Friday 21 December 2012

Walking On Thousands of Seashells in Muara Angke, Pluit, Jakarta

For those of you who lived in Jakarta or at least been to Jakarta before, must have been familiar to hear the name of this area, Muara Angke. What is interesting about this place? Well, let us take you there... 

Besides as one of Fishing Center in Indonesia in manage, organize, maintain fishing harbors and also the fish auction plus fish landing bases...Muara Angke is utilized for housing fishermen with pond of brackish water for aquaculture trials, mangrove forest park, etc. A really cool place to hanging out. 
Fishermen village with bamboo houses and mangroves. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
On one side this place is beautiful and attractive but on the other side this place is bit disgusting because of the garbage that floats on the waters edge. Still this place looks very unique to us, that is why we keep this sightseeing journey on. 

We started it from the Pluit Beach, driving to Pluit Harbor but we did not enter the harbor, we just return direction of our car when we saw more piles of trash in front of the gate (look miserable).

We continuing our journey to Fishermen Village, passing through streets with all modest houses on our left-right side. There are local transportation, Bajaj, passing by. We did not seen many vehicles pass through this area (which is good for us), then we parked the car and started to walking, looking for a small alley and entering the village--watching fishermen activities.

Pluit Beach area with piles of trash. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
More piles of trash in front of Pluit Harbor. Muara Angke
Bajaj as local transportation. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta
We parked the car & exploring Muara Angke
Life and homes in Muara Angke. Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Sweep the fish bones in Muara Angke. Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Muara Angke River. Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia

Don't forget to wear comfortable clothes and not excessive, we recommend wear sandals and a cap. The weather was so hot and a bit dry, just drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration :-). Many things that we could enjoyed here. Watching fishermen sewing their nets, fisherman's wife open the clam shells or seeing fish being dried. Oh yeah, by the time we entered the village we love the sounds of our footsteps walking on seashells. Lovely!. 

And finally...just enjoy the atmosphere here through our pictures. 
We walking on the alley full with salted fish. Muara Angke
Beautiful salted fish. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Salted fish sunbathe time. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Bamboo path at boats docked. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta
Fishermen sewing nets on their boat. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta
Walking on the pile of seashells. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Women cleaning mussels at Fisherman's Village. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
#travel#trip#backpack#backpacks#backpacker#backpackers#destination#adventure#photography#tour#jakarta#muaraangke#muarakarang#pluit#Indonesia#java#island#unique#mangrove#mangroves#conservation

Monday 17 December 2012

Many Moods of Sunrise in Indonesia

Mystic Sunrise in Purnama Beach, Bali, Indonesia
Misty Sunrise above rice field in Gempol, East Java, Indonesia
Loveable Sunrise in Ciwidey, West Java, Indonesia
Sadly Sunrise above "famous Lapindo mud" in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia
#sunrise#sunset#photography#travel#trip#backpack#backpacker#destination#holiday#java#bali#indonesia#romantic#tour#sky#beach#lapindo#mountain#paddy#ricefield

The Perfect And Surprising Destination of Situbondo, East java

First, we would like to thank you for our visitors who have visited this blog, especially our dear friend, Paolo from Italy.  There are already 66 person since we launched 4 days ago - December 14th 2012...yeaayy!! :). We wish many more will come, amen.
* * *
Situbondo, East Java. This was our first time traveling to Situbondo, heard many times but never knew what is in there.

As usual we driving our car through Java southern beach roads then we reached Situbondo. What a clean roads and clear sky they have there. Situbondo area's perfect for us, why we called it perfect? because they have everything here; paddy terrace that side by side with beach, lovely mountains, cliff, fisherman's village, cool ocean, beautiful forest (national park) and mangrove swamps. 
Perfect duo, paddy field and the ocean. Situbondo, Eeast Java, Indonesia
Please do not hesitate to stop your car and walking to paddy field, to the beach, in to the forest or in the hideous mangrove swamps (if you not careful you can easily miss the swamps on the left side of the road), just keep your eyes open over the journey. Also there are plenty of "warung" (small and simple stalls) by the side of the road, you can buy local light bites (pisang goreng) and drink coconut fruit there (beside take plenty of water we suggest you to take one coconut each day, yes...it's very good for our healths). Don't forget if you come to any "warung" ask for the price first please, example: if you want to buy coconut, the reasonable price is around IDR 5.000 - 10.000 per coconut, sometimes they could charge more to tourists if we don't ask first (even for local tourists like we both). 

On the journey please pay attention to your safety because there are many accidents, here in Indonesia people driving in hot rod 'forget about' speed limit sometimes :-D. But don't worry, just be cool on the road ;-). 

After enjoying paddy field, mountain with tobacco tree field sightseeing, enjoying fisherman's village with boats, hideous swamps, enjoying the beach with cliff view, then it's time to enter a beautiful forest (Baluran National Park).

We passed this forest twice; in the afternoon when we went to Banyuwangi (before crossing Bali strait to Bali island) and at night. In the afternoon we saw ashes of former fire and at night we saw fire in the bush (hmm...guess it happened almost every night). Yes, we believed there are still a lot of illegal logging in this beautiful forest.

What about the accommodation? dont't worry about it, there are many motels in Situbondo. The weather in Situbondo was very hot, so please wear any comfortable clothes.
Clean road, clear sky with mountain view. Situbondo, Eeast Java, Indonesia
Stopped by..take a walk in paddy field & touch the ocean. Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Tobacco field across the paddy field with mountain view. Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Hideous mangrove swamps. Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Fisherman's village. Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Beach with the cliff, Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Former fire of accident on the road by the side of the sea. Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Stopped by in Baluran National Park. Beautiful forest. Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
Beautiful & lovely Baluran National Park. Baluran, Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia
#travel#trip#destination#vacation#romantic#backpack#backpacker#backpackers#mountain#forest#paddyfield#road#swamp#mangrove#mangroves#sea#ocean#mar#playa#beach#cliff#cliffs#journey#lonelyplanet#java#bali#situbondo#baluran#holiday#motels#hotel#tour#Indonesia#driving

Saturday 15 December 2012

Very Powerful Waves in Glagah Beach, Yogyakarta

Glagah beach is in Kulon Progo regency, Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia.

By the time we reached this area, we could hear the sound of huge waves from the main gate. We started by climbing a tower to watched the landscape view from distance.
Welcome to Glagah Beach
When we got in to the entrance we didn't park our car where there are local seafood restaurants stand, we just went straight to the beach, but first we passed a beautiful blue-green lagoon where fishing boats docked (next to fish/shrimps farms with fisherman's houses).
Fish & Shrimp farm in Glagah Beach
The beach has awesome huge waves same as other Java southern beach waves -- looks like tsunami waves to me. And beautiful views to every directions, not just beach view but also landscape of mountains view. Wonderful.

It was our weekday visit, so it was very nice and quiet because not so many people around, there are only few people fishing. But they said this place was crowded on the weekend with lots of fun activities (biking, motocross, etc) and at a certain date they held a traditional ceremony.

There are also motels in this area with beach view of course, so don't worry about the accommodation.

Fishing boats docked, Glagah Beach
View from the gate, Glagah Beach
Fishing in Glagah Beach
Powerful Glagah Beach
Landscape view of mountains, Glagah Beach
#beach#sea#pantaiselatan#ratu#mystic##ocean#mar#playa#mare#exotic#paradise#vacation#backpack#backpacker#travel#trip#waves#surf#surfing#romantic#fishing#destination#holiday#island#java#yogya#yogyakarta#indonesia

Romantic Destination, Kawah Putih in Ciwidey

Kawah Putih is very famous here in Indonesia and easy to access from Jakarta (capital city of Indonesia), just go to Bandung then straight to Ciwidey.

Ciwidey is a regional tourist area and popular with their strawberry farms other than Kawah Putih. There are plenty of villas, motels or hotels in Ciwidey with the various rates, start from IDR 100.000 per night (depending on the views I suppose).
View from the motel balcony at 6.30am. Ciwidey, West Java, Indonesia
We enjoyed beautiful nature of Ciwidey landscape since 5am in the morning. Since we woke up, all we did just staring to the beauty of mountains, sky, clouds, sunshine, paddy terrace and sounds of water that flows in the river right in front of our balcony. Magnificent.

Around 7am we started to go to Kawah Putih (it's open at 6am). The entrance fee is IDR 15.000 per person. But we have to pay for the car fee entrance too, IDR 150.000, because it took a car to climb to the mountain to reach Kawah Putih (3 kilometers away), we can enjoy the lovely trees on the left-right side of the forest on the way up. Don't forget to bring your sweater, the weather might be cold here and foggy at night.

There's nothing more to say about Kawah Putih. Just enjoy the pictures that I've posted here please :-)).
7am.. Welcome to Kawah Putih, Ciwidey, West Java.. As first visitors of the day (yeaayy!)
Stairs to get inside Kawah Putih, Ciwidey, West Java
Landscape of Kawah Putih, Ciwidey, West Java
The beauty of Kawah Putih, Ciwidey, West Java
Dangerous mud caution, Kawah Putih, Ciwidey, West Java
Gas of mud creater, Kawah Putih, West Java
#travel#trip#backpack#photography#exotic#destination#paradise#tropical#island#vacation#family#crater#ciwidey#westjava#java#indonesia

Pantai Ayah (Logending Beach) in Central Java

Pantai Ayah (Logending) in Central Java, Indonesia
Pantai Ayah (Logending) in Central Java, Indonesia
Pantai Ayah (Logending) in Central Java, Indonesia


#pantai#beach#mar#playa#exotic#paradise#vacation#tour#backpack#tourism#travel#trip#landscape#centraljava#java#indonesia#island

Friday 14 December 2012

Beautiful Sunset While Crossing Strait from Java to Bali Island With Ship

Sunset view on the ship from Java to Bali
While we traveled in Java island and reached Situbondo, East Java, we decided to cross to Bali island. So from Situbondo regency we continued to Banyuwangi regency by driving our car.

We stopped for a minute to see the beautiful view in Banyuwangi.

Stopped in Banyuwangi before heading to ship cross to Bali
We took the ship while it's almost sunset. By the time we're on the ship, we could enjoyed the beautiful nature view all around us. It just "wow".....

Harbor entrance, crossing with ship Java to Bali
Beautiful view from the ship

#travel#trip#backpack#exotic#destination#harbor#ship#sunset#sea#sky#photography#java#bali#banyuwangi#indonesia