Kulon Progo & Kalibiru

 

I was very fortunate to be invited by Andry Berlianto and 3M Adventours for a motorbike tour around beautiful Kulon Progo and its surrounding areas. Kulon Progo is a unique place to visit in central Java, it is blessed with some of the most spectacular scenery that can be found in the area but is not yet flooded with tourists. The tour took us along winding mountain roads that were perfect for riding and past iconic local attractions like Sermo Dam and Kalibiru. After stopping for some photos at Kalibiru we ventured further into the mountains and soon found ourselves riding steep, narrow roads surrounded by think vegetation, this added a real flavour of adventure to the riding. Perhaps the highlight of the day was visiting Taman Sungai Madal, we took a walk along the cascading waterfalls and went for a swim in one of the many natural pools. The tourist potential here has only recently been discovered by the local villagers and it was quite inspirational to see the local community come together to build a sustainable tourist industry and meet people who were keen to share the beauty of their backyard. Many thanks to Andry and all the other riders that joined me for the day and also to the many locals that warmly welcomed me into their community. www.facebook.com/kulonprogotour

Central Java

Every island that I have visited in Indonesia has its own character and identity and I remember each for a different reason, Java stands out for the hospitality and generosity of the people I have been fortunate to befriend here. Java has many big bike owners and the island boasts a strong motorcycle community, especially among BMW GS owners, I was lucky that many of the clubs and groups were more than happy to invite me along for a ride.  From Surabaya to Jogjakarta I couldn’t have hoped for greater hospitality, I was invited to stay at people’s homes, given help with the bike and asked to come along for some great rides time after time. Java has the distinction of being the world’s most populous island and many other motorcycle travellers warned me of the traffic congestion and advised me to pass through quickly. I found myself doing the complete opposite, every time I went to a new city and met new riders it seemed I’d extend my stay here for a little longer. The traffic in the cities was often quite frustrating but it wasn’t long before I was riding like a local and zipping in and out of traffic with the congestion soon forgotten once I discovered the sweeping bends of the hills surrounding Jogja and Solo. I joined a few groups for some day and overnight trips and got to ride some of the best roads I’ve found in Indonesia with some of the friendliest people I have had the pleasure of riding with. The Riders from Central Java know how to organise a day of riding, the scenic roads were only matched by the delicious food we would eat when we stopped for a meal…. Enak Sekali!!! Some of these guys were also very fast, it was the first time in quite a while that I had the chance to do some really quick riding with other riders and I must admit Toletto and Adhi easily had my measure. Many thanks to Babe, Aditya, Odhon, Yudi, Robi, Toletto and a long list of other riders and friends that I have met while I’ve been here and have made my stay so memorable.