TASIKMALAYA

Sixty kilometers from Garut, Tasikmalaya is known for its plaited mats, painted umbrellas and batiks of particular designs and colors. Geographically, Tasikmalaya is situated between 107° 53' to 108° 20' eastern longitudes and between 7° 3' and 7° 49' southern latitude. The population of the entire regency (the city and rural area around it) is about 1.58 million. Like most of West Java, Muslim, ethnically Sundanese people, mostly populates it with a small Indonesian Chinese minority. A quarter of Tasikmalaya Regency, which has an area of about 256,756,692 hectares, is covered by forest. This Regency may be divided into two areas, lowlands and mountainous regions.

Tasikmalaya Regency is rich in places of interests and cultural attractions. First of all, there is an interesting area called Kampung Naga. Thirty km from Tasikmalaya, visitors will find the uniqueness of Kampung Naga. The distance from Bandung to this kampong is about 88 km. The people of this Kampong still adhere to the old traditions. Their house building is unique. The uniqueness lays its uniformity, starting from the building materials, the house designs to the direction their houses are facing. Instead of its proximity to modern society, it has retained its traditional customs over the centuries. It is a small village in the beautiful mountains of the Salawu District. The most important traditional ceremony is called "Upacara Pedaran" which illustrates its age-old history and culture, held only once every year.

Places of interest in Tasikmalaya include the most attractive natural resorts. From a tourism viewpoint at least, the area has benefited from the latest eruption of Galunggung Mountain, which happened on April 5, 1982. The remains of the eruption have now become taking scenery and are worth-visiting. A lot of tourists, both foreign and domestic, have started visiting this resort. Shady trees are growing again and visitors can also enjoy the sight the crater and bathing in the spa.

Transportation is easily available, although the distance from Jakarta to Tasikmalaya is about 380 kilometers, and from Bandung about 120 kilometers. Since the road is good the distance can easily be covered by either public or private transport.

Home industries are prevalent in Tasikmalaya Regency and the tourist can of course buy the product. Home industries mean handicraft, such as pandan hat, samak hat, dudukuy cetok, hand bags, etc in another region of this regency, there is a place which is famous for plaited handicraft, called Rajapolah. Home industries here produce mats, plaited wares made from bamboo, like kitchen utensils, etc.