For REGENCY PROFILE\/July 23<\/p>\n
Parangtritis Beach remains prime tourist spot<\/p>\n
Bantul regency has quite a number of tourist attractions, with
\nthe most well-know destination being Parangtritis Beach, some 29
\nkilometers to the south of Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Parangtritis is a major contributor to the regency's revenue
\nand also contributes to the income of residents in its vicinity.
\nIn 2001 more than 1.5 million local and foreign tourists visited
\nthe area.<\/p>\n
The attraction of Parangtritis lies in its expansive,
\nbeautiful and mysterious beach. Bordered on the east and north by
\nBukit Seribu (A Thousand Hills), the beach boasts some sand
\ndunes.<\/p>\n
Another unique spot is the Parang Wedang hot water springs,
\nwhich are said to be able to cure certain skin diseases.<\/p>\n
Another tourist attraction is the adjacent Parangkusumo Beach.
\nLocal people believe that the mythical Queen of the South Ocean,
\nRatu Kidul, uses the beach as a meeting place with the founder of
\nthe Javanese kingdom, Panembahan Senopati. On certain Fridays in
\nthe Javanese calendar, devotional services are held, which
\nattract thousands of local and foreign tourists. On the first day
\nof Suro (the first month of the Javanese calendar) hundreds of
\nthousands of people gather at the beach to take part in the
\nritual.<\/p>\n
Various other fascinating rituals connected to Ratu Kidul are
\nperformed at Parangtritis Beach on certain Tuesdays and on the
\nfirst of the Muharam month as per the Javanese calendar.<\/p>\n
Apart from numerous hotels and restaurants found near the
\nbeach, horse and carts for tourists to travel in around the area
\nare also numerous.<\/p>\n
Other interesting tourist attractions are Pandansimo Beach,
\nCerme Cave, Gajah Cave, Selarong Cave, the sacred Imogiri
\ncemetery for Javanese kings and the Wayang Museum (Shadow Puppet
\nMuseum). The Bantul regency is also famous for its handicrafts,
\nwhich are popular among both foreign and domestic tourists.<\/p>\n
Business opportunities, especially in tourism, are in
\nabundance in Bantul regency.<\/p>\n
The area does not have a star-rated hotel in spite of the
\ngreat number of domestic and foreign tourists. Restaurants and
\nother tourism-related businesses should be a sound business
\ninvestment here.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/for-regency-profilejuly-23-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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