefs. Kagean Island offer nice beautiful beach, the island its self divided into two; West Kangean, which is included in the Arjasa Sub-District, and East Kangean, which is included in the Sapeken Sub-District. Both Sub-districts are part of the Sumenep Regency.
Asta Tinggi Graveyard.
Asta Tinggi is a Royal Cemetery located in Kebunagung village on the northwest side of Sumenep city, about two and half kilometers away. Asta Tinggi has two main buildings. The first is on the west side where one can find an old like a house in Indonesia call it "pendopo" and three grave dooms. It is a simple pendopo used for holding a meeting in the time ago. While the dooms is placed for grave. The first doom located on the west and content of Prince Pulang Jiwo grave. The second doom located on the north, is a grave of Prince Jimat and the last that listed on the east content the grave of Bindoro Saod and the queen Raden Ayu Tirtonegoro. This old building was built in 1750 in the reign of Bindoro Saod whose titled as Raden Tumenggung Tirtonegoro.
The second building placed on the north side is greater. The entrance is a big and beautiful gate. About 2 meters after it, there is an inscription written in Arabic letter. This building has one great and interesting doom content of the grave of Arya Noto Kusumo I and his descendants. It has Islamic, China and Europe style. It was built in the year of 1763 by Aryo Noto Kusumo I.
The Great Mosque.
Great Mosque is listed in the center of the city. It is stayed in front of Adipura Park. It is one of the oldest of the ten mosques in Indonesia. The influence of Islamic, China and Europe style make this building unique and interested, these can be seen on its beautiful and unique gate. The Mosque was built by Tumenggung Arya Noto Kusumo I who known as Panembahan Sumolo in the year of 1763. The society around always take care the Mosque well.
Batik Madura.
Madura is also popular of its Batik. One of Batik home industries in Madura is Batik " Melati " from west Pekandangan - Bluto sub-district Sumenep Regency. Pekandangan Barat is a center of Batik Home Industry located about 10 kilometers north of Sumenep. It is easy to reach for it is sited about 100 meters from the road on the way to Pamekasan regency.
Madura batik has different characteristic to Java's especially its color. Madura Batik has usually a clear and strong color like red, green and yellow with bird, flower and dragon as the motif.
Mungsangkal Dance.
A special dance performed to welcome the guest. Muangsangkal derived from the two words " Muang and Sangkal ". Muang means throw away and Sangkal means unluckiness. This dance depicts the hope of Sumenep people in order they are avoided from disaster. Muangsangkal dance is always played by odd people, it can be five, seven or nine. The traditional costum with strong color like red, yellow and black show its Sumenep characteristics.
Slopeng Beach.
Slopeng Beach is a tourism object located about 21 kilometers to the north from the center of Sumenep town. It is located in Slopeng village, Dasuk district. The beauty of this natural tourism object is seen from the cluster of the mountains. Slopeng beach has clean white sand, the beautiful natural scene, the coconut tree, and siwalan tree on the left and right side.
There are sand hill and fisherman canoes here. There are many foreign tourists and domestic visit here, both in holiday or weekend. You can also learn about the characteristic of society around who have the unique characteristic. This tourism is a big potency of Sumenep and Madura government, because the crowded visitors always fill this tourism object.
Woodcarving Home Industry.
Pragaan district is about 25 kilometers north from Sumenep town. Here one can find the center of wood carving. It is also a home industry that produced by Karduluk villagers. Karduluk wood carving has a unique style and different color if compared to Java's. Its colour is clear and strong like red and green, and it often describes bird, flower and dragon as the motif. Its style and color reflected the influence of Chinese culture.
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