Indonesian Adventure 2024. Exploring a small part of Java, Malang, Mount Bromo, Batu,

 12 June 2024

Another early start at 04.00, and another  Grab taxi to Yogyakarta International Airport; as it was so early the journey was a lot quicker, but it is still a long way out of Yogya. 

Today was a bit complicated as we were going from Yogyakarta to Malang by air, looking on the map it is not far, just a 6 hour drive or a 7 hour train journey. I had struggled to find a driver to drive directly to Malang, every contact wanted to arrange a tour so I gave up. The train was my favourite option and prior to covid there was a direct train in daylight, that's has been discontinued and the train now departs Yogya at midnight. After a lot of struggling to get train tickets I gave up and booked a flight. So today it was Yogyakarta to Jakarta, then Jakarta to Malang with Batik Air, total cost £200.00. 

Batik Air economy class, I thought it was OK, on the aircraft we had plenty of leg room, a friendly crew who served water and a bun with a jam filling. The flight from Yogya was full and on time at 07.50. As the luggage had gone straight through to Malang we didn't need to collect it at Jakarta. Unfortunately our experience with the connecting flight was identical to the last one - even the gate used was the same, D6. The aircraft arrived an hour late, but boarding was fast and efficient and time was made up during the flight and landing into a wet and cloudy Malang was smooth. 

YIA Airport

The taxi journey to the Hotel Tugu was quick.  The hotel was very interesting as it is full of antique furniture, each room is individually decorated, our room was next to the reception but very well insulated against sound as it was quiet.

We arrived in time for afternoon tea and we enjoyed a hot ginger and coconut soup.  Once settled in, we sheltered from the rain in the hotel and had an amazing meal of Indonesian specialties at the restaurant. 

13 June 2024

Mount Bromo and the Bromo National Park. 

The classic tour from Malang to Mount Bromo leaves at around three in the morning, but there is an alternative day tour. The risk of going in the day is that it may be cloudy. I took the risk!

Mr Vinney was recommended by the hotel and at 07.30 a driver in a very old yellow jeep arrived to pick us up. the Jeep had bench seats in the back, you could seat 4 at a squash and room for one or two small people in the front. I am glad it was just two of us. The journey into the national park was on very narrow, windy roads - I had to use my Sea Bands due to nausea / car sickness. Jeep after Jeep passed us as they returned from the morning trip, we must have passed over 150 Jeeps, all packed full of tourists.

As we left Malang is was sunny, but as we climbed up the volcano it became more cloudy. 

First stop was at a waterfall. 

Then we stopped at a grassy area. 

Crossed The Sea of Sand to arrive at the spot to take the very long walk up to the active crater of Mount Bromo. 

Climbing again to the rim of the caldera to get the view of the park, the clouds had covered the whole area so we did not see the famous view.

We did have the area to ourselves, no crowds and it was a great day and we enjoyed it, so no regrets. 

14th June 2024

Malang was a Dutch colonial town during the Dutch era, it has a lot of colonial buildings so there is a lot to see. There was an advertised cycling tour of Malang, both on line and via the hotel, sadly neither had availability. So I booked a 'free' walking tour on line via Civitatis. 

The meeting point was Malang station at 09.00, our guide Dito was waiting and two other tourists joined us. We visited The city Hall, the main public square with its roundabout, our hotel, the bird market, the fish (for aquariums) market, the flower market, The old Kampung Kayutangan area, The churches, Mosque and finished at lunch time in the park - a great tour and highly recommended. 

Malang

We just made it back to the hotel when the rain poured down, so we had afternoon tea and relaxed.

15 June 2024

Batu is close to Malang, it is surrounded by mountains, but today they were covered in low cloud. It is a popular destination for Indonesian tourists and has many tourist attractions, theme parks, water parks and hot springs. We got a Grab from Malang to the Batu Flower Garden, it was a bit run down and looked like a victim of covid. But it was fun, especially for Instagram lovers. 

Batu Flower Garden

We then went to the Museum Angkut, I thought it was a motor museum, but it housed all manner of vehicles as well as a theme park and a floating market - absolutely fascinating. 

16th June 2024

As it was a Sunday, this is Malangs 'car free' day and the boulevard Jl Besar Ijen -an area with Dutch colonial houses on it. We walked up the road, to the Sunday market, the market was mostly food stalls. The area west of Jl Besar Ijen was a Japanese civilian interment camp in the second world war, filled with Dutch families.

Quite a lot of the mansions and houses used to house the prisoners have survived. 

To end our walk we went to Jodipan, the slum area that was painted by students to attract tourists, and it did. 

Then it was a lazy afternoon by the pool, afternoon tea and another fabulous meal at the Melati restaurant in the hotel.