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Fun Leisure Activities in and around Bogor

 

Just a short 1.5-hour drive away from Jakarta, Bogor has always been an attractive destination for those who are looking for a short weekend getaway out of town with friends and family. As a region blessed with plenty of natural beauty, it offers magnificent scenery of mountains, lush green hills, breathtaking waterfalls, fresh air, and beautiful parks and gardens. Here are some leisure activities to do in Bogor for your upcoming short trip that will be worth doing!

1 | Get close to nature at Curug Leuwi Hejo and Taman Safari

A weekend getaway to Bogor won’t be complete without paying a visit to the iconic Curug Leuwi Hejo. Located in the Sentul Area, Leuwi Hejo is one of the major draws that will make your trip exciting. The name “Leuwi Hejo” is taken from the Sundanese language, “Leuwi” which means “Pool” and “Hejo” which means “Green”, since the waterfall has a charming bluish green pool under the falls.

The waterfall is not as big as other grander waterfalls in Indonesia, but what makes it special is a pool with gorgeous, pristine water at its base - perfect for a refreshing splash in the afternoon! This is a great place to get your body wet while doubling as a photo spot for your social media feed. The presence of shady and tall trees also make the place so soothing and refreshing. Imagine staying in a luxurious camp in the middle of the desert on a tropical island. Sounds very surreal and exciting right? Well, you can experience it in Anmon Resort in Bintan. Located only 5-minute from the Bintan-Singapore ferry pier in the Treasure Bay waterfront resort, Anmon Resort presents 100 deluxe teepee-style glamping tents with sophisticated Mediterranean-style interior design, private bathrooms, and enclosed patios.

pristine waterfall of Curug Leuwi Hejo Bogor

To get to this area, you can use various modes of transportation, from two-wheeled to four-wheeled vehicles. Worry not - there are many directions that can guide you to the place when you are entering the Sentul area. Besides Leuwi Hejo waterfall, you can also head to other waterfalls nearby, such as Leuwi Ciung waterfall, Cepet waterfall, Leuwi Liek waterfall, and Baliung waterfall, which are located quite close to Leuwi Hejo and can be reached in about 5-15 minutes.

Apart from Curug Leuwi Hejo, Bogor Safari Park can also be the ultimate option for you and your family to go on a trip while reliving everyone’s old memories of educational excursions to the zoo. Nested in the foot of Mount Gede Pangrango, this area offers a super refreshing ambiance as it has fresh, cool air and breathtaking forest views.

Bogor Safari Park has a collection of more than 2,500 animals with hundreds of species from all over the world, including local animals such as Komodo dragons, white tigers, the anoa, bison, rhinos, sun bears, etc. You will have a chance to tour around by using a private car or a tourist vehicle. Best of all, you can also have a chance to explore the beautiful park on foot and visit many more animals!

a visitor is feeding a zebra at Taman Safari Indonesia

There are some animal attractions that you can enjoy, from watching animal training, animal feeding, to going on safari trips at night. Your kids will surely enjoy the Baby Zoo zone as they will get a chance to watch the adorable baby animals. But keep in mind to always follow the rules in interacting with the animals.
 

2 | Get refreshed at Cibodas Botanical Garden

A visitor at Cibodas Botanical Garden

Image by debisagita

Cibodas Botanical Garden is a green park covering almost 80 hectares and is located in Cianjur - around 1-hour drive from Bogor. There are many exciting activities that you can do while relaxing in Cibodas, from witnessing Sakura trees that bloom three times a year, visiting Ciismun and Cibogo waterfalls in the botanical garden area, to exploring their numerous collection of plants.

This park has more than 400 species of palm trees and around 5000 trees collected from all over the world. There are 3504 plant species, 1273 genus in 199 families. Even so, you don't need to be confused as they are classified into different spots such as Sakura Garden, Rhododendron Garden, Medicine Garden, Moss Garden, Liana Garden, Greenhouse, Ferns Collection, Conservatory, and Large Pond.
 

3 | Spend quality time with family at Pullman Ciawai Vimala Hills Resort and Sentul Cultural Park

While everyone in your family is clamoring for a getaway, kicking back with a luxurious hotel staycation in Bogor will be a perfect retreat from the hustle-bustle of the city that will put everyone’s mind at ease. Pullman Ciawi Vimala Hills Resort is a great staycation option as the place is located near Puncak and is only one hour’s drive from Jakarta.

The villas of Pullman Ciawi Vimalla Hills Resort surrounded by trees

Apart from its strategic location, the view from the resort – the lush green setup showing West Java’s beautiful rolling landscape — is perfectly mesmerizing and can be enjoyed anywhere in every corner of the resort. The resort is of course fitted with complete facilities, such as free private parking, bars, outdoor swimming pool, meeting rooms, fitness center, spa, bars, restaurant, and a children’s playground.

While staying at Pullman Resort, you can try visiting Sentul Cultural Park - 25 minutes’ drive away from the resort. It covers an area of ​​about 6 hectares which offers a one-stop recreation area for visitors of all ages. This park area is divided into 4 categories, namely the Adventure Center, Grand Center, Culture Center, and Facilities Center.

One of the most popular and most visited zones is the adventure center. The visitors can enjoy a variety of exciting and challenging activities such as trekking, outbound paintball, and fun games. Moreover, this place has a green center - a green field with the largest and most comprehensive outbound facilities in Indonesia for various needs, from family gatherings to company outings.

There are some games you should definitely try at Sentul Cultural Park, such as Gladiator Ring, Balance Beam, Log Swing, Giant Swing, Zig Zag Log Step, Buma Bridge, and Vertical Playvent. All games are equipped with adequate security facilities and visitors will be guided and supervised by professionals.

What's a better way to make use of the weekend than chillaxing in the nature-loving paradise with fresh air and astonishing natural view? From the spellbinding nature’s view, educational excursions to the zoo, to staying in a comfy hotel with family, Bogor is a complete package. Time to get packing!