Blue Lagoons, green jungles, and somewhat greener campers
I spent the weekend in Sendang Biru(supposedly
translates as Blue Lagoon)
It’s a area near Malang … about five hours drive
from Surabaya, a 20 minute boat ride,and then a fairly
rough one hour walk.
I hadn’t carried a water bottle within easy reach and after a good start I was soon winded and de-hydrated.
The jungle is a humid hell-hole if you aren’t prepared. I all but crawled the last few 100 metres down to the beach. I quickly re-hydrated and gobbled a couple of aspirin.
The lagoon was beautiful. Blue-green water, surrounded
by lushly overgrown coral walls. A large opening
allowed a steady surf to enter and replenish the
lagoon.
Oddly the lagoon is subject to tides; and the
high level we arrived at became a shallow wading pool
just before dusk.
Emily didn’t make the trip.
Once she found out we’d be camping without prepared
toilet facilities she begged off.
So it was myself and four other teachers, later joined
by a slightly larger group of teachers from other
schools.
Drinking, small talk and late-night swimming ensued.
Generally a pretty good time.
Sunday afternoon we hiked out again. Minus much of
the weight we had brought in. We packed out five bags
of garbage – two of which were beer cans, coke and two
vodka bottles.
I had been to the area in `99, but never to the lagoon.
It’s worth the trip.
All the best,Wayne
(originally posted in 2007)
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