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Exploring Mount Rinjani Lombok

Mount Rinjani 3 Exploring Mount Rinjani LombokMount Rinjani Lombok is one of Lombok Attractions. As you probably know, there are several active volcano in Indonesia. Mount Rinjani Lombok is one of active volcano. It is one of big mountain which is 12,224 feet or 3,726 meters, this making Mount Rinjani as the second of the highest volcano in Indonesia.

September 1847 was the first historical eruption of Mount Rinjani. The latest eruption of Mount Rinjani was on 1 October 2004. The volcano and beautiful Segara Anak lake are protected by national park which is founded in 1997. About 6 km 8.5 km oval caldera partially by a lake known as Segara Anak (about 2000m above sea level is at 300 and 200 meters deep), contains the caldera – including Hot Springs. An explosion in the years 1994, 1995 and 1996 were something of Gunung Baru or New Mountain about which is anout 2,300 meters above sea level), it is in the center of the caldera and lava from the eruption in the lake.

Mount Rinjani Lombok Exploring Mount Rinjani Lombok

Mount Rinjani Lombok Exploring Mount Rinjani LombokIn the top of the mountain mostly are forests clad. In the lower area there are rice plantation, tobacco, soybeans, coffee, cotton, vanilla and cinnamon. They are the main crops in the fertile soil of the Lombok island.

Mount Rinjani National Park is located in the main field of bio-geographical transition area called Wallcaeae, where the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia meet the Australia. The National Park was established in 1997. The people of Lombok (Sasaknese) and Balinese are so alike. Mount Rinjani Lombok was respected and sacred for people in Lombok. The Crater Lake is a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people each year. Pilgrims offering water to bathe and clean the disease in the spa.

Mount Rinjani 4 Exploring Mount Rinjani LombokFor visitors, the 3 days route of Rinjani trek from Senaru to the crater edge, you can go down to the Crater Lake, and after that go on to Sembalun Lawang,this place is considered as one of the best treks in South East Asia. The Trekkers who like adventurous usually go to the summit, the close way from Sembalun Lawang returning after 4 days to Senaru. If you like, you can join the communities to help with the National Park and tourism revenues. Mt. Rinjani Trek is organized by a company of National Park officials, the private and public sectors of community representatives and industry of Lombok tourism. The community give very cooperatives coordinate of the trek in the Rinjani Trek Center (RTC), it is located in Senaru and also in Sembalun Lawang at the Rinjani Information Center (RIC). Each of them has scheduled system to guide and they also have some porters, activities for touring around the village and find the handicraft sales.

The benefit of entry fees and tourism activities can be used for conservation, management, raining and assisting the National Park and to maintain Rinjani Trek, so that need to making sure sustainability. Overseeing and supporting these activities is the Rinjani Trek Management Board, combining the authority of the central government (National Park) and local government (tourism office), with the voices of Lombok tourisms private sector, and the boundary communities. This institutional model is unique in Indonesia and considered an example for practical implementation of the ideals of ecotourism.

How to get to Mount Rinjani ?
Mount Rinjani Lombok 2 Exploring Mount Rinjani LombokYou can manage the transport to Senaru or Sembalun Lawang. These two village can be reached by private and charter vehicle, or by public bus. Form the west, catch a bemo to Anyar, from where bemos travel to Senaru about every 20 minutes until 4 pm. If you are coming from, or going to, eastern of Lombok Island, get off at the junction near Bayan (your driver will know it), from where bemos go to Senaru. To Sembalun Lawang and Sembalun Bumbun, from Kali Putih to the north, a few bemos run along the rough road to both villages, usually only in the morning.

Segara Anak Lake
Segara Anak Lake is so wide it appears like the sea with its blue water. The name Segara Anak means child of the sea. Segara Anak Lake holds various mysteries and invisible power.

Eternal Flower or Edelweis
The plant or the flowers should not be taken because it grows in the park and in the mysterious world of the spirit kingdom. In the past, someone who wanted this flower must be brave enough to fight and gamble his soul. That is why the flower is called Sandar Nyawa. The flower has never wilted and is as old as the mysterious spirits.

The Peak of Rinjani
The people of Lombok believe that the peak of Mt. Rinjani is where Dewi Anjani, the queen spirit and ruler of Mt. Rinjani lives. To the south-east from the peak in a sea of dust called Segara Muncar is the invisible palace of the queen Dewi Anjani and her followers.

Mount Baru Jari
Gunung Baru is the name of the new volcano which emerged in the center of Segara Anak Lake. People believe that Gunung Baru is the navel of Mt. Rinjani. That is why if Gunung Baru erupted it will not harm the people of Lombok unless the eruption is from the peak of Mount Rinjani Lombok.

map of mount rinjani Exploring Mount Rinjani LombokMap Of Mount Rinjani Lombok

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Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung

Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung

Mount Tangkuban Perahu Mount Tangkuban Perahu BandungTangkuban Perahu looks like upturned boat from top of Bandung city
In fact, Mount Tangkuban Perahu is one of an active volcano in Indonesia. Bandung volcano is located in Lembang, it is about 30 km in the north of the Bandung city. It will only take about 40 minutes by car from the center of Bandung. Mount Tangkuban Perahu is one of Bandung Attractions which is must visit when you come to Bandung. It attracts lots of visitors who like the crater as good as the amazing views from the top of Bandung city. In Lembang, it’s so wonderful to see Bandung city. Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has a unique shape, it is like a boat turned up side down. There’s a local legend called “Sangkuriang“. It is the story about a son named Sangkuriang who love his own mother named Dayang Sumbi. You can read brief story below..

The 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.

Bandung Volcano Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung

Queen Crater – Kawah Ratu

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.

Mount Tangkuban Perahu 2 Mount Tangkuban Perahu BandungHiking trill to Domas crater


Tourists can go down into the Domas Crater where exist many hot geysers in which they can boil eggs.

Bandung Volcano 2 Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung

Domas Crater (Kawah Domas)

Bandung Volcano 3 Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung

Boiling eggs at Domas Crater
The most well known of these is the Domas crater, but also there are other smaller ones in jungle on the mountain’s northeastern flank.

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.

Mount Tangkuban Perahu 5 Mount Tangkuban Perahu BandungGoing down to Kawah Domas

Mount Tangkuban Perahu 6 Mount Tangkuban Perahu Bandung

Going up to Kawah Ratu (same route)

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 Mount Tangkuban Perahu BandungMaribaya 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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