Jewel Diamond Center

Hearing the name Martapura, people generally will directly connect it to the location of diamond sales. No wonder because since long Martapura name is known as the largest diamond producer in the Kalimantan region, even in across the nation.

In fact, it later began to change the face Martapura. Because too often visited by travelers from the Kalimantan region of Borneo itself or outside the region, Martapura was clean so that later became a tourist destination location of the traveler. This area not only for the purpose of hunting buying diamonds, but also as a family tourist attraction.

South Kalimantan (Kalimantan), which thousands of Banjarmasin city this is certainly a large enough area to reach 36 985 km2. South Kalimantan province has two major cities, namely Banjarbaru Banjarmasin and eleven districts with one of them is that thousands of Banjar District Martapura city.

Martapura is somewhat famous as the largest diamond producer than as a city also has the largest Islamic community basis, where there headquarters Madrasah Darussalam. No wonder that in addition to local sources of foreign exchange brought in from the diamonds, the arrival of travelers to Martapura also be a source of second income. Happy Earth Light Shopping Complex which oversees about 87 shops and gem diamonds in four blocks, each day visited by travelers from South Kalimantan South Kalimantan apart from the outside.

According to Muhammad Sardi, head of security in the region where the establishment of Jalan Ahmad Yani this Martapura Diamond Market, on weekdays the number of visitors reached 10,000 people, while on weekends (weekends) or holidays the number could reach 20,000-person. Parking lot with a capacity of 389 cars were sometimes no longer includes visitor parking and should be transferred to the location of Masjid Al Karomah which was situated not far from there.

"The average visitor is aimed at hunting down diamonds and gems for souvenirs. But that first. Now visitors can not just hunt for diamonds, but also take a trip at this location because now been equipped with children's playground and arena relaxed to enjoy the typical dishes Martapura, "says Sardi who met some time ago.

According to the man from East Java, 48-year-old who has 30 years of wandering in this Martapura, in addition to visiting the shopping center diamonds and jewels, the average visitor would also like to see the Mosque of Al Karomah which is the largest mosque in Kalimantan this. This mosque has a unique dome colors at their peak, and is also equipped with a high tower with a unique architecture.

Architecture at the mosque did not lose to outward appearance. Ademnya situation inside the mosque did not describe if the outside heat. "If you took a stopover in Martapura to look for souvenirs in the form of diamonds, you should also stop in this mosque to perform prayers five times one of you, because unfortunately if you are just looking for diamonds and do not stop at this mosque," says Sardi trying to promote .

To reach the location of the diamond trade and the Masjid Al Karomah Martapura you only take about an hour away from the city of Banjarmasin and only half an hour from the airport Syamsudin Noor, Banjarbaru. Sardi also said they were proud because when on duty as a security officer in the region, Martapura only used as objects to hunt for diamonds.

But, because of the increasingly growing number of travelers, local governments also renovate this location since two years ago and add the location of the playground for the kids and relaxing place for travelers while enjoying a typical meal Martapura at the front of the location of diamond sales. Sardi even more proud that the average visitor who comes to Martapura always satisfied with the service officer at the location of the sale of diamonds and the Masjid Al Karomah who always considered friendly and can work equally well with all travelers.

"The majority of people here 98 percent Muslim and Arab descent. They do not want Islam and Arab descent tarnished by the bad things so that everyone who wants to rent a place or location to trade here are required to join training for a month about how to serve travelers who according to Islamic rules, "says Sardi.

But, according to monitoring, there to watch out for hunters in Martapura diamonds is that you must immediately asked the owner about the origin of these diamonds. The reason, genuine and counterfeit goods can never be distinguished, unless checked directly with their own tools.

If visitors do not ask whether this class of goods or not, the shop owner would say it is a first-class goods. But, if you ask and ask it to check, he will gladly do. If caught not a first-class goods, prices will fall dramatically.