At the end of this trip, it is not the regrets what I could not get.
It is the blessings what I could learn.
Krakatau mount is one of the places that I wanted to visit since a long time ago. However, I had no chance until last December 2017. The mistery and the natural beauty of this volcano mountain led me to travel from Jakarta (Java island) to Lampung (Sumatera island). Along with my office mate, Kennedy, we decided for joining the open trip to the Child of Krakatau held by Haraduta travel. You may see the detail information about the open trip on this website: https://haraduta.com/. Haraduta arranges many trips to several holiday destinations in Indonesia. For this trip, we spent around IDR 440,000 per person.
Since we were already in Lampung, Kennedy suggested us to visiting National Park Way Kambas. Well, he wanted to say hello to his long-lost sibling (the elephant). LOL. It was not a bad idea. Besides, I wanted to break a while from work, giving the award to myself to enjoy the life after the heavy load. Therefore, we set the trip to the Krakatau and Way Kambas with the backpacker way in 5 days and 4 nights.
It was my first time for having experience with the open trip. Also, we decided to having a minimum budget for vacation. No flight. No car. No five and four-star hotel. No luggage. I was expecting that it would be fun. It is my way to be grateful: traveling with a humble. Surprisingly I totally had fun. I may want to do this again in the future. But, I must be in good condition because it was really tiring.
The trip started in Saturday, (23/12) and finished on Wednesday (27/12). I and Kennedy agreed to meet in Tanah Abang train station to Rangkasbitung and continue to Merak Port. Total cost for the trip to Merak port using train is only IDR 11,000 per person. We arrived at Merak Port around 10.30pm after 5 hours trip from Jakarta. In the Merak Port, we joined with other participants whom also wanted to go to Krakatau with Haraduta travel. From Merak port, we should across the Sunda Strait to go to Bakauheni Port in Lampung Province with a ferry. Again, it was my first time to be in Merak Port. I was always using flight every time I traveled to Sumatera island. At this level, I had more concern to the sea sick since I could not stay long on the sea for more than one hour. Last time when I went to Macan island with yacht with total trip three hours on the sea, I was vomiting and could not get up from the bathroom for more than 2 hours or almost my entire trip from the island to the mainland.
Thanks to medicine that I took at that night, I slept on the ferry and wake up when we arrived in Lampung. The ferry was not really bad. We took the “Lesehan room” with additional payment IDR 10,000 per person in order to lay down for sleeping instead of “economy room” with seat. The original price for the ferry ticket was IDR 15,000 per person which was covered by Haraduta travel. The time showed at 01.00am. Still, many people fill the ferry. It was crowded and some participants could not get the Lesehan room so they should bare 3 hours trip in the economy room.
We anchored in Bakauheni port at 04.00am. The trip continued to Canti Port in Kalianda, Lampung Province. I thought we would ride a car to Canti. Yet, Haraduta travel offered “angkot” to bring us from Bakauheni to Canti port, which was really far from what I thought. I was laughing at myself because I had this suffer on my way to Krakatau. I wished the result is worth it. And it really is.
The trip from Bakauheni port to Canti port took one hour. Therefore we arrived there around 04.30am. The tour leader said that we can take a rest in there before continuing with a boat to our destination in Sabesi island, a place where we stayed. Don’t imagine that it is fancy things. Again, the place is small public prayer room (musholla) and it owns public restroom. After we pray Fajr, we took breakfast in the small restaurant or we called it warung in next to the musholla.
Around 07.00am, we departed from Canti port to Sebesiisland with a small boat. Again don’t imagine that it was nice and convenience boat. Just small tips, it is better to take place on the rooftop than inside the boat. It is because, at the top, the feel of the wave is less than inside the boat. It’s good to avoid the sea sick consider that the trip takes 2 to 3 hours.
However, before we went to Sebesi island, we stopped by to Small Sebuku (SebukuKetjil) for island hopping, took a picture and sea around Big Sebuku island for snorkeling. According to Wikipedia (since I do not know much about the story of Sebuku), Sebuku was uninhabited when the eruption of Krakatau in 1883, however SebukuKetjil, a small island to its east was completely wiped out. It said that Sebuku has been noted as a stepping stone for butterfly migration between Sumatra and Krakatau. Therefore, we may see the numerous butterfly species from both Java and Sumatra. Unfortunately, we did not go to Sebuku so I am not sure with this information is correct or not.
I and Ken were only going around the SebukuKetjil, took a picture and playing the water. What I can say, SebukuKetjil is a true beauty. Similar to other islands, It has blue ocean, fresh air, and white sand. What I love from this SebukuKetjil, I can take the picture inside the blue ocean with beautiful hills view from Sebukuisland as the background. It is totally instragramable!.
Finished with SebukuKetjil, we went to Sebuku for snorkeling. On the way to theSebuku, we seem to be passing a river with a view of the hills flanking on either side of us which is the side of the SebukuKetjil and Sebuku. In just about 15 minutes, we arrived at the first spot of snorkeling on the edge of Big Island Sebuku. Ken already prepared with all the equipment. He was more than ready to enjoy the beauty of coral under the sea. He was really excited to play with Nemo. However, I prefer to be on the boat.
Satisfied with the snorkeling for more than one hour, the trip continued to Sabesiisland, place where we stay. On this island, the pulse of life throbs. There are life and economy activities. I was surprised because most of the people in Sabesiisland has the ancestor from West Java Province. How could they stay on the island in the middle of nowhere?I heard people spoke with Javanese, Sundanese, and Lampungnese language. I had a conversation with one local people and she said that she has been in Sabesi island like 30 years ago when her parents moved from Palembang, South Sumatera Province to this island.
On this island, the pulse of life throbs. However, the facilities on this island are still limited. The electricity on Sebesi Island only flows at 6 pm and ends at midnight. The rest, residents must use private generators to supply electricity needs. The range of telecommunication signals on the island is also very limited. Only certain mobile operators can pick up signals, and even then they can not be caught in all areas of the island. Since I am using XL and Indosat, the signal was practically edge.
Haraduta prepared two houses for the participant. One house for the men participants and another house for the women. The houses belong to local people. Do not expect too much of you to stay in a super bedroom with a super bed and a bathroom in the room, no one here yet. Can be practically all still a perfunctory. We stayed in a living room owned by a local people with a mattress that is placed on the floor size that must be used to sleep.
We arrived around 01.00pm. Then we had lunch and a rest for a while before continuing the trip to Umang-Umang island. I was using this opportunity to take a bath, prayed, and slept like two hours. Perhaps, I was so tired because of the long journey, supported by the condition of Sabesi island which is quite and soothing, I had the good deep sleep. About the menu for the meal, it is also not a fancy dish. On the contrary, It is simple dish just rice; fish (like mackerel though I am not sure what it is); anchovy; and chips. Still, the taste was pretty good.
At 04.00pm, we were ready to go to Umang-Umang island for catching the sunset. They said that Umang-Umang island has good scenery for taking pictures. It only took 30 minutes by boat from Sabesi island to Umang-Umang island. Due to its size is not too broad, Umang-Umang Island is suitable for island hopping activities, especially in the eastern part with a sloping white sandy beach, and the western part with dark granite rocks typical of western Indonesia.
The western side of the island consisting of granite rocks and a bit of mangrove vegetation is the best sunset spot on Umang-Umang Island. Its position directly overlooking the sunset, against the backdrop of Mount Sebesi across the island, makes the atmosphere more beautiful to enjoy. In this site, we took many pictures (especially Ken with many poses from jump, siluet or backward pose).
Back to Sabesi island, I was bored to the death. Familiar with good signal and wifi in the city made me do nothing. No watching movie or dramas. No streaming youtube. However, I spend my time on thinking everything that happened to me. Yes, the severe pain from 2017 is still there. Nevertheless, I have learned that because of pain, I can feel the beauty, tenderness, and freedom of healing. It is not easy living in the difficulties. Stay awake at night though the body has been screaming for a rest.
Some days are awful. Some days I want to hide in the box. Yet, it does not last forever. Some people come in your life as blessings, others come in your life as lessons. Good times become good memories and bad times become good lessons.
At the end, I agree when they said that happiness is a choice. Like this person on the island, they still can laugh freely though it is difficult to live without electricity. Instead of having worries, they swept away the negativity and turn it on to be something useful. Even for the student should across the sea and took 2 hours by boat in order to do a National exam, still, they made it.
Maybe some things don’t get better on this island, but the people in the island are getting stronger. They learn to live with their situation as messy and difficult as it is.
I am not sure what time I went to sleep, but around 3.30, I woke up and prepared to climb the Child of Krakatau. After Fajr praying, I joined with others. It took two hours from Sabesi island to go to Krakatau island by boat. There was a warning that all the participants must enter the boat for the safety because the wave is high. Yet, I prefer to stay on the rooftop. It was a good decision because I can see the sun rise. It was beautiful.
I feel calm. Looking at the sea, heard the sound of the wave, enjoying the orange color over the dark sky. At some point, I stop to be angry. At some point, I stop to be sad. At some point, I feel thank you and embrace the life that I’ve been given.
The story of Krakatau has been popular over the world due to the biggest eruption in 1883. As a volcanic mountain, the Krakatau is still active. The presently-active event has formed a small island in the middle of the ocean-filled caldera that developed during the famous big eruption of 1883. The island is called Anak Krakatau, which means child of Krakatau. It says the child of Krakatau has been growing for six meters per year. Ken said that the water from Child of Krakatau island is warm. Maybe it has related to the volcanic activity.
As we finally arrived on the shores of Anak Krakatau, I stepped the black sandy beach was formed when lava from the volcano hit the ocean. We then made our way through a forest. 20 minutes later, I saw the Child of Krakatau in front of me.
Next, the tough part. We should climb 45-degree slope of volcanic earth. It was getting difficult because of the sandy track. At this level. I almost gave up! I asked Ken to climbed first and leave me behind because I decided for not going to the peak. I was out of the breath.
However, I changed my mind. I kept telling myself that I can do it. I continued with a slow step. I stopped for many times to take a water. After 40 minutes, I arrived at the peak. Actually, it is not the real peak because I still can see the mount of a child of Krakatau. No one is allowed to climb the top.
The view is stunning! 
We got 30 minutes to spend time with taking pictures. Then we climbed down to the beach where the boat is. At the bottom, the nice and delicious breakfast was welcoming us. Finished with a child of Krakatau, we continue the trip to Lagoon Cabe, an area where the Mother of Krakatau is located. It has a beautiful coral reef on one side that offers excellent snorkeling and the views over to the peak of Anak Krakatau are superb. Ken said that it is more beautiful compare than yesterday’s snorkeling in Sebuku. Too bad he got trouble with his device so he could not take the picture under the water.
From the Lagoon Cabe, we went back to Sabesi island. Not far from Lagoon Cabe, there were two dolphins played and jumped in the water. The journey took like 2.5 hours. We arrived at Sabesi island around 01.30 pm. Everyone was using this opportunity for lunch, pray and bathing. At 04.00 pm, we said good bye to Sabesi island and went back again to Canti Port. One hour later, we arrived at Canti and should continue to Bakauheni.
However, I and Ken separated with other participants. They were going back to Jakarta again. Meanwhile, we continue the journey to Way Kambas National Park. Since it is almost evening and the sun would soon go (05.30 pm), we decided to stay at the hotel in Kalianda, near with Canti. It is because we heard that Lampung is not a safe place. There is robbery so we should be careful.
We choose Beringin hotel as the suggestion from the Krakatau’s tour leader. The price is IDR 140,000 with fan and IDR 200,000 with AC. Again, do not imagine that it is the fancy hotel. But it was enough for the clean bed and bathroom. Since the hotel has old building style, it was creepy. I turn on the music and set my headset on for distraction. I did not want to hear any funny thing. Thank god, the signal was pretty good!
Around 07.00 pm, I and Ken had dinner at the hotel. We ate sate Ayam and sop kikil. The taste was surprisingly good. The price is a little bit expensive since they knew that we are a tourist. But it is okay coz the taste. Finished with dinner, I stopped by to convenience store and buy some things such as mineral water and snack. Meanwhile, Ken was looking information about how to go to Way Kambas National Park with hotel staff and local people.
I went to the room and looking the information on the internet. It said that we should go to Rajabasa to get Damri bus with Way Kambas route. Yet, there is a problem that the bus is only operated once in a day at 08.00 am. It means that before 08.00 we should arrive in Rajabasa. Meanwhile, the distance from Kalianda to Rajabasa is around 2 hours. I am not sure when there is a bus from Kalianda to Rajabasa in the early morning.
I and Ken had the discussion how to go to Way Kambas. He talked with other people. He said that there is travel’s car in the morning to go to Rajabasa but it is not sure. So, he asked some travel’s company to send us to Way Kambas or Rajabasa. But, the price is not made sense. They asked IDR 700,000 per person to Way Kambas and IDR 200,000 per person to Rajabasa. Yet, they will drive us at 06.00 am at the earliest to Rajabasa. Besides, we calculated it would be impossible to catch the bus from Rajabasa. It is okay if we pay more as long as it is not late.
So, we took a risk. We believed that there will be travel car went to Rajabasa in the morning. At 04.00 am, the hotel’s staff very nicely drove us to the place where travel’s car to Rajabasa stop. Actually, I was a little bit afraid coz it was still dark. At least, I went with a friend, not alone. Thank god, 15 minutes later, we got the car to Rajabasa. Though it was creepy coz it was only me who is the woman passenger and my seat with Ken was separated. The price is only IDR 40,000 per person.
I relieved coz we arrived at Rajabasa around 06.20 am. Later, we asked bus go to Way Kambas. The answer was surprised us! It said that the bus to Way Kambas is no longer operated. Damn! It was totally different with some information on the internet. Fortunately, God helps us. There is a bus to Labuan. We must take that bus and stop in Tridatu market then continue to Way Kambas with Ojek or motorcycle taxi.
The bus ticket is only IDR 25,000 per person. So, it much way cheaper rather than if we take the offers from travel. The total was only IDR 65,000 compare than IDR 700,000 from Kalianda to Way Kambas. Clearly, they wanted to deceive us. For people that want to use public transportation to Way Kambas should be aware that the bus is not always available. We were lucky because the bus from Rajabasa to Tridatu market started at 07.00 am. The next bus will be at 02.00 pm. While there is also a bus from Bakauheni port to Tridatu Market so they do not need to go to Rajabasa first. The period of time is at 07.00 am; 09.00 am; 13.00 pm and 15.00 pm. Make sure that you are not missing this schedule. In our case, because we started from Kalianda, so it is better to go to Rajabasa.
On the bus, we meet the old nice lady that has the same destination. She helped us to bargain with Ojek. We had a bad story with Ojek. You should be careful because sometimes the price is not made sense. The first price is IDR 100,000 per person for back and forth. But, on the way back from Way Kambas to Tridatu market, they asked more. It was like when we did not give them, they would leave us in the middle of the jungle which we can meet a wild elephant. The second price is IDR 125,000 per person. Actually, I am okay with the price since there is no alternative transportation. However, I don’t like the way they ask. It was like they tried to blackmail us.
We arrived in Way Kambas National Park around 11.00 am. Alhamdulillah, after the long journey we made it. First, we decided to finish the tour at that day and go back to Jakarta. But, we changed our mind. Since we already came from far away, we stay for one night inside the National Park. There is home stay for visitors that want to have a quite night with an elephant. The price is IDR 250,000 per room for one night. The room is too big for one person but, it is more than enough for the family. But, the bathroom is on the outside of the room. In the home stay, they provide 4 bathrooms for 5 rooms. Also, there is public kitchen if you need some table ware such as spoon or plate.
After putting our things in the rooms, Mr. Dicky from Way Kambas National Park treats us for seeing the elephant attractions. Usually, the visitors should pay IDR 20,000 per person for the ticketing. However, we were not interested in elephant attractions. So, we stayed only for 10 minutes then we were walking around the area. There were many elephants and their trainer. Not far from the home stay there is a wide savannah that only separated by a big pool. In that Savannah, I can see many baby elephants freely running, walking and eating the grass. They are totally cute.
Since we had not taken the breakfast we were hungry and find a place for eating. We stopped by to the small restaurants and order Nasi Goreng. Surprisingly, the price is not that expensive. One portion is only IDR 12,000. Also, I can taste the coconut water which is only IDR 10,000. The taste is also good. We ordered again in the afternoon at the same place for the evening dinner. The middle-age lady, the owner of the small restaurants, is pretty nice and we had a good friendly conversation.
Way Kambas National Park is popular preservation for Sumatran tigers and elephant sanctuary. This park also becomes a breeding center or Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary. Unfortunately, we only went to the elephant part because it was too far to go rhino and tiger’s place. Tapir also can be found at this National Park.
In Way Kambas National Park, there are 65 elephants have been trained. Also, there are around 300 wild elephants.
The establishment of the wild elephant is far from our place. So, it may safe from the elephant’s attack. However, if we heard a loud voice like a bomb, it means that there are wild elephants near us. The firecrackers have been using to distract them not from harming. People from Way Kambas warned us if we heard this voice at the night, they suggested us to move from the home stay to the night shift post for the safety.
Way Kambas National Park provides many services to the visitors such as riding the elephant for 10 minutes with the price IDR 20,000; tracking 30 minutes with elephant (IDR 150,000); tracking one hour with elephant (IDR 250,000) and safari night (IDR 350,000). Those prices are only for the locals. As for the foreigner, they charge more, for example, the safari night for foreigner could be IDR 800,000 to IDR 1 million.
In the afternoon, we spent time with Mr. Dicky. He talked a lot about the Way Kambas National Park. Also, he introduced all the 65 elephants in Way Kambas. The exciting experience was when I got bumped by baby elephant called Fitri, a daughter of Agam (father) and Sulli (mother). At the first, she played with Ken when she made a group of people around our homestay run. I was buying the food. Then, I joined with Ken to feed her. She is cute actually. Mr. Dicky said she just three years old and she is the toddlers. She likes to be near and spoiled with her father and mother. Generally, they separated the pen between the adult and the baby because there is concern that the other male adult elephant will bump another baby that not his. Yet, Fitri comes and go into the area freely. She has no afraid with other adult elephant because she will ask protection from his father.
I learned that Way Kambas National Park has potential as one of the tourist attraction. It is no doubt that people want to enjoy the forest and see the wild animal. However, the government should provide the infrastructure and the strict regulation for visitors for not destroy the environment.
Mr. Dicky said that there is much threat around Way Kambas such as Illegal logging and ivory hunting illegally. Sometimes, the bad people do not hesitate to kill the elephant for taking their glory. They tried to protect the nature but sometimes many NGO blamed them for what they are doing with the elephant. The illegal logging could lead to habitat loss and sometimes make elephant come near to village and could lead to human-elephant conflict. Mr. Dicky did not refuse that there is a conflict between animals and human because the location of the national park is very close to quite major urban areas and around the park borders are high human populations. That’s why it needs more effort and campaign to socialize with nature and environment.
We finished the trip and back to Jakarta on the next day (12/27). It was totally fun and good learning experience to explore Indonesia.
Thank you, Kennedy, for the trip! See you again Lampung!
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