Getting to Know the History of San Diego Hills, the Luxury Cemetery

Who hasn't heard of this luxury public cemetery? Not only is its price remarkably high, but San Diego Hills is also well known for its very complete facilities, both for the deceased and for the family and relatives of the deceased.

Behind the grandeur of this cemetery lies an interesting history worth knowing. How did San Diego Hills come to be known as a sultan's burial place? Here is the story!

Who Owns the Land of San Diego Hills Cemetery?

Before telling the story of its founding, you are surely wondering who really owns this luxury cemetery? The answer is Mochtar Riady, a leading Indonesian businessman and the owner of the Lippo Group.

Mochtar Riady was born in Malang in 1929 and currently serves as founder and president commissioner of the Lippo Group. Riady came from a family of businesspeople too. His father, Li Yamei, and his mother, named Sibelau, were batik traders. Both were migrants from China who arrived in Malang in 1918.

When he was a young child, around 5 years old, Mochtar Riady spent time with his parents in Fujian, China. But when Riady was 6, his parents brought him back to Malang at the request of his grandmother.

Riady's grandmother urged his father to bring the family back to Malang, because at that time conditions in China were very unsafe due to frequent wars.

By the age of 10, Riady already had the ambition of becoming a banker. However, after marrying a woman from Jember, Riady was entrusted by his father-in-law to manage a bicycle shop.

He succeeded in growing his small bicycle shop into a thriving and successful business. Even though he had become a successful bicycle entrepreneur, his desire to become a banker never faded.

In 1954, Riady went to Jakarta to realize his dream of becoming a banker. At the time, he faced much opposition from his family. 

Yet he remained firmly determined and held to the principle that "a tree planted in a pot or indoors will not grow tall, but if it is in a spacious place, it will grow tall and large."

Thanks to his perseverance and determination, Riady became director of Bank Kemakmuran and went on to lead several major banks, such as Panin Bank, Bank BCA, and Lippo Bank.

His Lippo Group has successfully developed shopping centers and built the San Diego Suite funeral home, Siloam hospitals, Pelita Harapan schools, and this well-known luxury cemetery.

The Founding History of San Diego Hills Cemetery

Public cemeteries are typically associated with places that are dark, less beautiful, and eerie. That is why some people feel uncomfortable spending long periods visiting public cemeteries.

This sense of discomfort was something Mochtar Riady felt when he wanted to move the graves of his parents, which were then located in a public cemetery in the Malang area, East Java.

Mochtar Riady felt very uneasy and wanted a peaceful and beautiful burial ground for his family. Riady then moved his parents' graves to his private land located in Karawang, West Java. 

He made this land a family cemetery so that his family would feel at ease when visiting the graves.

This cemetery was initially meant only for the family of Mochtar Riady. However, over time the land developed because it had commercial value and great potential to be sold.

As a leading businessman, Mochtar Riady at that time saw a great opportunity in using the land as a public cemetery with the concept of a beautiful garden and complete facilities.

This concept was inspired by a public cemetery in California, United States, called Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park offered a cemetery concept that appealed to Mochtar Riady, because it made anyone feel comfortable when visiting and was far from any impression of being eerie, dark, or frightening.

For Mochtar Riady and his family, a beautiful cemetery concept is a way of preparing for what is certain to come. Riady believed that by preparing well for grief, a person would enjoy good health and a long life.

It was this personal experience and Mochtar Riady's keen eye for opportunity that made San Diego Hills the best cemetery in all of Indonesia.

Price and Advantages of San Diego Hills Cemetery

When it comes to price and advantages, the burial land here is certainly expensive, but its facilities are very complete and comfortable.

The price of this luxury cemetery depends on the classes available, ranging from the most standard class up to VIP class, which offers greater privacy, comfort, and beauty.

The cemetery San Diego Hills also distinguishes between Muslim and universal graves, because Muslim burial must follow Islamic teachings. The burial land prices are listed below.

1. San Diego Hills Cemetery Price, Single Burial

Class Single Burial The price is IDR 75,350,000 for a universal location (for all religions except Muslim). The Islamic grave plots in this class are priced at IDR 69,850,000.

Class Single Burial is the most affordable class of all. Because the price is the lowest, the land type is very simple, with only a headstone and grass.

There are three sizes of burial plots in this class. If you are interested, you only need to pay a booking fee of IDR 5 million per grave first.

2. Semi Private Class

The Semi Private class of course has different prices and facilities from the previous class. The price for a universal location is IDR 535,700,000, and for a Muslim plot it is IDR 441,950,000.

The San Diego Hills cemetery plots in the Semi Private class have left and right dividers, a top border, and a cemetery road at the front. Headstones in this class sit flush with the ground. Each grave has a 30 cm wall divider at the front and plant dividers on the adjacent sides.

3. Private Estate

This luxury burial plot is also available as a Private Estate type, priced at IDR 1,015,850,000 for universal and IDR 3,147,650,000 for Muslim. This plot can hold 2 to 8 graves, and other facilities include garden benches and statues.

4. Pavilion

The land in the Pavilion class is priced at IDR 1,722,600,000. This price includes a gazebo-style grave structure, with tea plants (tehan-tehan) surrounding the area and a small staircase at the front path. This class can accommodate up to 2 graves.

5. San Diego Hills Peak Estate Class

This class is the most expensive, priced at IDR 6,309,600,000. The land covers 150 square meters, and the grave has a 45 cm wall divider. In addition, the owner can add other accessories such as statues, garden plants, benches, or grand structures.

Other facilities at this public cemetery include a multipurpose hall that can accommodate many people. There is also a sports area, minimarket, a lake, and a place of worship.

That's the Important History and Information of San Diego Hills Cemetery

With complete facilities that make visiting comfortable, it's no surprise the prices are so high. Are you interested in purchasing this royal burial land? Don't forget to also prepare bereavement insurance and funeral insurance for the future.