Explore Batam: Tanjung Piayu's Kampung Tua's Seafood-Heaven-In-Disguised!

Forget about Nagoya with its night clubs, shopping malls or whatsoever there is.

First thing first you have to seize (the moment) when you're in Batam is enjoying Barelang Bridge (so sad that I haven't even been there yet!), the icon of the island. But, you know what, there is another perfect getaway destination for your gastronomical desire. It's about 20 minutes southward from Kepri Mall and do not worry as it is money worth it. Okay, let's start the journey from Kepri Mall. Instead of going straight ahead if we go to Nagoya from Batu Besar, we turn left in Kepri Mall intersection. After about 3 miles away we'll find another junction and we turn left and down the road until the edge of the island (Kampung Tua Tanjung Piayu, Batam). The road condition is a little bit worse in 500 meters away from the place. Along the way there you will see the iconic Barelang Bridge on the other side of the island on the right and sea on the left. So, we're down the way southern-ward to the peninsula. I recommend you to go there in the daytime or afternoon just before the sunset as there will be WAY more beautiful view you can see. 

I don't know the name of the seafood restaurant as it is like, you know, traditional right-above-the-sea restaurant and I went there in the evening. We were like 20 persons and the total cost we had to pay was ONLY IDR1,000,000.00 (USD100 for 20 PERSONS! 5 BUCKS EACH!) and you know what, LOTS OF THINGS! Crabs (a buch of crabs!!!), shrimps, sauteed kale, gong-gong (a kind of seafood snail cooked with its shell and it tasted simple, natural and delicious!), buckets of rice, Lebam fish (with spicy dressing), coconut (a whole coconut and a straw attached just like summer time), sambal,  even though sadly the fried-crispy-cuttle fish were sold out, but still, delicious!

While you're waiting the dish to come, you can enjoy the islands view just outside the restaurant. You can chill out in a--let say--mini dock and see the islands spread out there. It took a little bit long time until the dish were served. I asked the local guy whether I can go around the tiny island (it's uninhabited!) but sadly it's evening. By the time the dish were served, all you're crave was like...paid off! Those things mentioned above just rushed on to the table and waited for your appetite!

One more thing to know is that there were many fish, I mean, Lebam fish below us. I saw a kid fishing, using a bait attached in a string and you know what, he got 2 fish in less than 5 minutes and I was like "Oh my God, how could he do it?"

Overall, it was a very memorable moment and you gotta try! Just take a look at pictures and you'll see. I mean, it's not a lux place. Instead, it's more like local people's housing that's set to be a restaurant but the seafood rocks like the hipsters in the downtown. Lol

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Cheap Trip: Bali!

Pasti kalo lagi musim liburan pada bingung liburan enaknya ke mana ya? Barangkali ada yang bingung menentukan destinasi liburan plus akomodasi. Atau bingung karena kebetulan dompet lagi menipis tapi pengen tetap liburan dan have fun? Well, this time I wanna share the cheap-trip buat siapa saja yang ingin liburan tanpa harus ngerogoh kocek yang dalem buat transportasi ke tempat tujuan. Tujuan kita sekarang adalah Pulau Bali. So let’s just check it out.

Destination: Bali

Starting spot: Malang/Jember

Jaman sekarang moda transportasi dah banyak jenisnya dan juga bervariasi tarifnya. Ada yang murah, ada yang lumayan menguras kantong. Nah, kalau kita ingin ke Bali dari Malang, paling enak kita naik kereta api, which is kereta api Tawang Alun jurusan Malang-Banyuwangi Baru. Bisa berangkat dari stasiun Kota Lama ataupun Kota Baru. Harga tiketnya Cuma IDR18,500 (<USD2.00!!!), berangkat jam 14.30. Perjalanan dari Malang ke Banyuwangi sekitar delapan jam. Kita turun di stasiun Bayuwangi Baru, stasiun paling akhir di Banyuwangi. 

Kalau dari Jember, bisa naik kereta api Tawang Alun (jurusan Malang-Banyuwangi) yang berangkat sekitar jam tujuh malam, harga tiket IDR18,500 dan tiba di Banyuwangi sekitar jam sepuluh malam. Atau kalau ingin lebih hemat lagi, bisa naik kereta api Pandan Wangi jurusan Jember-Banyuwangi. Kereta api ini berangkat jam 15.30 WIB dan harga tiketnya Cuma IDR4,000 aja (39 CENTS!)!!! EMPAT RIBU RUPIAH!!! Kalau naik kereta ini kita tiba di Banyuwangi Baru jam 19.15. 

Stasiun Banyuwangi Baru dekat sekali dengan Pelabuhan Ketapang. Sekitar 220 yard (kurang lebih 200 meter). Kita jalan kaki saja ke Pelabuhan Ketapang untuk menyeberang. Ada beberapa opsi sebenarnya. Kita bisa naik bis dari pelabuhan ketapang (biasanya bisnya berhenti di depan Indomaret di jalan mau ke pelabuhan) atau kita menyeberang sendiri terus naik bus lokal ke Denpasar. 

Kalau kita naik bus sebelum menyeberang, kita bisa naik bus patas AC (tarif ekonomi). Tiketnya IDR30,000. Enaknya adalah kita gak perlu repot-repot beli tiket penyeberangan di pelabuhan. Tapi kita juga harus sabar menunggu busnya datang karena interval antar busnya lumayan lama. Kadang 15 menit sekali tapi kalau sudah malam bisa samapai 30-40 menit. Nggak enaknya adalah bus ini turun terminal Mengui (terminal baru) di Denpasar. Dari terminal ini kita bisa naik taksi (tapi bakalan mahal karena jaraknya jauh dari mana-mana) atau naik angkot lagi ke terminal Ubung (bayar IDR10,000).

Kalau kita menyeberang pake ship, kita Cuma harus ngerogoh kocek IDR6,000 aja (nyeberang dari Ketapang-Gilimanuk)!!! Dari Gilimanuk kita bisa naik bus lokal jurusan terminal Ubung Denpasar. Cuma IDR30,000. 

Setelah di terminal Ubung, terserah deh tujuannya ke mana. Mau ke Seminyak? Kuta? Legian? Nusa Dua? Ubud? Ada taxi...atau minta jemput teman...it’s coming up to you! Anyway, happy holiday!

Keterangan:

Harga tiket KA Tawangalun (Malang-Jember-Banyuwangi): IDR18,500

Berangkat dari-tiba di: 14.30 Malang- 19.00 Jember-Banyuwangi Baru 22.00*

Harga tiket KA Pandanwangi (Jember-banyuwangi): IDR4,000

Brangkat dari-tiba di: 15.30 Jember-19.30 Banyuwangi Baru

Harga tiket penyeberangan Ketapang-Gilimanuk: IDR6,000

Harga tiket bus Ketapang-Mengui Denpasar: IDR30,000

Harga tiket bus Gilimanuk-Ubung Denpasar: IDR30,000

*:  depends on the amended time of departure and arrival as it is frequently conditionally amended.

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The Peaks I've Ever Been

I'm gonna tell you about the nature. I bet you must've got what I mean if there is Peaks under the theme Nature. Yup, it's all about mountains. I would like to share what mounts I've ever been. Just so you know, all is in Java. And you will find the beauty of Java once you read this article. I wanna share my picture actually, but, sadly, the pictures were LOST like ^&*^%^$ and I was just so disappointed. Anyway, this is the true story so let's start the foot steps from the Eastern part of the Island.

Ijen Plateau 

I went there in 2006 and I was drop-dead excited! Ijen plateau has a sulfur crater and it is just....big! The smell of the sulfur. The gas, I mean, is so "unique but perilous". There is certain time the tourist can reach the peak and enjoy the crater. Usually in the morning and before noon and afternoon they cannot reach as the gas spread out like crazy so you'd better off stay away otherwise you'll dye slowly. Ijen plateau is located in Eastern part of the island. 2-3 hours from Jember (my journey then started from the small town). On the way there we will enjoy the coffee plantation, the cocoa plantation, lots of mango trees (every house has at least a dozen of mango trees. Even in grave yard there are mango trees! Bless for the dead!), monkeys, jungle, edelweiss, and the low temperature for sure. You know what, it was just at 6 in the evening and we could see the Milky Way in the sky. BEAUTIFUL! And DAMN COLD! My palm was like frozen and blue. You can stay in cottage or build your own tent. The crater can be reached on foot for about 45 minutes from the camp center. You can see deer and birds on the way there. The climb usually starts in the morning. Most of the visitors are from European countries.

Panderman Hill 

Located in East Java's tourism epicenter Kota Batu, small town with a huge exotic places to explore. The Panderman Hill is one of them. The hill is one of the Apple City's landmark, besides Mt. Arjuno. I've been there in 2009 and I spent 2 days 1 night to get to its peak. We built a camp the night before we started climbing to the peak. From the peak you can see:

1. Mt. Arjuno in the North-West

2. Mt. Semeru in the East

3. Mt. Kawi just right behind the hill.

4. the city view of Malang, Batu and the surrounding. Overall, it was beautiful!

Tangkuban Perahu

It's in West Java Province. The view of the crater is GORGEOUS! There is like traditional market where you can find souvenirs (from key-chains to like-Siberian-hat) and traditional sweets from Garut (a region in West Java) named Dodol Garut. Just like the previous ones, the temperature in Tangkuban Perahu is just as low as when the autumn strikes after the summer waved goodbye.

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But, trust me, all you'll see is like in the picture. Way more beautiful than in the picture. I couldn't even believe what I saw then was real and I was like "Oh my goodness! What the hell is right before my eyes here?!". Anyway, I have the picture of mine with my friends taken when I was there (the only photograph I could find. What the...) 

All the spots (the mounts) are accessible even in some cases, like in Ijen Plateau we will find it a little bit difficult as it is removED area and is for conservation. You can GET THE PACKAGE FOR FREE (camp in Ijen, rafting, visit Coffee plantation--there is LUWAK also!) since every year there is IJEN FESTIVAL held in Bondowoso (the nearest regency from Ijen Plateau). It is between June-July and the participants are from different countries. You can keep getting update by following their twitter of Facebook page (just google it. Haha). I once got the "golden ticket" to Ijen Festival but SADLY I HAD TO CANCEL MY PARTICIPATION AS I HAD MY THESIS TRIAL ON THE SAME WEEK. Bl**dy hell!

How to get to Panderman Hill? It's easy. Just go to Kota Batu (25 km north-westward from Malang, East Java) and you can charter the car to get you to the nearest village (I mean, the closest one to Panderman Hill). Then you start walking and walking through the pines woods, take a break and build a camp in the camp center (it's COLD but you can see falling stars! Pays off!) then you can start climbing in the early morning so you can have SUNSHINE ON ITS PEAK.

How to go to Tangkuban Perahu? You can charter a van from Bandung (the capital of West Java Province) to Lembang. Everybody knows what and where Tangkuban Perahu is, so, just be easy! :)

Soooooo,

come over here and EXPLORE JAVA!

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