PROBOLINGGO
Probolinggo wasn’t on our semi-planned route across Java. However, the lack of train availability resulted in us ended up in this busy costal town. In the region was a set of water falls and Mt Bromo, another active volcano.
Java doesn’t have the tourist presence at the same level as Bali, and it has a completely different cultural context (Bali is Hindi and the rest of Indonesia is Muslim). So the experience and ease of travel are very different, and although more difficult I think I prefer the experience of the other islands so far, over Bali.
We did find a great little backpackers to stay at, with our own little cabin in the garden (£9 a night!), but the lack of tourists did mean the tour options to visit where we wanted wasn’t really available.
If there aren’t tours to hop onto then the only other option is to either rent a taxi for the day, or hire a motorcycle.
Renting a bike in Indonesia is an interesting process. On this occasion I asked the guy at the desk of our accommodation if he knew anyone, he made a call and the bike appeared an hour later. We paid our daily fee (about £7 a day, which probably included a commission for the guy at the desk) and that’s it! No checking if I have a licence, or if I have ever ridden or operated a bike.
So we were back on the road…
Day 1: Madakaripura water falls
The falls were about 45 mins away, so we set off on the bike for the first time in Java. If anyone asked me would I recommend hiring a bike in Indonesia I think I would struggle, on one hand the roads are chaotic, very busy, and with no apparent traffic rules, but on the other, it’s cheap and the road trips to places, such as the falls that day, are fantastic. You see little villages, rice fields and things that you wouldn’t if you were sticking to the main routes.
When we arrived at the falls there was a short 2km walk into the valley, where you could access the river and walk up it, with several small waterfalls streaming around you.
This led to the main area where there was a circular area with high cliffs surrounding
There was a big sign saying you had to stop at that point (due to falling rocks) but we had our helmets on and there were a couple of people further on, so we clambered over the rocks to access the main pool.
The rains are late this year and the flow of the falls was low, but still worth the trek.
The water was really cold and the falls made for a great cold shower in the heat!
Day 2…Mt Bromo
This is another volcano, but very different to Mt Ijen. There is a massive crater with several craters within it, in the image below the whole landscape is the old crater with two new volcanos sitting inside it, one of them actively sending steam and sulphur into the air.
To get here we followed mountain roads up to reach the summit (thankfully no three-hour walk this time!), to a village that over looks the crater’s edge
We took the bike down into the crater, but the sand was soft and you really needed to be in one on the many 4WD jeeps. However when you are down inside it is one of the strangest places I think I’ve been to, felt like a set out of Star Wars!
The drive back down the mountain was stunning, Richard tried to get some shots while hanging on.
