Kiluan :: Hidden paradise & dolphins attractions

This is one of the series of Indonesia :: dangerously beautiful

This trip was out of plan actually, but since I did not have to go to work anymore (already resigned last week)
I thought this suppose to be not a bad idea.
About Kiluan, I did not heard much about it.
So I try to google some information, and this is one of the websites that I found

http://telukkiluan.org/

They put a very nice picture in a front page,
and then there's information about dolphins inhabitation.

I didn't think twice to sign up for the trip, and it's a favorable decision afterall.

The team who arrange the trip, I already known them from previous trip to Krakatau, had contacted the member to inform about the itinerary and budget (which was on the good price) also about meeting point etc.
We also settled to go for camping instead of stay in a rent room- hope the weather will be nice -

It takes approximately 6 hours with public transport (bus) from Bandung to Merak port- our meeting point
(ticket price 50,000 IDR for air conditioned, non-economy bus)
Almost a smooth ride with a bit of traffic jam at Cipularang.

We waited for others members for a while then depart from Merak to Bakauheni port
(ferry ticket cost 10,000 IDR+ 8,000 IDR for upgrade to air conditioned room).

Nearly 3 hours to cross the strait with ferry boat, it was ok since I got asleep instantly.
Then another 6 hours to reach the dock located at Kiluan bay,
where our small fishing boats took us to Pulau (=island) Kelapa.

All the way to this place, it's well worth it.

The beach is so beautiful, with white sands and clear water, also perfect weather.
Moreover, there's nobody but us. Feels like have our own private beach.

Soon after we fixed the tents, everybody dipped into the water etc, you know how it's going (it's on the pics anyway).

It was raining hard a while at night, and some of us a bit worried in the morning for the weather.
As we hoped come this far to see the dolphins, but they wouldn't show up when it was not a perfect weather.

Early boat gets the dolphins

Got up early in the morning and departed with the fishing boat to target zone before 0630,
we had not seen any of this lovely creature until 30 minutes later.

That's the groups of black dolphins, with smaller sizes but higher jumpers.
Then the grey dolphins came around, they are bigger, look very friendly and splash around the boat closely.
I don't know how to describe this experience, 'Amazing' is certainly not enough word to describe it.

An hour to snap these terribly cute mammals, then more boats joined the hunt and we decided to go back to the island. They (the dolphins) wouldn't pop up anyway when there's too much boat on the site.

The combination of amazing site plus dolphins attractions, witty companions, the weather and such experience :
I called it 'a perfect gateaway'

Budget spent 370,000 IDR
(not including transport Bandung to Merak, approx 100,000 IDR)

Krakatau trip [part one]

H minus 7 sebelum keberangkatan gw udah sibuk konsul ke mbah google untuk tanya soal sejarah dari Krakatau atau terkenal dengan Krakatoa ini.
Ternyata tante Wiki juga punya cerita yang lumayan lengkap (ada animasi simulasi dari meletusnya Krakatau di tahun 1800-an hingga keadaan situs tersebut di masa sekarang) dan gimana dari hasil letusan tersebut bisa sampai membuat ribuan orang meninggal, bahkan katanya, letusan Krakatau ini bikin perubahan iklim juga, dashyat bener.

Bisa dibilang termasukan letusan yang termasuk dashyat dalam kurun waktu beberapa abad.
Konon, letusan di tahun 1883 ini sampe kedengeran di Australia, juga memusnahkan semua populasi yang ada di Lampung dan Banten.
Ratusan (atau ribuan) mayat-mayat orang yang meninggal ini juga terbawa sapuan ombak sampai ke belahan Afrika...... ckckckck...

Anyway, dibalik latar belakang ceritanya yang dramatis, saat ini pecahan dari Krakatau (gunung Rakata) masih berstatus gunung berapi aktif.

Waktu mamah gw tau, kalau anaknya mau kemping di Krakatau, dia tanya: "Kempingnya dimana? "
Jawab(J): " Ya disitunya."
Mamah (M): " Emang gunung berapinya udah gak aktif ?"
J: " Gatau. Mungkin. "
M: "Koq mungkin sih? Apa gak bahaya? Emang boleh? "
J: " Udah deh mam. Pokonya ada orangnya yang ngurus bilang boleh. "

Lalu, H minus 2 sebelum final day, I already got very very excited.
Konsolidasi dengan anggota tim yang lain juga udah beres.
Backpack 55 liter, isi sleeping bag (ampir gak kepake), matras pinjeman, alat masak dll, all set up.
Dan seperti biasa, kalo menjelang mau trip gini, gw suka gak bisa tidur !
Oh..oh..oh... udah kepikiran betapa menyenangkan ketemu alam (liar) dan segala penghuninya.... Ha ha ha... Lebay.

Lalu, final day has come eventually.
Karena kita mesti berangkat dari terminal Leuwi Panjang sebelum jam 18, (terpaksa) gw ijin kantor jam 16.
Juga ngajak Noor, intern dari Belanda yang lagi magang di kantor, terlibat dalam persekongkolan ini... Ha ha ha.

Ternyata ujan gede..... sounds like not a good beginning.
Gw, Noor, dan Dios masuk bus Bandung - Merak dalam keadaan basah deh jadinya.

Still a long way to go menuju Pelabuhan Merak, dimana kita mesti nyebrang lagi ke Lampung.

Catatan Tiket bus (eksekutif) Bandung - Merak : 50,000 IDR.
Lama perjalanan : 5 jam lebih (spare waktu 6 jam deh biar aman)

Nyampe sana almost midnight, lalu kenalan ama anak-anak laen, managed to find something to eat (midnight snack?!?)

Then ngantri tiket fery, untuk nyebrang ke Lampung. (Tiket dibeliin ama Utine, EO-nya trip)
Fery-nya lumayan crowded, karena long wiken kali yah, tapi overall masi bisa dibilang nyaman, dibanding nyebrang dari Banyuwangi ke Gilimanuk.
Untuk masuk ke ruangan AC, mesti nambah 5,000 IDR lagi (tapi AC-nya gak terlalu berasa juga sih) but somehow, I coped with the situation and got sleep.

Nyampe Pelabuhan Bakauheni (Lampung) yang ternyata far more advanced dari Pelabuhan Merak. It was quite surprising. Dan bersih. Dan fasilitasnya mirip pelabuhan Batam kalo qta mau nyebrang ke Singapur. Okelah.

Dari pelabuhan Bakauheni ini mesti pake perahu lagi untuk ke pulau Sabesi, yang letaknya udah lumayan deket ama pulau sekitar anak Krakatau entar.
Utine dah carter angkot untuk a whole team, dari situ ke tempat perahu bawa kita ternyata lumayan cepet.
Spare waktunya 1 jam dan gw rasa perjalanan less than that, soalnya qta jalan subuh dan jalan di Lampung ternyata lurus, gak banyak mobil, dan gak banyak bolong.
Bisa dibilang supir angkor disini pada jago ngebut (dan gw rasa mereka bakalan stress kalo disuruh jadi supir angkot di Bandung).
Pas nyampe tempat kita ngumpul untuk nyebrang ke Sabesi ituh, after a while sunrise muncul.... Ugh ugh ugh....


So beautiful. And it's only a beginning of our trip.
" Gunung-nya udah keliatan dari sini ! " (Norak mode on)

Berlangsunglah sesi poto-poto (baik poto pemandangan maupun poto versi narsis :-)
tapi terus terang, baru kali ini gw merasa gak pede mengeluarkan digicam Kodak gw (padahal dia udah menemani petualangan gw ke 2 benua) dan mulai mikir-mikir (serius) untuk punya SLR juga.
*Hmmmmh*
Manusia emang gak pernah puas. Lanjut.... Akhirnya setelah loading barang-barang, kapal kita berangkat deh.

Things that (might) happened. . . [cerita lucu #2]

Cerita lucu #2. Diusir (lagi-lagi) Lifeguard di Tavira

We're sorry that we cannot provide this story, about funny traveling experience, in English, it might not pretty well told in other language. And this uniquely interesting in certain culture only.
The one and only 'beach moment' kita selama Eurotrip ini adalah di pantai sebelah selatan Portugal.
Nama kotanya Tavira, dari kota kecil yang bagus ini kalau mau ke pantainya harus naek boat lagi selama setengah jam perjalanan. Boatnya berangkat dari pelabuhan di kota dan tiket pulang-perginya gak mahal sih.

Kita udah dikasi tau sebelumnya sama beberapa kenalan bahwa pantai di Tavira ini bakalan bagus dan termasuk 'hidden paradise' untuk para turis. Terutama gue, si anak pantai, tentu aja menantikan momen 'sun, sand and sea' ini.

Nyampe stasiun kreta, kita nyari hostel (dan nyasar, walopun udah nanya orang sana-sini, abis nanya orang Portugis pake bahasa Inggris susah juga. Dia gak ngerti, giliran dia nerangin pake bahasa Portugis, kita yang gak ngerti).

Untung di hostel, resepsionisnya okeh banget Inggrisnya, dan informatif juga.
Ditanya segala tau (termasuk dimana cari tempat makan yang murah ;-)

Pas besokannya ke pantai, kita naek boat pagi biar bisa nikmatin lama disana.
Nyampe sana, pantainya bersih dan lumayan oke, lautnya biru dan langitnya cerah (tapi airnya masih aja dingin.... brrrrrr)

Kenapa gue bilang lumayan ? Karena pantai di selatan Lombok juga sebenernya ada yang bagus kaya gini, cuman gak sebersih di Portugal.
Dan disini lebih banyak nemu cowok-cowok cakeup versi Portugal juga....... *HALAH*

Anyway, orang laen mah pada bawa handuk pantai untuk berjemur, payung untuk berteduh, kita cuman bawa bekel makan siang doang. Sunblock pun dapet gratisan dari cewe Turki yang barangnya ketinggalan....hihihi..

Karena gak bawa payung, disana ada sih zona payung yang bisa disewa. Tapi berhubung mau menghemat Euro, kita nyari aja payung orang yang gak kepake. Setelah 1-2 jam berjemur (sekalian bobo siang, anginnya enak.... adem :-) kita makan siang, maen-maen aer, dan berjemur lagi ..... tiba-tiba ada lifeguard nyamperin kita.
Trus dia ngomong pake bahasa Portugis : 'bla...bla.... bla.... ' Gue + partner mana ngerti, kita bilang aje : "Sorry, we don't understand Portuguese. Do you speak English ?"

Si lifeguard-nya keliatan frustasi gituh ngomong sama kita yang pasang tampang gak ngerti alias bego, sambil ngedumel dia ninggalin kita balik ke pos-nya. Kita ngebahas, 'Tadi dia bilang 'prohibido', emangnya kita salah apa?'

Tau-tau si Lifeguard balik lagi sama temennya, kali ini temennya yang ngomong sama kita (pake Inggris yang lumayan dimengerti sama kita), dia bilang: " Eh lu berdua tuh dilarang diem disini. Ini payung punya kita, untuk lifeguard. Kalo elu mau pake payung ya pake yang sebelah sana, bisa sewa."
Barulah kita ngerti......... owh gitu toh maksutnya. (Padahal dari tadi kita juga udah bikin asumsi sih, kali aja ni payung punya si Lifeguard abis enak gitu posisinya strategis....) keywords: traveling, travel, backpacking, backpacker, cheap travel, Portugal, Tavira, Portuguese, beach, sun, sea, sand, Europe, Eurotrip, vacation, experience

Pantai di selatan Portugal yang sebenernya biasa aja di banding pantai di selatan Lombok

PS. Cowo-cowo Portugal (or yang gue temui selama di Portugal) emang cakep-cakep!
Christiano Ronaldo itu gak ada apa-apanya dibanding cowo sebelah gue yang lagi berjemur -sambil telanjang dada...... ehemmmm.... tapi ada cewenya gituh deh.

day 6 : Phang Nga

Phuket to Phang Nga (by bus) costs 80b, just buy a ticket directly at the bus station, sometimes you'll get more expensive price if you buy from a tour agent.

For a half day boat trips to the small islands around Phang Nga,
this place was recommended :
Sayan Tour, located at bus terminal

Phang Nga guesthouse
(07641 1358)
Muang Thong, Ratanapong
It'd take 5 minutes walk from the bus station, or you can ask for the map from the people in Sayan tour. The room will cost around 240b (big-seized bed, with fan, bathroom inside) quite nice and comfortable, but I'd rather share the bed with someone else, instead of sleeping alone :-(

day 3 : Phi-phi island

Took a half day boat trip to Phi phi island. I couldn't say much about it, just take a look at the picts :-)

white sand ... clear water ...

sunset at Maya beach

If you take a half day tour boat trip in the Koh Phi phi will cost around 400-500b (including snorkeling equipment, lunch, trip to several small islands and bay around koh phi phi island).
There is also a similar tour that you can booked from Phuket costs around 1000b (including return ticket using ferry boat, that usually could costs 350b for one trip only).

Bringing your swimsuit and SPF lotion will be essential in this trip.

My host in this beautiful island was Coco, he owned a restaurant there and he told me he used to had empty room for me & Jen, but since some of his relatives also has to stay there without giving him early notice, I would be using his room and he'd slept in balcony!
He's such an angel indeed, Coco is always welcome to visit my hometown anytime!