Blogs from Java, Indonesia, Asia - page 2

It’s one of those weekends when five of my friends and I were restless and wanted to inhale fresh air. Indonesia had announced another lockdown for the umpteenth times. It felt like we were being caged again. The adrenalin call was so strong that I managed to make all the arrangement with a tour guide, who had a team of three, including offroad driver, local guide and photographer. We took off from Cabinite, a cozy, a newly built cabin compound at Sentul, near Jakarta, at 11 am, and took the land rover ride to reach Cisadon village, a well-known spot among the motortrail riders and mountain bikers. After one-and a-half-hour of bumpy ride on a gravel and muddy road, we arrived at the serene Cisadon village. Lunch was served by the pond where our vehicle parked. ... read more

I had been looking for suitable camping options and found my dream camp van at last! It’s a yellow 4WD jeep with rooftop tent. Perfect. The prolonged stay home had forced me to explore outdoor activities, reachable by road from Jakarta. My pick was Pangalengan and Ciwidey, 4 hours drive from Jakarta, both of which were well known for its tea industry. Along with my three other friends, we drove from Jakarta on Friday afternoon and reached Pangalengan in the evening. The drive was painless as the new toll road, Seroja, saved us an hour. Not ready to stay over-night in a tent, we decided to stay in a wooden bungalow by the lake and were relieved to find out we were the only guests. The next morning, we left before sunrise towards Situ Cileunca, a ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 10th February - UNESCO World Heritage Prambanan Temple - Yogyakarta Our guide Gagat was a delightful gentleman as we entered the Temple Compound he explained in great detail the history of the temple and was able to get up close to exam the details of the structures & the stone relief work. Due to the narrow and small interiors these were currently roped off as it would be impossible to social distance inside. Prambanan is the biggest Hindu temple in Indonesia as well as one of the most beautiful temples in Southeast Asia. According an inscription the temple was constructed during the mid ninth century but the center of the government was moved to East Java by the end of the tenth century. As a result, this epic temple was abandoned and left unattended; some ... read more

Land of Waterfall, Ciletuh Geopark It’s another hidden gem of Indonesia located in Sukabumi, West Java, about five hours drive from Jakarta. Recognized by UNESCO in 2015 as a National Geopark, it covers an area of 128,000 hectares over 8 subdistricts and 74 villages. Ciletuh Pelaburah Ratu was awarded as a Geopark not only because of its geological component but also because of its culture and scenery. One thing unique about Ciletuh Geopark was its combination of lush green mountainous landscape, surrounded by paddy field and located along the Southern coastal of Indian Ocean. Interestingly, little is known about this Geopark even among the locals like I. The drive from Jakarta was painless as one third of the journey was on a toll road. Before reaching our destination, we stopped by at Pelabuhan Ratu, where we ... read more

Ijen crater had been on my wish list but prior to 2017, it was not easily accessible. Thanks to the local government who renovated and expanded the green, international airport, today, Banyuwangi is easily accessible from Jakarta. Unlike any other volcano craters in Indonesia, the 722 meter diameter crater is the largest one in Indonesia; it also well known for the blue fire. Ijen crater got popular after it was being featured in BBC's documentary film, Human Planet, due to its rare blue sulfur flame or blue fire. The thought of climbing 2,799 meter crater was daunting as I was not a mountain person, and the best time to start the climb is slightly after midnight after the gate is open in order to reach bluefire before sunrise. I and friends, Kiko and Candy, were surprise ... read more