Have you ever heard of geopark tourism in Indonesia? What does geopark mean? Which geoparks in Indonesia have been included in UNESCO?

As a country that has diverse nature, culture, traditions, history, underwater life, and culinary delights, it is no wonder that Indonesia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Among the charming areas in Indonesia, geoparks are increasingly well-known tourist destinations.

A geopark is an earth park or area that has high-value geological elements that combine cultural and biodiversity aspects into a tourist attraction. The potential for geopark tourism in Indonesia itself is being continuously developed by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) to realize sustainable tourism in Indonesia.

The presence of geopark tourism in Indonesia can provide many benefits for the tourism sector. It can encourage educational tourism, nature tourism, and cultural tourism in a tourist destination.

Believe it or not, it turns out that there are 10 geoparks in Indonesia that are world-class and included in the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG) ranks.

Here, Indoindians.com summarizes 10 geoparks in Indonesia that are world-class.

1. Batur Geopark, Bali

Batur Geopark is one of the most famous geoparks in Indonesia, located in Bangli Regency, Bali. This geopark is the first geopark in Indonesia to be included in the UNESCO Global Geopark (2012), because it has extraordinary tourism potential, both in terms of natural wealth, diversity of traditions, beauty of art, and local wisdom of its people.

The most interesting natural beauty is the large caldera that was formed naturally from the traces of the eruption of Mount Batur. Not to mention, this geopark in Bali also has a crescent-shaped lake 7.5 kilometers long which adds to the uniqueness of Batur Geopark.

2. Gunung Sewu Geopark, Yogyakarta

Gunung Sewu Geopark stretches across three districts, namely Gunung Kidul, Wonogiri, and Pacitan. This geopark was included in the UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015. The name Gunung Sewu itself means A Thousand Mountains, referring to the hilly karst landscape in this area, which is formed from limestone and natural erosion.

This karst area consists of 40 thousand karst hills, making the Gunung Sewu Geopark one of the longest karst areas on the island of Java. Another reason this geopark is included in the Global Geopark is the archaeological wealth of past human cultural heritage in the form of paleolithic-neolithic cultural relics.

3. Mt. Rinjani Geopark, West Nusa Tenggara

Stretching across Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Mount Rinjani Geopark was included in UNESCO in 2018. This geopark has a diversity of endemic flora and fauna, such as orchids (Vanda Limbata), Rinjani Celepuk, Flores Eagle, and many more.

This area is one of the most amazing natural tourist destinations in Indonesia, with the majestic Mount Rinjani, Lake Segara Anak with its blue and calm waters, hot springs for health, rich biodiversity, and a strong cultural heritage in the form of ritual offerings to the gods believed to inhabit Mount Rinjani.

4. Geopark Ciletuh, Sukabumi

This 126,000-hectare geopark was designated as an UNESCO World Heritage in 2018. Ciletuh Geopark not only has beautiful scenery, but is also surrounded by alluvial expanses with unique rocks.

Various tourist destinations surround Ciletuh Geopark, such as Cimaja Beach which is famous for its challenging waves and is a target for world surfers, Awang Waterfall, Taman Purba, and many more.

5. Lake Toba Geopark, Sumatra

Lake Toba Geopark, located in North Sumatra Province, is one of the most iconic geoparks in Indonesia. This area has been recognized as part of the UNESCO Global Geopark since 2020. Formed from the eruption of Mount Toba that occurred tens of thousands of years ago, Lake Toba Geopark has extraordinary natural landscapes and tourism potential.

In addition to geological phenomena, Lake Toba Geopark is rich in cultural heritage, especially from the Batak tribe, who are the indigenous people of this area. This geopark has even become one of the Super Priority Tourism Destinations (DPSP) and a regular host of international scale events. The most recent is hosting the 2024 Lake Toba F1 Powerboat.

6. Ijen Geopark, East Java

Ijen Geopark is located in Banyuwangi and Bondowoso Regencies, East Java. Recognized as part of the UNESCO Global Geopark since 2021, Ijen Geopark has Mount Ijen with the Ijen Crater which is famous for its most unique natural phenomenon, namely blue fire.

The Ijen Crater in this geopark area is one of the most amazing volcanic craters in the world. Ijen Crater has the largest acid lake in the world, with bluish-green water that contrasts with the surrounding landscape. In addition, Ijen Geopark is a habitat for 14 types of flora, 27 types of fauna, and 6 types of mammals.

7. Maros Pangkep Geopark, South Sulawesi

The Maros Pangkep Geopark was just included in the UNESCO Global Geopark list in 2023. This geopark in South Sulawesi has a world-class landscape, with a towering karst tower type and composed of distinctive limestone piles.

In fact, the Maros Pangkep Geopark is the second largest karst area in the world, after South China. Another unique feature of the Maros Pangkep Geopark is the presence of hundreds of prehistoric caves, which were once inhabited by early humans. These caves are also home to millions of butterfly species, making the geopark a haven for biodiversity.

8. Merangin Jambi Geopark

Merangin Geopark is located in Jambi Province, Indonesia, and is renowned for its unique geological features, especially its fossilized flora from the Devonian period, which is over 300 million years old. The geopark spans the Merangin River and surrounding areas.

People have the opportunity to raft down the Batang Merangin River, while seeing a mix of stunning natural landscapes, including mountains, rivers, and lush tropical forests because this geopark also provides rafting which is the best rafting location in Indonesia.

9. Raja Ampat Geopark

Geopark Raja Ampat is located in the Raja Ampat Islands of West Papua, Indonesia, and is renowned as one of the world’s most biodiverse marine regions. Geopark ini dijuluki sebagai “The Emerald Karst in the Equator” berkat gugusan karst yang terletak tepat di garis khatulistiwa.

It is a paradise for nature lovers, especially for divers and marine biologists, due to its vibrant coral reefs, rich marine life, and stunning landscapes. While Raja Ampat is primarily known for its underwater wonders, its geopark designation also highlights the geological, ecological, and cultural importance of the area.

10. Belitung Geopark

The list of Indonesian geoparks that are world-class and recognized by UNESCO is Belitung Geopark. Belitung Geopark was selected as a Global Geopark due to the unique combination of geological, cultural, biological, and geographical diversity of the Land of Laskar Pelangi.

One of the most iconic features of Belitung Geopark is its giant granite boulders, especially those found along the coastlines and small islands like Lengkuas Island. There are also Meteorite Stones (Tektite/Satam) spread across the alluvial quaternary zone.

Which of the above geoparks would you most like to visit?

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