Wednesday, December 9, 2009

SAWARNA - THE HIDDEN SURFING BEACH IN WEST JAVA


It's public holiday on 27 November and it's Friday... tralalalala... long weekend long weekend... Since early October, we already posted in milis gathering some friends who wanna join and share all costs . Maximum 8 persons, as per our car seats. Our route is Jakarta - highway Jakarta Merak exit at Balaraja Barat - Rangkasbitung - Malingping - Bayah - Sawarna. It's about 210km but it take about 5 hours because in certain area the road so narrow and under repair.But... it's worth waiting for.. very lovely hidden beach.. so quite, only a few surfers in the beach.. No hotel in Sawarna Village, only some local people rent their houses for tourist. We stay at a 'Widi' homestay owned by Pak Ade and family. Our homestay consist of 3 rooms, one rooms can be occupied by 4 persons. It's a bamboo house, typical and traditional houses in Indonesia with the Javanese style house.
The next morning, we woke up at 4am as we wanted to catch sunrise in Lagoon Pari beach and it would take about 45 minutes walking. Actually from Ciantir, we can see sunrise and sunset also, but we got information that the best spot to see sunrise in in Lagoon Pari. OMG, I never imagine that I will walk through rice fields and up hill..

After watching sunrise, we were back to homestay and having breakfast.. Our breakfast is Yellow Rice with sunny side up egg and prawn cracker.. nyam nyam nyam.. very yummy. but full of calories, because Yellow rice is rice cooked in coconut milk and coloring yellow from tumeric.

Another tourist spot is touring inside 'Lalay' cave. According to local people, it needs about 2 days to go until the end of the cave. It's a muddy,waterly and extremily dark cave. You must bring flashlight and may be stick o hold on from the slippery mud inside Lalay cave.. but it's worth to go inside, the stalagmites so beautiful.

Actually, Sawarna is a surfing beach, the best spot for surfing in Tanjung Layar beach. From our homestay we just walk about 5 minutes to Ciantir Beach, we wait for sunset here. We paid Rp.75.000 (USD 8) per person for accomodation and 3 times meals, so cheap. Pak Ade and family is very very nice persons, they are very helpfull.