Landscapes in Asia
A 7 km side tour off the coastal road, on a bumpy dirt road, will bring you to the triple waterfall of Gangga. The size of the waterfalls are not as exciting as getting to them. The first fall is straight forward. The second one is reached by crossing in front of the plunging water of the first and then balancing on some slippery bamboo poles. The last one is the cave waterfall, below the two others. You have to walk upstream in the riverbed, before you can see the water be pressed out of the cliff face. If the water pressure is low, you can even climb up and explore the crack where the water emerges from.
Seeing the Green Canyon (Cukang Taneuh) means a boat trip up a jungle-fringed river to a large, but short, cave tunnel. From here it's optional (for an additional fee) to swim further into the canyon. Trips to the Green Canyon is best done on a tour, else you have to book the whole boat yourself. Tours from Pangandaran includes also Green Valley and a trip through the gorgeous countryside.
At the summit of volcano Kelimutu (1640 m) are three different coloured crater lakes. The colours are slowly changing and are caused by the dissolving of minerals. One of the lakes is apparently always turquoise, while the two others can be anything from black, emerald green to chocolate brown or even red - together or separately. Seeing the sunrise from the summit is often hyped as a "must see"-thing and while the first rays of light certainly will bring some warmth to the freezing cold, the lakes can be equally enjoyed later in the day when the rays of sun actually reach the surface of the lakes.
Lake Toba (Danau Toba) is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Going to Lake Toba usually means going to the island of Pulau Samosir in the middle of the lake. The island (well, actually a peninsula) is equally large and packed with stunning scenery of green mountains and ancient culture of the Batak people. Toba itself is a volcanic crater lake more than 500 m deep, so the clear water is always refreshingly cold. Once, Lake Toba was a must destination for groovy backpackers, but those days are long gone and the backpacker strip in the traveller friendly village of Tuk Tuk feels a bit deserted nowadays.
Mount Bromo, Gunung Bromo, is one of three volcanoes inside a larger caldera. Yes, volcanoes inside volcanoes. The whole Mt. Bromo experience normally involves seeing the sunrise from the viewpoint of Penanjakan overlooking the gigantic Tengger caldera (10 km across), which besides holding Mt Bromo (2,329 m), Mt Kursi (2,581 m), and Mt Batok (2,440 m) also has the Sea of Sand, a plain of volcanic ashes. From the viewpoint you descent into this lunar landscape (in jeep), for then ascent the smoking Mt Bromo on foot (or horse). You can walk on the rim and, if time, circuit the whole Mt. Bromo crater (1 h). Mt. Bromo is a major tourist attraction for both local and foreigners, so don't expect to get it to yourself. Most travellers go on an organised tour from Yogyakarta, but you can also do it yourself from Cemoro Lawang. For the true adventurer, there is a 3-4 day hike that can be done from the backside of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. It is a wonderful hike and gives you a chance to see some wildlife.
The summit of volcano Rinjani, Gunung Rinjani, (3,726 m) is not only the highest point on Lombok, but the second highest volcano in Indonesia (Gunung Kerinci on Sumatra is the highest). Rinjani is active, and so is the smaller and newer volcano, Baru Jari, inside its crater. Beside the new smoking mini cone, the crater also contains a holy lake called Segara Anak. Both the summit of Rinjani and the crater lake are considered sacred by the local Sasak people who climb the mountain as pilgrims, but anyone is welcome to do the trek when it is considered safe. There are several routes and the treks can be done from 3 days. You can arrange guide, equipment and porters in either Senaru, Sembalun Lawang or Sapit, though Senaru seems as the most popular starting place.
Mount Sibayak (Gunung Sibayak) is the other hikable volcano outside Berastagi beside Mount Sinabung (2,450 m). From the distance, Sibayak is less impressive than the perfect-cone Sinabung, but the hike to the crater is less strenuous and can be done leisurely in a couple of hours. The smelly volcano crater has two peaks, Puncak Antene (2,057 m) and Tapal Kuda (2,101 m). Both can be reached with a bit of scrambling and you will be rewarded with spectacular views, but don't underestimate the danger, for the cliffs are sheer and the rim is narrow. The highest peak on Sibayak mountain is Pintau (2,212 m) but it's remote, forested and inaccessible. The are several routes to the crater but some of them, if not all, can be a bit difficult to find at the start, so ask around. If you take the route down on the backside, you will pass the hot springs at Semangat Gunung (also known as Raja Berneh). Though Sibayak is considered to be one of the most accessible volcanoes to trek in Indonesia, people still get lost or hurt - an information displayed on a rusty sign at the bottom - so take care.
There are two volcanos near Berastagi that can be trekked; Sibayak (2,212 m) and Sinabung (2,450 m). The latest being the tallest one with the best view. The start of the trail can be difficult to find, but else fairly easy to follow to the top, where the stunning views are waiting. There are steep sections, where the use of hands is necessary. The trek can be done in one day from Berastagi town, but remember to get down from the summit in time before dark. Keep in mind that Mt. Sinabung is an active volcano, which can erupt anytime.
Tangkuban Perahu is an dormant volcano, which last erupted in 1983. It's perhaps one of the most visited volcanoes in whole Indonesia, mainly because you can drive all the way up to the crater rim. From here you have nice panoramic views over the massive caldera, along with an insane amount of souvenir shops and hawkers, who luckily mostly pray on local tourists. Adding to further frustrations, Tangkuban Perahu is hard to reach with public transportation, the entrance fee is rather steep, and if you want to see the nearby bubbling mud hot springs of Kawah Upas and Kawah Domas, you are forced to use expensive locals guides. If you do visit Tangkuban Perahu, go in morning before the mist rolls in, and keep in mind the crater rim lies at 2084 m, so it can get quite chilly.
On each side of Tomohon is a volcano. The largest is Mt. Lokon (1580 m) which has a perfect cone. The smaller is Mt. Mahawu (1324 m) which has more gentle slopes. You can drive almost to the top of Mt. Mahawu, where you can walk all the way around the crater rim. Mt. Lokon is a slightly more challenging hike - but it's active. If not spewing ashes out, the peak can be reached within tree hours of trekking from the base (which on the other hand can be hard to find). Whatever volcano you choose to summit, you will be rewarded with magnificent views over Tomohon, Tondano Lake, and all the way to Manado.