Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

This is one of the wonderful things about living in Jakarta: within just 40km, we can enjoy the great outdoors.

Lots of green.

Yesterday, we drove towards Sentul City and we checked out this pine forest at Mount Panjar (Hutan Pinus at Gunung Panjar)

Entrance fee to the forest cost Rp7,500 per adult and Rp15,000 per car.

(We only paid for adults in the car)
 

We went with a group of friends and their kids, so we borrowed two rattan mats (upon arriving in the area, small boys would immediately approach and ask if you’d like to borrow their mats)

The crowd wasn’t too big, to my surprise (because it’s still within the ‘Hari Raya’ weekend holiday)

It was breezy. The kids played with bubbles and climbed on rocks. It was good.
 

Tips and Info:
 
– Coconut is sold @ Rp15,000

– A bowl of instant noodle with poached egg is Rp10,000

– If you’re there at around 3pm, I’d suggest that you go for a walk in the pine forest first and explore the greenery BEFORE borrowing the mats and relaxing around (This way, you could still explore the area before it gets dark)

I don’t know about you, but I love the tall pine trees. Such a nice background for photo-taking! =)

(Btw, don’t forget to squat and take photos from a lower angle, to capture the tall trees in the background =)

Now. To end the post, I feel I need to air my concern about the place:

I strongly feel, the locals (especially the sellers of food and drinks) MUST be taught about the importance of looking after nature and throwing their rubbish properly.

The area is beautiful and so is the view.

BUT.

When we’re there, I watched in disbelief as the coconut seller casually threw our coconutsWhen we’re there, I watched in disbelief as the coconut seller casually threw our coconuts (and the rubbish we neatly placed inside the coconuts) down the hill nearby.

I looked around and spotted some ‘medium-sized’ rubbish bins around. BUT, they’re all full already!
 

 
I really hope the local government and officers will do something to make things better.

Here are some ideas I’d like to suggest:
 
– Provide bigger and MORE rubbish bins around the area

– Enforce stricter rules and punishments to sellers and visitors who litter and purposely damage the environment. Brief the sellers on the rules and the consequences for ignoring the rules.

– Engage ‘park officers’ to roam around on busier days and help monitor the area

…

After all, it IS a ‘local attraction’ and a ‘protected area’, yes?

I hope the local authorities get to read this and improve their work.

For the sake of our environment and beautiful nature.

…

How to get there:
 
– Drive as if you’re going to ‘Jungleland’, Sentul.

– When you’ve come to a T-Junction, turn right (and you’ll most like see huge writings, orange coloured, on the right wall of the street which say ‘KARANG TENGAH’). You’re on the right track.

– Go straight ahead, and you’re there! =)