After seeing so much in Northern Bandung, I was really excited to see what the South has in store. So, here’s what to do in Southern Bandung, or at least what I did.
Everyone talked about the “White Crater” and I didn’t google it because I really wanted a surprise. I was not disappointed. By the time we toured around the Walini Ranca, I was overwhelmed with all the beauty… you probably know if you saw lately! The shots were incredible. If you missed the article on why I was in Bandung, check that link out.
Upon arriving we were given masks for the smell of the sulfur. Most of us decided we didn’t need them, but it did affect us a little by making us cough. This is a volcanic crater and the name means “white crater” although with changes in the sulfur concentration, it’s not always white, sometimes it’s green.
There was another cool blogger there who had one a purple dress that just looked amazing with the water. She became our model! Follow her on Instagram if you’d like, it’s @imazahraa. There was a fog over the water (or maybe it was due to the sulfur) that made it have a little spooky feel. It was very cool. I’ve never seen anything like it.
This hotel and restaurant serves up amazing food! We went for a traditional Sundanese lunch and ate til we were way too stuffed. The place is set up to look like the tents that workers would use in the tea fields and the food is similar to the food they would eat, just way more varieties served all at once. They had employees that walked on the stilts and men who played traditional music. The whole afternoon there was lovely and I highly recommend stopping here. In case you want to stay here, rooms start at 400,000 rupiah (or about 31 USD).
Some of my favorite things on the menu were karedok (mixed veg with peanut sauce), a very specialized dish called arem arem kacang endul (saute red ben with chili sauce), perkedel jagung (corn fritters), kasreng (traditional crackers), and of course sambal sauce on everything! I also loved the flowery tea they served, but couldn’t tell you what it was unfortunately.
Although there are tea fields all over the mountains, this is a famous place to take photographs. It’s close to the hotel I mentioned above and a cool place to stop. There are a couple of people selling snacks there but it’s not a real tourist attraction. It’s very free and open and you can stay as long as you like. Feel free to walk around in the fields as well. I didn’t stop at the strawberry fields because of time, but I will if I go back again, which I hope I do.
I was on this trip thanks to , , and all those involved in the Asian African Conference, but all opinions are my own.
Rachel…you are killing me! I clearly need to make this exact trip happen before I leave Indonesia!!
are you leaving indonesia soon?
Thanks for sharing these amazing photos from your trip to Indonesia! It seems like you had a wonderful time.
Sulfur lakes and tea gardens?? Another of nature’s beautiful contradictions and you have captured them all amazingly!
How’s Goa entertaining you Rachel? With sand beaches and crystal skies… hope you are having a good time out there.