28/01/2020
Perhaps Buitenzorg – literally ‘carefree’ doesn’t ring a bell, but Bogor sounds probably more familiar. It is home to world-famous botanical gardens and a presidential summer palace. Founded in the early 19th century by the order of the government of the Dutch East Indies, the then colonial masters. this place is rife with history. Next to its botanical wealth, colonial buildings offer a glimpse into a long gone past. After the Dutch left, the gardens and all the research institutes associated with it, became part of a National Biological Institute, further pushing research. Today the magnificent gardens continue to gie pause to the city dwellers who flock to Bogor to escape the heat of Jakarta, the nearby capital. A visit is a great combination of learning, relaxing and mild exercise as walking is the best way to explore the 14.000 specimens of trees and plants spread out over almost 300 acres.
