Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 208

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange For exchange, go to BCA at Jl Jend
Sudirman 85-87 or BNI at Jl Banetrang 46.
Hospital Yasmin Hospital, Jl Letkol Istikqlah 80-84
T 0333 424671.
Internet There are hotspots all over the city, and internet
cafés charging around Rp4000/hr.
Post o ce Jl Diponegoro 1 (Mon-Thurs 8am-3pm,
Fri 8-11am, Sat 8am-1pm, Sun & hols 8am-noon), west
of the sports field.

car or Rp150,000 per ojek, including
waiting time). he guides of Ijen Smile
( T 0821 4184 2445), some of them
former mine workers, are recommended.

GRAJAGAN: G LAND
On the borders of Alas Purwo National
Park in the far southeastern corner of
Java, the fishing village of GRAJAGAN has
become famous for its world-class surf.
Better known as G-Land, it boasts
awesomely long right- and left-handers
and many kilometres of pristine beach.
he ideal surfing season here is during the
dry season, roughly from April to
October. Several tour operators on Bali
and Lombok run all-inclusive trips. Prices
start from US$510 for an all-inclusive
three-day, three-night surfing package.
G-Land operators based in Kuta include
G-Land Bobby's Surf Camp ( T 0361
755588, W grajagan.com), and G-Land
Surf Camp ( T 0361 750320,
W

KAWAH IJEN
he view from the rim of Kawah Ijen
(Ijen Crater; 2386m) is among the most
spectacular to be found in all of
Indonesia. Set within a 20km-wide
caldera and bounded by sheer cliffs, the
steaming crater holds a 200m-deep,
1km-wide, turquoise lake of highly acidic
waters, the sulphuric shoreline striped in
bright yellow. As well as otherworldly
vistas, some of the planet's toughest
workers may be seen in action here,
battling toxic fumes and treacherous
terrain while hauling 70kg sacks
brimming with sulphur deposits.
Ijen can be reached from either
Banyuwangi or Bondowoso, although
most choose the former route, entailing a
slightly shorter drive (1hr 15min)
through forests and coffee plantations to
the trailhead at Pos Paltuding. here,
hikers must register their names at the
PHKA O ce and pay the admission fee
(Rp25,000) before making the one- to
one-and-a-half-hour hike to the lip of the
crater. Guides are not necessary during
the day, but prove helpful when making
the thirty-minute descent into the crater
itself, which is challenging due to both
toxic fumes and a steep and sometimes
unclear path. Guides are certainly
recommended for the increasingly
popular night-time hike, where hikers
reach the base of the crater in the
predawn darkness in order to glimpse the
blue flames - jets of sulphur gas that
burn bright blue - before climbing back
to the crater's rim for glorious sunrise
views. he relatively dry months from
April to October are ideal for the hike.
Transportation to Pos Paltuding is easily
arranged in Banyuwangi (Rp580,000 per

4

g-landsurfcamp.com).

Sumatra
An explorer's paradise, the vast majority of
Sumatra remains undiscovered. Most off
the beaten-path highlights are situated
along the old Trans-Sumatra highway,
which spans from Banda Aceh in the far
north to Bandar Lampung at the island's
southern tip. Of these, most are clustered
in the north: the misty jungles of Bukit
Lawang , offering the best chance in
Indonesia to see orang-utans in the wild;
the ancient crater lake of Danau Toba ,
spiritual heartland of the fascinating Batak
tribe; the twin volcanoes of Berastagi , a
charming hill town and ideal trekking
base; and the top-notch dive spots of
Aceh's laidback Pulau Weh , situated at
Indonesia's kilometre zero. Meanwhile,
within easy reach of steamy Padang on the
west coast lies a wealth of attractions:
Bukittinggi , the bustling, cultural capital
of the stunning Minangkabau Highlands;
Danau Maninjau , a palm-fringed lake
surrounded by jungle-covered cliffs; and
the remote Mentawai , a surfer's paradise.