Tangkuban Perahu Craters
Bandung, INDONESIA
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Travel Companion
At first, I
was planned that I will visit this crater alone. So, I there will no time to be
wasted because I always moved fast. As I took breakfast that morning at the
hostel, I told the owner about my plan to visit Tangkuban Perahu. The hostel
owner, Mr. Micheal always been very helpful and giving many information.
Stephen from UK, overheard my conversation, and asking me whether can he follow
me because I know the local language, so it would be easy. I had no problem at
all, having a companion of 1 is good enough. Not so boring and we can always
share our stories. Actually I knew Stephen since I was in Jakarta. He also
stayed at Hunny Hostel Jakarta. I met him when checking-out the hostel, and
told me that he will go to Bogor then to Bandung. So when I met him again, I
recognized him automatically. Anyway, he emailed me last 2 months about he is
visiting my place, Kuching. Too bad I was working and not around. But, glad he
had a good time in Kuching!
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| With my pink raincoat! |
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| I'm with Stephen from UK at my hostel |
Hunny Hostel to Tangkuban Perahu by Minivan
From Paskal
Hyper Square main gate, turn left walking about 5 minutes, till the “Point
Minimarket”, then take cream color with brown line minivan which route “St Hall
– Lembang” price Rp 6k. Stop at “Lembang Wet Market”, take yellow color
minivan, ask price to go to Tangkuban Perahu Kawah, bargain for Rp 20k – Rp
30k. Need to pay entrance fee at the entrance gate, it cost Rp55k. It takes
around 2 hours from hostel to get there. The last public transport on the way
back finish around 4pm. For us, the driver asked for 150k rupiah, for Tangkuban
Perahu, Tea Plantation & Ciater Hotspring. He will waited for us. So, I
think even though it was not cheap, but it was a good deal.
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| Smile but in my heart who knows.... |
The Story
30km north
of Bandung, Tangkuban Perahu (translation: Overtuned Boat) is a huge active
volcanic crater. Of course every place have their own story right? Legend tells
of a god challenged to build a huge boat during a single night. His opponent,
on seeing that he would probably complete this impossible task, brought the sun
up early and the boat builder turned his nearly completed boat over in a fit of
anger.
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| The Crater |
Queen Crater
The huge
Kawah Ratu (Queen Crater) at the top is impressive, but as cars can also drive
right here, it is a weekend tourist trap with the usual parade of touts offering
eggs to cook in the crater’s scalding surface. A park entrance fee is 20k
rupiah. That morning, the mist was so think until we can’t barely see any of
the crater. Plus it was raining and also very slippery. When you want to go to
this crater, there were many so-called guide want to guide you to the crater.
Just ignored them!
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| Our trekking begins here... |
Safety
For safety,
check the volvano’s activity status first with the tourist information centre
in Bandung. But I always feel unsafe when I was here. This is because the
volcano is active and you do not know what will happen right? Your heartbeat
will pumping out fast. You feel like you want to get out there as soon as
possible. As I said, it was a live or die experience. For the touts, do not
make any contact with them, you do not know what the blackmagic they used. If
you asking for the price, there will be so many of them will approach you and
make you buy their item. So, prevent better than a cure. Do not approach them,
just walk straight and pretend you not hear anything and see anything.
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| The slippery route |
Escape the crowds
You can
escape the crowds by walking (anticlockwise) around the main crater and along
the ridge between the two craters, but parts of it are steep and slippery. Yes,
we did it. Even though it was raining and slippery, Stephen decide we follow
the trail, and hike until me made the round of the crater. Meaning, from
starting point, will walk and hike along the two crater until you reached your
starting point again. It was so scary, I never expected this. I just plan to
take a photo where I should be. I just used a a pair of sandal, not a shoe.
Walk along the ridge, you will see the sign of dangerous sulphur gas everywhere,
and the smell of chemically uncomfortable. After we arrived at the between to
of the crater, we took a rest, there was a half round to go. But the trail
become steep and slippery and scary, so I suggested Stephen to go back because
I do not think it was very good idea. Gladly, we were coming back at the
assembling point safely.
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| View from the opposite of the assembling point |
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| Another crater.... not that active... |
Domas Crater
Safer and
more interesting is the walk to Kawah Domas, an active volcanic area of
steaming vents and bubbling pools about 1km down from the car park. Just
ignored all the so called guide which were very annoying. They will told you,
it was very dangerous to go by your own.
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| The horses dancing in the rain |
Read Others: 50 days Backpacking Journey
Episode 16: Tangkuban Perabu, Bandung, Indonesia + VLOG
Episode 15: VLOG Summary, Jakarta, Indonesia
Episode 14: Indo Food Invasion
Episode 12: Jogja to Bandung by Train
Episode 11: Trishaw Ride, Yogyakarta, Indonesia + VLOG
Episode 10: Ramayana Ballet, Yogyakarta, Indonesia + VLOG
Episode 08: Cars Free Day, Jakarta, Indonesia + VLOG
Episode 06: Prambanan Temple, Yogyakarta, Indonesia + VLOG
Episode 05: Day 40 & Where the hell am I now?
Episode 04: Hunny Hostel, Jakarta, Indonesia
Episode 03: Amazing Safari Trip, Bogor, Indonesia + VLOG
Episode 02: Jakarta, Indonesia + VLOG
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