 Few questions on Jawa Timur |
Few questions on Jawa TimurAsia » IndonesiaTopic Type: Suggestion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traveling in East Java | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
AsimK Asim K Post Count: 2 Msg: #1 49 days ago, July 20th 2008 | Hello Travel Community. | So glad to be here:) In my very first post, kindly let me introduce myself and ask a question. My name is Asim, I\'m 21, and I come from a bit tumultuous region of Balkans; namely Bosnia. Currently, however, I\'m on vacation in Indonesia (Java), spending honeymoon with my Indonesian wife. After three weeks or so, we managed to visit Bandung, Yogya, Solo (as well as their respective surroundings), and now we\'re (a bit stuck, to be frank:)) in Malang, with three more weeks to spend. My questions would be as follows: 1. What to see in East Java (nature and culture; we\'re not in for a shopping spree or nightclubs!)? Also, have in mind that I\'m not asking about obvious attractions like Mt.Bromo or Ijen crater, and since my wife is a native Bahasa speaker, getting around in remote areas wouldn\'t pose considerable difficulty. Recommendation of accommodation in this province would also be very helpful, and answers in Bahasa would not be a problem. 2. Is Madura - Indonesia\'s very own Wild Wild East - worth visiting? Thanks:) pPamela Pamela Joy Fuge Post Count: 58 Msg: #2 49 days ago, July 20th 2008 | Hi, | Oh, I am so..so... jealous you are in Indonesia- it is my favourite country and I love it so much. In July 2006 on this exact day I was in Malang. I had to meet a Dutch internet friend living in Ambulu with his Indonesian wife so I went to meet them. I had no real idea how to get there, but thought I would go on a little adventure. I got my special ojek man Eko in Malang to drop me at the Gadang bus terminal where I caught a bus to Lumajang. Onc eein Lumajnag with no language skills I managed to let everyone know Pamela wanted to go to Ambulu. Two hours later they called out Ambulu held the bus and I went to Ambulu. Texted my Dutch friend and he met me. Stayed only one night with him because of police etc and then the next day got a becak back into Ambulu and being Sunday I got an ojek to Jember and stayed at Hotel Anda- back packer place. Oh, did I love Jember, clean friendly just a great place, made friends with English speaking Indonesians and stayed for 3 days. Left my luggage at Anda and got a bus to Bondowoso- got a drive rwho coculd speak some English so he dropped me in the town instead of the terminal 7kms away. Stayed in Bondowoso at Hotel Anugerrah- very nice. Not easy to find someone to organise a trip to Kawah Ijen so I found myself a young man in the street with motor bike and he took me the 90 kms the next morning. Arrived too late to see anything really clearly. Will go again and stay overnight at Pol Truding ( but not very comfortable) or at another place outside (at Sempol called Arabica homestay)and head up for the 3km walk in the dark so I arrive just as the sun is coming up. It is an amazing place- those miners got my absolute admiration for that horrid job they do every day to make a living. I visited the weighing room and was amazed that some of the men carry up 80 kgs of cut sulphur. Bought everyone a small bottle of Fanta- they loved that. Here is a young British woman's report of Kawah Ijen and Borobudur. She was on a tour from Bali, but you can do it yourself. http://www.balitravelforum.com/archive200707/50483.html Hope I have been able to help you in some small way. Pamela who wishes she was in Indonesia. pPamela Pamela Joy Fuge Post Count: 58 Msg: #3 49 days ago, July 20th 2008 | And re Madura- never got there. I was going to be taken there by a young Madurese woman who worked in an Optical shop in Surabaya,when I came back from Gunung Bromo and Kawah Ijen, but my new Indonesian friend Willy who lived in Surabaya and was going to be my translator went to Bali with a Japanese client so I missed out on going because of the language barrier. | I was really disappointed because it would have been so wonderful to go with a local and live with her family, eat the food they prepared- good home cooking and do a motor bike trip around the island like we had planned. Hopefully I will get to do this on another visit. Tried to find you some links to travel stories about visits to Madura but nothing much. Pamela.  Lorin Pratnya Valorina Post Count: 8 Msg: #4 40 days ago, July 30th 2008 | Hi there Asim. Surabaya is known as the historical part of Indonesia, it is formerly known as City of Heroes. If you like to see the ex-dutch colonial sites, you can take a walk on old streets such as Pemuda Street, Tunjungan Street, and also area close to the governor's office. You may try the oldest hand made ice cream in town called Zangrandhi which located right in front of the Governor's office. There is also one interesting destination, Monumen Kapal Selam (Monkasel) ex active Submarine which currently opened as a museum, located in the river beside Delta Plaza. | Beside, Surabaya also known for its tasty foods. You may try Lontong Balap (the best one located at Raya Gubeng street, right in front of BNI bank), or another local foods such as Bakso, Soto, etc. You may also need to try to ride at the local style transportation called Becak. Although its already forbiden to be used in crowded area (caused traffic jam), but it still easy to use around the city. AsimK Asim K Post Count: 2 Msg: #5 40 days ago, July 30th 2008 | Hello. | Regards to all the people:) Thanks for all the kind posts from your side these last days, and much of valuable info. However, after the Bromo adventure (and near fall from the top of the crater), and after realization that many places - such as most national parks - are difficult to reach without being ripped-off badly (we're still uni students:), we decided to simply move on to - economy-bus style with accompanying karaoke:) - Bali. Currently we're in Ubud, enjoying Bali's cultural capital. P.S. I'll say hi to Indonesia from all of you. Hear ya soon. Number of Users: 3 | Number of Posts: 5 | |||||||||||||
