Readme before you journey
Greetings to all fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. Today, I would like to tell you a story about me and two other friends who had the opportunity to travel to a land known as "The Breath of God" in the east of Java Island, Indonesia.
The story begins when I met two mountains named "Bromo" and "Ijen" from a friend who just returned from Indonesia. If the reader is a photographer, you may have seen "Bromo" quite often, as it is one of the Dream Destinations for Landscape photographers who dream of one day hunting elephants, photographing spinning stars, and collecting fog.
The "Ijen" section, with its external beauty not being the main attraction, but rather the sulfur-filled crater within, with its "blue flames," is what made me decide to buy a plane ticket from Bangkok to Surabaya and embark on this journey through the dust and sulfur of East Java.
This trip took place during Father's Day weekend. With the available time (December 3-8), we planned to spend 3 days exploring the volcanoes and 1 day exploring the city of Yogyakarta, making the total trip duration 5 days.
Trip Details
Day 0 : Bangkok-Surabaya (departing around 9pm, arriving around midnight) Take an overnight bus to Blawan Village
Day 1 : Arrive at Blawan Village around noon. Visit the surrounding areas (Blawan Water Fall, Stawberry Plantation)
Day 2 : Wake up early to Mt.Ijen in the afternoon, travel to Cemoro Lawang (Mt.Bromo) and arrive at Cemoro Lawang in the late afternoon.
Day 3: Climb Mount Penanjakan to watch the sunrise, visit the Bromo crater, and explore Madakaripura waterfall. Travel back to Surabaya and take a train to Yogyakarta.
Day 4 : Tour around Yogyakarta (Borobudur, Prambanan)
Day 5: Return to Surabaya and fly back to Bangkok.
Travel
1. International travel: Traveling with Airasia, there will be a direct flight to Surabaya, Java Island, Indonesia, to continue the journey to Mt. Ijen. Round-trip ticket price is 5,500 baht (when I booked it was very close, so there were no promotions).
2. Domestic: This is divided into 2 periods.
a. Surabaya – Mt.Ijen – Mt.Bromo Many people who have been there recommend 2 places: Local Tour called Pinkhouse ( http://www.pinkhouse-rentcar.8m.com) and a tour guide named Tommy ([email protected]). I contacted Tommy by email and gave him the details of the date, time and places we wanted to go. He arranged for a car and accommodation. The price includes the cost of the car, driver, fuel, accommodation and entrance fees (subject to negotiation). I used the tour service for Ijen and Bromo (3 days) for a total of 4.5 M.IDR for 3 people. The exchange rate at the time was 1 THB = 0.0028 IDR, which is about 4,200 baht per person.
b. Surabaya – Yogyakarta I traveled by intercity train, bought a ticket 1 day in advance, round trip 1,320 K.IDR (approximately 1,200 baht). The price will vary depending on the train schedule. As for Yogyakarta city, I mainly walked. There are some tricycles if it's far. To Borobudur, I used a Day Tour purchased from my accommodation.
Expenses
The main expenses are as follows. This trip is not a budget trip because we mainly used local tours and ate and lived well. I think if we wait for a flight ticket promotion and travel within the country ourselves, it will be much cheaper.
Fun facts about East Java
- Indonesians are predominantly Muslim, hence the abundance of mosques throughout the country.
- People there pray several times a day. Sometimes, if they are not in a hurry, the guide will stop the car for them to pray. Throughout the city, there are loudspeakers broadcasting the sound of prayers.
- Ask the guide what to do if you are busy and need to pray. He said that you can postpone it to the next day if necessary.
- The food there doesn't have pork, you know. It focuses on chicken and beef. Our main dishes are Nasi Goreng (fried rice) and Ayam Goreng (fried chicken). The fried chicken here has a very crispy and delicious skin.
- Roads in East Java are single-lane roads, with very heavy to extremely heavy traffic. Sometimes, additional private lanes are opened.
- There are many sections that are coastal roads, but the beaches are not as beautiful as ours.
- This is an island, so be prepared for light rain almost every afternoon during the dry season (May to September).
- To climb Mt. Ijen, you need to prepare something to cover your mouth because the sulfur smoke is very strong. When I used a white scarf (it didn't help much), I recommend bringing a gas mask with you, it will be safer.
- In December, the weather on Mt. Bromo is quite cold in the morning, similar to the northern mountains in Thailand. It is advisable to bring some warm clothing.
- This place has a lot of volcanoes. Everywhere you look, you'll see mountains spewing smoke.
- Yogyakarta is pronounced "Jogjakarta". It is sometimes written as "Jogja". When you say "Yogyakarta" to locals, they might be confused.
- Yogyakarta is a city of art. If Jakarta is the body, Yogyakarta is the soul of Indonesia.
The photos in this trip were taken with Nikon D300 + Nikon 16-85 VR + Nikon 70-300 VR + Sigma 10-20
**Day 0-1: Bangkok to Surabaya and Blawan Village**
Our trip started at Don Mueang Airport. We traveled with Air Asia, which opened the trip with a half-hour flight delay. Orz I met a woman who came to chat with me while I was waiting to board the plane. We talked for a while and then I realized that she was Indonesian. But she spoke Thai fluently and clearly, so much so that I couldn't tell the difference. She gave me her contact number in case I had any problems while I was in Surabaya. The main thing she warned me about was pickpockets.
The entire journey took 4 hours. We originally planned to arrive in Surabaya at 12:30 AM, but it was delayed to 1:30 AM. I emailed Tommy, who arranged the car and driver for us in Indonesia, to let him know that we would be arriving a bit late. The Surabaya airport is not very big, similar in size to the Chiang Mai airport. There weren't many people, so it didn't take long to go through immigration and collect our luggage. When we exited the airport, we saw Tommy's friend holding a sign with our name on it. His name is "Abi", and he will be our guide for this trip. Abi speaks and understands English fluently, but he has a slight Indonesian accent. When we got to the car, there was another driver, but he didn't speak English at all. We had to communicate using sign language. The car that took us was a Suzuki APV with 3 rows of seats. It can comfortably seat 6 people.
Around 2 am, we set off from Surabaya. Tonight, we will have to take a long drive to reach Ijen (according to the map). We drove through the city of Surabaya. The city is quite small, with two-story shophouses and no high-rise buildings. The roads have only one lane. After driving for a while, we all fell asleep. I woke up again in the early morning, not knowing what time it was. The driver and Abi stopped the car in front of a mosque to pray. There are many mosques here, and the prayers are broadcast through loudspeakers that resonate throughout the city.
According to Google Maps, we will run long to Ijen first, then loop back to Bromo. From Ijen, we can take a boat to Bali.
The vehicle we used to travel was comfortable because there were few people.
Around 7 am, the driver stopped at a viewpoint in Bondowoso city to let us stretch our legs. From this point, it will take another 3 hours to reach Blawan, the village where we will stay before climbing Ijen the next day. This 3-hour drive will be on a winding uphill road, paved but quite rough.
The view is not much, but the Indonesian gate is quite unique.
We drove a little further and found a restaurant. We stopped to eat. In the picture is Nasi Goreng, which is sweet and spicy.
The road is rough, just like Abi said. It's so rough that our heads almost hit the ceiling of the car. There was also a section of the road that was damaged, so we had to take a detour, which was a bit of a hassle. There are also checkpoints along the way, and at some of them we had to pay a fee (but this was included in the tour price).
The view along the way, the air is humid and there is a little fog.
At some points, we had to stop and wait for the officers to check. The person wearing the hat is our guide, Abee. The person sitting is the driver.
Around 11 am, we arrived at Blawan village. Our accommodation was Catimor Homestay, an old house and coffee factory owned by a Dutchman. He had previously set up a coffee factory here, which was later taken over by the Javanese. Almost all the villagers in Blawan work on coffee plantations, and in the evenings they return home to grow vegetables. This is considered a relatively good income, according to Abi.
A small house with a satellite dish and a garden
It is a village where people live a simple life. In the morning, they work, in the evening they grow vegetables, and when it gets dark, they go to sleep.
The accommodation is a single-story row of buildings with over 10 rooms. The rooms are similar to those found in national parks in Thailand, with one light and one electrical outlet. There is hot water (from a hot spring). The area around the accommodation is a garden with ornamental plants and a greenhouse. In front of the accommodation are the ruins of a Dutch building, which looks quite impressive.
The area around the yellow building is our accommodation.
The house of the former Dutch coffee shop owner behind the accommodation
After settling into our accommodation and taking a short break, we set off on foot to Blawan Waterfall, which was not far from our lodging. We enjoyed a leisurely stroll, admiring the birds and trees, but be sure to watch out for the monkeys, as they might try to snatch something from you.
A stream along the way
Blawan Waterfall
Compared to humans, it also has a rainbow.
Then Abi took me to another waterfall, which seemed to be unnamed, not far from here. But the path was very slippery, and at some points, we had to climb down bamboo poles. Plus, the muddy ground made it quite difficult. The small waterfall was blocked by a crevice in the rocks, and to get a closer look, we had to climb up slippery rocks.
Upon returning to the village, we stopped by the Hot Spring for a quick visit. It was similar to the one in Jae Son, Ranong, with pools resembling swimming pools. We then went up to see the strawberry farm and the civet cage (which only had the cage, as the civets had been moved elsewhere). We then returned to our accommodation to relax. All the attractions were within a 15-minute walk from the accommodation (except for the waterfall).
The strawberry farm doesn't have many berries yet.
Village from a high angle
The accommodation provided dinner, a set meal for 3 people with fried chicken, french fries, egg rolls, clear soup and stir-fried noodles for 150,000 IDR. There are almost no restaurants outside, there is a grocery store hidden in the village. You can buy water and snacks, but you have to go before dark. After dinner, we went back to the accommodation to sleep. We have to sleep early today because we have to leave the accommodation early tomorrow morning to see the Blue Flame in the crater of Kawa Ijen.
Day 2: "Kawa Ijen" The One and Only
We usually go to bed around midnight or one in the morning, but today we woke up at midnight to prepare for a 3-hour hike to the Kawah Ijen crater. We left our accommodation around 1:00 AM and arrived at the foot of the mountain around 1:30 AM. The air was so cold that our breath was visible. The path was pitch black, so we had to bring flashlights. The first 1.5 kilometers were a steep climb with a slope of 20-40 degrees, depending on the section. There were rest pavilions at intervals, and the ground was made of gravel. There were many people hiking with us, including Thais, Chinese, and Westerners.
Halfway through the walk, you will come across a hut. This is where they carry sulfur lumps down to sell. From this point onwards, the path will start to run along the ridge of the mountain, winding its way until you reach the crater of E-Chan. We arrived there at around 3 am, when there was already a faint light of dawn on the horizon.
The path to the mouth of the chimney is steep and slippery. It's like walking on a pile of large rocks. If you go down in the morning without a guide, it is not recommended because you can't see very well and there is no clear path. You have to feel your way around.
At 3:50 am, we descended to the point where they were digging for sulfur and witnessed the Blue Flame in its full glory. The blue flames, which danced like cloth in the wind, were scattered throughout the valley in the mouth of the Egean crater. The color and movement seemed alive, the heat and the smell of sulfur indicating danger. The first time I saw it, I thought to myself that if hell really existed, it would be something like this (but not blue).
Blue Flame of Kawa Ijen
I took a hill as my location and set up a tripod to try to take a long exposure, but I had a problem with the smoke blowing in an uncertain direction. If I opened the camera for too long, the smoke might block the light in the picture. It was quite difficult. Another problem was that I went down with a horse cloth covering my mouth. If it hit me once, I would have to duck and cover my face with my hands, or else I would definitely cry.
In the lower left corner, you can see people collecting sulfur to sell.
I tried shining a flashlight on it, and it looked different.
We were able to film for about half an hour before the wind changed direction and blew a large cloud of smoke towards our group and the foreigners who were taking pictures with us. Everyone choked and ran to take cover on the upper level. At that moment, my eyes, ears, and nose were burning all the way down to my throat. It was a good thing that I had a cloth to filter the smoke, because it was quite dangerous. If I had been hit directly, I might have passed out right there.
After we were able to breathe normally again, we traveled back because we had to leave this place and take a long car ride to our accommodation near Bromo. When we reached the crater rim, it was already light, but the visibility was poor, making it almost impossible to see the acid lake inside the volcanic crater. We later learned from the guide that the Ejegien crater is not accessible every day. It depends on the wind direction. If the wind blows in this direction that day, it is not possible to go down at all.
Condition of the survivors
The faint mist and smoke obscured the view of the blue acid lake.
As the sky brightened, we could see our surroundings more clearly. The sulfur carriers began to walk around busily. They carry about 80 kg (4-5 lumps) of sulfur twice a day and bring it down to sell at the huts below, which will then be sent to the factory. The reason why this mountain is called "Ijen" is because "Ijen" means "one" in Indonesian. It is the only mountain in Indonesia where sulfur can be mined in this way, including the phenomenon of the blue flames.
You can buy carved sulfur as a souvenir.
We arrived at the car around 7 am, our heads full of the smell of sulfur. We continued our journey to Cemoro Lawang, stopping for lunch at a restaurant by the sea. We took a short walk on the beach (thanks to the chubby cat, who told us it was called White Sand Beach - thank you very much -/\-). The beach wasn't white, it was more of a fishing beach, with strange-looking boats parked all over the place. We didn't stay long and continued on our way.
Around noon, we arrived in Probolinggo, not far from Cemoro Lawang. We stopped in this city to buy train tickets for the journey from Surabaya to Yogyakarta and to buy some water and snacks (a friend bought sandals). Then we traveled to Cemoro Lawang, the village closest to Mt. Bromo.
On the way up to Cemoro Lawang
We arrived at Cemoro Lawang in the late afternoon. Our accommodation, Bromo Permai 1, was a significant upgrade from our stay in Ijen. The rooms were beautiful, clean, and had Wi-Fi, although there were no fans or air conditioning. After settling in, Abi took us for a walk to watch the sunset. We walked through Lava View Lodge and out of the village, following a path along the rim of Bromo's old crater. The spot where we stood was once the actual crater rim, but Bromo's continuous eruptions have gradually filled the original crater with dust and smoke, narrowing it to its current size.
As the evening approached, the air grew colder. I didn't realize I would have to walk this far (about an hour), so I only came in a T-shirt and jeans. The weather here is similar to Doi Ang Khang, humid and cool. We didn't make it to the highest hill in time for the sunset, so we had to take pictures from the current hill. If you look at the pictures from the past two days, you'll see that the sky was very cloudy, almost like a disaster. It's been raining lightly in the evenings, but today it's a bit better.
As we walk, we will follow the old crater rim.
The walking area is black soil, probably from the lava during the eruption. There are no big trees in this area, only grass, ferns and moss.
Heart-shaped smoke
And then the sun set, and we walked back through the darkness.
It was already dark when we returned. Abi took us to dinner in the village, and then we went back to rest. The next day, we had to wake up early (again) to see the sunrise and the sea of fog at the top of Penanjakan, the peak next to Bromo.
Day 3: "Bromo" The Sleeping Beast
Around 3:00 AM, we boarded the Jeep that Abi had arranged for us to take us to the top of Penanjakan to watch the sunrise over Bromo. The Jeep cut through the black desert, taking a shortcut up the mountain. As we drove through the desert, it was pitch black around us, with only the headlights of the car illuminating the way ahead. The light shone only on the bare sandy ground, with the car occasionally swerving or bumping over potholes and sand ridges. There were no roads or signs, and only occasionally did we see another Jeep pass by. I asked Abi how the driver could see the way, and his answer shocked me a little: "Instinct."
The car drove through the darkness for about half an hour before returning to the paved road that led up to the top of Penanjakan. The road was very steep, almost 45 degrees, and it would be very difficult to climb if it wasn't a 4WD vehicle. As we approached the top, Abi said that there were a lot of people going up today, so he would take us to a lower peak so that we wouldn't have to fight for a place to take pictures. That spot was about 500 meters from the top, a curved bend with a wooden fence. We were the first group to arrive at that spot.
The light streaks in the picture are from the car's headlights. You can see that even after we got on, people kept coming.
The sun has risen. There are a few clouds today, and the wind is quite strong. The tripod might shake if you don't weigh it down. Up here, they sell instant noodles, snacks, and hot coffee. You can use them as a snack. There are vendors who set up stalls early in the morning.
A popular spot, unfortunately the sun is blocked by clouds today.
The light is here, the D300 camera is a little bit noisy.
The sun comes out for a while, then the fog follows.
There are two spots for taking photos at my location. The first spot is a flat, open area with shops nearby. There are not many large trees here, but there are many bushes below. The other spot is to the right, where the grass is a bit overgrown. From this spot, you can clearly see Bromo, but you need to avoid the trees a bit. If you want to take photos from multiple angles, this is a good option. However, the second spot offers a larger view of Bromo than the first spot. It is suitable for taking selfies or group photos.
You need to avoid the tree around here.
You'll get the full mountain, no bushes blocking the bottom.
Looking back, you'll get an angle like this (Please don't stare for too long, the noise is overwhelming)
Aside from the sunrise and sunset, the morning light here is absolutely spectacular. The combination of light and fog is the most beautiful I've ever seen. Plus, with a 180-degree view in front of us, there are countless beautiful angles to capture. I even used my telephoto lens to zoom in on specific points, and there were so many amazing shots to be had. I remember taking hundreds of photos that day, and I can honestly say that this Dream Destination did not disappoint.
After enjoying the morning mist on Bromo, we took a car down to the black desert, heading straight to the Bromo crater. We stopped to take some photos along the way. The desert is really huge, making us feel like we were tiny. While we were taking photos, other Jeeps that came down were swerving around us as if they were ATVs, even jumping over hills. It was amazing!
Condition of the car when coming down from the mountain
The bottom is just as magnificent as the top.
A little small
The Jeep will drop us off at a distance from the temple and the climb to the Bromo crater. We can choose to walk or ride a horse. There will be plenty of horses available, with their owners leading them to take us to the top. They charge 125,000 IDR for a round trip, but we can bargain it down to around 100,000 (including a tip for the leader, at your discretion). The horse will take us through the desert and past the temple at a leisurely pace, reaching the stairs to the crater in about 15 minutes. If you walk, it will take about 30 minutes.
All the little horses
This view is no joke
The picture shows a parking spot and a temple. It seems quite far away.
From the point where the horse dropped us off, we walked a little further and we reached the stairs leading up to the crater rim. The stairs weren't too steep, similar to the climb up Doi Suthep, but you had to be careful not to slip on the volcanic dust. Once you reach the top of the crater rim, there's a narrow dirt path, about the width of one person, where you can barely pass each other. There's a fence on one side of the crater rim, but on the other side, if you're in a hurry, you can just slide down. However, I can't guarantee that you'll keep all your limbs intact. 55
Stairway
It's getting high now. Anyone who is afraid of heights can easily have shaky legs.
At the top of the crater, there is a narrow path. If you slip even a little, you could roll down to the bottom.
The volcanic crater is a deep, sloping pit with dust and smoke constantly rising, but not as intense as the Aegean. There is a slight smell of sulfur, just enough to remind us that this is a volcano and we need to be careful. If you walk beyond the designated viewing area, there are no fences and the path becomes narrower. You can continue walking until you almost complete the circuit. I didn't walk that far, but I saw people walking further, the furthest being a little beyond the opposite side from us. Beyond that would be the point where the smoke is blowing, and I guess it would be impossible to walk any further.
Looking into the crater of Mount Bromo, you can feel that this volcano is still alive, waiting for the day it will erupt.
Turning back, you will see this view. This valley is a constant reminder of how small we are compared to the vastness of nature.
The path continues, skirting the edge of the crater. My friend was already trembling just standing here, haha.
After spending some time up there, we made our way down to wait for our friend who was walking around the volcano. He came back after about a quarter of the way, saying that there were foreigners sitting on chairs with umbrellas. This is the epitome of slow life, isn't it?
It's time to say goodbye to Bromo. I can say that it was amazing. I'm determined to come back someday (I really want to see it erupt).
Let's move on to the next point.
The next stop is Madakaripura Waterfall, about an hour's drive from Bromo. To reach the waterfall, you'll need to wade through a stream, so it's recommended to wear sandals. The path is mostly flat, but there are some sections where you'll need to pass under the waterfall and climb over rocks. It's advisable to bring a raincoat and plastic bags to cover your belongings and camera. The initial part of the trail is a straight concrete path with a few stream crossings.
A guide will be provided here. It will be a bit difficult to go on your own as there are many points that seem to have no way to go further. But in reality, you have to climb the rocks to continue.
The stream is about shin-deep, not very wide, and the current is moderate.
The many streams of water fall down on us, the corner of the rock on the left hand side is the point where we will get the most wet.
The narrow passage that I had to climb through. I took this photo when I was coming back from the inside of the waterfall, because when I was going in, I had wrapped my camera in a plastic bag.
And then we finally arrived inside the waterfall. Passing through the crevices of the rocks, we entered a large hall with a pool of water in the center. Looking up, we saw a round valley with waterfalls cascading down from almost every direction. It was a magnificent sight, like being in a cave with a hole leading to the sky. Unfortunately, the day I went, the sky was completely white because it had just rained, making the water in the stream a muddy brown. There will be water spray throughout this area, so be careful if your camera is not waterproof. As for me, I was already soaked from passing through the curtain of water.
The construction is truly magnificent. If I had come on a day with better lighting, it would have been much more beautiful.
Back to the top, there's no sky to be seen.
The waterfall here is very difficult to photograph, but it is also very beautiful, especially the streams of water that cascade down into the valley.
On the way back, a funny thing happened. My trusty old flip-flops, which had been with me for years, broke right in front of the waterfall. This meant that I had to walk the rest of the way with one bare foot. I guess you could say I really got to experience the earth beneath my feet.
We left the waterfall around two or three in the afternoon and headed straight back to Surabaya to catch the train at the station around nine o'clock to Yogyakarta. We almost didn't make it because the traffic was heavy and chaotic when we entered the city. We arrived at the station around six o'clock. At this point, we said goodbye to our guide, Abi, and the uncle who we barely spoke to (I confess I can't remember his name). Abi took very good care of us, like a big brother. He explained the sights, chatted with us, helped us buy things, ordered food, carried our bags, and even walked us to the platform at the station, as far as he could go. We are very grateful for his kindness. It was a service that far exceeded the price. Today, I will end here. Tomorrow will be a long Part Yogyakarta until the end. The train to Yogyakarta will leave the station at 19.00. The carriage we are sitting in is air-conditioned, with seats similar to those on a typical VIP bus. There are electrical outlets for use. At the head and tail of the carriage, there are TV screens that tell us which station we are at. The train runs slowly, with a little shaking, but not as much as at home.
Around 11:40 PM, we arrived in Yogyakarta (10 minutes late). We left the station to go to our accommodation (the condition of the station here is not very suitable for spending the night. A friend who had been here before me recommended a place to stay, so we followed the map on the business card to the accommodation. Coming out of the station, there is a main road. On the opposite side, there are many small alleys. The hostels are hidden in there. At the entrance of the alley, there will be something like a gatekeeper, or there will be a large sign to tell you what hostels are in the alley.
We arrived at the alley and found an old man who looked like a security guard standing there. In fact, the old man was the one who guided tourists into the alley. When we handed him our accommodation name card, he led us to the accommodation in exchange for a small tip. When we arrived, the owner of the hostel was already asleep. The old man knocked on the door to wake him up and then went his separate way. The accommodation is called "Setia Kawan Losmen". It is a Hostel & Art Gallery. The front has paintings for sale. Inside, there are rooms, both separate rooms and dorms. We got a room for 2 people and an extra bed for 1 person for 350,000 + 60,000 IDR for 2 nights.
After settling the accommodation before the owner went back to sleep, I contacted the Day Tour for the next day to visit Borobudur and Prambanan. I got a half-day tour for 85,000 IDR per person, including breakfast but excluding entrance fees. If you want to take pictures of the sunrise at Borobudur, you should book accommodation inside the Buddhist park. Because the front gate will not open until 6:00 AM, which is already daylight. When everything was arranged, it was exactly 1:30 AM.
Day 4: "Yogyakarta" The Soul of Indonesia
In the early morning, the driver picked us up at the front of the alley where we were staying at around 5:30 am. It took about 45 minutes to get from the city to Borobudur. We arrived a little before opening time. The driver took us to buy entrance tickets first, then we went out to eat breakfast. The breakfast included in the tour was a sandwich and fruit tea. When the gate was about to open, there were groups of Indonesian tourists and school children on a field trip. There weren't many foreign tourists that day.
The UNESCO symbol declares this place a World Heritage Site.
To enter, you must wear a cloth similar to a Thai sarong. The interior is similar to a typical Buddhist park, with several small religious sites. Some buildings are museums, and in some areas, vendors sell goods. The Borobudur temple is located at the very back, requiring you to climb many stairs, as the stupa is situated on a hill.
The garden inside is similar to Ayutthaya in our country. There are many old buildings.
The way up to Borobudur
From the top corner
Borobudur is a Mahayana Buddhist temple and the largest Buddhist temple in the world (not counting Angkor Wat, which is not purely Buddhist but has a mix of Hinduism). It was built from volcanic rock, which is abundant on the island of Java. The top consists of many stupas stacked on top of each other. The exact builder is unknown, but it is estimated to have been built between the 7th and 8th centuries AD. It was abandoned for centuries and buried under ash from Mount Merapi, so no one except the locals knew of its existence. Then, in 1814, Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, an Englishman who occupied Java at that time, set up an exploration team and rediscovered Borobudur.
The top of the stupa
After exploring the top floor to our heart's content, we descended to the lower level for a brief stroll. We visited a couple of museums before exiting through the back. The path leads through a market selling souvenirs similar to those found at Chatuchak in Bangkok, with prices lower than those inside but still higher than those in the city center. For souvenirs, I recommend heading to Maliboro Street in the city center for better deals.
At around 9 am, we left Borobudur for Prambanan, a journey that took about an hour and a half. Prambanan is like a small city, consisting of many Hindu stone temples. There are three main stone temples, representing the Trimurti (Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma). It is said that the stone temples here are the most beautiful in the world, and this religious site is the largest on the island of Java.
The three main castles. In addition to this area, we can also take a car to many other small castles.
We left Prambanan Temple around 11:30 am and stopped to buy lunch near our accommodation. (There was a street food stall open in the alley.) Then it started to rain, so we had to take shelter in our accommodation for a while. Until around 2:30 pm, the rain finally stopped, and we were able to start exploring the city of Yogyakarta.
We followed the route from the Lonely Planet book, starting at Maliboro Street, the main street of the city. The street is lined with shops and art galleries, and horse-drawn carriages are parked along the way. You can take a carriage ride to see the city. If you want to go shopping, this is the street to come to. There are everything from small shops selling key chains to large department stores selling brand-name goods. Most importantly, you can bargain a lot here. We were able to bargain down the price of a key chain from 10 baht to 2-3 baht. Interestingly, one side of the street is a local market. The batik clothes here are beautiful and very cheap. In the fancy shops, you can find evening dresses for as low as 300 baht.
At the end of the road, you will find a four-way intersection. On the left side, there is a post office where you can send postcards. On the other side, there is a museum. If you continue walking, you will find a small flea market. When I went, they were just setting up their stalls, so I guess it will be more lively around 4-5 pm. At the end of the road, you will find the Kraton, the palace of the Sultan who ruled this city in the past. When I went, it was closed, so I could only look through the bars.
As we were pondering our next destination, a rickshaw driver approached us with an offer to visit a Batik painting shop. Intrigued, we decided to give it a try. The shop resembled a school where tourists could learn the art of Batik painting, and it also displayed a gallery of Batik paintings for sale. Similar to a small art gallery, the paintings ranged in price from 300,000 to 1,000,000 IDR. Exiting the Batik shop, we continued our walk towards a location marked on our map as "Bird Market." True to its name, it was indeed a market selling birds. However, when I visited, it was already closed, giving off a vibe similar to the bird shops in Chatuchak Market. The birds on display were mostly common species found in cities, such as sparrows, magpies, and weaverbirds.
Our destination was Alun Alun, the Javanese name for the town square. The square is characterized by two large, old trees. When I visited, there was a small festival-like event taking place, with models selling motorcycles and a small concert. The atmosphere was quite lively.
On the way back, the sky started to get cloudy, so we decided to take a pedicab back. We weren't sure if we could find our way back, as we had walked around the alley too much. If it rained heavily, it would be bad because we didn't have any raincoats (we had thrown them away at the waterfall). The pedicab driver took the three of us and charged us 50,000 IDR. We felt a bit sorry for him because he had to pedal us three men up the hill, and it started to rain again.
It is a cultural norm here to try to fit as many people as possible into a vehicle.
We rested at the accommodation waiting for the rain to stop, and then went out to find dinner on Maliboro Street again. This time, we tried eating at a stall next to the market, as it seemed to have strange local dishes to try. The main dish was stir-fried noodles, which were quite sweet, and there were offal, tofu, and fried birds to buy and eat with them. The price was 5000 IDR each. While we were eating, someone came to sing and ask for money, and wouldn't leave. We had to find some coins for him before he would leave. In the evening, there were street performances on Maliboro Street at intervals. We walked around and looked for souvenirs until after nine o'clock, and then returned to our accommodation. This was the last night on the island of Java for the three of us.
Day 5: Back Home
The train departs from Yogyakarta at 7:20 AM. This is the Business Class, which is a bit nicer than the one we took on the way here. The views along the way are of rice fields with volcanoes in the background. There are also a few villages along the way.
From the train station, we took a taxi to the airport. We had to pay the taxi driver 5,000 IDR for parking at the train station and an additional 150,000 IDR for the meter, plus parking at the airport. In total, the taxi cost almost 10,000 IDR. The journey took about an hour (traffic was a bit slow in the city center). In Indonesia, you have to pay an additional 150,000 IDR airport tax. Also, when you board the plane, they will weigh your carry-on luggage. If it is overweight, you will have to pay extra.
9:00 PM. We safely arrived back in Thailand, with the smell of sulfur clinging to our clothes and memories. This concludes our 5-day trip to East Java. It was a truly magical trip, with the blue flames of Ijen, the sea of stars and the sea of fog at Bromo, the abundant waterfalls of Madakaripura, the magnificent temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, and the artistic city of Jogja. It was an unforgettable experience.
Thank you to everyone who has read this. Some of the content may be informative, some may be nonsensical, and some may be rambling. I apologize for that. It's all written from the heart. 55+ I hope my story will make all readers more interested in traveling to East Java. If anyone needs more information about traveling on this route, please feel free to ask me in a private message.
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Mountain Seal
Friday, September 27, 2024 9:55 AM
