Malang Things to Do

The legend of Queen Ken Dedes, it grapped me in a hard way. Numerous temple remains dating from the 13th century Kingdom of Singosari still can be seen in the Batu - Malang region. Included Candi Singosari ofcourse, as well the so called ancient "Bathing Place of Ken Dedes", a beautiful place with lusty vegetation.

It is told the Sendang Dedes (Well of Dedes water) used to be a Garden of Eden (Taman Sari) to the Putri/Queen Ken Dedes and her court ladies. The Kedaton (Palace) was a place of beauty, pleasure, and ... mysteries. Still reports in local magazines around love to tell about these mysterious events around the bathing place ...
Note: see for the modern Ken Dedes Swimming Pool
Ukirsari's great VT Malang Page at Website-link >>>

Ken Dedes

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Batu - west of Malang - has long been famous for its apple orchards and is now a prime, commercialized agrotourism destination. But east of Malang people are growing apples too, without the overdevelopment of Batu.

When we arrived at Poncokusumo village, admittedly out of season, we had to ask around before being referred to mr. Andre, an apple grower who also guides tourists. He lives on the main street just across the road from Jami mosque. The main apple harvest was just finished, but mr. Andre took us to an orchard with some apples left and the chrysantemum fields of his brother.

Because there is no winter season, the apple trees bear fruit twice a year. Harvest is in March and in September. For the trees in bloom one has to come three months earlier, December and June. As the trees need some rest too, autumn is simulated by manually picking all the leaves from the trees. Most apples are locally converted into apple juice and apple chips. We paid mr. Andre' s price of Rp 50,000 for his services, as well as the market price for a few kg of apples and a box of apple juice.

Mr. Andre also offers 4WD tours to Bromo and Penanjakan viewpoint. This is a very much longer drive than the tours one gets at Ngadisari and Tosari, but much more rewarding. One gets an overview of Tengger Caldera from several directions and makes a half circle on the bottom of the caldera through the so-called 'savana'. The tour includes a side trip to the mountain lakes Ranu Pani and Ranu Regulo. Cost: Rp 800,000 with Poncokusumo as starting point, Rp 900,000 if you ask to be picked up in Magelang (Janury 2011).

Address: Centre of Poncokusumo village, on the main road facing Jami mosque.

Mobile phone: +62.813 3403 3997

Wired phone: +62.341.787 345 and +62.341.768 5090

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It is a long drive from Malang to Bromo, but very scenic. We call this 'the back door to Bromo' because one approaches Bromo from the south, the saddle between Tengger caldera and Semeru volcano. This is also a preferred route for those who want to climb to the top of Semeru volcano, with Ranupani village in the saddle as base.

We made the trip to Ranupani in April, end of the rainy season, when Semeru volcano was still closed to hikers.

Once we passed Tumpang village (at 22 km) the road climbed steadily, through apple plantations, until we reached Gubukklakah (34 km). Beyond Gubukklakah we drove through forest, along a narrow the road surfaced with concrete blocks in good condition. A short distance after Gubukklakah one can walk to the waterfall Coban Pelangi, which we did on another day.

At 40 km from Malang we entered Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and after another 5 km we passed through Ngadas village in the clouds. Soon the road reached the rim of Tengger caldera. With less clouds the view should have been better, but still it felt like driving through the sky. This part of the road was in urgent need of repair, only just passable with our Isuzu Panther.

At 48 km one has to choose. Left the road dives into the caldera and in a wide curve through the 'savana' around Mount Kursi it joins the track to Bromo from Ngadisari. We wanted to see Ranu Pani lake, so we kept going along the rim for a km more before the road descended to the saddle between Bromo and Semeru. It was altogether 55 km to the lake (counted from Tugu Circle). Villagers told us that the road from Malang connects via Senduro to Lumajang.

Directions:
If you want to do this route without own transport, you might:
(1) take a minibus from Malang to Tumpang and another one to Gubukklakah. Then walk the remaining distance, 26 km to Bromo (count on 6 hours at least), 21 km to Ranu Pani.
(2) contact mr. Andre at Poncokusumo for a 4W-drive tour to Bromo and/or Ranupani. See next tip: Agrotourism Poncokusumo.
(3) order a 4W-drive Bromo and/or Ranupani tour at your hotel.
Price (January 2011):
The price for a Malang-Ranupani-Bromo-Cemorolawang trip seems to be fixed. Both Hotel Helios in Malang and Mr Andre ask Rp 900,000 per 4WD. Only if you come on your own to Poncokusumo and take the trip from there, Mr Andre charges Rp 800,000.

Climbing Semeru:
If you are interested in climbing Semeru (or another volcano in Indonesia), join the Java Lava club and browse their calender:
http://javalavaindonesia.multiply.com/

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Sendangbiru beach is the most popular south of Malang among local tourists. It is not a beach for swimming. The coast being sheltered from the surf by an island, Pulau Sempu, it is here that fishing boats come ashore. At walking distance you can visit a fish market.

Actually the main attraction is the island. Pulau Sempu is a nature reserve of a few square km with a fresh water lake and a salt water lake surrounded by forest. Chartering a boat to the island costs Rp 100,000 and boating all around the island Rp 400,000 (April 2010 prices).

Sendangbiru beach will be crowded on weekends and especially on public holidays. On those days you may prefer to go to nearby Tamban beach, Bajul Mati beach or Goa Cina beach (OTBP tips).

Directions: Being a popular destination, Sendangbiru beach is well indicated. From Malang go south through Turen and Sumbermanjing Wetan and follow the signs. The distance from Malang is 70 km or a 2 hour drive. The road winds its way through the chalk hills that hug the coast.

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Candi Badut or Badut temple is a typical albeit simple example of a Shivaist temple as explained in the Penataran Museum. This is clear from the entrance facing west, the statue of goddess Durga Mahesa-suramardhini in the north wall, and the lingga-yoni in the interior. The lingga and yoni are an abstract representation of Shiva and his wife Parvati. The recess in the south wall must have contained a statue of Agastya (Shiva as teacher), the recess in the east wall a statue of Ganesha, and the small recesses on both sides of the entrance statues of the guards Mahakala and Nandiswara. Unfortunately all these statues are missing.

The base is bare without decoration, but the outer walls of the temple body are decorated with flower designs. Of interest are reliefs on both sides of the stairs representing kinarakinari, i.e. creatures with a bird body and human head that play music in heaven.

Candi Badut is thought to have been built sometime between the eighth and tenth centuries A.D. It was rediscovered only in 1921, when it was only a heap of stone. Restoration efforts have been made in 1925 through 1927 and later in 1992-1993. Still the temple lacks its roof.

Address: Gasek hamlet, Karang Besuki village, Sukun district, Malang town.

Directions: Candi Badut lies within the precincts of Malang town. Take Jalan Bondowoso and Jalan Tidar to the west and follow the signs.

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Candi Singosari or Singosari temple was discovered in 1803, when like of many others no more remained than a heap of stone. Its present shape is the result of restoration work in 1934 through 1937.

The design of Singosari temple is extraordinary, because it consists of two storeys on a low pedestal. The lower storey contains an inner chamber, the upper storey not. Actually the temple was never finished, only the top is decorated.

An edict from 1351 AD states that Singosari temple was built by order of a council of seven kings in honour of the Shivaist high priest and prime minister by name of Pu Raganatha or Sang Ramapati, who died with the last king of Singhasari, Kertanegara, as a result of a sudden attack of the king of Kadiri. It is thought that king Kertanegara and his ministers were worshipping on the very spot of Singosari temple when their rivals from Kadiri attacked them. Chairman of the council was Tribhuvana, third king of Majapahit. This indicates clearly that the Majapahit dynasty saw itself as the successor of Singhasari, not of Kadiri.

That Tribhuvana also stood in the Shivaist tradition is clear from the layout of the temple. Statues of Mahakala and Nandiswara once guarded the entrance, statues of the goddess Durga and of Ganesha stood in the recesses on the sides. All these but were taken to the Netherlands and are now in the Leiden Museum. The only statue remaining is that of Agastya (Shiva as teacher), probably because it was too damaged to be of interest to the colonial power.

A number of other more or less damaged statues are standing aside in the temple grounds, among these one of Vishnu with the attributes of Shiva and one of goddess Chamunda.

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Candi Kidal or Kidal temple is mentioned in the Negarakrtagama chronicles as the burying place of the second king of Singasari, Anusapati, who reigned from 1227 to 1248 AD. Therefore the temple precedes the Majapahit era. After his death king Anusapati was considered an incarnation of Siwa, and a statue of his as Siwa once stood in the temple. However that statue has been lost.

The temple walls are decorated with medaillons featuring flowers and vines. The Kala head over the entrance is particularly fine.

But the most interesting aspect are the three Garuda figures on three sides of the base. They refer to the Garudeya story from the Adiparwa book. The story tells of the rivalry between the two wives of a certain Kasyapa, whose names were Kadru and Winata. Kadru was mother of several snakes, whereas the son of Winata is Garuda. Unce upon a time the two mothers debated whether the color of the horse Uccaihsrawa was black or white. (Who was that horse is another story.).

In the heat of the debate they agreed that whoever would be proven wrong, would be the slave of the other. The snakes knew that their mother, Kadru, was mistaken and told her so. She then asked them to use their venom to change the color of the horse. They succeeded in doing so and Winata became the slave of Kadru.

Garuda then fought the snakes in order to reverse the injustice done to his mother. His half-brothers promised to free Winata if Garuda would succeed in stealing holy amrtha water from the gods, the drinking of which makes immortal. Garuda successfully obtained the amrtha, but only after having agreed to become the mount of god Visnu. Indeed Visnu is almost exclusively depicted as riding on Garuda. And eventually the gods deceived the snakes and got their water back.

The significance of the story? The coat of arms of the Republic of Indonesia features a Garuda bird because the founder of the republic, Ir Soekarno, saw in Garuda's quest a symbol of his struggle for freedom of his beloved motherland from the devious snakes (i.e. the Dutch colonizers).

At the south side of Kidal temple we see Garuda wrestling with his halfbrothers, the snakes.
Next, on the east or back side, he is carrying the pot with amrtha on his head.
And on the north side we see Garuda with his beloved mother Winata.

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One of many waterfalls there must be around Semeru mountain. This one is easily accessed from the road to Ngadas and Bromo. Coban is the local word for waterfall and Pelangi means rainbow. However, when we went there the light must have been not right, we saw no rainbow. We suppose the sun must shine from the right direction into the ravine.

From the parking a 1.5 km footpath leads down across the river and then uphill to the foot of the 30 m fall. Unfortunately the water falls among big rocks, no chance to take a dip.

Address: Gubukklakah village, Poncokusumo district.

Directions: From Malang take the road east to Bromo, via Tumpang and Gubukklakah (see tip The Back Door to Bromo). On leaving Gubukklakah you pass a porch. At 2 km from the porch is a small parking with the entrance gate to Coban Pelangi.