Grand Maerakaca

Rooting for the future: Restoring mangrove forests in Semarang - SilverKris

"A 23-hectare government cultural park established in 1991 that showcases scaled-down replicas of Central Java landmarks and a replica lighthouse, it was revitalised in 2015 with a photogenic 450m mangrove boardwalk representing the Karimunjawa Islands. The park’s coastal reforestation projects and newly planted mangrove ponds — framed by a rounded elevated walkway with wooden lamp posts made from repurposed cattle ploughs — transformed a once run-down attraction into a family-friendly social-media draw, boosting annual visitors from about 25,000 to roughly 452,000. Attractions include pedal boats on a brackish pond, abundant photo ops at sunset, and ongoing plans to expand mangrove plantings to further enhance both conservation and tourism." - Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap