Overview:
In 2009, friends and I took a trip down to Batu Karas, a coastal town
on the south coast of West Java (Jawa Barat) intentionally to see ‘Green Canyon’. The
idea for embarking on the trip came by word of mouth from friends in the University
of Indonesia. It was a spontaneous trip and literally came into reality in a
matter of days - 2 days to be exact. We knew the name of the town and we had a
point of interest ‘Green Canyon’. After the idea was conceiving the following day we
managed to find an affordable car rental, the name of a hotel and a road map
that would take us across Java. You must understand that at this
time GPS maps of Indonesia were useless and to be completely honest road-maps
weren't that much better either. This is due to the fact that Java is the most
populated island in the world with 130 million people and is also the centre of
development in Indonesia. Because of this once road-maps are
published they are quickly made obsolete with the ever-changing cities and
road systems of Java. With all this being said getting to Batu Karas is doable but
I don't suggest people attempt the drive unless they have some solid experience
driving in Indonesia.
For anyone that has lived in Jakarta will know it can be overwhelming. So
overwhelming at times you just have to escape it. Typically escaping Jakarta
will take you to one of the surrounding islands - of which there are many. Batu Karas was so intriguing because the idea that there could be an area of Java
that wasn't over-developed, polluted and over-populated sounded too good to be
true. We were happily proven wrong. We spent the time there learning to surf,
exploring the surrounding areas and just relaxing a world away from Jakarta in a destination unique to Java.
The Road Trip:
The drive to Batu Karas from Jakarta can take anywhere between 6 - 9
hours depending on what time you leave Jakarta and how much traffic you run
into leaving in Jakarta and while driving through Bandung. Although the drive is
nerve racking at times, it was worth it seeing the beautiful Javanese countryside.
The drive itself was a highlight of the trip as we passed alongside Javanese rice terraces that
rival those seen on Bali (It should be mentioned the Java is the most fertile
island in Indonesia). The drive takes you through two mountain ranges, jungles
and alongside a number of gigantic volcanoes etched in the distance.
The first leg of the trip we traveled 150kms in 2 hours on the toll road that lead to
Bandung. From Bandung it’s another 160kms to Batu Karas. That 160kms can
take 4-6 hours to drive due to the conditions and the winding roads. The
provincial roads on the outskirts of Bandung can get busy and very dangerous, particularly
because the newly developed toll road that links Jakarta to Bandung comes to an
end and the rest of the journey is on the typical 2 lane roads that twists
through the highlands.
I suggest anyone attempting this drive to leave Jakarta in the
early morning to miss the rush hour traffic in both Jakarta and Bandung. We decided to leave Jakarta at 1am and arrived in Batu Karas at 7am (6 hours including rest stops).
As I mentioned before, you navigate through Java using towns as landmarks. There
is no guarantee that the road your traveling on is on the map, but the towns
will be.
Directions-
1. From Jakarta take the
toll road to Bandung
2.
Exit at Cileunyi
3.
Drive to Tasikmalaya
4.
Then to Ciamis
5.
Then to Banjar
6.
Then to the coastal town of Pangandaran
7. From Pangandaran
follow the signs for another hour or until you reach Batu Karas
Highlights
Batu Karas-
We set off on our goal to see Green Canyon- what we didn't expect is that
the small town of Batu Karas and the surrounding area had more to offer
than we originally thought. On arrival to Batu Karas we were immediately taken
by surprise. The coastal town was surrounded by jungle, rice terraces
and a perfectly U-shaped black beach facing the sunrise. The town is far from
the usual tourist’s routes, but with a number of accommodations to fit all
kinds of travellers. Over the last decade it has turned into a sought-after
surfing area pulling in the travel wise and dedicated expats from Jakarta and
Bandung. The perfect right-hander is working all year long and is perfect for beginners
and the experienced. Mixed in with the seclusion of being a far-way coastal town
guarantees you don’t have to fight others for the waves.
Exploring the fringes of the town there were a number of secluded empty
beaches where you can spend the time enjoying the sun. There are a number of
additional surfing spots, just ask the locals for their expertise on when and
where to surf.
Cukang Taneuh a.k.a Green Canyon-
A video of Green Canyon produced by my good friend Mikey- excuse the bromance.
What can I say…Green Canyon was the
catalyst of the entire trip and it definitely didn’t disappoint, and by-itself was worth driving down to see.
Known locally as Cukang Taneuh, it is the last stretch of the Cijulang river.
From our hotel in Batu Karas you follow the river inland for 10-15 minutes
until you come to an opening. Here you pay Rp150,000 for 6 people which includes quick
trip up the river, or pay Rp300,000 - which we did - and spend as long as you
want exploring and swimming the river. This includes a guide which at first we
didn't understand we needed but later we were thankful for it. You set off
going up-river snaking through lush rainforest for half-an-hour until the scenery
dramatically changes as you enter the mouth of the canyon. Once entering, the
river narrows and the walls of the canyon start to shoot upwards as you make
your way through. The scenery is dramatic and beautiful, the roof of the canyon
is rainforest. Honestly jaw-dropping when we saw it. Take a jump of Shroom
rock, a must do.
Citumung Nature Reserve-
There are a number of small nature reserves around Batu Karas and
Pangandaran, ask the hotel manager and locals for their advice. Citumung is a gorgeous
little waterfall on a small crystal clear river. Definitely worth the trip, but
don’t attempt to drive here in a sedan- you won’t make it without scraping off
the bottom of your car.
Hotels: A
number of New hotels have opened up (I guess the stream of tourists has picked
up- it was bound to happen)
JavaCove
Hotel: Where we stayed, a nice hotel. Price has gone up significantly since our
trip. Very accommodating staff who speak English, western food and comfortable
rooms facing Batu Karas Beach.
Sunrise
Resort: New Hotel
Villa
Monyet: Only hotel offering Bungalows
Alternative Routes to Green Canyon:
Fly into Bandung from Jakarta and take the Provincial Bus to Pangandaran, then to Batu Karas
Fly:
Take Susi Air flight from Bandung to Pangadaran. Note: You must charter the plane, and is rather expensive
I'll visit those place at this end of month. Nice review anw :)
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