Visitors to historic Narmada Park can gain a new perspective on the location’s significant attractions by seeing them from the river that intersects the beautiful park’s boundary.
In a bid to boost visitor numbers and enhance the tourist experience, park managers have introduced a rafting package which offers fun and excitement while showcasing the park’s heritage features.
Eleven kilometres east of Mataram, the park is most often reported to have been built in 1727 by Mataram’s Balinese King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem.
Rafting at Narmada Park is both enjoyable and educational. Rafters experiencing the package since it was introduced four months ago receive a taste of park attractions that arouses their interest and brings them back to fully explore the heritage gardens.
Instructors are on hand to guide groups of rafters along the swiftly-flowing Peresak River and to identify convenient points for photographing the passing attractions.
Rafters see two of the park’s important and better-known features: the Dutch heritage “Shiphon” community irrigation system and the garden of Durian Raja, the king of all durian fruit.
Reached after a few kilometres of white water rafting, Shiphon dominates yet conforms to the landscape to the east of the park’s lake.
Built during the Dutch trading and colonial era which lasted from the 17th century to 1949, the giant Shiphon snakes across the terrain, splitting the river and delivering water to villages in the region.
Rather than interfering with the landscape, the massive structure matches the natural contours of the terrain in its path. Starting from a low hill, it curves and rolls its way in synchronisation with the land towards Peresak village.
Visitors find themselves engrossed in the amazing engineering feat of the one-kilometre long Shiphon as it continues to rush water to meet the irrigation needs of surrounding villages.
The rafting expedition ends where an orchard of the pungent and coveted durian fruit rises from the river banks, providing a cool and shady garden which produces the Durian Raja.
According to local people, the trees bearing this rare and favoured species of durian were planted when the King of Mataram built the Narmada Park complex. A statue in the park which features a history portrayed in symbols indicates the park was built in the early 18th century.
Certainly the 45-metre average height of the Durian Raja trees, and their wide trunks, indicate they are very old. Their fruit is known as the most delicious of all durian.
“Hopefully this new rafting package adds value for visitors experiencing the history reflected at Narmada Park,” said park manager Supriyadi.
Near to the Shiphon and at the bottom of Narmada Park lies a large and beautiful lake which is a replica of the magnificent caldera lake, Segara Anak, on Lombok’s towering volcano, Mount Rinjani.
Park management puts the lake to good use by staging a series of regular and special fishing events which draw thousands of fishing enthusiasts to the park.
In preparation for a major event in mid-January, the lake has been cleaned and restocked with thousands of fish of numerous species including carp, nila and bawel. “We have already released thousands of young fish into the lake,” said Supriyadi, who anticipates thousands of participants in January.
Fishing events include a weekly competition, invitational events and an open tournament in which anglers vie for the West Lombok Regent’s trophy.
Another major angling event in April is expected to draw thousands of anglers from around Lombok.
Supriyadi says the introduction of fishing events as a Narmada Park tourism product in recent years has been a huge success.
Most residents of the Narmada and Lingsar districts own stocked fish ponds which many use a primary means of business by creating traditional lesehan style eating places – diners sit on cushions on raised open-air roofed structures – which are supplied with fresh water fish from the ponds.
Members of fishing groups in both Narmada and nearby Lingsar have embraced the park’s program of fishing events. And the park management is hopeful that travel agents will sell Narmada fishing packages to international and domestic visitors to Lombok.
Many aspects of Narmada Park, which houses numerous buildings of religious and historical significance, are sacred and it is an important location for ceremonies.
source:www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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