Kawah Putih Travel Guide (The White Crater)

Hey, I am back! Been so long since I last touched my blog again. So where the hell I have been to, missing for weeks? Aside from slipping myself on a couple of snorkelling trips in the middle of hectic works and study plans, June-July was fasting month for Indonesia! I didn’t get around to spend last year Ramadan with family and friends, so I figure I should give it all for this year. Who knows where I am gonna be at the next Ramadan. So I will start again by writing you the White Crater or Kawah Putih travel guide back in Bandung my hometown, in West Java Indonesia.

Oh ya, I am taking this chance also to say Minal Aidin Wal Faidzin for all my readers, I wish you all happiness blessing and a peaceful Ied 🙂This month is also special because one of my travel buddy from Australia whom I met in Langkawi Island, finally come to visit and study in Indonesia. Back then Brit was already in love with the idea of travelling in Indonesia and wanted to speak Bahasa Indonesia so much. She even learns a couple of words in Bahasa Indonesia and that earned her my respect!

So this is us, Brit, Jade and me in Langkawi. Gosh, time sure flies!We finally met in Jakarta and she is already fluent in speaking Bahasa Indonesia. I was amused! We can even communicate in Bahasa Indonesia now. She is only 20 years old but she already travelled halfway around the world by herself. Yes. Solo! I even learnt many tips and tricks from her.

So I invited her to come to my hometown, Bandung before she goes back home. My best friends had an idea to visit Kawah Putih (The White Crater), which apparently is famous for the tourist. Last time that I came here was when I was 5 years old. I once saw the picture of me and my Dad in the white crater background, but I don’t remember. (Because what I remember from my childhood is always rolling my butt into the sea)

So when I finally step my foot there, I was stupidly stunning because of the view. Seriously. Was it ever this beautiful?

Without further ado, I’ll just show you the pictures so you know that you really have to come to my hometown!Thank you for 2 of my best friends who had the idea of coming back here and was so kind enough to let their weekend stolen for me and Brit! We both knows that you guys never treated me as a girl whenever we hang out, and that really makes me comfortable being myself. We always thrive to make our weekends more special than ever 🙂In the middle of a crater, I suddenly remember pieces of my childhood with my Dad. I think this is also His way to remind me that I haven’t visited his grave since I came home. Brings me back to my memories of him. It was already 4 years since he left, but I always felt his presence when I was on the road. It’s not just an intuition or a sappy sad story. The truth is I have been helped many times with so many strangers – middle age men who live alone – while I was on the road. That reminds me of my late Dad.

Some part of me still feeling guilty of leaving him alone when he was alive. Maybe it’s time to payback to all those wonderful gentlemen who helped me so much. They were so kind and treated me like their own child.

It’s always good to be a tourist in your own hometown once in a while. You’ll never know what kind of memories could bring you back again.

Tips and Guide to visiting here:

1. Transport

As the place is a bit far from Bandung city, there are the only couple of options for you to get here. You need to cross the mountains and hills to get here though. A couple of options to get here:

• Rent motorbike (make sure you are experienced enough to ride this). Usually, will cost you 50.000 IDR for whole day
• Rent cars with other travellers and Indonesian driver
• Go by Angkot (public transport).  It will be less cheap if you were going from Leuwi Panjang Terminal Station. Find the yellow Angkot with final destination to Situ Patenggatang. Normally it will be around 7000 – 10.000 IDR. When you get to the entry gate, get on the Ontang Anting to go up to the location by paying 10.000 IDR for two-way

2. Price

Westerners: 50.000 IDR.

Locals: 20.000 IDR.

4 wheels transport: 15.000 IDR

2 wheels transport: 6000 IDR

3. Time

The location opens daily from 07.00 am until 05.00 pm, sometimes depends on the weather itself.

As the place is quite on the top, no matter what time you’ll go, it will be a good day to spend!

4. Clothes & Condition

Don’t forget to bring your jacket as it cold most of the times. You need to adjust the smell there too as it will be full of sulphur, some of the visitors even bring their own mask or you can also buy there.

Oh another thing, prepare to bring proper shoes to make it easier for you to go around. We found an uphill with simple trekking path where you can view the whole crater!

© 2017 Writing & Images copyright of Marina Utami.