Weekend Family Tour in East Java

Weekend has been the time that every family is waiting to spend the time together after a week hectic with activities like working for parents, and studying for children. If you are in Surabaya there are few places that you and your family can visit for one or two nights duration. But i think the best choice tos pend the weekend for family is Malang and Batu. It is not far from Surabaya and it has mild weather and many choices of attraction there.

Apple Plantation :

Kusuma Agro Apple Plantation located in Batu City. Walking to the plantation and picking apple for yourself can be a good experience for kids. If apple is not in season, you can take tour to pick guava and strawberry. After the plantation tour, stop by at restaurant to drink fresh apple juice to refresh your throat. But one thing if you bring childrean it would be excellence you get the knowledge about the plants there, because sometimes you will not be guided by the special guide but by the trainee that sometimes they are not well-informed yet. Overnight in this plantation also possible, beside outbound activities.

Coban Rondo Waterfall located further round 5 km from Kusuma Agro Apple Plamtation. It is 80 m hi waterfall. With green forest surrounding the waterfall and grey monkeys will gave more wildlife knowledge for the kids. There is a story about the legend of the waterfall in bahasa indonesia as an interpretation tool. At the parking area you can shop locally hand made souvenirs and grilled corns are available there.

Safari Park at Prigen Pandaan is also my favourite place to enjoy weekend. Children usually will love it to see animals from 5 continents from Llama, Hippo, Zebra, Elephant, Komodo, Lion and Tiger. My Favourite is tiger. I know they are dangerous but from distance they seem to be so cute with the stripes. It must be nice to have them as pet i often think about it, but dangerous too. I love the feathers but i dont want to have their claws and tusks with them still. Ha ha ha. Children will love to see baby zoo where they can pose with baby tiger and baby orang utan. Go to the restaurant and you can have your meals with white Bengala Tiger from behind glass. If you come at their meal times you can see how they swim to get the food or even climb trees. It was amazing. YOu can take picture with white tiger as if they are really behind yoou without glass barrier.

Trip to Mt Bromo, February 2011

I went to Mt Bromo for the ‘uncountable times’ on last January with a friend of mine and his parents. It was still erupting since November 2010. Compared to the last time I visited on the end of December, now Mt Bromo looks dreary by the ashes everywhere. Plants are dry. Road were covered by ash and hotel has no electricity but only generator that we could not watch TV in the room.

Honestly I didn’t really sleep well that night, because there are few tremor quakes that shake the bed. I bet every guest staying in Cemoro Lawang Hotel didn’t sleep well that night too.

There are not many tourists that day that stayed at the same hotel as we did. As the dangerous zone is still from radius 2 km from the crater, we didn’t go through the sea of sand. Just watch the crater from in front of the hotel.

Sunrise was nice and can be seen from Mt Penanjakan 2. Mt Penanjakan 2 is alternative peak where you can wait for the sunrise without crossing the sea of sand that is considered in alert status. Penanjakan 2 located lower that Penanjakan 1. For this, you don’t need to go with local transport that is Jeep/ 4 WD. You can just trek round 20 minutes to the foot of Mt Penanjakan2 and you need to climb steep path to the top which will take about 20 minutes. Horse riding also possible from hotel to the foot of MT Penanjakan if you don’t like to walk.You will know where you are when you see the smoke of Mt Bromo can be seen. The sunrise will accentuate mountains that are at the east part of Bromo Area like Mt Semeru, Mount Ijen and Mt Klakah.

I think wearing mask is important when Mt Bromo is erupting. Prepare your self with warm clothing and flashlight. I remember European tourist could not go up the mountain and need to wait for other tourists with flashlight to go further.

CAVES IN JAVA

CAVES IN CENTRAL AND EAST JAVA
Java island is rich of caves as quiet many areas covered by carst. More than ten carst caves located at the south of Java and North of Java round Tuban regency.

Here are caves in Java:

1. Jatijajar Cave : Located in Kebumen , Central Java. This cave has few natural springs and has been developed for tourism.

2. Gong Cave :Located at 37 KM from Pacitan Regency, this cave is popular for its crystal-like relief that spark and stand tall like pillars. You can find stalactite, stalacmite, and other reliefs such as shape that look like shawl drapery, flowstone, Helectite and sodastraw stalagtite. This cave has 12 rooms, 7 pools and one natural shower room. This cave is called Gong cave as local people hear gong sound from this cave every Tuesday and Friday.

3. Putri Cave: Located in Pacitan regency with mythical pool for ever young power.

4. Tabuhan Cave: limestones at this cave can make beautiful sound like javanese gamelan. The very outstandng from this cave is that there is 50 m hi pillar.

5. Lawa Cave :Cave with 25 m diameter complete with 9 tunnel and the home of bats (lawa). This cav’s length is 800 meters and 40 m depth with 4 pools and natural ventilations. According to survey held by Gilbert Manthovani and Dr Robert Kho in 1984, this cave is known as the biggest and longest in South East Asia.

6. Akbar Cave: Impressive cave but concrete of building distract its natural condition. This cave has very long tunnel to the Tuban City Square and to Merakurak, to Ngerong Cave and to Gembul Cave.

7. Maharani Cave: Cave with 2500 m2 hall with ease access.

8. Luweng Jaran : Located in Pacitan/Not developed by the Govt.

Pacitan has more than 65 caves and only 3 that has been developed for tourism.

Lawa Cave

SURABAYA

Total city area : 326 km2
Population : round 3 million
The hub of eastern Indonesia
Sister City: Seattle (USA), Kochi (Japan), Busan, (South Korea), Guangzhao (China), Marseille (France)

Ethnics in Surabaya:
Javanese : 53 %
Chinese : 25.5 %
Madurese : 7.5 %
Arabuc : 7%
Others : 10%

How to get there:
FROM Frequency Airlines
Kuala Lumpur 4 times/day Air Asia/Merpati/MAS
Johor Baru 1 times/day Air Asia
Singapore 2 times /day Garuda, Value Air
12 times/week Singapore/Silk Air
Hongkong 3 times/week Garuda, Cathay Pacific
BndrSriBegawan 6 times/week Royal Brunei
Taipe 2 times/week Eva Air
3 times/week China Airlines

Facilities in Surabaya:
-Internationalo Airport
-Accomodation ranges from 5 star hotel to homestay
-World Class Convention Center
-Championship Golf Courses
-22 shopping malls with int'l shops

Golf Courses in Surabaya
-Ciputra Golf and Family Club
facilities: 27 holes with club house, and 9 holes night golf
Designed by: Andy Dye
Opened in 1995
-Bukit Darmo Golf
Facilities: 18 holes with club house
Designed by: Jack Nicklaus
Opened in 1994
-Graha Family Golf and Country Club
Facilities: 18 holes with club house
Designed by: Arnold Palmer
Opened in 1995
-Taman dayu Golf Club
Facilities: 18 holes with club house
Designed by: Jack Nicklaus
Opened in 1997
-Finna Golf & Country Club
Facilities: 18 holes with club house
Designed by: Peter Thompson
Opened in 1994
-Pakuwon Golf & Family Club
Facilities: 9 holes with club house
Designed by: Phill Scot & Peter Waddel
Opened in 2002

ANOTHER ADVENTURE................MT BROMO

MT BROMO THE HOME OF TENGGERESE

Mt Bromo is one of the most popular destination in Indonesia. It is a must destination for international traveler in Indonesia.

Mt Bromo is located in the midst of caldera with diameter 16 KM which is known as Sea of Sand. Bromo with its active crater always smokes and you can smell the sulphur aroma. Mt Bromo isnt the highest mountain on Sea of Sand, there are other mounts there. Mt Bromo (2.392m) MT Batok (2.470m) Mt Kuris (2,581m) Mt Watangan (2.662m) dan MT Widodaren (2.650m).

The tour usually accentuate the sunrise that can be seen via MT Penanjakan (2774M) The road to Mt Penanjakan is narrow and curving so suggested that you use 4x4. From Penanjakan then head to see the rim of Bromo crater. (1.392 above sea level). you can ride horse back or trekk to the stairways.

Transportation available by landrover that can be reserve on site.

Temperature here ranges from 0 to 10 deg, the coldest is before the sunrise.

The sunrise will take place at around 05.20 – 05.40 AM depend on season, the best time to see the sunrise would be around at May – September (no rainfall within that month).
Annually, Tenggerese Hindu who live here hold Kasada Ceremony to commemorate

Mt Bromo is located 4 regency, Probolinggo, Malang, Pasuruan and Lumajang.

There are two common routes to Mt Bromo, via Pasuruan and via Probolinggo.

DWI's EXPERIENCE

Well, a friend of mine promised me to pay all of my expenses if he accompany me to go to Mt Bromo. And sure thats a nice offer. I havent been there though i have been living in Surabaya, East Java for 2 years. :).

When he arrived in Surabaya then we plan to go to Bromo via Probolinggo, as i heard this is the easiest way to get there. But then he said that the ATM machine has eated his ATM in Jakarta. Oh my.......And he had complained to his Bank in his country about this but the bank had not given him any response yet.

Alright we made a deal that we would use my money to for transport but then he had to return the money to me as he promised me that he would pay all of my expenses in this trip. And he would use his credit card to pay the hotel.

We depart in the morning to Bungur Asih terminal in Surabaya, then take economy bus to Probolinggo. We paid Rp. 14.000 each person and it took 3 hours approximately. We stopped at the Probolinggo bus station and then take public transport to Bromo. People in the bus station usually will as you where you will go and if they see you with backpack then they will know you will go to Bromo. Oh ya from the bus station to Cemoro Lawang is charged Rp. 15.000. And took round 1 hour.

All the way from the bus station to Cemoro Lawang was a nice landscape with green trees and beautiful little hills. Guess what is my friend reaction when we arrived at Cemara Indah hotel and see the scenery of the Sea of Sand? Thats the most beautiful scenery ha had ever seen. :).

When we about to check in, my friend said if it was possible to pay the hotel credit card, but the reception said it is not possible. Hmmmmmm. I was thinking that maybe we wont sleep and wait till 3 PM to see the sunrise as we had paid the Land Rover. My friend looked at me and said sorry. The trip wasnt smooth as we expected. :). well thats the beauty of an adventure :)

But then a young man with Brazil soccer costume approached the reception desk with his big back pack and asking for a room. But only 1 room available, so he offered us to share room with him and he would pay. This Brazilian man also lend my friend money. Lucky us .... :)

Afternoon we walked to the surrounding the hotel. Very interesting to see farmers with their potatoes field. And also tenggerese walking with their horses. The sun that set in the west shine beautifully to every object arround us. We took many nice pics there.

It was freezing at night. I am prepared with jacket and hat and gloves. but i still feel freezing. The Brazilian man really felt the cold like he had flu and his body is shivering. We woke up at 3 and prepared to go to see sunrise and land rover was waiting outside. A man knocked our door and offer jacket as it was very cold outside in the morning at MT Penanjakan. I didnt rent the jacket, also my friend. But the Brazilian man rent one for Rp.20.000. He didnt prepare for the cold weather in Indonesia as he thought that tropical country has warm air. :)

The Land rover passangers were 8. 6 at the back seats and 2 at the front seats. It stopped at the foot of Mt Penanjakan, and we had to climb this mount to get to the best site to view the popular Bromo spectacular sunrise. It takes round 30 Minutes to get to the viewing area. My friend hurt his forehead as it was dark and no lighting.

Many foreigners tourist there. Mostly Dutch and French. Few went with grup on schedule trip and few are individual tourist.

THE SUNRISE was very amazing. With a very nice gradient of blue and orange and res at the horizone. Mt Semeru looked pretty nice and accentuate the landscape. Hmm i love the panorama so much.

Roung 6 00 am we decent MT Penanjakan and returned to Land Rover to head to Mt Bromo. Land Rover park at the sea of sand which surround the mountain. To get to the mountain, we had to trekk through the sea of sand or to ride by horse (charged Rp.70.000-Rp.90.000). We preferred walking as we saw many older people walk. We dont want to be spoiled persons from the city :) Even if we rode by horse we still had to climb 248 steps of stairways to reach the summit of Mt Bromo. Not that easy, but it was fun and satisfied when at last we arrived there. We took off our jacket as we felt so hot as the sun has shone and as we exercised a lot with hiking and climbing.

Finally with panting breath we arrived there. We conquered the stairways. We took pics and strolled circle the rater lips. I love it when we look down and mist float over the sea of sand. I can see Hindu temple lying mysteriously down there.

Round 9 we return to hotel, shower, breakfast then return to Surabaya by car. We paid 15.000 each person to probolinggo bus station.

TIPS TO VISIT MT BROMO :

1.Bring Flash light

2.Bring warm Clothing and gloves and cotton trousers, if not Jacket Rental is available there.

3.ATM is available close to Cemara Indah Hotel (BNI ATM)

4.Reserve Land Rover for 275.000 Rupiah. So when you want to get a land rover better managed with other tourist to get best price, then you order individually.

5.If you arrive in in daylight, afternoon you can stroll and i guarantee you can get good pictures.

6.Visit Bromo at dry season round May – September

7.I suggest you to stay in a hotel closest to the caldera.

Hotel BROMO Available plus price:

1. Hotel Raya Bromo :

Desa Sukapura, Bromo area 67254, East Java - Indonesia
Phone : (0335) 581103-5, Fax : (0335) 581142

2. Lava View Lodge Rp. 160.000-750.000

3. Lava Cafe Lava Rp. 75.000-Rp. 150.000

4. Bromo Permai : Rp. 88.000-Rp.462.000

5. Yoschi's : Rp.75.000-Rp.400.000

6. Cemara Indah : Rp. 75.000-Rp. 600.000

Exploring Alas Purwo National Park......Banyuwangi East Java

Here is my experience visiting one of the most interesting National Park in Java.

Alas Purwo National Park located in Banyuwangi (5 hours from Surabaya). Right on the tip of Java Island.Javanese believe that this jungle is the beginning (purwa) of all. According to Javanese legend, Alas Purwo is the first land appeared from the ocean.

This National Park is 434,2 KM square and rich of wildlife inside especially bull, dear, and peacock.

Alas Purwo is also where you can fine caves that are used as meditation caves. They are Istana Caves, and Padepokan Caves.

I went there to Istana Caves the inside of the cave laid a humble board seemed like to be used as bed with statue and incense and offering. It was quiet dark but a man offer me a flashlight. Inside the cave i met a young men with long hair and he has been living in the cave for years. I went inside with two men from Australia and South Africa. At the end of the cave there is a tunnel, very small tunnel that we had to bend over, and sure took off our shoes as the bottom was water to the ankle. The length of the tunnel was just 3 meters approximately. and at the end of the tunnel there was a small cave room with oferring and incence and.... bats. The bats looks calm and do not feel they were disturbed by us.

The path to caves are very interesting to enjoy too cus you can see creek and lush bamboo is all around. You will meet few people on site they usually have purpose to meditate.

Hindu people visit Pura Agung in the mids of Alas Purwo to celebrate Pagerwesi that is celebrated once in 210 days.

Alas Purwo National Park is rich of flora and fauna. It is the home lutung budeng (Trachypithecus auratus auratus), bull (Bos javanicus javanicus), ajag (Cuon alpinus javanicus), peacock (Pavo muticus), The Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), deer (Cervus timorensis russa), The Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas), dan The Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis javanensis). And other protected animals such as Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). Those turtles usually go to the shore between Januari to September.

Sadengan Savanna 80 ha pastures where you can see wild bull, barking deer, wild pig, peacock, jungle fowl and many kind of birds. The wild animals are grassing and can be seen in the morning and afternoon from the viewing tower.

G-LAND BEACH

Located in the midst of Alas Purwo national Park. The G derives from Grajagan bay. G-Land is naturally completed with waves for beginner to the most advanced surfer.

My First Visit in Alas Purwo (An Adventure)

After visiting Baluran National Park, me and my friend fron Banyuwangi then planeed to visit Alas Purwo hmmm we are curious how G-Land is :). We were 2 girls travel alone to the jungle which are no common for javanese :)

We went by her motorbike. And guess what happened...... the road were no good for motor bike of hers, we had flat tyre. When we arrived Pancur, we left the motor in front of Mushola (mosque). And we continue our trip to G-Land on food.

At first we follow the road which is dark as the trees were tall. So we chose to fringe the shore.

My friend loves shore very much she was exited to see white sandy beach. Walking thru the sand we felt like it was our island or something, cus there was no one. Just us, and quiet. Only the waves that broke. My friend changed her trousers to short pants like she did in a private bathroom. :)

It was hot but we still prefer to follow the coast line. it took 3 hours approximately to G-Land. Pancur to G-Land is 9 Km.

We saw surfers and we knew that we arrived to one of the best surf beach.

It was afternoon and we knew we couldnt return on foot to Pancur cus we were exhausted so we managed to sleep at G-Land. Luckily there is a 3 floor surfer tower. I met a very kind young men that lent us pillow and blanket so we can sleep well on the 3rd floor of the tower. :)

But we awake until late at night cus we joined with young men with guitar and singing with bonfire. HMmm it was so peaceful...... the song..... the guitar....the moon .....and the sea that started to tide.

In the morning, we returned to Pancur by logistic truck. We had to wait until the tyre repaired. There is no tyre in the jungle so we had to ask someone who wanted to go to town to buy for us. Luckily there is a man who had to ride his gf home for her visit. Afternoon at 6 PM we head back to Banyuwangi.

My Second Visit To Alas Purwo (in group)

This visit less adventure and not that hard like my first experience :)

I went there with my campuss friends. We went buy 27 seats bus, and stop at the entrance gate of Alas Purwo where we had to pay entrance fee. We had luch box there.

In this trip we were accompanied by a ranger as our guide. We rode by Land Rover to G-Land and the to Sadengan Savanna and Ngagelan Beach to see turtle captivity ( i didnt visit these palce on my first trip)

Ngagelan is pretty interesting. Here you can see baby turtle and turtle eggs that were burried under the sand. Turtle lying eggs in the middle of the night is one of the most interesting tour to do. For this tour you must stay overnight at Triangulasi where accomodation is available for Rp. 50.000.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Banyuwangi-Pasaranyar :65 km (by car)

Pasaranyar-Trianggulasi :12 km (by car)

Trianggulasi-Plengkung :10 km (by land rover)