20 PLACES TO VISIT IN BLITAR

BLITAR is an acronym for "Bhumi Laya Ika Tantra Adhi Raja", which means "the Land Where Kings Reside". There are five kings buried here: Ken Arok (1^st king of Singhasari), Anusapati (2^nd king of Singhasari), Ranggawuni (4^th king of Singhasari), Raden Wijaya (1^st king of Majapahit), and Sukarno (1^st president of Indonesia).

Not only is Blitar charming because of its historical significance, but also for its culture and its natural exoticism. Visiting Blitar is worth it for your traveling experience. If you want to understand Indonesia, you need to know about Blitar.

Here the best 20 places to visit in Blitar!

 

Addres : Jl. Ir Soekarno, Bendogerit, Sananwetan, Kota Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°05'04.5"S 112°10'34.0"E

It’s unimaginable what Blitar would be without the presence of Sukarno even in eternal sleep. Yes, Blitar is the hometown of Sukarno – the 1^st president of Indonesia, and here the great man rests in peace. Visiting Sukarno’s Tomb & Library is a must when you decided to come. Don’t miss one of the oddities in the painting, “Heartbeating Sukarno”. All you have to do is take a look closely at the chest and see how the heart looks as it’s beating!

Address : Desa Penataran, Kecamatan Nglegok, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°00'59.0"S 112°12'37.9"E

Panataran Temple is the symbol of the greatness of the Majapahit Empire.  It’s written in the Book of Negarakrtagama that this beautiful temple was set as the state temple where the Great King Hayam Wuruk did the visitation several times to pray. The temple was built in the 12^th century by the Kingdom of Kadiri and then continued by the Kingdoms of Singhasari and Majapahit. There are signs of the international influence of Majapahit back then where you can find people of the world depicted on the temple relief, even some Mayan warriors can be clearly seen! And hope that you’re lucky enough to see “the Panataran Full Moon Flute Festival” with the Indonesian and the World Artists collaborating on “the Stage of World’s Fraternity and Peace”.

Address : Jl. Sultan Agung No.69, Sananwetan, Kota Blitar, East Java
Coordinate : 8°05'53.3"S 112°10'34.6"E

Blitar is Sukarno. Get to know more about the history of Sukarno in his childhood home, the Gebang Palace. This mansion originally belonged to Raden Poegoeh Wardojo - husband of Sukarno’s sister, but Sukarno’s parents lived here as well as the young Sukarno. It’s a perfect place to see Sukarno’s family’s belongings and also the family’s portraits. Don’t forget to contemplate in Sukarno’s room and maybe if you’re lucky you will hear the mysterious whisper of the Founding Father of Indonesia.

Address : Karangrejo, Garum, Blitar, East Java
Coordinate : 7°56'06.0"S 112°18'50.0"E

Do you know why so many kings were buried in Blitar? That’s because of the existence of Mt Kelud which is believed to be the place where gods are resting. The reason the Panataran Temple was built was in order to worship the god of Palah who rules Mt Kelud. Not only famous for its beautiful scenery, the mountain is also known as the unpredictable volcano for the most recent eruption which happened in 2014. People believe that the eruption is connected to the legend of the bullheaded god Lembu Sora’s anger whose love was rejected by the Goddess Kilisuci.

Address: Karanganyar, Modangan Village, Nglegok, Blitar, East Java
  Coordinate : 7°59'49.2"S 112°14'25.4"E

Imagine that you’re having a cup of coffee in the middle of a Dutch colonial coffee plantation. You can feel the sensation in the Karanganyar Coffee Plantation which is also known as “the Dutch Village”. The plantation belonged to the Denny Moch Roshadi family – one of the wealthiest families in Blitar. Not only known for coffee education, this place also offers cultural-tourism with its Blitar culture museum. You should not miss one of Sukarno’s painting masterpieces: “the Woman in White”. And don’t forget to taste the original coffee of Blitar at O.G. Café while enjoying the oldies music of the independence era.

Address : Jl. Banteng - Blorok No. 18  Plosorejo Village, Kademangan, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°09'23.8"S 112°10'19.0"E

Do you have Hansel & Gretel in your mind? Now the story doesn’t just belong to Hans Christian Andersen but Mr. Chalid as well. He is a local cacao farmer who created local tale called “Kampung Coklat”. Here you can taste various products of chocolate while enjoying the experience under a cocoa tree. You can also learn how to process cacao seed into chocolate and then the into the packaging process. Don’t forget to buy some chocolate gifts for your family, so they can taste Indonesian chocolate.

Address : Serang, Panggungrejo, Blitar, East Java
 Coordinate : 8°19'48.7"S 112°13'20.1"E

Not just temples and mountains, but you can also find beaches on the southern coast of Blitar. The most exotic one is Serang Beach. It’s a perfect place to see the sunset while enjoying the warm seawater and soft white sands. You can also participate in releasing baby turtles from captivity into the sea. There is an annual festival every 1 Syura (the Javanese Calendar) called “Larung Sesaji” where the locals celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad and give the offering to the sea as gratitude to God.

Address : Desa Tambakrejo, Wonotirto, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°18'56.3"S 112°08'36.8"E

Another beach to experience. Just take a walk on the soft sands and the rolling waves and enjoy the beautiful sunset. After that you can taste delicious seafood in some traditional bamboo huts. There are various seafoods to try: snapper , tuna, shrimp, squid, scallops, all roasted and the most important thing is that they are damn cheap! To complete your pleasure experience, you should try a coconut water drank directly from the coconut fruit. Let’s agree that there is no other way to enjoy the tropical paradise but by eating seafood, drinking coconut water, and seeing the sunset!

Address : Sumberjati, Kademangan, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°09'50.5"S 112°08'46.1"E

Even though it’s only ruins, historically the Simping Temple is one of the most important temples in Indonesia’s ancient time. It’s the temple where the founder of Majapahit Empire – Raden Wijaya was spiritually memorialized. Yes, this is the very same Raden Wijaya who drove the Mongolian Army into the sea. Ever since then he became the first king of Majapahit. It was written in the Book of Negarakrtagama that Raden Wijaya was memorialized as the Harihara Statue which is now being kept in the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta. People consider the Simping Temple is the most sacred temple after the Panataran Temple.

Address : Jl. Soedanco Soepriyadi, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°05'38.6"S 112°10'37.5"E

Six months before the Indonesian Independence a rebellion that the Indonesians would never forget, occurred in Blitar. It was the first rebellion against the Japanese Occupation by the PETA – a local army set by the Japanese itself to face the Pasific War. Led by Supriyadi and his six fellas who were at very young age, they launched a surprise attack to the Japanese Army but they had lost and were executed. To commemorate the sacrifice of those brave young warriors, the Blitar Government built a memorial known as “the PETA Blitar Rebellion Memorial” so that every person of Indonesia can always remember that the national independence cost the blood and tears of those who rebelled on Valentines Day, February 14^th of 1945.

Address : Bendogerit, Sananwetan, Kota Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°05'00.9"S 112°10'37.5"E

If Jakarta has a Welcome Statue, then Blitar has “Sukarno’s Welcoming Statue” which welcomes everyone who come to Blitar. The 12 meter high statue was inaugurated in 2016 and become the pride of Blitarians. Which Indonesian would not be respectful when they first come and are then welcomed by the Founding Father along with his presidential staff? So, don’t miss the chance to take photos, because going to Blitar without having a nice shot before the statue is the same as going to New York City without having a nice shot before the Statue of Liberty!

Address : Bendogerit, Sananwetan, Kota Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°05'00.9"S 112°10'37.5"E

Not so far from Sukarno’s Tomb there is an interesting place to visit called “Omah Djadoel”, which means “the Vintage House”. This mini museum belong to a Chinese lady named Ida Suhardja. Here you can find various relics from the era of Independence, Majapahit Empire, as fas as the Ming Dinasty! If you are a philatelist, you will like this place because it has various collection of rare stamps from all over the world.  It’s a good place also to learn more about Indonesian history, especially Sukarno, from the cassette collection of Sukarno’s speech as well as scrapbook about the Sukarno’s Government from 1945 to 1965.

Address : Ngadirenggo, Wlingi, Blitar, East Java
 Coordinate : 7°58'38.9"S 112°25'47.2"E

The smell of tea will welcome you once you arrived at the area of the Sirah Kencong Tea Plantation. Then comes a green expanse on fine highland with cool breeze, row of pine trees, and the slow moving mist. You will surely have a good time here while tasting the warmth of tea in a traditional hut. You can also learn how to process the tea leaves begin from picking, drying, fermentation, sublimating, and finally packaging. Don’t leave the place without visiting a beautiful waterfall and also the Sirah Kencong Temple – an ancient heritage from the Majapahit Empire.

Address : Candirejo, Ponggok, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 7°59'52.8"S 112°08'25.1"E

As mentioned above, Blitar is the Land Where Kings Reside, so we can find another temple as a memorial to the king. Which one? It’s written in the Book of Negarakrtagama that the first king of Singhasari named Ken Arok was spiritually memorialized in Kagenengan – the other name of Kalicilik. This is also mentioned in Sir Stamford Raffles’s book “the History of Java”.  Ken Arok who had the title “Sri Rajasa” was the founder of the Singhasari Kingdom. He seized power with bloodshed, and then married Ken Dedes from whose womb descended the great kings of Nusantara (ancient Indonesia) for centuries later.

Address : Sawentar, Kanigoro, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°05'55.6"S 112°14'07.3"E 

The Sawentar Temple is the second biggest temple in Blitar after the Panataran Temple. There is a garuda crest on the altar which led to the estimation that this is a place to worship the god of Wisnu. It’s written in the Book of Negarakrtagama that the greatest king of Majapahit Empire – Hayam Wuruk, had several pilgrimages here. Some archeologists think that this temple was built to spiritually memorialize the second king of Singhasari – Anusapati, who was also the step son of Ken Arok. The suspicion came from the look of the temple which is very similar to the Kidal Temple in Malang, which is told in the Book of Negarakrtagama as the spiritual memorial temple for Anusapati.

Address : Tumpakkepuh, Kec. Bakung, Blitar, East Java
Coordinate : 8°18'12.5"S 112°06'45.6"E

Remember one thing: “get ready to get wet!” Yes, the Embultuk Cave has an inner river. This cave extends along 1.5 kilometers and you cannot reach the peak of without swimming. Yes of course it will be totally dark and a lantern is required. Unless your cellular is waterproofed don’t even think to use it for lighting purposes. While walking down the cave you will be fascinated by beautiful rows of stalactites and stalagmites, but don’t be afraid of the bats because they’re harmless. Beside its exoticism, this cave also known as the escapement for the communists after the 1965’s Coup of PKI (the Indonesian Communist Party). Mind you, even though Blitar is well known for Sukarno, Blitar was also the region with the most communists in Indonesia! 

Address : Jl. Merdeka, Blitar, East Java

 Coordinate: 8°05'53.8"S 112°09'55.1"E

Like any other Indonesian city, Blitar has a city square.  “Aloon Aloon Blitar” was designed according to the Javanese philosophy so that it is surrounded by the regency palace to the north, the central mosque to the west, the traditional market to the south, and the city prison to the east. About two centuries ago there was an ancient tradition called “the Rampogan Macan” or “Tiger Battling” where tigers were pitted against bulls or gladiators.  That was the main reason why Javanese tigers are extinct now. Now the Blitar Square is used as a public place and annually used as a venue for salah Ied (Islamic feast prayer) by the Muslim people.

Address : Jl. Sudanco Supriyadi, Bendogerit, Sananwetan, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°05'35.7"S 112°10'37.7"E

Even though the name is “Raden Wijaya”, it doesn’t contain the tomb of the first king of Majapahit Empire – Raden Wijaya. Nevertheless, it contains hundreds of tombs of national heroes who died during the struggle for independence. The iconic giant gate resembling the one in Panataran Temple will welcome you, and of course it’s a good spot to take some photos. Far behind you will find the most interesting site which is known as “Monumen Potlot” means “Pencil Monument”. It was the place where the national flag of Indonesia first fluttered when the PETA Blitar rebellion happened in February 14^th 1945, six months before the Indonesian Independence Day.

Address : Begelenen, Srengat, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 8°03'05.7"S 112°04'48.0"E

Judging by the looks, this temple is not so interesting. Aside from that the area is quite small, the remaining artifacts are not in good shape. At a glance, the Mleri Temple looks like an ordinary ancient cemetery. But who knows if this temple is the place where the third king of Singhasari – Ranggawuni, was spiritually memorialized? It’s written in the Book of Negarakrtagama that Ranggawuni who then given the title “Wisnuwardhana” was memorialized as the statue of Shiva in Waleri (or Mleri). Local people consider this place as sacred and sometimes people come here at night to pray and ask something they need to the unseen.

Address : Krisik, Gandusari, Blitar, East Java

Coordinate : 7°57'42.9"S 112°22'06.3"E

Try to immerse your feet into the tosca colored water surrounded by trees, and feel romantic! The Rambut Monte Pond is the place where you will feel like seeing the pond of gods. Talk about gods, there are hundreds of fish inside the pond called “sengakring fish” which means “the god fish”. Reputedly the fishes are already a hundred years old and a reincarnation from the cursed Majapahit soldiers. However, nobody dares disturb the fishes and of course fishing, because of they are afraid of the curse. Near the pond, there is also an ancient site where the local people annually hold the traditional festival called “Sasaji Rambut Monte” which means “Rambut Monte Offerings”.