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Getting Around
Angkots are everywhere as are horse drawn carts and ojeks.
Things To See
Tangkuban Prahu,
which translates as upturned boat, is a major attraction, not because it
is as spectacular as somewhere like Gunung Bromo but because it is
relatively easy to reach. So easy in fact lazy buggers like myself can
be driven right up to one of the sulphar emitting craters. Another
couple need to be reached on foot as indeed can the summit. To reach
here take any angkot marked Subang and get off at the gates. Here
you pay to get in, we paid 28,000 IDR* for 3 people and a car, and it's a
4 and a half kilometre slog up to the peak. Again arrive early when the
craters are at their most photogenic and the tour bus crowds are still
having their breakfast.
* - 11,000 IDR per person,
6,000 IDR for the car and the driver is free!
There is a fun legend
behind this volcano. A prince fell in love with his mum, the queen. When
the queen learnt the truth about here new fancy she challenged him to
build a large boat and a dam in a single night. If the prince did this
then she would marry him. As one does, the prince set about building his
ship and the queen, shocked to see the progress he was making, called on
the gods to have the morning start a bit earlier than usual. So the
cocks started crowing and the sun appeared prematurely, upsetting the
prince. So much so in fact he turned his nearly finished boat upside
down.
one of the craters at Tangkuban Prahu
All images are ©
www.the-spiceislands.com
an isolated tree bent through the winds
heading up the slopes
Maribaya Hot
Springs are
a short scenic ride from Lembang on
angkot #5. It's a popular tourist destination on Sundays for
Bandungites escaping the Jakartan invasion but during the rest of the
week would make a relaxing destination in it's own right. A couple of
streams collide and form an impressive waterfall cascading down about 25
metres before continuing on through the gorge. A couple of bridges
afford spectacular photo ops for those so inclined. For the more
strenuous there there are numerous tracks through the jungle, one goes
through the Taman Hutan Raya Juanda, a stretch of tame jungle
where beer monsters and families can live out Indiana Jones fantasies to
the background of small jungle animals and of course the ever present
river along a paved track that gently undulates beneath the thick lush
canopy. An easy 5 kilometre stroll gets you to Gua Belanda, Dutch
Cave, more really a series of tunnels chiseled by the Dutch when they
wanted to keep a low profile...or interrogate freedom fighters. Nearby
is a Japanese Cave.
I
believe there are some rooms available here. If so it would make a good
place to chill for a few days and walk through the jungle. You're bound
to lose weight mind with the walking and the simplistic food available
here.
Admission to Maribaya is 3250 IDR, 3000 IDR to the Taman Hutan and 3000
IDR to Gua Belanda.
A Bed For The Night
The Lembang Grand Hotel is centrally
situated and costs from 340,000 IDR though you might be able to get
cheaper booking ahead or through and agent. Weekdays are cheaper than
the weekends.
Feeding Time
The usual kaki lima and
warung serve up the usual dishes while the @ Bistro at the Grand
Hotel has reasonably priced local and international dishes in
comfortable surroundings.
Getting there and
away
Driving we left the new toll road, we
had to because of subsidence, and at Padalarang crossed the railway
tracks and headed up into the hills. As long as you keep heading west
you will eventually hit Lembang. You could also possibly do this journey
using a myriad of ojek and angkots. Spectacular scenery
awaits.
On public transport train to Bandung
then get an angkot, number 05 I think it was, up to Lembang but
try to leave early, the traffic up there is a bitch in both directions
at weekends. Spare a thought for the fluffy little rabbits you see by
the side of the road. They will often become rabbit sate, a popular
local dish.
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