Banyuwangi Trip

January 20, 2024

Banyuwangi has been on my wishlist for a long time. There's something about that place, seems like those place calling me in this recent years. Lucky me, last year i got an opportunity to visit majestic Banyuwangi and met new friends there (most of them are solo travelers, i'm so happy to met them). Honestly i've made youtube videos for this trip but i just want to keep some photos here because i will delete it from my phone (my memories is full) and this is my stories & documentation on my trip.

So, i went there with a group of people who join open trip for 3D 2N, but me and my friends extend 1 day more in Banyuwangi and then visit Surabaya before back home (because i've never been there, just curious). We went with sleeper bus, because we didn't get train ticket, and when i'm check airplane ticket the price was rise high bcz it was christmast and new year holiday. So i chat this sleeper bus agent and lucky me we got a seat! It was comfortable for long trip, at least my back dont hurts :')

The first place we visit is The Djawatan forest, it was group of big-old Trembesi trees, my tour guide said their age was hundred years. I see the picture of this forest in internet and i got interested to come here, but when i'm here its not really like my expectation hahaha. I don't feel the energy of old trees and the forest itself was too bright, too crowded, too noisy. There are many tourist, sales man, house carriage, and dust. I don't feel forest atmosphere at all, like peace and tranquility that i'm looking for was not there. But still, i'm grateful to visit them, i love trees.

The next other day is about beach, beach, and beach. We breakfast at beach after sunrise, we luch at beach, we enjoying sunset at a beach, all in different beach. To be honest, i don't really like stay too long at beach (maybe bcz i'm typical of mountain girl who love solitude and fresh air). But i love dive deep in the sea! My beach best experience is when i go snorkeling and see the life under water at Menjangan Island at Taman Nasional Bali Barat. It was sooooooooooo beautifuuuul. The color of the fish and corals was amazing!!

I tell you, i'm scared of dark water, especialy in those dark blue sea with unknown possibilities (my imagination keep thinking about a shark in movies, but i'm distracted by the beauty of various color in front of my eyes, so i forget the shark wkwk). The fisherman grab my hand and took me to go around to see another view with another fish, it was super amazing, he even pick a light blue star fish for me! Sadly when i want to take a picture of this beautiful starfish i drop it into ocean depth, hiks bye-bue star fish! I don't have any documentation in my phone bcz i'm afraid i will drop my phone into the sea haha, the only documentation i have when snorkeling is from my travel.

The other day we visit Baluran National Park, it was like mini africa tour. My expectation maybe was too high bcz i wish to see birds, tiger, deer, etc. But the reality is i just met group of deer, monkey, and buffalo in a mud, and the rest is just a trees without leaves and huge savana. Still i'm grateful with this opportunity.

The last day, at 2am morning we hike into ijen crater. It was dark and cold, but i'm excited bcz up there was a blue fire that i'm looking for!. I read blue fire only located in two palce in this earth, and one of them was located in Ijen. Every people wear a gas mask, and we hike about 2,5 hours, until i found the reality the blue fire not showing up that day bcz of rain last day WKWKWKWKWKWKWKKWKWWK. I dissapointed, but i accept it. At least the scenery is beautiful and the important things is no rain!!! i can't imagine i hike those mountain in the dark and cold air with wet clothes, i'm dying, but God is really kind to me :) i love you God.

Not like the others big mountain, in Ijen they have taxi!!! yesss, taxi! if you are lazy to climb or too old to hike, just use taxi! but remember the price was IDR 1 million, will you?wkwk. Basicly, the taxi is a wooden cart pulled by local people. Based of my experience the price was worth because climb those mountain with cart behind you is really really a real struggle. Many tourist use it, and at my back journey i use it too hahaha bcz my leg knee hurt. Here is my experience

Before we back home, our train transit at Surabaya about 9 hours. So we book a cheap hotel just to put our backpack and go explore with gojek. First we try bebek sinjay, it was delicious! then we visit art gallery and spent a night walking at Tunjungan street (its like Braga street in Bandung) but wider. We try gellato and coffee, after that at 8 pm back to hotel for rest, bath, and go to train station. And my journey is finish.