Heri Sisworo
Yogyakarta has several national parks, many of them are developed into an attractive tourist destination. The most popular one is definitely the Merapi National Park which becomes home to many tours, museums, and parks. The danger of the volcano somehow adds the attractiveness of this area.
Baca juga : Es Sagwan, Jajanan Legendaris di Tegal
Another national park that becomes a popular tourist destination is the Sermo National Park, sometimes also known as Kalibiru National Park. This park mainly forests with vegetation planted from the 40s through 90s.
It is, however, not only the vegetation that will amaze you, it’s much more than that. Here is what you need to know about Kalibiru National Park.
Location
Sermo Forest is located at Hargowilis Village, Kokap District, Kulonprogo Regency, Yogyakarta. It is roughly 40 kilometers away from downtown Yogyakarta, but the road is quite challenging with steep slopes and drastic turns so it will usually take one and a half hour to reach it. There are several routes you can choose with different challenges and scenery, you can even go to this place via public transport.
The name Sermo and Kalibiru
The official name for the park is Sermo, but it is more popular as Kalibiru National park. Sermo is the name of the protected forest (and also the dam that is built there) while Kalibiru is the name of the hill overlooking most of the area. Kalibiru is generally a more popular destination in this area.
Sermo Dam
Sermo is a multifunction dam, mainly for irrigation and to supply household water needs. Sometimes, this dam is also used for watersport such as rowing. Fishing is also popular as some amateur anglers are hunting for the ‘red devil’, a species of parrotfish that become the apex predator in the dam.
Sermo is often considered as the dam with the highest water quality in Indonesia. The dam produces very little sediment and the water is consistently clear because the forest is well-protected. You can also find several platforms to take a great picture here.
Kalibiru Hill
Kalibiru is a hill located roughly four kilometers from Sermo Dam. It has a wonderful view of the dam and the Menoreh Hills that surround it. There are many platforms being built in this hill, their main function is not to enjoy the scenery but to take pictures.
The scenery is wonderful, ideal to feed your social media account with wonderful pictures. It is not a surprise that Kalibiru is one of the most Instagenic spots in Yogyakarta.
Kalibiru, or Sermo if you prefer it, is a lovely destination if you want a light vacation. It is very much accessible and the tickets are affordable. Next
