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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
For this oppourtunity, i drive my car to start with perfect conditions and astonishing weather. It's looks like a spirit for me to reach out Sawahlunto in perfect time and right place. If you want to visit Sawahlunto by public transportation just make sure your wake-up early in the morning, because the journey is taking place around 4 hours (direct). There are two major ways to reach it, (ONE) you can catch the bus at Jl Dr Sutomo around the "Tugu Api" at Simpang Haru, the destination is Sawahlunto (direct), the cost is less than IDR 50,000. (TWO) If you can't find a direct one, you can transfer at Terminal Bareh Solok by choosing another bus go through to Sawahlunto. The partial costs are roughly (Padang-Solok less than IDR 30,000 and Solok-Sawahlunto less than IDR 20,000). But you can make sure it when you catch all of bus.
History of Sawahlunto
Sawahlunto is located at 95km from Padang. This is the first place that found with the huge amount of coal resources by Dutch Geolgy Willian Hendrik De Greve in 19th century. Sawahlunto have produced coal mining in 1892. Dutch colonial was made the train platform in 1894 to transfer all coal resorces from Sawahlunto to Padang. The estimate coal resources have been mined was 30 milion ton and the rest amount is 100 milion ton. The situation was in deep coal mining and exploration.
I can see right now all of the organic evidences how great this place in that time. So many traffics and activities to explore coal mining become the luxurious resources for the world. Today, i want to share with you what is the most things you must see in Sawahlunto with perfect time just in one day only and what should you do out there.
1. You must check in the hotel to make sure your reservation is perfect. If you do not have someone in Sawahlunto you need to stay early and next day you can ready to explore the Sawahlunto.
2. All check in done, you just walked through in the center of the city to visit the local goverment tourism board. The office is located nearly Santa Barbara church.
3. Ancient Building you can see here in the center of the city. Currently, the situation of the building is still good and you can feel the moment how great this building was created in that time as a big city or busy city. You can capture all different angles to explore your experience as a photographer. So enjoy them.
a. Gedung Koperasi Ombilin (Cooperative Ombilin Office)
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| Photo by : thearoengbinangproject.com |
This building is located around the corner of Jl Yos Sudarso. But today the building is occupied by other local stores. You will surprised which one Cooperative Ombilin Office located. This is it.
I have seen the situation around the building so many cabel circuits. It's crawded and messy. I am really want local goverment to fix them more tidy to avoid unpolite apperances like this. It's not necessary for me just take the moment of can visit of the old building.
b. Gedung Pengadaian (Pawn House)
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| Photo by : thearoengbinangproject.com |
The located is Jl Ahmad Yani. This is old building in Sawahlunto. It was establised in 1917. When i visited this buiding still amazing and good enough maintainance. It was burn out a couple years ago and have fixed in 2008.
The situation of the building as the whole appearance with perfect dimentions 8 x 16 m. Good accessories of the Chinese culture influence.
The fuctionality of the building was difference each of time. Previously using by local comedy institution and then as Sawahlunto Museum Asset, but today occupied by Indonesian Pawn House Pte Ltd.
c. Gedung PTBA (Coal Mining Pte Ltd Office by Indonesian Goverment).
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| Photo by : thearoengbinangproject.com |
The yard is huge. Many ornament of the windows apperances are perfect to boost the building as the whole looks. The tower provided a clock that give an extra acessories.
d. Gedung Pusat Kebudayaan (The Culture Center Building).
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| Photo by : thearoengbinangproject.com |
The located at Jl Ahmad Yani. All of old buildings are staying around this road. One of the Museum Assets by local goverment always good hand to maintain and renewal painting. The history of using is supported of Netherland Indies activity as the meeting room (Societeit). It was established in 1910.
Outside the building still genuine but the cleaness still not good enough to protect the walls and doors as the genuine. Interesting way for me to see the information of the history and backgrounds of the old building.
The accessories such as lamp, ceilings, glass ornament still original. As the whole apperances the building still gorgeous and hope local goverment still have good hand to handle of all this things for next steps in the futures.
e. Gereja Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara Church).
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
This church is located around the corner of Jl Yos Sudarso. The Dutch Colonial build for pray purposes. The strategic location in the middle of the city and standing beside of Santa Lucia School. This church was established by Netherland Indies for Catholic. Still good maintainance and apperances.
4. Kereta Api Wisata (The train tours).
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
The operational schedule in the weekend. Currently, when i visited Sawahlunto the train tours was not available. We are still waiting for the tours re-open again in the future. Actually, the train tours are available for public, the end destination at Padang Panjang. The route is so amazing, the beautiful country side, rice fields, and Danau Singkarak. But today i can't feel all of them. I will updated if the route is available.
When i saw in media and visited the railways along with Danau Singkarak and Padang Panjang, the railways company Pte Ltd still in maintained all of platforms including the tunnel in Lembah Anai - Padang Panjang. This is good idea for me to jump in the new experience to use the train as the public transportation from Padang Panjang to Sawahlunto (round trips).
5. Lubang Kalam/Terowongan Kereta Api (The railway tunnel).
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| Courtesy : Sawahlunto Goverment |
Sometimes people thinking about this tunnel. Just a common things for the train to use the tunnel. For me this is good experince to look at infront of the tunnel. To create this tunnel using the chain-man that used by both of his hands in Netherland Indies era. So many powerful man to make this tunnel in 835 meters long. I can believe that. So, as an ordinary man for present time is not good idea to build for whole of things like this.
In the pass all railways used to transfer the coal resources from Sawahlunto to Padang (Teluk Bayur). Teluk Bayur is the bay to load and unloading all materials in that time. Until now this bay still performing.
The landscape of the tunnel was captured in low light really amazing. You can see the texture of the walls and the railways, when walking through inside the tunnel approximately 50 meters, you can see the some spaces for people using the tunnel to transfer another place and hide when the train comes.
6. Museum Gudang Ransum (Eating Museum Hall and Warehouse).
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
Eating museum hall and warehouse re-opened again by local goverment in December 17, 2005. The complex is consisting kitchen for all coal mining workers and the patient from local hospital in that time. The amount is thousand of people. Eating Hall and Warehouse was established in 1918.
Actually the total building area is 2,300 meters square. As the whole looks the building is good and still good maintanance. The specific item that really amazed me is the funnel. When i came here, the local goverment give me some short movies of Sawahlunto histories and other things. Really surprised but i am really enjoy it. They provide me comprehensive subject of history and other place must to visit in Sawahlunto. Really awesome.
Inside the building i can see all of materials for cooking including huge pan, steaming, stove from steam engine that generate by coal. All of the evidences are really represented how well this hall for every workers, staff, and local people.
The history of using this hall at Indonesian Revolution era for army. Around 1950-1969 using for Coal Mining Pte Ltd as the office. You can freely capture and see all of equipments. Each of item has good mentions and the funtionality for the process of food, what kind of food will serve to all of people. You must see it completely.
7. Lubang Tambang Mbah Soero (Mbah Soero Tunnel and Mining).
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| Photo by : travel.detik |
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| Photo by : travel.detik |
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| Photo by : travel.detik |
This tunnel and coal mining was established by Netherland Indies era. So historical coal mining and scary behind the story so surprised for me an you as well. Because, the chain-man is the person who work with. When i spoke to the staff who explained to me, the tunnel actually connected to the main city. But the local goverment still progress to accomplish them. When my turn was coming with specific tools that i must wear as the coal worker staff requirements such as a boot and helm to protect me from surprise accident inside the tunnel. This is must for all visitors and staffs.
When i proceeded the entrance doors, the situation of the down stairs so slippery while the water coming from the walls. Around 3 minutes walked, i stop by the first level that connected to the tunnel. There are some levels available in this tunnel, but local goverment still progress to re-opened. Need more time to explore by them because the huge amount of water and mud. The water is still coming again and again from the walls. When touch down on the ground zero you can see on the first level. The staff and i walked through the first level and talked to me the situation inside the tunnel. The condition of the tunnel was airless buy they are provided the air-blow from the outside to make the visitor more comfortable. The CCTV always on and all of visitors need assistance to proceed the tunnel. The maximum person 5 or 7 person. So you can't freely priceed as an individual.
Overview.
In 1898 util 1930, this tunnel was operated by Netherland Indies era to explore the coal resources become astonishing products for the Europe and around the world. For your info, this coal was the best texture and great resources if compare with the coal resources at Kalimantan.
The luxury product that they produced by them was not wealthy for local people, they still created to explore but the worker didn't follow what Netherland Indies want, they will jump in to the political crime and still countinuing work in long day. The staff told me the history like this so ballistic how great story of the tunnel become like this in that time.
The Chain-Man
The chain-man is huge amount in this tunnel to explore coal as the mining industry. They are in hundred person incharge on the coal exploration. They work in long day in rapidly 24/7/365.
As the whole this tunnel you must to visit and look in to loop how great the history of the worker, how to implement the rules by Netherland Indies, and interesting moment by capture inside the tunnel.
8. Rumah Pek Sin Kek (Pen Sin Kek House).
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| Photo by : thearoengbinangproject.com |
This house is located at Jl Ahmad Yani. The main road around the center city. Old house Pek Sin Kek was renewal in 2005-2006. Even the apperances of paint is not good enough but i can still see the greatness of the house performances. In Netherland Indies era, around the house was a china town.
Infront the house has a board that explained the history as the whole. The first time Pek Sin Kek house was operated for Theatre House, and then The community of malay people, and last one for ice factory. When the board was made, this house become the souvenir shop. The ceiling of the house using ironwood. Really sturdy ceilings.
9. Silo and Sizing Plant.
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
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| Photo By : Benny Yavril |
Three huge silos are standing side by side. All of three silo is located at Saringan that sapareted around 100 meters with sizing plant. To connected all of them using by the train.
The tall of the silo is 40 meters high, the funtionality as a storehouse to keep coal after cleaning and ready to transfer to Padang (Teluk Bayur). But this is just the history of the metroplitan city in that time to explore coal as the main resources of the Sawahlunto. Today, all of silos are empty, and not to use as a storehouse. Just the witness as the glorious city in that era.
The railways using by train to transfer all coals are connecting to sizing plant. Behind the location is standing the beautiful hills surronding the city. The location are near by of the train station to make the easiest way to loading of the coals. But, the situation is really not amazing, the maintain as the whole object still in low level. But you can still see the sturdy silo standing infront of you to enjoy another moment in Sawahlunto.
10. Puncak Cemara (Pine Peak).
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| Photo by : Benny Yavril |
This is the new destinations in Sawahlunto. Located around 1 km from the city. When you are on the top the hills the beautiful landscape of the main city of Sawahlunto appear as the amazing views. The interesting place for me on this peak provided the monument to padlock of loyality. The place you can put a padlock as the loyality to your partner of even your ever-after one. Really good destination.
The recap.
This is the main things to do in Sawahlunto. I enjoyed them in one day tour only. Because i am a local person can understand of the location and something that i can do eally easy to reach. But if you want to visit Sawahlunto as your next destinations, you can contact me on contac-us in other pages. I am really greatful to accompany you to explore Sawahlunto become your unforgettable moment.
The hotels.
If you are any problem to make hotel reservation in Sawahlunto, i have the link HOTEL to make your choices become amazing. I have the recommedation to choose Hotel Parai Sawahlunto. I think this is the good hotel, and provided breakfast. I have been here to stay for one day. The location is not far for all tourist destinations, and just walking through. So enjoy the journey in Sawahlunto Indonesia.
Read More:
Source : Wikipedia, The Sawahlunto Tourism Board, and other media.
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