Is Travela an adventurer who loves nature? Explore Indonesia's oldest forest which presents stunning views and is full of mystery.

Indonesia's Oldest Forest – For lovers of natural tourism, Indonesia is a tourist destination country that is famous for its wealth and beauty. You can find anything in Indonesia, including beaches, waters, mountains and of course green tropical forests.

Indonesia is considered one of the "Lungs" of the world because of the vast forests it has. Indonesia has a variety of forest habitats that stretch along the equator and its geography is varied.

The existence of this forest area is very important not only to reduce air pollution but to preserve the biodiversity of the archipelago.

According to estimates by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Kemenlhk), Indonesia's total forest area will reach 125,76 million hectares (ha) in 2022. Forest area covers 62,97% of Indonesia's land area (191,36 million hectares). Amazing, right?

Some Indonesian forest areas are hundreds to millions of years old! This makes it not only the oldest forest in Indonesia, but in the world.

Are you curious about Indonesia's oldest forest destination? Come on, see the complete review below!

Indonesia's Oldest Forest

1. Borneo Rainforest

The first is the Rain Forest in Kalimantan, not only is it the oldest forest in Indonesia and the world, but it is one of the largest forest areas in Indonesia, covering three countries on the island of Kalimantan at once, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.

Borneo's oldest rainforest in Indonesia — Borneo Rainforest (Source: Earth.Org)

So, this rainforest is said to have lived for 140 million years. This makes the Kalimantan Rainforest one of the oldest forests in the world, as well as the oldest in Indonesia.

Together with other oldest forests in the world, such as the Amazon Forest in Latin America, this oldest forest in Indonesia is termed the "Lungs of the World".

This oldest forest area in Indonesia is famous for its biodiversity because it is very old and very dense and dense in size.

According to WWF data, the Kalimantan Rainforest is home to more than 3.000 tree species, 1.700 orchid species, some of which are rare and endangered, and 50 types of carnivorous plants. Isn't biodiversity very rich?

The fauna in Indonesia's oldest forest is as diverse as its flora. This vast forest area supports at least 420 species of birds and 221 species of land animals.

The Kalimantan Rainforest is also one of two areas in the world where tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans live side by side in the same environment.

The Bornean orangutan is a native and endangered primate found only in Indonesia's oldest forests. Unfortunately, as civilization progresses, this oldest forest area in Indonesia continues to experience damage and shrinkage.

Preserving the oldest forests in Indonesia is now the task of the Government and all of us.

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2. Alas Purwo Forest

Turning to the eastern edge of Java Island, you will find Alas Purwo which is the oldest forest on Java Island and one of the oldest in Indonesia.

The Alas Purwo forest area was first designated as a nature reserve in 1920, and then became the Alas Purwo National Park in 1993.

This oldest forest area in Indonesia has an area of 44.037 hectares and is separated into several zones, including core zone, forest zone, rehabilitation zone, customary zone, utilization zone, special zone, religious, cultural and historical zones.

The habitat of Alas Purwo National Park is very diverse, not only including tropical rainforests but coastal areas, bamboo forests, caves, mangrove forests, and savannas or grasslands.

Forests in the Alas Purwo National Park area are classified based on ecosystem type, into bamboo forests, coastal forests, mangrove forests, plantation forests, natural forests and grazing fields.

Alas Purwo National Park is home to at least 700 different species of plants and animals. Indonesia's oldest forest area is home to around 31 types of mammals, including bulls, deer, eagles, wild boars, deer, leopards and gray monkeys, as well as 236 types of birds.

Some of these birds include, Hornbill, Kangkareng, Peacock, and Javanese Kingfisher, as well as 20 different reptiles. Apart from that, there are 13 types of bamboo plants in this oldest forest area in Indonesia, including wulung bamboo, rampal bamboo and petung bamboo which are classified as rare.

Apart from its diversity of flora and fauna, the Alas Purwo Forest area holds many secrets and stories. There are even those who believe that this area is a place to find wangsit and meditation.

On certain days, such as the night of 1 Suro or the night of the full moon, many people visit the Alas Purwo forest area specifically for meditation.

Tourist Attractions in Alas Purwo

Alas Purwo National Park is famous not only for its old and mysterious forest, but also for religious tourism, especially among Hindus, because there is the Pura Luhur Giri Salaka Temple, Indonesia.

Indonesia's oldest forest area is home to an ancient temple that is still used for Hindu worship. These monuments, together with the Kawitan site in the Alas Purwo National Park area, are thought to represent the remains of the ancient Majapahit Kingdom.

Another main tourist destination is the Alas Purwo National Park beach which is widely known as a surfing paradise, one of which is Plengkung Beach which is known as G-Land.

Alas Purwo is a forest area with complete ecology on the island of Java, Indonesia. The Alas Purwo environment includes forests, beaches, mangrove forests, bamboo forests, savannas and caves.

Apart from its natural habitat, Alas Purwo also has cultural, historical and religious sites. This varied ecosystem provides interesting tourist attractions to explore.

Beach: There are several beaches in this area, starting from Plengkung Beach (G-Land), Trianggulasi Beach, Ngagelan Beach, Cungur Beach, Teluk Biru Beach, and Pancur Beach.

Cave: These caves include the Palace, Mayangkoro, Padepokan, Basori, Songgo Langit, and the Japanese Cave. These caves are used for meditation and as a home for bats and snakes.

Savanna: The Sadengan Savana is an artificial grassland or foraging area with an area of around 80 hectares. Visitors can find many large creatures, such as bison, deer and deer in the wild.

Cultural, historical and religious tourism: Kawitan Site, Pura Luhur Giri Salaka, and Tomb of Gandrung.

Mangroves: Mangrove is the largest mangrove forest on the island of Java. Tourists can navigate the Mangrove forest area by renting a fishing boat.

Read other interesting information:

Interested in visiting?

Isn't this the location of Indonesia's oldest forests, both beautiful and full of mystery? Exploration and research into the oldest forests in Indonesia continues to this day, to find out more about its extraordinary ecosystem.

Meanwhile, nature lovers flock to visit the oldest forests in Indonesia to take a closer look at the amazing natural beauty of the archipelago.

Is Travela interested in exploring Indonesia's oldest forest destination? Make sure you are mentally and physically ready, okay?

Indonesia's Oldest Forest | There is Alas Purwo Banyuwangi