Cikaso Waterfalls

With high speed travel (around 3 hours from Sawarna), we arrived at 4.30PM at Cikaso waterfalls (Surade area) and thanks God we still have time to explore this area. The way to reach this waterfalls is different, we need to use small boat through the river then turn into the smaller river where the brown and green water met and leads to the waterfalls. We took 2 boats (Rp@80K)
As arrived in the waterfalls area, we welcomed by rumble voice from the waterfalls. The waterfalls itself has three part and height around 80 meters with beautiful green ponds. Its truly amazing!.

Cikaso Waterfalls

Dont want to wasting the time, we just go straight to looking a good point to take a picture. We walked through the river where the view is wide and stand on the big rocks in the left side, it was slippery to reach there but our guide helped us to got there. Its quite challenging to take a picture over there as we need to clean up the lens filter many times from water splash. I feel lot of energy there. We having a very good time there, enjoying amazing environment :)

Cikaso Waterfalls

Times running out, we need to get out before dark (its around 5.30PM). Its totally not enough to enjoy the best waterfall I've ever visit. I dont even explore the other side and playing water. but just for information the pond deep is around 35 meters and very dangerous in some areas.
In our way back to the dock, I found there are many local people selling drink and food but as usual the cleanness dont have good attention. I also heard from our guide, there are some foreigners interest to buy this place, and its really a big fool and unforgiven if its happened.
I thing that I like from this travel are when we stayed at warung near the river. Take a hot coffee, indomie and play gaplek after clean up the body with fresh water made me realize that happiness comes on simply way.
I marked this place as a place to visit again soon. I have a video in my camera about this waterfalls but the file is too big to upload, to lazy to install a software to reduce the size.
Its a hilarious trip with my friends. Thanks to Wandi, om Dedy, Anwar, Esa,  Shinta, Bachrim, Borneo, Myra, Tami and Nungki.

Sawarna 3 - Karang Taraje

After a couples of months vacuum from traveling, a weeks ago I came back to the Sawarna village with ten friends, my previous destination in last year. The reason is easy, we want to re-explore some place on this beautiful area.
Due to some delay, we cannot get the sunset at Batu Berlayar beach, so we spent the night with dinner and continue with playing card on small cottage in the middle of rice field. The cottages around this village almost full as it was a long weekend. Fortunately I've contact here so I can reserved the room before we arrive.
In the very early morning, we went to the someplace where the sun rise with ojek (motor taxi), the way to this place was very difficult, need extra driving skill to ride motorcycle in rocky, narrow and uphill road. Include guiding us from 5-10 AM, I think Rp120K is reasonable.
On the first beach, I founded the cloudy sky so I just took some pics of my friends there. Next destination was Lagoon Pari, its small bay where the water are light green and shallow beach, we took some times here enjoying the beach and breakfast from cottage. Not far from this beach we went to other beach called Karang Taraje beach. Karang Taraje (west Jawa language) mean rock stair. Its look like some big coral rock fortify the beach, and this time the sea water was high, so we can saw the water drop down from the rock gaps.

Karang Taraje

Around 10PM, we visit Batu Berlayar. There are many tourists there, some peoples take the picture and some playing on the beach. We just took some coffee and look around there, then back to the cottage to wash and lunch. Our next destination is Cikaso waterfalls.

Malimping

In our way discovered the south beach, we founded many amazing view. Here are one that catch our attention.

Somewhere in Malimping

Sawarna - Malimping route


View Sawarna - Bayah - Malingping in a larger map

Sawarna 2

Ah.., at the end we can re-explore this beautiful beach. Still I remember when we visit it with a bigger gang :)
As arrived at Sawarna village, we took ojek to the beach. Kelayar beach with two high coral become primary attratcion. But its still around 4PM at that day, so we took some times to explore across the path belong to sea.

Good afternoon

As my view, the combination of light and clouds was nice. I tried some spots to get a better combination of rock and wave and add the contrast object to give more impression.

Hard and beatiful

As I saw the main business of local people there are to serve the tourist/photographer to explore this surrounding are. There are some small clean motel, we took the new one (next to bridge) near the main street to capture the sunrise on the next day. The motel has a very good service, we got 3 meals per day with delicious fresh fish and sambal as main menu, the bed and bath room is good, and also have nice welcomed by the motel owner.

Sunset at Batu Klayar

When the dark comes

Unlike our first visit which explore the east side to Ujung Genteng, this time.., after heard the story from local people at Sawarna we go ahead to the west, as they said that there are some nice beaches in Malimping.

Jatiluhur 3

Just started again to write the blog after I fixed my home PC. Continuing my story from Nini Hill, we visited Jatiluhur to watch the sunset.

Sunset at Jatiluhur

Nini Hill - Pengalengan

Two weeks after Lebaran we went to Nini Hill, but this time with the ideas to capture the sunrise and take the moment where some tress lining between the tea plan. We arrived about 5AM after 3 hours trip from Jakarta.
The temperature is cold when sunrise, but it change to hot at 8AM. When the sun rise, colourful light reflection become my focus of interest. The line of reflection always become my favourites, where some colour combined into the mighty beautiful painting, and one more you can see fog covering some areas.

Sunrise at Nini Hill

On the marching trees, I cropped the picture to get focus on the drama. I like the line through the tress that lined up to welcome the sun. Good morning :)

Marching Trees

Since the area is too wide, I took the view part by part horizontally and combined it using Photoshop CS5, and here it is.., my first panorama picture!, its adding my vocabulary in photography..., and sure its a nice way to face the limitation of my 24-105mm :)

Panorama Nini Hill

To be honest I'm not too sure where exactly is Nini Hill since I'm not behind the steer. But we no need to worry since Anwar always know where to go and explore the exciting areas :)

Curug Sawer - Gede Pangrango

After enjoy serenity on Situ Gunung, we move to Curug Sawer. Curug mean waterfall which integrate with natural beauty of surrounding environment. The way to Curug Sawer from Situ Gunung takes about 5 km and in some points cannot be reached by car. Some local offering to carry us using ojek motor. We go through the rocky road and continue with uphill narrow path (less than 1 meter). Its thrilling, as the left path is deep cliff. Two things in my mind, hold the motor tightly and ready to jump :D

Curug Sawer

When we arrived at curug Sawer, not many people there yet. I ordered hot coffee and prepare my gears, while Wandi discovered the river. Its really fresh and natural. We discovered some place to capture the place, but trust me the water is freezing :)

Curug Sawer

Same like Situ Gunung, there are some small villas around foot hills, and we founded some people with their family was having fun enjoying this natural environment. Hmm.. :)

Curug Sawer River

Now time to go back. After eat bala-bala as breakfast in small warung, we go back to car park with ojek motor. Still same ojek driver mas Waji and same crazy path. To go through this difficult path, mas Waji should push their motor bebek to climb on the rocky road. What an experience driver I think until I know that I was the first customer he ever has.. haaa :))

Ojek Point

One thing different with some places we visit before, this place is clean. I think because there are some trash-can distributed around this area and they are well managed. This place could consider as a sample for another public place to manage garbage. Its not about people behaviour, but how about managing the people.

Situ Gunung - Gede Pangrango

Start from Jakarta at 2.15AM, the travelling trip to Situ Gunung taken about 2,5 hours. Situ (lake/resevoir) Gunung is part of the area of Gunung (mountain) Gede Pangrango, which also called as Gede Pangrango National Park. At the end of this post, you can see that we were driving surround the Gede Pangrango area.
We almost got lost at Sukabumi Raya street, but Anwar handled it smoothly and arrived at Gede Pangrango before sunrise :)
In the parking lot of entering gateway area, it was still dark, the shops (warung-warung) still closed. Cold, quiet and peaceful, no activity, only huge pines and resins stand tall among us until we found one shop open and having chat to find out the interesting spots on this area, its remind me to our travelling to Situ Cileunca last week.

Water Painting

First destination was Situ Gunung, a 10 hectares artificial lake, around 1 km from the gate. Small lake with some small islands in the west area and surrounded by small hills. We found some local people fishing in the very early morning to catch Nila fish and some villas that manage by Rakata.

We started our activity from the east side to capture the sunrise where the view was amazing when we saw gunung Gede behind the cloud rising together with the appearance of the sun.

The light is too over I think, but the reflection from the calm lake giving me more better pictures. What a natural filter :)

Angku Wandi in action

In the north side, another nice reflection from lake interest me and my new BW filter make it more better.
As overall, Situ Gunung is a good place to hangout or gathering if you like natural life, but I think sedan vehicles cannot used on this area. Now move to Curug Sawer.

Morning Reflection

Note: Turn left when you found Polsek Cisaat at left side to enter Gede Pangrango National Park area from Cibadak.


View Gede Pangrango National Park in a larger map

Jatiluhur 2

In our way back to Jakarta from Pengalengan, we dont want tom missed another spectacular show from the big light, yes its sunrise and put Jatiluhur to capture the show.

Before Sunset on Jatiluhur

Trying to get a better pictures, but unfortunatelly the sun was hide over the black cloud.

Old man and his simply life

x

Situ Cileunca - Pengalengan

As usual, we begin our travelling without much plan, start at 12PM with my buddy Wandi and Anwar from Jakarta and arrived at 3.30AM. Still in west java, Pengalengan area. Our first destination was situ cileunca, the place that build around 1917 by Dutch.

Simplicity Morning 

Wreck and lonely

The rise of light

Like any other reservoir in West Java, a fusion between stretch of water and clouds become a main attraction, but unfortunately its cloudy.

Nini Hill

After taking some capture in reservoir, we went to Nini hill, the hill that we founded at our browsing topic. Its look like the other tea plan in west-java, remind me to our trip to Situ Patengan.
Hmm.., wish someday I have beautiful backyard like this.


View Pengalengan - Situ Cileunca in a larger map

Tanjung Lesung 4

Sembrono team reunion, and our destination of course.., Tanjung Lesung, our natural secret beach. The sunset always entertain us with amazing moment.

Sunset at Tanjung Lesung Theater 2

Sunset at Tanjung Lesung Theater 2

See ya tomorrow

Going Dark

Kawah Ratu - Tangkuban Perahu

Tangkuban Perahu is an active volcano  and has 2048m high, aournd 30km North of Bandung and 5km from previous point Ciater. It has 3 craters, which are: Kawah Ratu or Queen Crater, Domas Crater and Upas Crater. In our exploration, we only going to Queen crater, the biggest one.

Tangkuban Perahu itself means, in fact, "up-turned boat" or perahu terbalik. The shape of volcano has stimulated of the Sundanese people from early times as expressed in the Legend of Sangkuriang. 

The way to Kawah Ratu is raising through the rain forest and little bit rocky. When we arrived, we were disappointed as the rain go down and we need to take a shelter on small cafe (warung indomie), and of course is a good time for indomie and hot coffee.  Alhamdulillah, the rain was gone just after we finish the meal :)

Kawah Ratu

The Kawah Ratu has a huge hole with steamy pool on the center. The cliffs are beautiful and deep with the steam flow between it gaps. I tried to capture all parts as unity, but the crater is too big, my camera and 24-105mm are limited :D

After satisfied exploring the front side of Kawah Ratu, we walked to the west end through some small shops that sells souvenir then continue with hiking on the forest. Many tourism around the shops but not many people goes to the west end which is the closest side to the center of eruption.

We took the way to the west edge by walk, its the only way, so tired but believe me its worthed. From the peak of the west edge, the view is amazing. One thing that made me little bit worry, the sound from the center from eruption like boiling water, or like there is a huge furnace under the eruption surface. We took not more than one hour on this great spot.

Since its already almost afternoon (3.30PM), we were asked by the guard or sapu bersih team to leave the west edge of the crater before afternoon. The guards were very nice as they were waited us patiently when we still trying to capture the view in our way back. They said that the poisonous gases sometimes accumulate at Kawah Ratu in the afternoon.

After this travelling, I founded some info about Tangkuban Perahu where this volcano was erupted on 1969 and was closed to the public for a few days because unusually high seismic activity in 1992. Currently the volcano is still active.

Ciater Hot Spring

Ciater and Tangkuban Perahu, the place that I was visited long long time ago with my parents. This time with my friends, we went directly to Ciater area at 4PM after finishing the meeting in Bandung. There are a lot of pine trees and tea plantation as nice attraction along a journey, making the travel more cheerful.
Arrived at 5PM, after looking several hotels, we checked-in at Sari Ater Resort, its a nearest place to the sources of hot spring. The bungalow was made from bamboo and flowed by natural hot spring water.

After short rest and Sundanese cuisine for dinner, we went to Curug Jodo, the public pool area for hot spring water beside the resort, and as the resort guest we are free from the ticket :D On the site, we founded some hot spring pools with the steam around the water. The hot spring or the sulphuric water are created by the heat from near volcano and also good to cure various disease like paralysis, rheumatism and skin problem.

Curug Jodo

At pool area, even its dark the lights are more than enough. There are a lot of spot light combination shining over the pools, make it the view more attractive, but I felt the lights are over in some areas. Without waiting more longer, the team prepared the gear and looking for their own spot. We tried to capture the small water falls in several spots, even in the pool itself under the feet. To get clear image, we need to took a good spot avoid the steam. I also took this moment to compare the different on every mode in my 550D. The picture below is using daylight mode, make the green more brighter than other mode.

We took sometimes in this spot trying to capture the pictures, looking for composition, the light paths, even took some narsis photos. Actually I fell not enough time here as I still want to capture more view, but the next agenda must go on, swimming on resort pool. Since it almost midnight, only us in the pool at the time. The water flow directly from hot spring source, steam everywhere, its nice to stay in the pool, but if I drink the water its sour.

We ended the day by preparing our gears, transfered the images, charged the battery and chit-chat before sleep at 1AM on bungalow. In the morning, we missed the sunrise as all team member cannot wake up in the early morning, its so tired. But that's not a problem, we have alot of agenda to go.

The picture above was taken after checked out at 8AM in front of our bungalow. The team are mbak Vipia, mas Adnan, Ade and Bayu, my fella that helped me much to become a blogger. After having the breakfast at Kimani restaurant, we went to outdoor activity area in this resort. One of them is off-road using ATV, this is my first time for ATV, but unfortunately my ATV are not in good condition coz it has problem on the break, make it unforgettable experience :p
After finished with Ciater, the team went directly to Tangkuban Perahu, our next destination. We stopped on our way to capture the tea plantation below. The tea used for Walini tea, remind me to my travel to Ciwidey. That my story about Ciater, its a good way to retreat from every day's life :)

Koi

Trying to get the abstract of Koi formation with slow shutter at At Taubah mosque in rest area 57 Cipularang.

Koi

Jatiluhur

After the heavy rain at Sunday afternoon, we start our short trip from Gatsu Jakarta and arrived in 5PM at Jatiluhur, its only take about 1.15 hours. This area has fabulous view actually like what I saw from Wandi's flickr before, no wonder why he often came to this place and recommend me. But unfortunately its cloudy and the sun was behind the clouds, no much photos I took since the rain came down. This place is very good to take pictures, green/blue water, layered hills, and I thought there are more interesting view if we explore the lake with the boat.
Hmm, I will go back with my buddy Wandi again and better after lunch time in office hours haha

Sunset at Jatiluhur from floating dock

Taman Safari - The Big Cats

All of them is still a cub (under 2 years) and after they getting big, they will be released to the park. Visitor can take a picture with these predators.

Lion

Leopard

White Tiger

Continue to Taman Safari - The Birds Show

Taman Safari - The Birds

Grey Crowned Crane

Redbill

Flamenggo

Macaw

Continue to Taman Safari - The Big Cats

Taman Safari

On the Sunday cloudy morning, we headed to Taman Safari, a conservation park located on Cisarua Bogor. Its very near, only took 1 hour from my home, but only Anwar stayed focus behind the steer, when Wandi and me fall asleep.
When preparing my gear, Wandi was offered me to try his EF 200mm f/2.8 L II lens, so then I can capture the object more closer. During my exploration on Taman Safari I only used this lens and here the results.

Deer Cub

The following elephant is the biggest one I think, He walked between the cars, eat the carrots from visitors and gave the money from visitors to his rider.

Elephant

I cannot capture all its body, but I believe everybody know what it is.



Continue to Taman Safari - The Birds