Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung
Tangkuban Perahu looks like upturned boat from top of Bandung cityThe story tells of “Dayang Sumbi”, a beauty who lived in West Java. She cast away her son “Sangkuriang” for disobedience, and in her sadness was granted the power of eternal youth by the gods. After many years in exile, Sangkuriang decided to return to his home, long after the two had forgotten and failed to recognize each other. Sangkuriang fell in love with Dayang Sumbi and planned to marry her, only for Dayang Sumbi to recognize his birthmark just as he was about to go hunting. In order to prevent the marriage from taking place, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to (1) build a dam on the river Citarum and (2) build a large boat to cross the river, both before the sunrise. Sangkuriang meditated and summoned mythical ogre-like creatures -buta hejo or green giant(s)- to do his bidding. Dayang Sumbi saw that the tasks were almost completed and called on her workers to spread red silk cloths east of the city, to give the impression of impending sunrise. Sangkuriang was fooled, and upon believing that he had failed, kicked the dam and the unfinished boat, resulting in severe flooding and the creation of Tangkuban perahu from the hull of the boat. (Source : Wiki)
Mount Tangkuban Perahu is a wonderful place to spend the weekend and holiday with family and friends. Because there are so many interesting places to visit near to the mountain, suh as strawberry plantation, tea plantation, there are also lots of restaurants and hotels nearby, waterfalls, so many more. It’s a perfect place to relax after bussy days. Bandung volcano has four craters into which areas tourists can walk through. These four craters are: Kawah Ratu (“Queen Crater”), Kawah Domas (“Domas Crater”), Kawah Upas (“Upas Crater”) and Kawah Jurig where gas is continuously released.
Kawah Ratu (Ratu Volcano) or “Queen’s Crater”, is today just a big gray hole which sometimes has a pool of water at its center. Poisonous gases sometimes accumulate in Kawah Ratu, thus making it somewhat of a risk to descend to the crater floor. Beyond the saddled shaped depression on the far side of Kawah Ratu is the still active Kawah Upas, the oldest crater on the mountain. On the very far western cliff you see a spot where all vegetation has been destroyed by constantly rising sulphurous vapors. On the crater walls, note the various layers of material consisting of rock, sand, and pebbles. Overtime, new craters have formed again and again in a rather consistent shift from west to east.
Hiking trill to Domas crater
Tourists can go down into the Domas Crater where exist many hot geysers in which they can boil eggs.
As the crater is easily accessible by car and public transport, a great number of people are there every Sunday, and on public holidays; so if you want to avoid the crowds, go on a weekday, or early morning on Saturdays and Sundays.
Going down to Kawah Domas
Tips:
When you visit Mount Tangkuban Perahu, there are some local guide. You can hire them if you like. Some of them said that they are voluteer. But while they volunteer, they will offer you to buy some souvenirs. If you don’t mind with that you can buy the souvenirs from them, it’s available to bargain. However, some of them sometime are pusher, so you better be careful.
How to get to Mount Tangkuban Perahu?
You can hire a taxi (a minimum 5 hour use and pay more for each extra hour), or join a tour organized by a travel agent. You can also go by public transportation (but less conveniently). Travel first north to Lembang, then change then to Subang, get off at the Tangkuban Perahu toll gate. A sign at the crossroads in the northern part of Lembang directs you left Subang and Mt. Tangkuban Perahu or straight ahead to the Maribaya hot springs.
The road from Lembang to Mt. Tangkuban Perahu goes past beautiful tea leaf farming area also fruit and vegetable fields and stalls, and if you’re travelling just after sunrise, the morning mist still shrouds the villages of the Lembang plain, a truly idylic sight. Eventually the road enters a pine forest and 2 km after that, right in the forest, is a marked turn off to the left and you can find a toll gate where you pay an entrance fee.
Or you can stay at Sari Ater, a natural hot spring water complex, or rent a villa. In the vicinity, Maribaya park offers a wonderful waterfall traps.
Maribaya Water Fall is well-known for its hot springs, the sulfur-laden water, a comfortable place for swimming which are channeled into a small public pool and various private cabins. Some come here for the children’s playground and horseback ridding (about $3/hr.), and many just to have a picnic in the park and enjoying the view of a 25 meter waterfall set against a steep mountain cliff. Maribaya is only a 30 minutes trip from Bandung passing through some lovely mountain sceneries.
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