T

housands of vacationers have been flocking to tourist resorts in Kuningan and Cirebon regencies, Java, most of them Idul Fitri homebound travelers from Jakarta.

The tourist sites people are visiting in Cirebon include the Kasepuhan and Kanoman palaces and Sunyaragi cultural park, while the tourist sites in Kuningan include the Linggarjati mountain resort, Sangkanhurip hot spring and Sidomba waterfall.

Meanwhile, those returning experienced congested traffic on the north coast Java highway (Pantura) in Cirebon, West Java, on the second day of Idul Fitri. Hundreds of cars from Central Java heading to Jakarta have begun queuing along Pantura, one of the busiest highways in West Java.

Cirebon Traffic Police Unit chief Adj. Comr. Edwin Afandi said police patrol had been deployed, although the peak of return traffic had not hit yet. “We are trying to minimize accidents and crime rates of homebound and returning traffic,” said Edwin.

Edwin estimated that the return traffic would peak on Sept. 3. “We estimate that on that day, returnees from Central Java to Jakarta would congest Pantura in Cirebon,” he said.

Thursday’s congestion at tourist sites caused a severe traffic jam on the Cirebon-Kuningan route with a traffic jam 15-kilometers long.

In Cianjur, West Java, Antara news agency reported that a bottleneck occurred on the Cianjur-Bandung highway. Traffic backed up dozens of kilometers from Karangtengah district, Cianjur, until Padalarang, West Ban-dung regency, on Thursday.

Traffic along the major highway connecting Cianjur and West Ban-dung regency is usually smooth on normal days. The congestion worsened due to the presence of unruly drivers and traditional markets with activity overflowing on to the street.

According to the tribunnews.com news portal, more than 15,000 people swarmed Surabaya Zoo in Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday. Zoo spokesman Anthan Warsito said the number of visitors surged over the past three days. The zoo recorded 4,000 visitors on Aug. 30, 7,000 on Aug. 31 and 15,000 on Sept. 1.

“We are optimistic that more than 25,000 people will visit the zoo
today,” Anthan said on Thursday.

In Medan, North Sumatra, Polonia Airport Idul Fitri command post head Ali Sofyan said the number of passengers embarking and disembarking at the domestic and international terminals reached 31,908. “The number of domestic passengers is higher, amounting to 13,303 passengers this year,” Sofyan told tribunnews.com in Medan on Thursday.

In Samarinda, East Kalimantan, activity at the Pasar Pagi River crossing pier rose.

An increased number of people boarded and alighted boats at the pier from morning until noon on Thursday. “People wishing to visit shopping centers and entertainment places in Samarinda city accounted for the increase,” Sura, a boat operator told tribunnews.com on Thursday.

Those who use the Pasar Pagi pier usually visit Samarinda Seberang, Jembatan Pasar, Aji Muksin and
Samarinda Seberang Terminal.