What to see in Bandar Lampung
When you have the chance to visit Lampung province’s capital city of Bandar Lampung, do make time to check out these interesting tourism spots.
Monkey Forest Tourism Park
Famous for its elephants, not many visitors are aware that Lampung also has a city forest located just behind the Hartono Hotel on Jl. Kesehatan.
According to the locals, a long time ago a resident released his pet monkeys to the forest near Sumur Batu village. They have grown in numbers and today the forest, also known as the Monkey Forest Tourism Park, is home to a habitat of long-tailed monkeys or macacca.
These monkeys usually show up in the morning or afternoon, waiting for visitors to give them food. Do not worry as they are not aggresive creatures so your eyeglasses or other belongings should be safe.
The complex also has a cave built during the Japanese occupation era. Unfortunately it is not well preserved thus no one is allowed to explore it.
Dipangga Park
At first glance, there's nothing unusual about this 800-square-meter park at Teluk Betung Bay. Visitors can see lush green trees adorned with elephant statues identical to the city's tourism mascot.
But the park's history and features actually offer much more than meets the eye. It is home to a 2-meter tall and 1.5-meter diameter monument constructed from an iron sea buoy with a red light attached to its top. This buoy is believed to have been swept inland by the tsunami in the Sunda Strait following the great eruption of Krakatau in the nineteenth century, and ended up stranded in Teluk Betung.
Built using river stones and marble, the Dipangga Park monument, which is locally known as the Krakatau Monument, is inscribed with a simple graphic of the moment when the volcano erupted. Other illustrations on the sides of the monument depict the struggle of coastal people, with their belongings in hand, trying to escape the eruption, which rocked the island of Sumatra.
Lampung Museum
Conveniently located on the main road near Lampung University, this place is a must-visit for those curious about the city's history. From the geographical and cultural stand points, the museum displays it all.
Lampung Museum is divided into several sections. On the first floor, it displays a history of Krakatau’s eruptions and the latest update on Mount Anak Krakatau, and relics from Lampung's prehistory as well as relics and artifacts from the Hindu-Buddhist eras until the colonial era.
The museum's second floor is where visitors can study the city's culture of Pepadun and Saibatin -- items from both of its indigenous ethnic groups' cultures can be found there, from traditional fabrics of “kain tapis”, “siger” (crowns) and traditional musical instruments such as the “kulintang” to a replica of bride and groom's costumes called “puade”.
Gita Persada Butterfly Park
It will only take around a 30-minute drive from the city center to reach the butterfly conservatory park on Jl. Sejahtera in Sumberrejo, Kemiling Panjang district.
Founded in 1998 by Anshori Djausal and his entomologist wife Dr. Herawati, the park nestles on 175 hectares and is now home to more than 150 species of plants and flowers as well as 180 species of butterfly originating in Indonesia; making it the biggest butterfly conservatory in the country.
With an admission fee of only Rp 10,000 (less than US$1), visitors can cherish the beauty of colorful butterflies flying in the park, learn and see first-hand their metamorphosis phases. The park also has a dedicated space to observe the caterpillars, cocoons and young butterflies as well as informative explanations directly from the experts.
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