Green Canyon - Cijulang

This is our primary target to visit, long way to go from Jakarta just to have a look on this beautiful canyon.

It has a name as Cukang Taneuh which has meaning as “Soil Bridge”, don’t know whay they call that but I was not able to see that Soil bridge or perhaps I was not able to understand the meaning, but what the hack ………. I came down here not to discuss about the name, but want to see the schenary.

The place is about 45 minutes drive from our hotel, we drive along the road that has evidences of tsunami disaster 2 years ago. More about 2 – 3 km along the beach has wiped-out. Indeed it has very high waves, even though in normal conditions. It is a pity I do not have chance to take a picture on this area.

So We keep driving heading to Cijulang, Surprisingly it has an Airport in the neighborhood, that Mr. President SBY used it to visit tsunami evidence last time, called Nusawiru Airstrip.

Journey to the Sacret Place

We keep driving until we reach what they call “Dermaga Green Canyon” A small jetty place to start our journey with small boat. We have to pay Rp. 70.000/boat and has to use two boats since the boat is only has 5 passengers capacity with 2 crew. Then the Journey begins.

At the first time, I already impress with the river that have very clear water, even though the water has green color but it won’t stop you to see the underneath till the bottom of the river. If you lucky you’ll see fish running around in the shore, and perhaps one or two “giant lizard” is swimming in the river. It’s like a journey in the middle of “Latin America” jungle, Quiet River, large trees; green water except off course there would no crocodile and Packs of piranhas around here.

After about 20 minutes ride, we arrive in the final destinations, with a large cave as like as a gateway to this place, then we found our selves be inside in the cave it self, facing not to large very greenish lagoon inside. This is actually called the Cukang Taneuh. The boat has to stop here, and we have to get out from the boat standing on top of the rocks to watch this beautiful place. Lucky we are departing early in the morning, since it will become very crowded if there are more than 3 boats around.

Next, everybody can not resist jump-in into the water, so here we are, swimming in the natural pool giving us very unique experiences. Even Nathan & Tasha are very excited to swim, off-course we have to wear our life-vest and goggle.

It is very beautiful place ……………………………………………………

Pangandaran, next morning

Wake up in the most earliest morning to watch the sunrise, after I miss the sunset the day before, it is worth enough. We found that there’s much to see inside the sanctuary, waterfalls, underwater scene etc. Probably we may go back here to stay longer than one day, since our current destinations is actually to go to Green Canyon – Cijulang rather than the Beach it selft.

But at least we knew that we may have cheaper seafood if we bought from wetmarket just next to hotel building, we knew that if we want to go to the “pasir putih”beach it’s just 10 minutes walk from the hotel. Next time we will come back with better preparation then.

Pangandaran, Post Tsunami Era

Sunrise, taken from East Cost Fish Market

It takes almost 8 hours drive from Jakarta before we reach this place, it’s indeed a long distance journey. That’s why we planned this journey very carefully, with several days research on “google earth” to get the route, and also get some feedbacks from “Jalansutra” miling list, and also several discussion with some friends that has to be there, so Here we go …………..

We take the same route to Garut, except we took the left side road heading Tasikmalaya City. Well this is the only way I knew so far, up to Rumah Makan “Asep Strawberry” that become our first stop to have early lunch, about 11.00 am. In fact, we miss this place very much, the place that has the best “Nasi liwet” we ever knew so far.

Restaurant Asep Strawberry - tanjakan Nagrek

After get some meal and rest, continue the journey further to final destination, Pangandaran, Lucky the road is in very good conditions, even after Banjar climbing on “Pengunungan Seribu” before we reach the destination.

Complete Attribute of Nasi Liwet

Pangandaran it self, after Tsunami tragedy two years ago is in good conditions, lot of hotels has renovated their property, so that we may stay in a good and clean place, even though there’s no stars hotels around.

Surprisingly, Pangandaran is very similar with Kuta or Seminyak in Bali, lot of souvenir stores, beach wear stores and …………. Bule’s company with local ‘escort-guide’ !!! Except, off course the beach has no white sands arounds.

Pangandaran has two beaches, east and west, Tsunami evidence still laying around in east beach, even there’s a large shipwreck that sitting in the middle of the yard caused by Tsunami. Accoding to locals, this place is one of the most heaviest damage place, the Tsunami waves is up to 7m high!

Laut Biru Hotel

We stayed in Laut Biru Hotel, according to several sources this is the best hotel in town, they just build just after the Tsunami two years ago, so it is still brand new hotel, with minimalist and large two king-size springbed that become a standard hotel equipment in this neighborhood.

For me, there’s not much to see, The beach is full with Fisherman boad, to crowded and lot of ATV rental around. It’s a pitty since they told me that the sunset is very nice.

Damn …….. I think I just miss the good scenary to shot! I don’t know why my passion to hunt some nice pictures is gone somehow, I just spent my rest of the day with Nathan in swimming pool. Perhaps I just to tired after 8 hours drive from Jakarta.

Moon over the sea

One thing interesting is “makan”, we went to what they called “Pasar Ikan” by becak, it is not really pasar ikan but more to “Seafood Center” or something like that. An area that has lot of “Seafood Place”, not fancy place, just a standard “makan place” to have fresh seafood, like the one you may find in Jimbaran – Bali, except this one you have to sit inside the restaurant rather than having dinner on the beach sands. The interresting part is that there was full moon appears on top of the sea level, so I take the opportunity to stop by and take some shots.

The dishes is typical, you may have Fish (Sea Bas our Groupper) , Pranws, Squid, Crabs, various of Clams, styr “kangkoong” or water spinach made with “padang sauce”, “black pepper sauce”, “oyster sauce” or just standard BBQ nothing more fancy here.

Since we do not know anything about who is the best in town, we just pick the most crowded place that time which is “Rumah Makan – Risma”. It’s simple, go in, pick your raw dishesh, choose your table and sit, wait until your dishes ready for next 30 minutes, and have your nice Seafood dinner.

Back to Hotel, there not much to do except having a deep sleep, But the things it different in the next morning, a short walk on the beach just before sunrise, I got several nice shoots with my one and only model - my wive!

Curug Panjang

Got SMS from Marsel, about Curug Panjang – not to far away from Mega Mendung …

Mega Mendung?? No joke! It’s quite near from Jakarta, so what are we waiting for ….

What we need is just to wait until the weekend, and here we go ……

Departing in the morning to avoid traffic jam, we spent only about 1 hour plus to reach the famous mega-mendung junction (famous –because is one of the several heaviest traffic Jam in Puncak Main road), lucky we have not face that traffic jam since it’s still early in the morning.

Driving following the road up to the hill, up to police intel school up away following the Bank Mega Training Camp sign board, go straight up to pass the Training Center it self, then you’ll find smaller road that may caused problem if you may face opposite car in the middle.

After several minutes drive, finaly we arrived at the parking lot. It’s just an open space on the ground, there’s still only two cars besides ours sitting on the ground.

So we here, we have to tak a short walk, around 300m to find the first waterfall. According to the area map, they have at least four waterfall, the easiest to reach is Curug Panjang, the rest are Curug Barong, Curug Bunder and Curug Ciblao. We do not have chance to go there except this one. The one that has best facilities among the others.

Before you reach the main Waterfall, you have to cross the stream that give you the ‘first wet’ experience, then you’ll find a middle size pond right in the bottom of the waterfall. The water is very clear with greenish color and ………..very cool!

The place is well prepared, they have lifeguard, they provide life-vest for the one who wants to swim into the pond, trash-bin everywhere so that you do not have to worry about where you want to dump your trash, the lavratory facilities is ‘relatively clean’, and there’s also a street-store who sells Cup-Noodle, Coffee, “Bandrek” it would be more nice if they also sells “gorengan”, “pisang, tape & jagung bakar”.

But in short, this place is worth to visit, especially with this kind of distance from Jakarta. It is a nice place to have a short escape from Jakarta.