Arriving in Java
I arrived in Java on October the 1st, 2018. There are different ways to get to Java and, depending on where you are in the world, you might pick one or another. In my case, I was in Kuta, Bali. I wanted to hike to Kawah Ijen and, to that extend, I had to make it to Banyuwangi. I did some research and visited some travel agencies but either what I found was not very clear or it was very expensive. After an evening checking different options, I came up with an easy and cheap way to travel all the way from Bali to Java or, more precisely, from Kuta to Kawah Ijen. I didn’t know it just yet but I would be spending 7 days in Java, the island that dominates Indonesia. For further info on the route from Kuta to Kawah Ijen, please, click on the image below 🙂
Chasing the blue fire at Kawah Ijen
It was my first time hiking to a volcano. And it was my first time going on a nightly hike. The alarm went off at midnight and, after being picked up at Mango Tree Guesthouse, we started the drive to the base camp of Kawah Ijen. The hike wasn’t the hardest in the world but it needed a minimum level of fitness. As we approached the crater we started to see some miners. These people are doing one of the most unfair and toughest jobs in the world. The government should do something about it! The way down to the crater was spectacular… Do you want to take a deeper look at my nightly hike chasing the blue fire at Kawah Ijen? Then, click on the image below 🙂
Hiking to Mount Bromo on your own
After an amazing time hiking one of the most interesting volcanoes in the world, I decided I still wanted more. To that extend I took a train from Banyuwangi to Probolinggo and from there a mini van to Cemorolawang. On the way I made friends three girls: one from Israel, one from Chile and one from Spain. The hike was easier than the one at Kawah Ijen, with a lower level of fitness required. The Tengger Sand Sea reminded us of a lunar landscape and, once we reached the edge of the crater, we couldn’t do anything other than awing. If the hike to the crater was impressive, the sunrise from Mount Penanjakan, with all the volcanoes to our feet, was breathtaking. Would you like to feel like if you were doing the hike yourself? Then, click on the image below 🙂
3 days in Yogyakarta
After having hiked two of the most incredible volcanoes in Java, we decided to make it to one of the most important cities on the island: the capital of art and fine arts, Yogyakarta. We reached halfway on our 7 days in Java by spending a journey travelling. We took a mini van from Cemorolawang to Probolinggo. From there a bus to Surabaya and from there yet another one to Yogyakarta. We made it to Chez Laelik at around midnight and we spent 3 nights there. The homestay was super cheap and good, and the owner was really kind.
We spent the first day walking about Yogyakarta and we made it to Malioboro street, an iconic and full of life area in Yogyakarta. The next day we drove our motos to Borobudur, the biggest Buddhist temple in the world. We finished off the day by watching a Ramayana Ballet with the Prambanan temple in front of us. The last and final day we made it to Prambanan and from there to the airport to our next destination. Do you want to find out more about Yogyakarta and its treasures? Then, click on the image below 🙂
