Saturday, July 31, 2010

Kawah Putih, Ciwidey, Bandung


Finally, I can write my 1st trip in this blog, hehehe. After planned it since one month ago, we decided to go to Kawah Putih on July 10th, 2010 for 2 days 1 night. Two days before departure, I was looking for hotel near to there. Called so many hotels but most of them were fully booked, I started to get panic, cos if can't get place to stay there, means that we have to stay in Bandung city and have to wake up very early in the morning to avoid traffic jam along the way to Kawah Putih area. Luckily, there was a hotel named Sukarasa Endah which the guesses checked out on July 9th, without thinking twice, I booked the rooms directly. "Phew...hotel in hand now, nothing more to worry, just waiting the time run until the day come, yippie!"

My brother and I woke up early in the morning to prepare everything to be brought. The time showed 12pm when my colleague came to pick us up. Yeah, we could not go too early coz my coll needed to stay up in the office until noon. She came with her 2 children and a friend who became a driver. We took Jakarta - Cikampek toll, exited Sadang and went straightly until Padalarang toll gate. A bit traffic was seen here. Maybe it was weekend, many people went to Bandung. There are many ways out to Bandung such as Pasteur toll, Pasir Koja toll, Buah Batu toll, Kopo toll, etc. But since our destination was South Bandung, then we exited via Kopo toll. Ooh gosh, another traffic was seen again. (T_T) According to the people who ever go there, traffic in Kopo is usual, cos the way that we pass through near with traditional market. No wonder....!!

Sukarasa Endah

 We arrived in the hotel around 5pm. The hotel is quite nice, comparable with the price that we pay. After settled payment and checked in, we prepared to go out again to have dinner, cos our stomach started screaming for food. We went to Saung Andir, a sundanese style restaurant. The food that served was finished by us very clearly, haha. After that, we still went to street hawker to buy some tit bits to be eaten in the hotel, also didn’t forget to buy gifts. The special gift from Ciwidey is Kalua, sweetmeat that made from Pomelo skin with many kind of colors and tastes.

Saung Andir

Tomorrow morning, we woke up early to enjoy the fresh mountain air. When went out, the surround was still full with mist and the weather was really really cold. Lucky that the hotel provides water heater, cos if not, I don’t think so any of us will take a bath, hahahaha. After had breakfast in room and packed back our things into the car, we started our trip to Kawah Putih which is about 15km head up. Along the way we can see many celery and strawberry plants and inhale fresh cool air, so nice.

Strawberry Plants
 
There is a big board written Welcome to Kawah Putih at the main entrance. In here also, we need to pay entrance fee. They used package system for the fee (private car + passanger). For the one who don’t use private car, they also provide transportation to get into Kawah Putih area, cos from main gate into Kawah Putih still take 5km of journey. We paid Rp 265,000 for a car + 6 persons (consider expensive, I think). For a person, it costs Rp 25,000. The road into Kawah Putih looks like we are in the middle of jungle, full of trees and plants at the right and left of road. Before get into Kawah Putih area, there is a big parking area.

Parking area in front of Kawah Putih entrance
Information about Kawah Putih

Finally we can see Kawah Putih from close. Wow….it is so beautiful; greenish, whitish, bluish water in the middle changes according to sun light and weather condition with the cliff stands so solid surround it. One thing that can’t stand for is sulfur aroma. It’s so strong till we couldn’t stay in there for a long time. After satisfied with taking pictures, we went back to car park and continued our trip to hot spring. There are 3 hot springs around there : Patuha, Walini and Cimanggu. We went to Walini hot spring. It is some swimming pools full of hot water from the mountain. But since it was too crowded, we didn’t have a chance to try the pools, so we just walked around tea plantation there.

Solid Cliff
Greenish, bluish, whitish color of water
Still in Kawah Putih area
A leafless tree
Hot spring pool in Walini
Tea plantation at Walini

For lunch, we had it at Sindang Reret Restaurant, also a sundanese style restaurant with cozy atmosphere with fish pool in the middle of it. Time showed 2pm when we headed back to Bandung city, just too bad, our plan to have shopping in Bandung city got burnt cos we met traffic again. It was 5pm when we were finally able to get out from Pasteur toll gate. What a tiring journey, but we enjoyed and satisfied with it.

Sindang Reret Restaurant

See u on my next trip! ^o^

List of accommodation near Kawah Putih :
- Sukarasa Endah – 022 5928311
- Sindang Reret – 022 592 8205
- Pondok Selly
- Penginapan Arum Asih
- Kampung Strawberry
- Kampung Pago – 022 592 8062
- Hotel Abang – 022 592 8235 / 592 8429
- Pondok Gembyang – 022 5928998


@ Photograph by W-son @