Trip to Derajad Pass Garut

Garut

What comes in your mind if i told you a city called "GARUT"..?

Garut is a city in West Java that located near Bandung. The distance between Bandung-Garut is not too far, it only taken about 1 hour more. Caused we start our trip from jakarta at 7 O'Clock we arrived in Garut city at 12 O'clock.

The road to the Garut were beautiful scenery, interesting composition between the mountains and hills and combined with rice terraces. 

Darajat Crater (Kawah Darajat)

Kawah Darajat or Darajat Carter is a resort that located in high area. Located in high area and near mountain, no wonder if in this area appears hot spring and the presence of white steam from the earth that rose high into the sky. Today, this area have been completed with waterboom, flower gardens and villas or home stay. Tourism and geo thermal mining is driving economy in this area. 

To reach the location of the crater Darajat, we will meet the asphalt road which was quite nice. We can enjoy beautifull pine forest and farm land that located at road side. The distance from the peak Darajat to Darajat crater less than 5 Km. 

We arrived at 3 o'clock and picked up our belonging to one beautifull villa that had booked. 

Here we can enjoy fresh air and hot spring that near with our villas. It only costs 1.3 millions/ day. This villa quite clean and simple. there is a kitchen and living room plus toilet in the 1st floor. at the 2nd floor it completed with 2 bedroom and family rom with cabin wood. This building is typically sundanese building that combine bamboo arsitecture with modern material.

What's activity ccould we do here?

after took a bath and clean up we make some barbeque and take a night tour to this resort. Night sky and beutifull view of Garut city from mountain is the best cure from daily stress in office.

What else? we can eat some meals such Ubi Cilembu (Sweet potato steam) and corn snack.

in the morning we can go to hot spring and take a tour to the crater or buy some vegetables or fruit such strawberry and cabbage.

Candi Cangkuang (Cangkuang statue)

Cangkuang statue is historical place that located at the center of cangkuang lake. This lake is surrounded by Haruman Mount.

It appears Cangkuang temple stands firmly in the middle of the island. Its size is not too large and there is a statue of Lord Shiva inside it. Apparently this temple came from Hindu royal relics of the eighth century.

The tour guide told us there were now seen the shape of the temple was merely an invention alone. Next to the temple there is the tomb figure called Grandmother Grandparent Dalem Arif Muhammad. 

He was a man who spread the religion of Islam in this region. 

Although all people in this area is moslem but they area still holds many Hindu beliefs, including abstinence work in Wednesday, maintaining the ban on quadrupeds and hit a gong. 

Whatever the reason, this might be a form of Hindu-Islamic acculturation. At this location found many plants Cangkuang (group palmlike) of species Pandanus puratus. That is why this temple is called the Temple Cangkuang.

Here located museum near the cangkuang temple. This museum is not far from Temple Cangkuang. It looks like this museum does not get the attention of local authorities . Still on the same island, there is a unique village called Kampung Pulo. I call it unique because the house is there the amount should not be increased aka remain , namely six houses and one mosque . The sixth house is located opposite the 3-3. Apparently the composition of this house describes the number of children Grandmother Grandparent Dalem Arif Muhammad is 6 girls and 1 boy . According to the story , the boy died so that there now are descendants of girls. Who may occupy the house it was just girls, while boys must occupy in the outer islands. Unique hell but strange as well.

Chocolate gift (Oleh-oleh Chocodot)

Chocodot is a fragment name of "chocolate with dodol Garut". It was changed to "Indonesian Chocolate". This is because the chocolate maker would like to introduce to the world that Indonesia had no less delicious chocolate than chocolate made ??abroad.

Matter of taste, Chocodot have a very diverse variants . Starting from the bitter flavor of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate until fruit taste of chocolate. The selection of the name is very unique. "Chocolate anti upset", "Chocolate lightly mate" and "Chocolate for single or couple".

The names of chocolate available in stores Chocodot in Garut .

The chocolate contents of dodol (risin cake). Chocodot or chocolate contents of dodol already began fame outside caused special taste.

One of the reasons Chocodot so popular is the chocolate taste that is not too sweet blends nicely with the typical dodol Garut. Once the bite makes addicted. Come to the store Chocodot, visitors can take a cooking class chocolate contents of dodol or simply watch demo making Chocodot. Chocodot shop located at Jalan Otto Iskandardinata No. 2, Pasawahan.

Craft sheepskin (Pengrajin kulit domba)

Craft sheepskin. Prices of products made of leather clothing is notoriously expensive. Usually the product of the animal skin, such as jackets, made of cowhide. Well, in Garut fame with fashion products made from sheepskin. The price is certainly more expensive.

However, the high price commensurate with quality. The texture is very ox and not rigid like cowhide. When held, feels smooth in the hand. Sheep skins usually one year old. Along Jalan Ahmad Yani there are many shops that sell clothing of sheepskin. Stepping into the store, aroma characteristic skin burst. You can shop from jackets, bags, to shoes.

After visiting some tourism object we go culinary to sundanese restaurant. We bring so uch gifts from garut and finally after two day tour in garut we go back to jakarta