It all started when one of my friend mention me on Facebook to register to open trip for selected bloggers. And here I am, writing down my amazing 2 days 1 night trip to my own beloved city, Sukabumi ☺

Growing up in this little city between Jakarta and Bandung literally mixed up my feelings for the past 26 years. As a local, I didn’t find any interesting destination here. Yet, my friends keep coming and asking to travel here. I know nothing about my hometown.

Anyway, I travel to Bandung to gather with bloggers friend and headed up to Sukabumi at 12 AM. Our first destination is to Qutub hilal, a Post Observation Moon (Pos Observasi Bulan (POB)) that located in Cibeas, Sukabumi. This place is one of the most crucial place to Muslim people for set the Ramadan date. But as time goes by, local government makes this place to be a historical-muslim tourist attraction.

So, if you are in Sukabumi, you can come here anytime to study about Falak-Astronomy (or hisab, a science of Space based on Islamic calculation), just ask the officers there and they will explain it to you friendly ☺. But if you’re not a science-freak (like me), you can come here to just enjoy the view. On the top floor you can directly look in to the sky, they said that you could see stars crystal clear. In my case, the organizer promised us to saw a sunrise, but unfortunately, the view is headed to the west. But that’s okay, the pinky sky and the Palabuhan Ratu ocean view beautifully enchanted me, though.

Qutub Hilal

Failed Sunrise in Qutub Hilal

Gloomy Morning

Hayu Ka Jabar = Let’s Go to West Java

Then, we were going to Vihara Nam Hai Kwan Se Im Pu Sa in Kertajaya Village, Palabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi. This vihara established on August 8th, 2000 by a Thai named Anothai Kamonwathin or locals called her simply Mama Airin. She had a dream to build a Vihara that located near the sea. After years of searching and visit different place, finally she chooses this place that look alike the place she saw on her dream.

In my own opinion, this Vihara is the perfect place to meditate. It located above the hill far away from residents, so people could pray peacefully. And then comes the view. It was breathtaking; we can saw horizon and the sound of Palabuhan Ratu waves. But be prepared to climbing many stairs. Just slow down and enjoy the process of stepping more than hundred stairs ☺

Historical Place

Thousand of Stairs

Vihara Nam Hai Kwan Se Im Pu Sa

Amazed

Beautifully captured, hehe.

We were on the way to breakfast when we stopped to saw a yellow wreckage-bridge. This bridge has its own story. In the Dutch colonial time, this bridge is the vital item in Sukabumi, the only way for transportation and to transport logistics. But as time goes by, it become more damage and the local government decided to make another-strong-bridge next to it. But, they’re not destroying the yellow bridge for the sake of history.

We, the millenials millenials-wanna-be find this spot so pinterest-able and instagramable! So, Cheeeeseeee!!

Jump, jump!

Historical Bridge

Wkwkwk

After a quick shower in the hotel, we were headed to the main event: the opening of Amazing Geopark Adventure Tourism or AGAT 2017. With the theme of Cimaja Geosurf Challenge – Our Amazing Adventure, this event were held in Cimaja beach, from October 14th to 15th. If you don’t know, Cimaja is one of the best surf places in the world. It has its own reputation in surfers around the world. At first came here, I bet you’ll not find out that this place is so famous. The water is grey-brown and it gets worse after rain, but the waves were perfect for surfers.

14 pro surfers from across the globe came here to join the event. West Java Vice Governor Dedi Mizwar, and Tourism Minister Arief Yahya came to inaugurate the event.

One thing that catch my eyes was the way this event promotion in social media. They were really aware that social media has the power to spread the info effectively. So not only invite us as a blogger to review the events, they also has various fun-challenge. It’s so amazing!

Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya

Are You Reaady for Challanges?

Really love this kind of concept in the event.

The sun was blazing so I choose to look around some booth. I met Kang Dedi and he tells me everything about Geopark. How this Geopark was establish, the struggle to promote this site, and many historical stories (I’ll update the video soon!).

They also sell gula semut or gula kelapa (ant sugar or coconut sugar), a traditional gula kawu that produced with a grain shape. I am so happy! I was looking for this kind of sugar from many times ago. This kind of sugar has many benefit such as prevent anemia, gives you more energy, and many people believe that this kind of sugar could be an alternative for diabetics!

Pose with Kang Dedi

Local sells Gula Semut

Jars of Gula Kawu

Pose in another yellow bridge. Hehehehe..

To sums up, half of my day-one trip in Ciletuh Geopark was awesome! It makes me more appreciate and grateful to West Java culture and history. The one, and the experience, I never have before! Please wait for my other journey that I will publish later! ☺

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Attention!!

Freebies come hereee!!!!! I have 1 jar of gula semut for you! Just write down your comment bellow about this post, or about your travel experience in Sukabumi or another city in West Java. I’ll send you randomly. Good luck! 😉