Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine May 2019 | Page 103

Travel / Tasikmalaya One hour by road from Dengdeng waterfall is Jasper Park in Cibuniasih village, named after the eye-catching red stones that are found here in sizes ranging from that of a matchbox to a small house. After trekking in the hilly forest for an hour, we reach the Cimedang river. The combination of blue sky and river, green forest and red stones together makes a unique and incredibly stunning view. The jasper was made 25 to 30 million years ago from incandescent lava that came into contact with sea water and underwent a hydrothermal process. When sharpened and polished, the stones gleam with beauty. “I remember at the end of the 1990s there was a miner from Japan who took these stones. One car was filled with just one very big stone. To lift it they had to use a chain because it weighed tonnes,” says Utang, our guide. Because this is a rare natural phenomenon, the local government has now banned mining, and the area is being turned into a geo park. The natural wonders of Tasikmalaya are truly hidden gems! 3  e combination of blue sky and river, Th green forest and red stones together makes a unique and incredibly stunning view. 1. The peaceful Situ Gede Lake, located in the middle of Tasikmalaya town. 2. Decorated umbrellas are a mainstay of tourism in West Java. 3. At Indihiang, Tasikmalaya, tourists can see the process of making Geulis umbrellas. 101