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Why you should visit Ngiringan tourist village in Bantul
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A customer browses pots prior to making a purchase at Agus Imron gallery in Bantul, Yogyakarta. (JP/Stefanus Ajie)
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ocated in Bantul regency, 15 kilometers south of Yogyakarta, Ngiringan tourist village is famously known as home to Bantul Museum.
As one of the village’s main tourist attractions, the museum presents artifacts, photos and documentary films showcasing the Bantul area and its surroundings during the Dutch colonial era from the end of the 1800s to the early 1900s.
Upon entering the museum, visitors can see old photos of the Palpabang train station that used to serve as a meeting point for trains coming from the west, south and north. There are also photos of the opening ceremony of Ganjuran Temple, the 1942 inauguration ceremony of Ganjuran Church, a movie about the famed Gondanglipuro Ganjuran sugar factory and artifacts from the colonial era, such as money, letters and clothes, among others.
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On the other side of the building, visitors can see how madumongso—a sweet delicacy made from fermented black glutinous rice, cooked in coconut milk and sugar and wrapped in corn husk—is made.
In addition, visitors there can marvel at other cooking processes, such as tempe (fermented soybean), emping (melinjo nut crackers), gula batu (rock sugar) and gula jawa (palm sugar).
Ngiringan tourist village itself is famous for its handicrafts, such as wooden statues shaped like a person or animal, and handicrafts made from pelepah kelapa (coconut midrib). Visitors can also try their hand at making handicrafts themselves.
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Another interesting draw of the tourist village are the blacksmiths who specialize in making iron and steel tools, such as sickles, swords and crowbars.
The village also regularly hosts festivals, such as bersih desa (village cleaning), majemukan and nyadran (self-cleaning). The villagers also participate in kethoprak and jathilan art activities.
To reach Ngiringan tourist village, visitors can take the Samas-route inner-city bus from the Giwangan bus station. The ticket costs Rp 5,000 (less than US 50 cents) but since there are a limited number of buses making the trip, there might be a long wait time at the station.
Tourist packages to Ngiringan tourist village range from Rp 85,000 per person to Rp 300,000 per person. For accommodation, there are at least 30 homestays available in the area. (kes)
