Special Interest Tourism Objects

Wonosadi Forest and Gunung Gambar
Wonosadi Forest and Gunung Gambar are natural tourism objects, which are located closely to each other and in particular times, together inboth areas, the local society organize Sadranan Traditional Ceremony.
Wonosadi Forest is located on the mountain side between two areas, which are Duren and Sidorejo, Beji Village, Ngawen Sub-district, about 18 km from Wonosari. This forest is very rich with rare trees, and well taken of. While Gambar Mountain is a spiritual tourism object located in Jurangjero Village, Ngawen Sub-district. It lies about 200 m above sea level, so from its peak we can enjoy the beauty of Jombor Swamp in Klaten Regency and Gajah Mungkur Paunch in Wonogiri Regency.
Gambar Mountains is a hermitage place of Raden Mas Said or Samber Nyawa Prince during the war against Dutch. In this place sat on a stone (Watu Kong) which still exists in Gunung Gambar until now, to plan strategies to fight Dutch and then became the king of Surakarta Royal Palace (Mangkunegara) and was surnamed as KGPAA Mangkunegara the first.
There is a very interesting art performance in this area, the so called ”RINDING GUMBENG”. It is a traditional music instrument made of simple small bamboo, but when it is played, a beautiful unique soft sound will be produced. So many tourists are interested in this Rinding Gumbeng Music.



Pegunungan Sewu Karst Area
Gunungkidul Regency has topography, which are mountains and karst landscape formed by limestone dissolubility process. It is known as Pegunungan Sewu Karst Area extends from Gunungkidul, Wonogiri to Pacitan Regency.
Gunungkidul Regency has Karst Area of 13.000 km2. The landscape of Gunungkidul Karst Area is unique and characterized by phenomena on the surface (eksokarst) and under the surface (endokarst).
On the surface phenomena shows positive shapes, lika : Karst limestone about 40.000 conical limestones. The negative shapes are like Karst valleys and Karst ponds.
Under the surface phenomena includes Karst caves with their stalactities and stalagmites, and all underground rivers. In the year of 1993, The International Union of Speleology proposed Pegunungan Sewu Karst Area as one of the world natural heritages, because of its ecosystem uniqueness.
This becomes Gunungkidul Regency’s advantege to develop tourism through the management of its potentials with the principal of sustainable tourism development. On December 6th, 2004 Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (the president of Indonesia) announced Gunung Sewu and Gombang Selatan as Eco Karst Area.
Karst Tourism Resource in Gunungkidul Regency has many varieties and has its own uniqueness and also high scientific values including its white sand beaches developed as mass tourisms, adventure tourism (Siung Beach, Seropan, and Watu Gupit), cave tracking (Cerme, Seropan, Bribin, Grubug, Jomblang, and Kalisuci), historical and religious tourism (Rancang Kencono Cave, Braholo Cave and Maria Tritis Cave).



Bunder Rest Area
Bunder Rest Area is an area with a meeting hall building, which is facilitated by 300 watts electricity power, a small mosque, fresh water, lavatories, a wide parking area, and a children play yard. Located in Playen Sub-district, on Yogyakarta Wonosari street side or 30 km from Yogyakarta, Bunder Rest Area is a strategic place to come by and stop over for the tourists who want to make a visit to Gunungkidul Regency. This place is a part of Bunder Forest and Wanagama Forest area. In Bunder Forest area, beside a rest area, we can also find other interesting objects such as a plantation and distillation of cajuput oil, natural silkworm breeding, deer breeding, Sendang Mole, and also a comfortable camping ground suitable for outbound activities. While Wanagama Forest, often called Education Forest, is officially managed by Forestry Faculty of Gadjah Mada University of Yogyakarta. This 600 Ha forest is an artificial forest and is established as a model pattern to develop a multifunction forest expecially to overcome unfertile soil and reforestation. There is also a unique and interesting wood museum in Wanagama Forest area, which collect various kinds of antique rare wood instruments in various kinds and size. There is Oya River on the west side, which increases the coolness of Bunder Rest Area.


Beton and Simo Dams
Beton and Simo Dame are interesting water tourism objects. Beton Dam is located in Umbulrejo Village, Ponjong Sub-district, while Simo Dams is located in Genjahan Village, Ponjong Sub-district. The facilities can be found in this location is fishing area and restaurants serving various kinds of delicious fresh water fish cooking.

Cultural and Historical Tourism

Kembang Lampir Pilgrimage
Among the historical heritage in Gunungkidul regency, among others : fossils, statues, lapak stones, temples, caves, pilgrimage, ancient house etc. Kembang lampir is one of them. It is a pilgrimage tourism located at Girisekar village, Panggang sub-district, Gunungkidul regency and until now it is well taken care of condition.

Gumbirowati Site
This rest house is located in Watugajah Cluster of Village, Girijati Village, Purwosari sub-district. According to FDK BOSCH, this building was built in 16th century. Based on its environment in form of sea and hills, this rest house is estimated to have the function not only as a resting place, but also have the philosophical and spiritual function.

Sokoliman Megalitic Site
It is located in Karangmojo sub-district, about 9 km from Wonosari exactly in Sokoliman II, Bejiharjo Village. In this site were found some prehistoric inheritances from Megalithic era, which are Menhir, burial stone coffins, iron tools, beads, etc.

Tourism Atraction

Puppets
Based on how to play and the story, in Gunungkidul Regency there are three kinds of puppet show, which are ‘leather puppets’ (wayang kulit), Wayang Orang, and Wayang Beber. The only wayang beber in Gunungkidul exists in Gelaran Cluster of Village Bejiharjo Village Karangmojo Sub-district.

Reog
One of the traditional art performances in Gunungkidul Regency is reog, which is a kind of folk art based on panji story and is usually played by more than 10 people, consisting of Bancak and Doyok (in Gunungkidul is well know as Penthul and Tembem), Udeng Gilik soldiers, Kepang Horse soldiers, Penongsong and the soldiers, with the accompany of kendang/dhodok, kecrek and angklung music.

Campursari
Campursari is a kind of music originated from Gunungkidul Regency. This music is popularized by manthous (a campursari song writer and a singer from Playen Sub-district). This music is a mix between traditional and modern music with different tones, which are pentatonic (karawitan) and diatonic.

Tayub
One of the traditional art performances, which become the thypical characteristic of Gunungkidul Regency, is tayub. It performs female dancer (called ledhek) with gamelan music accompanying their dancing to entertain the audience with the dancing and invite the to dance. Tayup is presented in custom ceremonies as a media to pray to God for safety, soil fertility, the coming of rain, and to express our gratitude to God the Almighty.

Kethek Ogleng
Kethek Ogleng is a folk dance to entertain the society, performed after the harvest time. This story is based on panji story with the theme of a love story between Kethek Ogleng and Endang Loro Tompe.