Prambanan

Prambanan, Candi Hindu Tercantik di Dunia

Candi Prambanan adalah bangunan luar biasa cantik yang dibangun di abad ke-10 pada masa pemerintahan dua raja, Rakai Pikatan dan Rakai Balitung. Menjulang setinggi 47 meter (5 meter lebih tinggi dari Candi Borobudur), berdirinya candi ini telah memenuhi keinginan pembuatnya, menunjukkan kejayaan Hindu di tanah Jawa. Candi ini terletak 17 kilometer dari pusat kota Yogyakarta, di tengah area yang kini dibangun taman indah.

Ada sebuah legenda yang selalu diceritakan masyarakat Jawa tentang candi ini. Alkisah, lelaki bernama Bandung Bondowoso mencintai Roro Jonggrang. Karena tak mencintai, Jonggrang meminta Bondowoso membuat candi dengan 1000 arca dalam semalam. Permintaan itu hampir terpenuhi sebelum Jonggrang meminta warga desa menumbuk padi dan membuat api besar agar terbentuk suasana seperti pagi hari. Bondowoso yang baru dapat membuat 999 arca kemudian mengutuk Jonggrang menjadi arca yang ke-1000 karena merasa dicurangi.

Candi Prambanan memiliki 3 candi utama di halaman utama, yaitu Candi Wisnu, Brahma, dan Siwa. Ketiga candi tersebut adalah lambang Trimurti dalam kepercayaan Hindu. Ketiga candi itu menghadap ke timur. Setiap candi utama memiliki satu candi pendamping yang menghadap ke barat, yaitu Nandini untuk Siwa, Angsa untuk Brahma, dan Garuda untuk Wisnu. Selain itu, masih terdapat 2 candi apit, 4 candi kelir, dan 4 candi sudut. Sementara, halaman kedua memiliki 224 candi.

Memasuki candi Siwa yang terletak di tengah dan bangunannya paling tinggi, anda akan menemui 4 buah ruangan. Satu ruangan utama berisi arca Siwa, sementara 3 ruangan yang lain masing-masing berisi arca Durga (istri Siwa), Agastya (guru Siwa), dan Ganesha (putra Siwa). Arca Durga itulah yang disebut-sebut sebagai arca Roro Jonggrang dalam legenda yang diceritakan di atas.

Di Candi Wisnu yang terletak di sebelah utara candi Siwa, anda hanya akan menjumpai satu ruangan yang berisi arca Wisnu. Demikian juga Candi Brahma yang terletak di sebelah selatan Candi Siwa, anda juga hanya akan menemukan satu ruangan berisi arca Brahma.

Candi pendamping yang cukup memikat adalah Candi Garuda yang terletak di dekat Candi Wisnu. Candi ini menyimpan kisah tentang sosok manusia setengah burung yang bernama Garuda. Garuda merupakan burung mistik dalam mitologi Hindu yang bertubuh emas, berwajah putih, bersayap merah, berparuh dan bersayap mirip elang. Diperkirakan, sosok itu adalah adaptasi Hindu atas sosok Bennu (berarti 'terbit' atau 'bersinar', biasa diasosiasikan dengan Dewa Re) dalam mitologi Mesir Kuno atau Phoenix dalam mitologi Yunani Kuno. Garuda bisa menyelamatkan ibunya dari kutukan Aruna (kakak Garuda yang terlahir cacat) dengan mencuri Tirta Amerta (air suci para dewa).

Kemampuan menyelamatkan itu yang dikagumi oleh banyak orang sampai sekarang dan digunakan untuk berbagai kepentingan. Indonesia menggunakannya untuk lambang negara. Konon, pencipta lambang Garuda Pancasila mencari inspirasi di candi ini. Negara lain yang juga menggunakannya untuk lambang negara adalah Thailand, dengan alasan sama tapi adaptasi bentuk dan kenampakan yang berbeda. Di Thailand, Garuda dikenal dengan istilah Krut atau Pha Krut.

Prambanan juga memiliki relief candi yang memuat kisah Ramayana. Menurut para ahli, relief itu mirip dengan cerita Ramayana yang diturunkan lewat tradisi lisan. Relief lain yang menarik adalah pohon Kalpataru yang dalam agama Hindu dianggap sebagai pohon kehidupan, kelestarian dan keserasian lingkungan. Di Prambanan, relief pohon Kalpataru digambarkan tengah mengapit singa. Keberadaan pohon ini membuat para ahli menganggap bahwa masyarakat abad ke-9 memiliki kearifan dalam mengelola lingkungannya.

Sama seperti sosok Garuda, Kalpataru kini juga digunakan untuk berbagai kepentingan. Di Indonesia, Kalpataru menjadi lambang Wahana Lingkungan Hidup (Walhi). Bahkan, beberapa ilmuwan di Bali mengembangkan konsep Tri Hita Karana untuk pelestarian lingkungan dengan melihat relief Kalpataru di candi ini. Pohon kehidupan itu juga dapat ditemukan pada gunungan yang digunakan untuk membuka kesenian wayang. Sebuah bukti bahwa relief yang ada di Prambanan telah mendunia.

Kalau cermat, anda juga bisa melihat berbagai relief burung, kali ini burung yang nyata. Relief-relief burung di Candi Prambanan begitu natural sehingga para biolog bahkan dapat mengidentifikasinya sampai tingkat genus. Salah satunya relief Kakatua Jambul Kuning (Cacatua sulphurea) yang mengundang pertanyaan. Sebabnya, burung itu sebenarnya hanya terdapat di Pulau Masakambing, sebuah pulau di tengah Laut Jawa. Lalu, apakah jenis itu dulu pernah banyak terdapat di Yogyakarta? Jawabannya silakan cari tahu sendiri. Sebab, hingga kini belum ada satu orang pun yang bisa memecahkan misteri itu.

Nah, masih banyak lagi yang bisa digali di Prambanan. Anda tak boleh jemu tentunya. Kalau pun akhirnya lelah, anda bisa beristirahat di taman sekitar candi. Tertarik? Datanglah segera. Sejak tanggal 18 September 2006, anda sudah bisa memasuki zona 1 Candi Prambanan meski belum bisa masuk ke dalam candi. Beberapa kerusakan akibat gempa 27 Mei 2006 lalu kini sedang diperbaiki.

taken from: yogyes.com
raziey

Jogya Hotel

JOGJAKARTA PLAZA HOTEL
Jl. H. Affandi - Gejayan
Complex Colombo
Jogjakarta 55281
Indonesia

Jogjakarta Plaza Hotel is a unique International resort-styled hotel located in the city's university district . You will discover how the harmony between our distinctive low rise Javanese styled architecture combines with our warm hospitality.

Only minutes away you will find the Malioboro shopping arcades and Keraton. Just short distance out of town are Merapi Volcano, the tranquil beaches of the Indian Ocean, and the famous Buddhist and Hindu Temples, Borobudur and Prambanan.

Only 15 minutes from Adisucipto Airport, and Tugu Railway Station, Jogjakarta Plaza Hotel is an ideal new destination for leisure or even business. Whether you visit Jogjakarta for business or pleasure, remember Jogjakarta Plaza Hotel. The Jogjakarta Plaza represents a new breed of four-star hotel. Calm, comfortable surroundings, complemented by unmatched service and facilities.

Operating within a beautifully modern Javanese styled building, the Jogjakarta Plaza Hotel is all about new standards. By combining the best of old traditions and new excellent services, we are committed to the highest level of hospitality. Stay with us and you will experience real Indonesian hospitality.

Yogyakarta The Heart Of Java

Yogyakarta The Heart Of Java, Hotel, Tour

Yogyakarta / Jogyakarta special province (nowdays simply called Jogya) is relatively small narrow area, with its rich of tourist attractions. Visitor can find many kind of art works and cultural peformance, which are interesting and excellent.

According to the history, before 1755 Surakarta was the capital city of Mataram Kingdom.
After the The Treaty Of Gianti in 1755, Mataram was divided into two kingdoms; Surakarta Hadiningrat Sultanate (at Surakarta) and Ngayogyokarto Hadiningrat Sultanate (at Yogyakarta).

Following the treaty, Prince Mangkubumi the brother of Susuhunan Pakubuwono II, was crowned as the King of Ngayogyakarto Hadiningrat. He was then called Sultan Hamengku Buwono I.

As the center of Javanese art and culture, there are various kind of fascinating tourist attractions in Yogyakarta. That is the reason why people refer to Yogyakarta as the cradle of Javanese culture.

And for those who love mountainside, beaches or beautiful scenery, Yogyakarta also provides them with abundant numbers of sight. Related to above mentioned ancient cultural heritage, Yogyakarta is well known also as the center of culture, indicated by a great number of historical building and sites.


Savoring Appetite

Traditional Javanese food can be found in many places around in this city. The famous traditional food called Gudeg which containt boiled vegetables and jackfruit, eggs and chicken that cooked with coconut milk and Jati leaf. You can found Gudeg at many places in Yogyakarta. In the morning local people ussualy eat Pecel for breakfast, a traditional food which contain vegetables with chili nuts sauce. Bakmi Jawa is another traditional food similiar with chinese noodle but cooked with traditional system. The very popular Bakmi Jawa can found at around Alun-Alun (City Square)

Cafe and Restourant can be found at Yogyakarta very easily. In the night you can found many food stall in Malioboro street, they are open at the front of clossing shops. but to dine in this area, the visitors must be carefully ask the prices first for each food and drink.

Accomodation

As a tourist destination, Yogyakarta has a lot of hotels that easily be found in some places. There is many star hotels with various facilities. Visitor can choose the atmosphere, location and accomodation suitable for tourist budget. But for backpackers or visitor with middle budget you can find hotels and guest houses that quite cheap at Prawirotaman and Sosrowijayan Street. If you plan to stay for a long time you can negotiate the room rate. There are shops that provides tourist needs, such as money changer, internet booth, telecomunication booth and European food stall, mini market and so on.

taken from:www.jogyakarta.blogspot.com
raziey

DJOGYA

YOGYAKARTA

Yogyakarta (some people call it Jogja, Jogjakarta, or Yogya) is a city with outstanding historical and cultural heritage. Yogyakarta was the centre of the Mataram Dynasty (1575-1640), and until now the kraton (the sultan's palace) exists in its real functions. Also, Yogyakarta has numerous thousand-year-old temples as inheritances of the great ancient kingdoms, such as Borobudur temple established in the ninth century by the dynasty of Syailendra.

More than the cultural heritages, Yogyakarta has beautiful natural panorama. The green rice fields cover the suburban areas with a background of the Merapi Mountain. The natural beaches can be easily found to the south of Yogyakarta.

Here the society lives in peace and has typical Javanese hospitality. Just try to go around the city by bike, pedicab, or horse cart; and you will find sincere smiles and warm greeting in every corner of the city.

An artistic atmosphere is deeply felt in Yogyakarta. Malioboro, as the center of Yogyakarta, is overwhelmed by handicraft from all around the city. Street musicians always ready entertain the visitors of the lesehan food stalls.

Those who have visited Yogyakarta reveal that this city makes them long for it. Just visit here, then you will understand what this means.

Transportations to Yogyakarta:

* Train
You may reach Yogyakarta by train from Jakarta, Bandung, or Surabaya
* Bus
Yogyakarta is reachable by bus from Sumatra Island, Bali Island, and most cities of Java Island.
* Plane
Recently, international direct flights from Kuala Lumpur are established to Yogyakarta. In addition, domestic flights to Yogyakarta from Jakarta, Denpasar, Balikpapan, and many others, are available now. Please check the Yogyakarta Regular Flight Schedule.

raziey

Trailing the Treasure Island of Lombok

Trailing the Treasure Island of Lombok

Lombok Island is a mere 25-minute flight east from the island of Bali or a 2-hour, direct flight from Singapore. But don’t let the flight time fool you-flying to Lombok is like being transported to a different era.
Like Bali, it has a beautiful surfing beach named Kuta. But unlike Kuta in Bali, which is densely populated with hotels ranging from the local inns to the five-star hotels, the Kuta beach in Lombok is remote and ideal for honeymooners. There is only one five-star hotel there where most up-market tourists stay.
Near the beach are several Sasak villages where the native Sasak people live. Their ancestors migrated to the island from the ancient Hindu Majapahit Kingdom in East Java at the end of the 14th century. Though the majority of the Sasak today are Moslems, anthropologists have noted that their language, songs, and dances show a strong link with the Hindu and Buddhist cultures that once dominated the Indonesian archipelago.
The Sasak people are among one of the many underdeveloped groups in Indonesia. Not many adults can speak the national language, Bahasa Indonesia. The majority of them are wet-rice farmers, though in some villages, many work as pottery makers. I once visited a village near the beach. The village was so picturesque. There were some Sasak women sitting on the veranda of their traditional Sasak huts, preparing food for their family’s lunch. I was trying to speak some Bahasa Indonesia to them, but they did not seem to understand. Finally, my guide translated my questions to them in the Sasak language.

Another time, I was visiting a pottery village in the western part of Lombok. The signs of abject poverty is quite obvious here. The children were running to and fro in torn and dirty clothes. They were following us, the tourists, merrily while we roamed around their village. "There are not many tourists visiting the villages nowadays," our guide told us.
He explained that the 9/11 tragedy in New York also had an impact on this small village of Lombok. There are a fewer number of tourists visiting Indonesia and Lombok since the catastrophe. The situation worsened with the Bali bombing that shocked the world in October 2002 and the SARS issue that hit Asia severely soon afterward.
The guide’s explanation matches the World Bank’s assessment of Indonesia that was issued after the Bali bombing. The assessment, produced before the SARS issue hit Asia, says that though the Bali bombing hit Bali the most, the impact also affects those villages that are also tourism dependant, like those in Lombok. The poverty rate was expected to increase to about 16.7 percent in 2003 from the 16 percent in 2000, rather than declining to the 15 percent that was projected before the bombing.
"The people in this village used to sell many of their terracotas to the retailers in Bali. Presently, only a small number of these terracotas can be sold," my guide told us. He also said that the price of the Sasak’s terracotas sold in Bali can be ten times more than those sold directly in the Lombok’s villages.
I’m not sure whether the guide was exaggerating, but it is easy to believe considering the current difficult situation. In my second visit to Lombok, in 1999, I bought a beautiful terracota candleholder at a cheap price in one of these pottery villages. A few days later, I flew back to Bali and found exactly the same stuff with similar design and colour sold by some art shops in Kuta beach Bali. The art shop’s prices were around three times as much as the one I bought directly in the Lombok pottery village.
I like Lombok pottery because the brownish colour of their terracota is darker and gives the impression of being ancient more so than those usually produced in other parts of Indonesia.
Unlike its lush neighbour of Bali, the majority of the land in Lombok is much drier and rugged like the Australian outback. The 19th century naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, theorized that there lies a border that divides the Asian ecosphere with its flora and fauna, from the Australian zone which has different kinds of species. This imaginary boundary is located between Bali and Lombok and is called the Wallace Line. It probably explains the uniqueness and the high quality of clay materials used for making pottery in Lombok.
Wallace’s theory also explains the fact that though the island is dry, its weather, especially in the Senggigi bay area, is much cooler than Bali. Senggigi is a four-kilometer strip of beach front, restaurants, and luxury resorts. Located about half an hour ride by car from the airport, it was first established and developed as a tourists area in 1986 by the Indonesian government. The majority of the four- and five-star hotels in the island are located here. Its fame comes mostly from the breathtaking view of its bay facing the Lombok strait, which is also paralleled by the lush hills that blow a cool breeze to the whole Senggigi area.
My favourite activity in Senggigi is cycling along its hilly landscape and watching the beautiful sunset gleaming faintly at the Lombok strait from the top of the hills. In the morning, cycling to the eastern part of Senggigi is usually an option that satisfies my hunger for natural beauty. With the azure sky as the backdrop, the misty Mount Agung, the highest and most sacred mountain in Bali, can be clearly seen from the distance.
During my latest trip to Lombok, I noticed a cluster of bamboo structures offshore in the water nearby Senggigi. At first, I first they were the sea-fish hatcheries, but later I learned that they were pearl farms that produce high-quality pearls.
"Lombok is renowned for its pearls. There are about 15 pearl companies here. Most of them are internationally-owned as it requires a lot of capital to build a pearl farm. Many consider the quality of the pearls here as one of the best in the world," explained my guide when I asked him about it. Inilah Lombok, a magazine published by the Lombok promotion body, says that there are two kinds of pearls sold on the island: salt-water pearls and fresh-water ones.
"Salt-water pearls are generally more expensive and of higher quality than freshwater pearls. They have a good luster and the shape is more round. The more perfectly round the pearl, the more expensive it is. Meanwhile, the fresh-water pearls are characterised by their ‘imperfect’ appearance, having a striated surface and asymmetrical natural shapes," according to the magazine.
I never knew about this beforehand. So it was quite a coincidence that some beach-hawkers offered me these pearls the same day I noticed the existence of those pearl farms. The hawkers were selling both the fresh-water and salt-water pearls for quite a fair price. However, since I do not understand much about pearls, I was not sure whether they were real or fake. Later, I learned that there are some pearl shops along the way to the airport. It is indeed a hidden treasure unknown to many people, even to Indonesians.
I believe there are many more ‘hidden treasures’ in Lombok. From a hotelier in Senggigi, I learned about the secluded Moyo island, a short, 20-minute flight east of Lombok. There is a highly up-market resort in the isle where internationally renowned celebrities like to spend time. The late Princess Diana once spent her holiday there for almost two weeks before the paparazzi finally found her.
Besides the internationally famous Moyo isle, there are other small isles near Lombok, such as the Gilis (Gili means ’small isle’ in the Sasak language). The biggest one is Gili Trawangan where the only international-standard hotel resides. The other ones are Gili Air and Gili Meno where various cheap inns provide shelter mostly for the backpackers visiting the isles.
I was surprised to see the internet cafes in Gili Trawangan during my last visit there. The isle is not that secluded from the outer world anymore. The Gilis offshore are the perfect places for snorkeling and diving. Guy Buckles, in his book "The Dive Sites of Indonesia," mentions at least six diving sites around the Gilis, which range from average to first class as well as two snorkeling sites that range from good to highly recommended.
Just like on the mainland, Lombok, the number of tourists visiting these isles is also dropping significantly. To some extent, it gives a nice feeling, like you own the whole isle for yourself with only a few neighbours around, but I also realize that this situation is not advantageous for many of the locals whose livelihood depends on tourism.
I believe, it is a high time to visit and re-visit Lombok and search for its hidden ‘treasures.’ (Bajang Zul)

raziey

Fish & Surf in Kuta Lombok

Fish & Surf in Kuta Lombok

Driving far south on Lombok you will eventually reach the small village of Kuta, about 54 km south of Mataram. This is the only area on the south coast which has some tourism of any significance, but must not be compared to Kuta on Bali. This place is much more quiet with only a fraction of the tourists and facilities, but there are some plans to continue to develop the southern coast with some large luxury hotels. Kuta is great as a base for exploration of the southern parts of Lombok, here you find traditional Sasak villages (like Sade), remote and beautiful beaches, mountains and cliffs. Beaches nearby are Putri Nyale on Kuta, Seger and Tanjung Aan. This place has no nightlife, unless you arrange some yourself. Kuta has a certain reputation among surfers as there are good surfing conditions on the reef and further west of Kuta.

Traditionally this is a fishing village, and the yearly Nyale fishing festival is arranged here in February or March. The festival will draw hundreds of local Sasak people to the beach and starts on the 19th day of the tenth month of the Sasak calendar. The wormlike Nyale fish will then surface and the festivities can start with a lot of singing and fun activities. The first fish will normally be cached during dusk, and eaten raw or grilled it is considered as a good aphrodisiac, a good catch is also a sign of a good rice harvest. The facilities here are largely of simple standard, maybe too simple for some, but two-three hotels are quite acceptable. Not far from Kuta there is a new hotel built by Novotel in traditional Sasak style on the outside, and luxurious inside. The location is beautiful in a remote, peaceful bay. This is the first large, high standard hotel built in south Lombok, and is probably just a start of something which (unfortunately) in some years will become a major tourist spot on Lombok. A new international airport is also planned not far from here, but is on hold due to the financial crisis. The roads here are of low standard, especially in the rainy season. To be flexible it is a good idea to rent a car to get around the area, but most of the larger hotels also offer their own transport to the most popular beaches.

Taken from bjorn

raziey

JAWA TENGAH

Jawa Tengah adalah sebuah provinsi Indonesia yang terletak di bagian tengah Pulau Jawa. Provinsi ini berbatasan dengan Provinsi Jawa Barat di sebelah barat, Samudra Hindia dan Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta di sebelah selatan, Jawa Timur di sebelah timur, dan Laut Jawa di sebelah utara. Luas wilayahnya 32.548 km², atau sekitar 25,04% dari luas pulau Jawa. Provinsi Jawa Tengah juga meliputi Pulau Nusakambangan di sebelah selatan (dekat dengan perbatasan Jawa Barat), serta Kepulauan Karimun Jawa di Laut Jawa.

Pengertian Jawa Tengah secara geografis dan budaya kadang juga mencakup wilayah Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Jawa Tengah dikenal sebagai "jantung" budaya Jawa. Meskipun demikian di provinsi ini ada pula suku bangsa lain yang memiliki budaya yang berbeda dengan suku Jawa seperti suku Sunda di daerah perbatasan dengan Jawa Barat. Selain ada pula warga Tionghoa-Indonesia, Arab-Indonesia dan India-Indonesia yang tersebar di seluruh provinsi ini.

Transportasi

Jawa Tengah dilalui beberapa ruas jalan nasional, yang meliputi jalur pantura (menghubungkan Jakarta-Semarang-Surabaya-Banyuwangi), jalur Tegal-Purwokerto, jalur lintas selatan (menghubungkan Bandung-Yogyakarta-Surakarta-Madiun-Surabaya), serta jalur Semarang-Solo. Losari, pintu gerbang Jawa Tengah sebelah barat dapat ditempuh 3,5 - 4 jam perjalanan dari Jakarta. Saat ini telah dibangun ruas jalan tol yang menghubungkan Semarang dan Solo, sehingga mempersingkat waktu tempuh dan memperlancar kegiatan perekonomian.

Jawa Tengah merupakan provinsi yang pertama kali mengoperasikan jalur kereta api, yakni pada tahun 1862 dengan rute Semarang-Yogyakarta, namun jalur ini sekarang tidak lagi dipakai. Saat ini jalur kereta api yang melintasi Jawa Tengah adalah lintas utara (Jakarta-Semarang-Surabaya), lintas selatan (Bandung-Yogyakarta-Surabaya), jalur Kroya-Cirebon, dan jalur Solo-Gundih-Semarang. Jalur kereta Solo-Wonogiri yang telah lama mati dihidupkan kembali pada tahun 2005.

Untuk transportasi udara, Bandara Ahmad Yani di Semarang dan Bandara Adi Sumarmo di Surakarta merupakan bandara komersial yang paling penting di Jawa Tengah. Selain itu juga terdapat Bandara Tunggulwulung di Cilacap dan Bandara Wirasaba di Purbalingga. Penerbangan Jakarta-Semarang atau Jakarta-Surakarta dapat ditempuh dalam waktu 45-50 menit.

Pariwisata

Jawa Tengah banyak terdapat obyek wisata yang sangat menarik. Kota Semarang memiliki sejumlah bangunan kuno. Obyek wisata lain di kota ini termasuk Puri Maerokoco (Taman Mini Jawa Tengah) dan Museum Rekor Indonesia (MURI).

Salah satu kebanggaan provinsi ini adalah Candi Borobudur, yakni monumen Budha terbesar di dunia yang dibangun pada abad ke-9, terdapat di Kabupaten Magelang. Candi Mendut dan Pawon juga terletak satu kompleks dengan Borobudur.

Candi Prambanan di perbatasan Kabupaten Klaten dan Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta merupakan kompleks candi Hindu terbesar di Indonesia. Di kawasan Dieng terdapat kelompok candi-candi Hindu, yang diduga dibangun sebelum era Mataram Kuno. Kompleks candi Gedong Songo terletak di lereng Gunung Ungaran, Kabupaten Semarang.

Surakarta dipandang sebagai salah satu pusat kebudayaan Jawa, dimana di kota ini terdapat Keraton Kasunanan dan Pura Mangkunegaran. Obyek wisata menarik di luar kota ini adalah Air Terjun Grojogan Sewu dan candi-candi peninggalan Majapahit di Kabupaten Karanganyar; serta Museum Fosil Sangiran yang terletak di jalur Solo-Purwodadi.

Bagian selatan Jawa Tengah juga menyimpan sejumlah obyek wisata alam menarik, diantaranya Goa Jatijajar dan Pantai Karangbolong di Kabupaten Kebumen, serta Baturraden di Kabupaten Banyumas. Di bagian utara terdapat Obyek Wisata Guci di lereng Gunung Slamet, Kabupaten Tegal; serta Kota Pekalongan yang dikenal dengan julukan 'kota batik'.

Kawasan pantura barat banyak menyimpan wisata religius. Masjid Agung Demak yang didirikan pada abad ke-16 merupakan bangunan artistik dengan paduan arsitektur Islam dan Hindu. Demak adalah kerajaan Islam pertama di Pulau Jawa. Kawasan pantura barat terdapat 3 makam wali sanga, yakni Sunan Kalijaga di Demak, Sunan Kudus di kota Kudus, dan Sunan Muria di Kabupaten Kudus. Kudus juga dikenal sebagai 'kota kretek', dan kota ini juga terdapat museum kretek.