Belitung, A Wonderful Place to Explore

Dear Mom, thank you for being such a great traveling partner. I said this first because although my mom got her ankle twisted two days before we left, she handle herself very well in the trip and she always showed excitement until the end part of our getaway

It was very early on January 2012, which was after the New Year celebration, and at that moment, I was waiting for my entrance of my new office, which was still on Jan 16th. Something forced me to go on the vacation to Belitung since I’ve wanting to go there since last year. So I decided to take mom in this trip and my plan was to treat her for the best thing that I could find in Belitung; the food, hotels, transportation and attractions.

The best thing about this trip, I didn’t have to make A-Z itinerary, I just said to Mas Harry the owner of ‘Gerbang Belitung’, one of trip organizer in Belitung; “Please prepare the best hotel, food and transportation for me and my mom”. We stayed in Belitung for 3 days and 2 nights. That year, all my waiting paid off, I finally got my chance to take a trip to the island and explore its beautiful scenery in Belitung.

Situated off the eastern coast of Sumatra, Belitung is well known as one of the world’s main tin-producing centers, but it rose to fame as an exotic tourism getaway after the movie Laskar Pelangi, a story based on the best-selling novel by Andrea Hirata on the struggles that some kids in Belitung faced in reaching their dreams, hit the cinema in September 2008.

Tanjung Pandan Airport

Laskar Pelangi :)

We were lucky to have Erik (tour guide) and Mas Harry because they showed us some immaculate spots, far from the hustle and bustle of tourists and they were really caring to my mom and me, they even bought me medicines and fruits when they knew I felt sick.

Since It’s been long enough to recall all the name of beaches and places we’ve been, I will try to write it randomly.

Erik took us to a ‘used kaolin mining site’ located in Air Raya village. What’s so special about this place? The white kaolin ground, the clear blue sky and the fresh water that reflected the sky were a perfect combination and nice spot to snap some photos. It felt like standing on the frozen sea, very nice and beautiful.

Kaolin Lake

There’s one whole day we explored many islands by fisherman boat since there’s no speedboat yet in the Tanjung Tinggi harbor. We were blessed, very lucky as the weather was very friendly to us so it was totally a great moment for me and mom to captured and snapped pictures. In Lengkuas Island, I went up to the top of the lighthouse where I was able to see wide blue rocky beaches with many other small islands around Lengkuas, I was really blown away by the beauty. My mom was not coming up with me, she sat on the side beach, waited for me under a short coconut tree, drinking coconut fruit, with a super cool, windy and nice beach coast in front of her.

Lighthouse in Lengkuas Island

View from The Top of The Lighthouse

Beautiful Beach Lengkuas Island

We also stopped by to the other Island like Burong Island, Pasir Island, Batu Berlayang Island, Lutong Island, Kepayang Island, Tanjung Tinggi Beach, Binga Beach, Punai Beach, Mambalong Beach, Tanjung Kelayang. I’m running out words to describe how beautiful the beaches in the islands there.

Borung Island

Pasir Island

Another Picture of Lengkuas Island, Taken from  The Lighthouse

On our last night after dinner, we went to Billiton Hotel and Club, not to spend the night there but to see many unique parts inside the hotel. The hotel occupies the former home of the Chinese Captain that later became Societeit Building, an entertainment place for the Chinese and Dutch elite in the past. Although most of the buildings have been transformed, there is one very unique part that remains in the same condition as it was since the first time made, it is ​​the Shrine of Toapekong. Honestly it was a little bit creepy and somehow the air was chilled, glek gosh, I was shivering but yet amazed to see such heritage inside a modern hotel. My mom and I was so funny, we made a small run chasing each other to be in the front because we felt the same feared. Mas Harry and Erik were laughing to see our behavior.

Foods there are really good and cheap, we tried Mie Belitung in the center of Belitung city then went to one of the beach, very far by car to reach there around an hour, they called it Mendung Beach, were you can dive in the ocean of Mendung. My mom bought 4 crabs and a kilogram shrimps for only IDR 50.000 all in total, which is around US$ 6. In Belitung we ate a lot of seafood, yeah it was called heaven on earth. Oh, don't forget to stop by at Warung Kopi Ake in Kafe Senang Area in Tanjung Pandan. Warung Kopi Ake is an old coffee shop from 3rd generations. I ordered Kopi O that morning and a half cooked eggs. You will feel a strong vintage atmosphere in this place, with old wooden chairs and aged stone table. Somehow I felt so relax that morning. 

Mr. Crabs!!!

Nyummy Steamed Shrimps

Great Breakfast Experience in Warung Kopi Ake'

Our Tour Guide and Owner of Warung Kopi Ake'

Hotels in Belitung are considered cheap. We stayed in two different hotels. The first hotel was a resort, just right in front of our cottage is sea view, I took some pictures in the morning, but too bad I don’t remember the name of the resort. The other hotel was a nice 4 stars hotel in Grand Hatika. You can go up to the roof top to take pictures of a beautiful sunset or sunrise.

Sunrise in Front of our Cottage

Sunset, Taken from The Roof Top at Grand Hatika Hotel

I’ve never been to Maldives before, I’ve only seen them in the pictures of the magazines, but I could almost said that Belitung is Indonesia’s Maldives, really cool.

Here’s a contact Information and suggestion I can share if you wanna come to Belitung without any confusion to think about. You can contact Gerbang Belitung to prepare all your itinerary, accommodation and transportation, +62819 0804 7095. You can actually customize your travel request, only to rent a car, booking hotel or may be to prepare a boat for island hopping. I’m suggesting you for more adventure experience to camp in the one of the island, wheater in Lengkuas or Borung Island, definitely cool to try or you can stay in Lengkuas Island, there’s a huge old plot where you can stay there with more than 10 friends, with several rooms, a very nice backyard that headed to the beach and the front entrance is a lighthouse.

Chasing What's Left Behind

Holaaa... Been a while, I've been busy... doing quit a mystery thing but special one. 

I will start writing again, many places I've been but left behind untold. Hope this time gonna be consistant.. So wait for my late posts; Belitung Getaway, Spontaneous Derawan and the Shocking Incident, Pulau Putri Barat Vacation, Sawarna, Ujung Genteng, And many more for sweet Bali. 

Now I gotta enjoy my Ice Creme Brulle & Fish and Chips :)

Phi Phi Island

Phi-phi island which also known as Leonardo DiCaprio Island is the star of Thailand for tourism. It wasn't the love at first sight for me, i was hoping for more. It was raining like a thunderstorm, all of our bags were wet and we got to wear a plastic coat inside the cruise, gosh!! The sea color change to dark, and sandy, lost its glory shinny blue. Most activities was canceled due to bad weather, ooohh really i needed the sun to say hello, I didn't care if I got my skin burned.

snorkeling in Koh Phi Phi Lay

Canoeing with my best friend, Frans

Phi Phi Harbor

Finally when the rain stopped, we went for snorkeling and canoeing. Then the cruise stop in Phi-phi Harbor and we immediately had our lunch. We decided to have our own visit to Maya Bay by renting a river boat and maybe we could also explore other islands around Phi-Phi. it was raining again after lunch, so we just sat in the cafe and came with an idea to extend our stay in Phi-Phi. Then we set up a river boat to go to Maya Bay and other beaches tomorrow morning. So there we met Mr. Potato who was very nice yet crazy, he offered us with several drugs (omg :)) like ecstasy, buddha stick and ice, wow wow wow, easy... better we skip this part :)

view from our hotel in Banyan Resort

That evening we actually wanna saw the Tsunami Village but on the way there we didn't find anything interested in the village so going up to the View Point was another great option. two of my dear friend, Tisa & Puri gave up not even quater journey to reach the View Point 1, but that time we were free to make own decision anyway. It might be a good decision to save more energy, BUT not the right decision hehehe. 

View Point 2!!!!

here we are :)

So only Didit, Frans and Me left, I gotta do it and keep moving up. Finally, not only View Point 1 but we reached out the View Point 2, amazing view. We were blown away by the beauty of two beach that separated by a line of sandy dazzling land and from where we were standing, we can also saw two huge mountains and the sun was peeking behind the mountain ready to fall and change the day into night, wonderful moment.

Loh Dalam Bay (on the way to view point)

The next morning went directly to Maya Bay and we were the first visitor to that Island. The Maya Bay is a famously known as the place that The Beach movie where taken. It was heavenly blast, a very quiet morning, the sand are so white and soft, the water is so calm and blue aaarrggghhh lovely beach, exactly like what I have in mind. We spend over three hours; joking, making a short video, swimming and laughing like we owned the place until the time that other groups of May Bay tour came and packed this beautiful beach with people looking the same excitement faces like us. But we were just so lucky to own that beach on only us for couple of hours.

Bile Island

Maya Bay the paradise!

swimming in the huge Lagoon of Maya Bay

After Maya Bay got packed, we continued exploring other beaches to Loh Moo Dee Beach, Virgin Beach, Phi-Phi Lay, and Monkey Beach. It was very fun getaway with a very cool friends and rows of moments we spent together; silly, funny, drank, whoohooo. I will definitely be back here someday. 

Loh Moo Dee Beach

Virgin Beach

Phi Phi Lay

Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, Gili Meno

Not far away from the northwest corner of Lombok are three idyllic islands, Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno. They are the beautiful and well known islands near Bali.

Gili Harbour

My friends and I decided to visit those islands on our trip to Bali last March 2011. I just love the idea that I could also experienced the diving as I just got my Open Water License Early Jan 2011. For me Gili Islands are wonderful, exotic and paradise where the sand are still powdery white, the water is such a crystal clear – sparkling in turquoise and the sunsets over Bali’s volcano Mt. Agung was spectacularly stunning.

Gili Harbour

Gili Meno

Gili Air

For food there’s no doubt that you can find various type of restaurants from Irish, Italian, Asian to Japanese, anything you just name it. My recommendation is that you should have dinner or try Scallywags Lobster or reef prawns, hhmmm mamamia.

Scallywags Restaurant in Gili Air

waiting for Sunset Paradise Bar (taken by: Tania M)

amazing sunset moment at Paradise Bar

Great food, great parties, great life and freedom; are soul recuperation that absolutely you can taste for living in these islands.

We’re very lucky that we're also experienced the Full Moon Party, they usually organized the party once a month. The crowds was enthusiastic and been issued for the whole week before it’s began.  

Getting there is so easy and whichever you choose, you will surely get to see a lot beautiful scenery of Bali and Lombok. Very stunning!

You can fly to Lombok, then from Airport Mataram - Teluk Nara (40 min driving) – Speedboat to Gili (15 min), or if you are from Bali you can go by speedboat or ferri. We were taking speed boat from Bali, just around 1 hour and 30 min. The price was IDR 600.000 returned ticket. 

Fast Boat

+6281805305632

+62361753241

info@gili-fastboat.com

Activities are same old same, like we used to do in the beach: snorkeling, diving, sea kayak, trekking to Mount. Rinjani and cycling around the islands, Islands Hopping (Inc. snorkeling) IDR 75.000 and for people like my friends who long to get tanned skin, you’re in the right place.

Rent a bicycle for 1 day (24 hours) around IDR 50.000

Private trip to Gili Air (only for if you stay in Scallywags Resort) + including the lunch is IDR 100.000/person.

Diving in Gili, you can contact:

Manta Dive Gili Air

+62370643649

+6281337789047

info@manta-dive.com

Several choices for hotels, from budget hotels to one luxuries place to stay. We were selected several hotels like The Beach House, Buddha Dives, Villa Ombak, Scallywags and Villa Unggul but then our choice felt for the great Scallywags! It was very very nice staying there.

faces of happiness of four lucky girls

outdoor toilet

outdoor shower

Scallywags swimming pool

Scallywags Restaurant

dinner view heading to the magnificent Mount Rinjani

Scallywags Resort, Gili Trawangan

+62370645301

Calculate My Budget (3D/2N)

Accommodation = -/+ IDR 600.000
Meal = -/+ IDR 350.000 (Inc. lunch in Gili Air organized by Scallywags)
Speedboat Bali - Gili - Bali = IDR 600.000
Island Hopping = IDR 75.000
Rent a Bicycle = IDR 50.000 (1 Day)
Diving (2 spot diving) =  IDR 700.000
Others =  IDR 200.000
TOTAL = -/+ IDR 2.575.000 / -/+ USD 280

Beautiful Bromo, East Java

I am so lucky to get the chance to visit Mount. Bromo before the eruption. This opportunity came, when I have such a reckless and foolish idea to bring my family for a road trip around the Java Island on September 2010, starting from Jakarta to Semarang, Surabaya, Malang, Turen, Solo, and then adventure ended in Yogyakarta, then we went back home to Jakarta. We spent 5 days for the whole experienced trip. 

It took about 1 hr and 30 min to reach near the top of Mount. Bromo from Surabaya. You have to pass such a dark spooky uphill road to reach our lodge. We were checking several places for an over night stay when we finally found Hotel Yoschi Bromo in a very edge of our hopes hunt, owned by the Japanese.

Mount. Bromo has smartly stolen my heart through every angle of landscapes and the story beyond it. It is one of tourist most popular destination in East Java which is located in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in the eastern city of Malang.

Cold windy and mysterious was the first impression of this place that catched my mind. The temperature at night was around 5 degrees Celsius and 0 degrees Celsius during the morning. Luckily I brought my long thick black coat that I could used the next day on our ride to see the sunrise from the peak. We all went to bed early so we will not missed the sunrise views which famous among the tourist. I made a car reservation and asked them to pick us at the hotel at 03.00 AM.

Yoschi Bromo

View from our hotel ^^

Standing at an altitude of 2770 meters of Mount Penanjakan, was a new experience for me. The tracks must be passed by a Jeep car, it was a heavy track. As the sun began to reveal itself completely, I began to prepare my camera to capture those beautiful moments. The sun emerged from just a tiny speck of ray light, dazzling my eyes and my heart; I was really intrigued by the very natural composition of colors and scenery of Mount .Bromo and the peeked of the sun. The cold atmosphere was so perfect, adding such a romantic lust for couples. Mount. Bromo was surrounded by thick white smoke billowing above its rose more clear in visiblity.

When the sun rise right behind the mount, it's just wonderful

Taken from distance on the other side of the hills

The peak of Mount Bromo is one of the most tourist visits. You have two options to get there by a horse or take a long walk, climbing hundreds of steep stairs. I was thinking a little bit of doing physical exercise so I climbed the stairs to the top which was such a big challenge to me, with great difficulty and the smell of sulfur that tighten my chest. I thought I was almost there, but when I looked up, it was a long and increasingly steep terrain. Several times I had to stop to gathered strength and catched my breath and recharged a zip of power for my legs, as well as other climbers, hikers. But this was not in vain; my heart whispered to me “when can you come here again? May be not in the near time”. And there was I!

Right here is a closer look to the crater

Was not completed until there, I saw the other side of Bromo known as The Sea Sand (Lautan Pasir), the place had been used for filming the big screen ‘Pasir Berbisik’ that played by Dian Sastrowardoyo and Christine Hakim. The journey to get there surrounded by a sea of ​​desert, grasses and lined valleys. Awesome!

A lion rock in the overlay desert

Arriving in The Sea Sand unimaginable by your mind and unspeakable by your mouth, it was too beautiful to believe such place are here in Indonesia. I felt like being stranded on a fascinateing stretch of desert surrounded by valleys and limestone, that makes me felt like surrounded by mountains of snow. Our guide also showed us a big stone shaped like a lion. The stone just grabbing my attention and added a strong mystical impression.

The hunger began to whack, which was signed to end my day in Mount Bromo, took lunch and immediately went to the next place. Although it feels very less time for me to enjoy this beautiful place, but I was pleased to have the opportunity to come and got one of the most beautiful incredible sunrise that I’ve ever had in my life.

Surrounded by beautiful view

Our Jeep in Bromo

Beautiful Views from Every Angle

Getting there is not very complicated, either by plane to Surabaya or to Malang, or you can travel by road. 

Calculate My Budget

Gasoline IDR 600.000 (Jakarta - Surabaya by Car) @ person = IDR 120.000

Tol & Parking IDR 100.000 @ person = IDR 20.000

Accommodation  IDR 300.000 / room for 4 - 5 person = IDR 50.000

Meal = IDR 100.000

Rent 4WD Jeep IDR 300.000 @ person = IDR 60.000

Others = IDR 200.000

TOTAL = IDR 550.000 / -/+USD 65

Suggestions

- Don't missed the morning rise

- Bring thick cloths, gloves and hat/cap

- Make it possible to reach Bromo before evening

- Go up to the lava pit

- If you wanna drive to the venue by your own car, use a 4WD vehicle

Information About Bromo (wikipedia)

Mount Bromo (Indonesian: Gunung Bromo), is an active volcano and part of the Tengger massif, in East Java, Indonesia. At 2,329 metres (7,641 ft) it is not the highest peak of the massif, but is the most well known. The massif area is one of the most visited tourist attractions in East Java, Indonesia. The volcano belongs to the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. The name of Bromo derived from Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu creator god.

Mount Bromo sits in the middle of a vast plain called the "Sea of Sand" (Javanese: Segara Wedi or Indonesian: Lautan Pasir), a protected nature reserve since 1919. The typical way to visit Mount Bromo is from the nearby mountain village of Cemoro Lawang. From there it is possible to walk to the volcano in about 45 minutes, but it is also possible to take an organised jeep tour, which includes a stop at the viewpoint on Mount Penanjakan (2,770 m or 9,088 ft) (Indonesian: Gunung Penanjakan). The best views from Mount Bromo to the Sand Sea below and the surrounding volcanoes are at sunrise. The viewpoint on Mount Penanjakan can also be reached on foot in about two hours. From inside the caldera, sulfur is collected by workers.

On the fourteenth day of the Hindu festival of Yadnya Kasada, the Tenggeresecaldera of the volcano. The origin of the ritual lies in the 15th century legend where a princess named Roro Anteng started the principality of Tengger with her husband, Joko Seger. The couple were childless and therefore beseeched the assistance of the mountain gods. The gods granted them 24 children but stipulated that the 25th child, named Kesuma, must be thrown into the volcano as human sacrifice. The gods' request was implemented. The tradition of throwing sacrifices into the volcano to appease these ancient deities continues today and called Yadnya Kasada ceremony. Though fraught with danger, some locals risk climbing down into the crater in an attempt to recollect the sacrificed goods that believed could bring them good luck. people of Probolinggo, East Java, travel up the mountain in order to make offerings of fruit, rice, vegetables, flowers and sacrifices of livestock to the mountain gods by throwing them into the

On the Segara Wedi sand plain sits a Hindu temple called Pura Luhur Poten. The temple holds a significant importance to the Tenggerese scatter across the mountainous villages such as Ngadisari, Wonokitri, Ngadas, Argosari, Ranu Prani, Ledok Ombo and Wonokerso. The temple organized annual Yadnya Kasada ceremony which lasts for about one month. On the 14th day, the Tenggerese will congregate at Pura Luhur Poten to ask for blessings from Ida Sang Hyang Widi Wasa and God of Mahameru (Mount Semeru). Then the mass will proceed along the crater edges of Mt Bromo where offerings will be thrown into the crater. The major difference between this temple with the Balinese ones are the type of stones and building materials. Pura Luhur Poten uses natural black stones from volcanoes nearby, while Balinese temples mostly made from red bricks. Inside this pura, there are several buildings and enclosures aligned in Mandala zone composition.

The Tengger Caldera was still active in late January 2011, the activity being characterised by fluctuating ongoing eruptions. On 23 January 2011 the Indonesian Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) (Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi) reported that since 19 December, 2010 volcanic ash and incandescent material had been thrown up by eruptive activity resulting in a heavy rain of material that fell around the crater. Continuous eruptions on 21 January caused a thin ash fall mainly in the village areas of Ngadirejo and Sukapura Wonokerto in Probolinggo district. The impact of a heavy rain of volcanic ash from eruptions since 19 December 2010 resulted in disruption of normal activities. By early 2011 concerns were being raised concerning the effect upon the local economy and the potential for long term environmental and health problems amongst the residents in the locality surrounding Mount Bromo. Due to high seasonal rainfall in January 2011 the potential for lahar and lava flow was raised due to the deposits of volcanic ash, sand and other ejected material that had built up. Seismic activity was dominated by tremor vibration and reports of visual intensity and sounds of eruption continued to be reported from the mountain monitoring facility, Bromo Observation Post. People living on the banks of the Perahu Ravine, Nganten Ravine and Sukapura River were alerted to the possibility of lava flows, especially when it was raining heavily in the area around Cemorolawang, Ngadisari and Ngadirejo. Eruptions and volcanic tremors were reported on 21 January and 22 January with activity subsiding on 23 January 2011. On 23 January, 2011 at 06:00 am the alert status at Mount Bromo remained at (Level III).

On 23 January 2011 an exclusion zone was recommended for communities living around Mount Bromo. Tourists and hikers were to advised not to come within a radius of 2 km from the active crater. CVGHM stated that they expected warning signs to be installed stating the limit radius of 2 km from the crater. Operational caution was recommended for flights into and leaving Juanda International Airport IATA: SUB in Surabaya. CVGHM recommended the establishment of public areas for the provision of face masks and eye protection. CVGHM also issued a warning to residents to be cautious of ash build up on roofs and other places that may give cause for collapse under the burden of ash.

Further eruptions and the issuing of Aviation Ash advisories on 27 January and 28 January 2011 led to concerns being raised regarding a volcanic ash plume, reported to be drifting eastward toward the air corridors used to access the Ngurah Rai International Airport IATA:DPS in Bali. Airport official Sherly Yunita was reported at the time as stating that concerns about visibility had prompted Singapore Airlines, Jetstar-ValueAir, Air France-KLM, Virgin Blue and Cathay Pacific to cancel several flights to Bali, 340 km (210 mi) to the east. SilkAir also cancelled flights on the 27 January between Singapore and Lombok, an island to the east of Bali.[11] The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin, Australia released several Code Red Aviation Ash Advisories pertaining to Mount Bromo (Tengger Caldera), on 27 January. They indicated that ash was observed at altitudes up to 18,000 ft (FL180) extending 200 nautical mi to the south east of the caldera. In other ash advisories of that day the cloud was reported as at times having a 10 km/h drift, both to the east, and to the south east