Bandung - Papandayan

After visited Kamojang, we went for our lunch which is on the way to Papandayan volcano mountain. The view of the place where we had lunch is simply marvelous and it just make our appetite grown bigger. We all sit in a small hut surrounded by paddy field which is just beside a pond. And the view of volcano mountain is just enough to make us indulge into explore more later.

The photo will explained everything.




Look like sunflower but I guess it is not sunflower.


The hut where we have our lunch.


Nice view rite?!


You can even choose which hut that you like to sit.


Can anyone tell me what flower is that? Not lavender rite?


More hut to be choose by customer.


Lavender lookalike?


Sunflower lookalike?

Around 2.30pm, we travel along the outskirt to reach Papandayan. The weather was so so cold and I was wearing sleeveless shirt at that time. Without wasting any time, our guide escorted us to hike the mountain.


The cooling air is so cool when we about to start hiking.


Our hiking with the tour guide.


The smoke getting thicker the higher we climb the mountain.


The tour guide inform us that the geographical of the volcano will change each time. That why we required a tour guide to assist us when hiking.

Along the way, we could see smoke everywhere on the mountain. I was praying please dun erupt when we were up at the mountain because it look like it is going to explode soon. Sometimes we could even smell the sulfur all the way up to the mountain.


More and more smoke coming out from the earth. Scary but exciting.




The hot boiling sulfur water.

Papandayan is known as complex stratovolcano mountain. The more we hike, the more smoke awaiting us. What amazed me the most is the distinctive yellow crater walls due to coloring by sulfur. We can even touch and feel the hot steaming sulfur with our bare hand. Due to the yellow coloring of the crater, it was known as Kawah Mas or Golden Crater.














Now you understand why it was called as Golden Crater.

The sulfur-encrusted fumarole is just so nice to be experienced by yourself. The crater is surrounded by forest and extends by a long and steep chasm and this chasm becomes a river channel at the foot of the mountain. The experience of hiking at Papandayan is simply beyond my imagination.











After one and half hours of hiking, we proceed to Cipanas whereby there is a large swimming pool of hot spring awaiting us. Our body was so smelly with sulfur and I believe no snake will even bite us. We definitely enjoyed our body after a long hiking at Papandayan at the pool with a nice view of inactive volcano at his backyard. Although the journey from one place to another is far, but we do enjoyed the trip and it is worth it.





By 8.00pm we reach our hotel and rest ourself. At nite, we went to Amsterdam cafe nearby the town of Bandung to see Agus and his band performing live music. We really enjoy the warm hospitality of Agus who is willing to show us around and he just make our stay in Moritz Hotel a memorable ones.

For more pictures, you can click HERE.

Bandung - Kamojang

We reached Bandung as early as 6 am in the morning. The cool and fresh breezing air welcome us to Bandung. Bandung was known as Paris of Java in the past. We walked our way to look for cheap guest house and we managed to get one at Moritz Hotel for Rp80,000 with breakfast. The hotel is clean and offers basic backpackers accommodation. Straight away discuss and get ourself a package of Rp300,000 for a trip to one of the active and less commercialize volcano in west Java.


Brown duckie along the way to Kamojang.




Paddy field along the way. The air is so fresh and the air is so refreshing.


Natural scenery of mountain.

We have a short nap and started the journey at 9am. Our first destination was to Kawah Kamojang or the Kamojang Crater which was known as geothermal field in West Java. Along the way, we enjoyed the green scenery of paddy field and volcanic mountain. This place was first discovered by the dutch and later developed that place as geothermal power plant. Around 11.30am we reached Kamojang. The unique one of this place is a lot of geyser fountain that burst hot steam and water from the earth.


The geng who went the trip together with us.


Kawah Keretapi that welcome us with loud noise of hissing steam sound.


Me in front of boiling and smoking mud.


Kawah Manuk, one of the kawah in Kamojang.


More and more bubbling pond as we walked inside the jungle.


The bubbling pond.

We can see huge steel pipe crisscross the area and supply natural steam to a geothermal power plant nearby. Before even reaching that place, the hissing sound of hot steam can be hear inside our car. We can even see the hot steaming water shoot up to 20 meters from the earth.

More and more hot steaming water shoot up..








Hot boiling water.


The smoking bridge that we need to pass to get over to another place.


More mud pond as we walked inside the jungle.


Hot boiling water from the geyser. Trust me it is really boiling water.


Myself with disposable raincoat in front of the shooting steam water.

The further we walked deep in the jungle, the more geysers and bubbling pond and more smokes. Although raining, it did not dampened our spirit to explore more of the place. We even go down and approach the puddle of boiling and steaming mud. To be able to feel the hot steam and water shooting out from the earth is simply amazing. The experience is hard to be described by words.


The view when on our back.


The road that is so narrow. But the view is fantastic.


Make me feel like I am at Cameron Highlands.


Photos that are randomly taken inside my car.

After more than 2 hours at Kamojang, we leave that place and continue our journey to the active volcano in West Java. We drove to one mountain to another mountain. The view of mountain side with fog make me feel like I am at Cameron Highlands.

Parangtritis Beach

The early next morning on 17 April, we wake at 7 am and start packing and check out from the hotel. We walked around the Malioboro Street for the last time and we have our breakfast there. Our next plan was heading to Parangtritis Beach which is about 2 hours drive from the town. It cost us about Rp3,000 to take shuttle bus to reach Parangtritis Beach. Very bumpy ride plus passengers who is smoking in the bus make the journey a bit uncomfortable but we already get used to it. A price to pay for using the cheapest way of transportation but it help us to save a lots.


The natural scenery of Parangtritis Beach.





Parangtritis beach has been famous where the sand dunes, sandy beach and the rock cliffs meet. Frankly speaking, I was a bit disappointed because the place is not really beautiful and we can't swim cause of high wave which is dangerous for swimming. And also at that time, the weather is a bit hazy although it is quite windy facing the endless blue sea.


The high wave! No Swimming!!!


Kranti's staff who are trying to color the Batik.

We talked with Kranti, cantonese guy who is attending the Herbalife seminar at Parangtritis. He is from Medan and speak fluent chinese who enjoy photography as well. He is so generous to offer us ride back to Yogyakarta town. But before that, we travel together to old Kraton castle together with his wife and staff.


Few of the Batik that attract me. Golden in color.


Nice. Not cheap though.

At first, we thought to stay in Parangtritis beach for one night but that place is not so happening. So when we reach Yogya, we went to the railway station and bought train ticket to Bandung for Rp150,000 for Executive Class. So we temporarily put our luggage at our hotel that we stayed and do some shopping again at Malioboro street again.


Farmer with Borobudur temple as background.


Live batik drawing for us to see.

We waited at Station Tugu for our train to arrive. The train station was packed with people and we are constantly have to be aware of pickpocket and also our luggage safety. We are expected to reach Bandung early morning. BANDUNG here I come!!!