Sunset Yoga Berkebaya, Sport Tourism Combined with Local Indonesian Culture
PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko (TWC) held a Sunset Yoga with Kebaya event at the Ratu Boko Palace Tourism Park on Sunday, August 20, 2023. Dozens of participants participated in the event, which featured a unique style: participants wore red and white kebayas during the yoga session.
Sunset Yoga Berkebaya at TWC Keraton Ratu Boko was held thanks to a partnership between PT TWC and two communities: the Indonesian Women in Kebaya Yogyakarta Community and the Outdoor Yoga Yogyakarta Community. This event was held to celebrate the 78th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence. Furthermore, this activity also contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage sites and the promotion of traditional Indonesian attire through activities that nourish the body and soul.
Sunset Yoga Berkebaya presents an impressive yoga venue. A strong historical feel, combined with a cool and serene atmosphere, supports a yoga ambiance that blends with nature. The environment and atmosphere of a yoga practice are crucial. A serene and supportive natural environment is essential to facilitate participants' attainment of body-mind harmony, while also fostering joy and peace of mind.
"The atmosphere at Keraton Ratu Boko is very suitable for doing Yoga. The natural conditions are very supportive, so we ensure that guests really feel relaxed. This commitment is what we always maintain in presenting a natural nuance at Keraton Ratu Boko, especially for organizing activities that carry the concept and theme of being one with the universe," said I Gusti Putu Ngurah Sedana, General Manager of Prambanan & Ratu Boko, Sunday (20/8/2023)
Chairwoman of the Indonesian Kebaya Women of Yogyakarta, Tinuk Suhartini said that there is a common thread connecting kebaya, yoga and the cultural heritage site destination of Keraton Ratu Boko. This connection encourages collaborative efforts in one interesting activity that is authentic and creative.
"There are many ways to promote the kebaya as a lifestyle for Indonesian women. We see that yoga has become a lifestyle for many people. We want to show that while practicing yoga, we can still appear in a truly Indonesian style , in an environment that supports yoga, such as Ratu Boko Palace, which we know is one of Yogyakarta's leading destinations," she explained.
Yogyakarta Outdoor Yoga Coordinator Lilis Lusia welcomed the collaboration that led to Sunset Yoga Berkebaya. She hopes this activity will contribute to preserving cultural heritage sites while also promoting mental and physical health.
"We thank the management of the Ratu Boko Palace Tourism Park for allowing us from two communities, who have the same ideals, namely to participate in preserving cultural heritage while also caring about mental and physical health. So we are given the opportunity to be present here," he said.
Yoga in Sanskrit means union, which means “union with nature” or “union with the Creator”. Yoga emphasizes the activity of meditation or tapa, where a person focuses all his mind to control his five senses and his body as a whole.
Yoga activities are done to have a calm and peaceful soul, to keep the body healthy and fit. The main goal of Yoga is to achieve Samadhi, which is a state where the mind becomes centered. In addition, Yoga can also relax the body and mind.
The Sunset Yoga Berkebaya activity in the Keraton Ratu Boko area presents Yoga instructors who will guide participants with Yoga material that involves physical activity, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and meditation exercises. Yoga is a traditional body exercise practiced by the Ancient Hindu community, not only training the physical, this activity is also useful for training the patience and discipline of the practitioners.
Sunset Yoga with Kebaya was held to commemorate the 78th anniversary of Indonesian Independence Day and to promote the importance of preserving Indonesia's cultural heritage, the kebaya. The yoga activity is a form of spiritual and sports tourism development at PT TWC destinations, prioritizing preservation efforts through quality and essential tourism activities.
"This event was held to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia's independence, including a positive activity, namely yoga. This is in line with our commitment to continue growing sports tourism in our destination areas. Locations like this have enormous positive energy, and participants can also enjoy the beautiful sunset view . This way, the public can learn about the Ratu Boko Palace destination from a different and unique angle," said I Gusti Putu Ngurah Sedana.
"We encourage the development of activities that add spirit and value to our destinations. Destinations have a soul that visitors can relate to and feel. This is what we will develop going forward, in line with the spirit of presenting quality destinations to support the acceleration of Indonesian tourism towards excellence. Synergy and collaboration with various relevant parties will drive the acceleration and growth of Indonesian tourism," explained General Manager of Prambanan & Ratu Boko, I Gusti Putu Ngurah Sedana.
