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Tuesday, September 22, 2015

✈ Guide to East Java, Indonesia



Hello all!! Last month, I had the opportunity to visit East Java, Indonesia with some of the other Nuffnang bloggers~ Read on to find out more on what I did while I was there!
Ps: I also did a short vlog on my travel trip! Watch it on the video above :D
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This is a 5D4N 'Road Less Travelled' trip in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia & Nuffnang Singapore.
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DAY 1
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Airport Outfit // Gutsy Glam

My first time flying business class!
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About Garuda Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia'a National Airlines has undergone a remarkable transformation the last 10 years - fresh corporate identity, new aircraft fleet, in-flight product and service. They have also received a 5-star rating awarded to airlines at the forefront of product and service delivery (7th airline to earn this accolade).
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Garuda Indonesia also won the ‘World's Best Airline Cabin Staff’ in 2015 and 2014, ‘World’s Best Economy Class’ in 2013 and ‘World's Best Regional Airline’ in 2012 by Skytrax World Airline Awards.

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BIG COMFY SEATS!!! I love it! So much leg space :D

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Charlene and I chilling around before both of us fell asleep while flying to Bali!
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And before we know it, WE ARE IN BALI!!! Ahhh super miss Bali and all of its vibes! Oh and I just got reminded that I have a million photos from last December's Bali trip waiting for me to sort through/edit so that I can blog about it
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Lunch by Kuta Beach!

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After 4 hours of stopover in Bali, we took the next flight into Banyuwangi!
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Drove past fields like such while we were on our way to the hotel!
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The first night, we stayed at Hotel Santika. It was clean, comfy and I wished I had more time to rest on this huge bed!
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View from the room:
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We also had a welcome dinner that night at Hotel Santika.
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Turned in extra early that night cuz we only had about 3 hours to sleep before waking up!


DAY 2 - BANYUWANGI / KAWAH IJEN
Morning call was at 12.30am! Felt rather cranky & sleepy especially since I only had 1hr+ of sleep the night before heading to the airport at 6am.  We gathered at the lobby before getting onto these jeeps to start our ride to Kawah Ijen which is now a quiet but active volcano!
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It took us about 2 hours to hike up Kawah Ijen! I SWEAR IT WAS SO SO TIRING!!
Most of the time, the slopes are rather steep so you know, there's alot of resistance while going up. It doesn't help that the paths were all sandy and slippery that I kept losing my balance!

Despite all, we made it to Kawah Ijen in time for what is it best known for - its Blue Fire (Only 2 crates in the world that have blue flames, one in Kawah Ijen and the other in Iceland). This blue glow, unusual for a volcano, isn't the lava itself, but it is due to the combustion of sulfuric gases in contact with air at temperatures above 360°C. If I am not wrong, the best time to see the Blue Fire at its peak is around 3.30am!
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I didn't have the chance to climb down the crater though cuz it's not recommended for people who has asthma! So here are some images of the blue fire sent to be by Chuanren (Purple Light Visuals, the official photographer for this trip) and Andy.
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Just as I thought that the hike up was tiring, everyone who went down the crater told me that the hardest part was actually going down the crater due to the narrow & slippery paths!
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The magnificent turquoise sulfur lake of Kawah Ijen lies at 2148m above sea level and is surrounded by the volcanoes sheer crater walls. The vent is a source of sulfur and collectors work here, making the trek up the crater and down to the lake every day. Goshhh this is so tiring?? 
I can't imagine having to hike this every single day  Really so much respect for them!
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So while the rest of them were on their way down to the lake, I was all alone in the cold, waiting in the dark till sunrise!
#reallyneedthewarmthfromthesun
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Yessss!! I see it!!! Sunrise soon!!! :D
Also by this time, more and more people are climbing up from the lake since the 'Blue Fire' would have cease by now.
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Finally, it's dawn!!!
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Omg gasp at the beauty of this whole view....
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Chanced upon Evonne halfway cuz she decided that the road down the lake was too dangerous for her to handle! lol.
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It was then time to slidehike down Kawah Ijen!! I wouldn't say the way down was tiring... but it was more of tedious? The slippery and unbalanced sandy paths made it super vulnerable for people to just trip/slip and fall. I fell a couple of times and so did alot of others. 

But nonetheless, the views I get to witness while hiking down was simply breathtaking!!!
I mean... it was PITCH BLACK while we were hiking up and I honestly had no idea how the surroundings looked like. So the hike down was definitely a pleasant surprise! :)
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How my shoes should look like: Before VS After

Kawah Ijen Travel Tips
It will be COLD while you are hiking since it's night time, so prepare your winter wear/windbreakers! Temperature should be around 8-12ºC, depending on the wind.
Bring along a mask, or better, a respirator mask to protect yourself from the toxic gases! It also definitely helps especially since the whole hiking experience will be a dusty & sandy one.
Bring along a small torchlight as it will be dark with no lights at all.
A pair of good hiking boots would be appropriate as there'll be more grip (and thus less falling). Otherwise, please at least bring a proper pair of sports shoes! You wouldn't want to hike in an uncomfortable shoes ;)
Most importantly, bring lots of water and stay hydrated!
Entrance Tickets: Weekday IDR 100,000/pax | Weekend IDR 150,000/pax
Local Transport (Jeep/Tropper): IDR 75,000
For more information on Kawah Ijen, click here.


Also, for those who have extra time in Banyuwangi, you might wanna visit this amazing Turtle Beach, Sukamade at Banyuwangi Jawa Timur! I came across my friend's fb photos and it was just too cute to handle!
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(Source: here)


DAY 3 - BROMO
Hotel: Java Banana Lodge
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The weather here was amazingggggg. It wasn't too cold nor too hot! Purrrrfeect!! :D
And again, I wished I had more time to snooze on this bed. Lol
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Meet-up time was at 2am to begin our 1 hour drive to Mount Bromo!
We arrived at about 3am?? And had this piping hot instant noodles to beat the chilly weather! Shiokkk!
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Mount Bromo
Located some 4 hours drive from Surabaya City, the capital of East Java, Mount Bromo is a part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park that covers a massive area of 800 square kilometres. While it may be small when measured against other volcanoes in Indonesia, the magnificent Mount Bromo will not disappoint with its spectacular views and dramatic landscapes. At 2392 meters tall, Mount Bromo is not among the tallest of Indonesia’s mountains but its stunning beauty lies in its incredible setting.

Starry starry night here at Mount Bromo!
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Photo by Purple Light Visuals

We waited in the cold for almost an hour (since we were kiasu and wanted to chope good spots) to witness the amazing sunrise!
Just look at how the sun slowly creeps its way out! I'll let the pictures do the talking aite ;)
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Gosh all of us looked so pale and tired!!
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Photo by Purple Light Visuals

After the sunrise, we were led to another part of the park to 
see the plumes of smoke coming from Mount Semeru, an active volcano which rises 3676 meters above sea level. 
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The beauty of Mother Nature 

The remarkable Tengger Caldera, Java's largest, with its 10 km barren desert-like sea of sand.
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A picture with my dear Charlene and can I say... THANK GOD FOR THESE AMAZING EYELASH EXTENSIONS FROM MILLY'S!!! If not for these lashes, I have no idea what time I gotta be up just to draw my eyeliner and all~ Saves me so much time!!
Quote me to get $5 off eyelash extensions at MILLY'S!


We then drove through the 'Sea of Sands'~
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Photo by Purple Light Visuals

And arrived at the foot of Bromo Crater where we would have our horseback rides!
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It was pretty frightening honestly when I first went up the horse especially when it started moving... It felt kinda unstable.. like I was about to fall off anytime?? It took me awhile to get used to it!
Nevertheless, so thankful for this lil horse for transporting me to the Bromo Crater. Can't imagine having to walk the entire stretch by foot! Then again, it must have been quite tiring for the horse. 
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The air is really dusty so I'd recommend you guys to bring along a mask!
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Ps: didn't realise that my xiaomi cam cover had a huge scratch, causing this 'bokeh' blurry effect :'(

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Finally arrive at the foot of Bromo Crater!
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I didn't hike up though cuz... just look at those steps man!!! I really couldn't function properly anymore since I slept so little and my legs were still pretty sore from the previous Kawah Ijen hike!
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My cutie manager, Madeline and I!

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And one more shot with my current & previous manager, Amantha!
Thank you to both of you for always taking care of me even though I am actually older than yall... lololol

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Charlene's horse so chio one!!!!!

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Jeep buddies


Onwards to Teletubbies Hill (Savana)
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& finally the last stop for our Mount Bromo adventure - Whispering Sands!
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Mount Bromo Travel Tips
It is a little bit colder (think its below 10ºC) than Kawah Ijen especially since there's no hiking = no sweat. So do bring along your trusty winter wear/windbreaker! That said, do also wear some light clothings beneath your outerwears as it will be hot once the sun is out!
Bring along a mask
Bring heat packs if necessary and especially if you can't take the cold
Entrance Ticket: Weekday IDR 207,500/pax | Weekend IDR 307,500/pax
Local Transport (Jeep Hardtop 4x4): 
From Malang IDR 1,500,000/jeep
From Pasuruan IDR 800,000/jeep (4 attractions) or IDR 600,000/jeep (2 attractions)
From Probolinggo: IDR 750,000/jeep (4 attractions) or IDR 500,000/jeep (2 attractions)
Horseback ride: from IDR 125,000 - 150,000
For more information on Mount Bromo, click here.


On a side note, do visit Madakaripura Waterfall when you are in Bromo! 
This was initially in our itinerary but got traded in for massage instead since majority voted for massage lol
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(Source: here)
I personally think it's a waste not having the chance to visit the Madakaripura Waterfall! 
Isn't it so beautifuuulllllllll!!!!

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Checked out of our hotel and started our 2hrs++ drive to Malang City!
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And doesn't this image looks like a painting!! Mother Nature is just too beautiful!

Oh, we also made a pit-stop halfway to get some local snacks! ;)
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Dinner that night was at Taman Indie Malang!
Super romantic and the food was one of the better ones we had this entire trip!
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DAY 4 - MALANG
Hotel: Singhasari Resort
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This is by far my favourite hotel out of my whole entire stay! :D Love it!!
Big, spacious and comfy!!

It also comes with a pretty view from my room!
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Checked out of Singhasari Resort and headed over to Jatim Park 2 (consists of Museum Satwa & Batu Secret Zoo) on Day 4! Felt a lot more refreshed too since I had 8 hours of undisturbed sleep. Whoooo
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Jatim Park 2/Batu Secret Zoo
"Batu Secret Zoo is located at Batu City, East Java Province, near Malang City. Positioned as the First Modern Zoo in Indonesia, the zoo opened in June 2010 and includes an animal museum - the "Museum Satwa"; and a tree-style hotel named the "Pohon Inn". The complex is spread over a 12 hectares (30 acres) area.

The zoo showcases one of the largest and most extensive animal collections from all over the world from the endangered white tigers and white lions to rare reptiles. Located inside the Jawa Timur Park 2, visitors can enjoy nature’s beautiful creations and learn more about the animals."

Admissions - Weekdays (Mon-Thurs): IDR 75,000 | Weekends (Fri-Sun): IDR 105,000
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Finally a picture with the two yoga twins, Zoe & Sheila!

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One thing I really like about Batu Secret Zoo would be the various photo opportunities you get with the different animals! It's really much more engaging and interactive!

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With Randy!

OMG ALPACAS ARE SO CUTE!!!
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GIVE ME THAT CARROTZ
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& a picture with the cutest baby white tiger!!!
OMGZ I TOUCHED A TIGER!!! Even though it's a baby but... still!!!
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Musuem Angkut:
"Museum Angkut is the first modern transportation museum in Indonesia and Asia blending the elements of art and culture. The attraction also includes a Museum Angkut Plus Movie Star Studio which showcases various landscape and exotic models of buildings from continental Europe to the Americas."

Admissions - Weekdays (Mon-Thurs): IDR 60,000 | Weekends (Fri-Sun, Peak Season): IDR 80,000
Camera Ticket: IDR 30,000/camera (Yes you didn't read it wrongly, your camera needs a ticket as well -.-) P8292253
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A photo with all the other Nuffnang Bloggeratis - Charlene, Sheila, Zoe, Jessica, Evonne, Randy and Andy!

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Thank you Charlene for being my companion during this trip!!

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Farewell dinner that night was at Dream of Kahyangan Art Resto!
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After the dinner, we travelled to our last hotel for this entire trip - Novotel Surabaya Hotel.
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DAY 5 - SURABAYA
Had yet another good night sleep before waking up at 9am to meet 
Chuanren from Purple Light Visuals to take some OOTD shots at the hotel's pool side~
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Photos by Purple Light Visuals
Floral Kimono Shrug // Gutsy Glam


Before heading to the airport, we also dropped by the House of Sampoerna - a 
production plant for Indonesia’s most prestigious cigarette‚ Dji Sam Soe.
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This is where you can get to 
observe a real hand-rolled production facility with more than 400 women hand-rolling cigarettes at a speed of more than 325 cigarettes per hour!
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Had a quick lunch at the House of Sampoerna Cafe and I really like the interior decor of the whole cafe!
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This is probably the one and only photo I took together with Chuanren. So much thanks to this guy who helped all of us with our photo-taking needs, group shots and especially my OOTD requests lol. Thank you!!!!
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And then it was time to head back to Singapore~
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Lastly, I wanna thank all the sponsors for this trip!
Thank you Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia for planning the itinerary and hosting us!
A huge BIG FAT thanks to the amazing guides from Wonderful Indonesia - official Indonesia tourism branding representing Indonesia promise to the world. A promise that a visit to Indonesia will result on magnificent experience through all aspects from the splendid nature to the friendliness of people.
The guides really took such great care of us and would always accommodate to our requests as much as they can! I am really impressed at how seamless the entire flow of this trip went - from the transfers, to our meals, to our hotel check-ins, all the logistics.. everything just went so smoothly! I am honestly super blown away at how professional they all were!
So really, thank you so much!!! P8302377

Also, a big thanks to Garuda Indonesia for flying us to East Java, Indonesia & for organising this trip!
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And not forgetting...
Thank you Nuffnang Singapore because without them, I wouldn't be able to experience this trip of a lifetime! 


If you're interested in this amazing adventure as well, here are some promos that you can enjoy:

GARUDA INDONESIA PROMOTION
Garuda x Nuffnang


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Return: Surabaya – Singapore
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Promo available till 11th October 2015
Promo details: 20% off Single Trip Plan (not applicable to Basic Plan for Malaysia/Batam/Bintan) // 10% off Annual Plan


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I have probably said this a million times but I just wanna remind myself again and again to be thankful/grateful that I was given a chance to experience such an adventure! Frankly, this is not the kind of trip I would plan for myself since I am not really into waking up at wee hours, hiking for hours and tiring myself out so much. I think the last time I ever had such trips was to Peru where I hiked Machu Picchu?? And that was in year 2009 lol. In a nutshell, I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone this time round and visited new places which I haven't been before!
Little moments like these are precious memories to be kept forever :)


I know it's been a long post, so thank you guys for staying with me till the end :)
Love, Shenny

5 comments:

  1. Nice photos, Shenny!
    Like you, this trip is also an experience for myself, I would normally cater for less-adventurous itinerary for my kiddos :)

    Will not be forgetting East Java for a long time.
    cheers, Andy
    (SengkangBabies)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Andy! Hahhaha thank you :D
      Yesssss these memories will be with us for a life time! Hahahhaa and its definitely once in a lifetime kinda experience, I wouldn't want to hike Kawah Ijen anymore lolololololololol

      Delete
  2. Hi Shenny! My name is Kevin and I recently wrote a blog post on the topic "(Travel Bloggers Share Their) First Time Flying Business Class" - Part 1 which can be found here: http://thetravelguyshops.blogspot.jp/2016/06/my-first-time-flying-business-class-and_21.html

    I would love to include excerpts of the one you wrote in Part 2! If you would like to be included, please email me at thetravelguyshops@gmail.com with the answer to the question: "How Were You Upgraded to Business Class?"

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete