Monday, August 23, 2010

Alt programme


While heading out for the Candi Sukuh temple complex in Central Java (see photo above), my eye caught hold of a signpost announcing Jumog waterfall. After a quick discussion with that day’s guide and we were pulling up into the small car-park precariously located on the edge of the ravine.

It being early morning, life still had to kick in, but at least the ticket officer was open. We paid the fee (3,000 INR apparently community run), made a U-turn and walked down the steep stairway leading into the ravine until we reached the valley floor.

Here there was a kiddies water park normally river fed, but now (still?) empty.
Across the river the well-cemented paths continued. Everything was still in the process of getting cleaned, though it was very apparent that almost all cleaning work had taken place, the area being nearly spotless. Past some stalls still in the process of opening up, one comes to the cliff face where the approximately 30m high waterfall thunders down. Swimming possibilities are available under the waterfall as well as further downstream. even a kiddies pool is available.
Air Terjun Jumog made a great impression, one of the better managed sites in Southeast Asia.


As said we continued on to the top of the ridge to the Candi Sukuh temple (entrance fee 10,000 INRs, nearly a $US) and then walked two hours along fields and through cloves plantations to another waterfall, named Grojogan Sewu.

All are best accessed through Tawangmangu, a town reknown for it’s cool climate as it sits between the Lawu and Kukusan mountains. Tawangmangu sits on the road from Solo to Magetan and can be best accessed from Solo.


Visiting the 15th century Candi Sukuh temple is certainly worthwhile; it’s not so big, nor overrun (as say Bororbodur). A Hindu-Buddist temple, it seems to include various animism elements. Further away (nearly 10 km from Candi Sukuh) is the Candi Celo temple from the same era.

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