In December 2010, Brooke, Jillian and I took our first trip to Indonesia. We flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and Bangkok to Denpasar, Bali. We stayed with friends in Sanur, touring the traffic-choked, beachy island like so many people before us. After about two weeks of sunny mornings, afternoon rain, temples, museums, art, and beaches, we flew to Yogyakarta, Java’s cultural hub and polar opposite to the overcrowded, well-trodden paths of Bali.
We did not have high expectations of Yogyakarta, but were excited to see the sights with our Indonesian friend and guide, Samsul, whom we had met in Arizona. We arrived on New Year’s Eve, amidst another downpour, and spent the evening with Samsul at the Via Via Café, a place that would become our respite from the rain for the next several days.
As 2011 literally stormed in, Samsul took us to the two principal sights of Yogyakarta; Borobudor Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia, and Prambanan Temple, a huge Hindu complex devoted to the Hindu trinity. During the afternoon, we had planned to explore the slopes of Mt. Merapi, the infamous volcano which had erupted twice in late 2010. But the torrential rains proved too strong and we forced to abandon this plan. We did, however, catch a glimpse of one major effect of the eruptions – miles of cold lava flows bursting over the banks of the river. Cold lava is the sand and rock that flows down the river after being washed down the mountain by heavy rains.
That evening, we wanted to learn more about Mt. Merapi and how people deal with these massive eruptions, so went to our new favorite spot, the Via Via Café, to peruse their travel options. Via Via’s tourism packages stand apart from the typical offerings with their focus on locally-led, small tours utilizing public transportation, bicycles or the tourist‘s own two feet. The three of us chose the walking tour of the river led by a local resident. This would turn out to be the highlight of our time in Yogyakarta.
At 3pm the next afternoon, in the throes of the daily afternoon storm, we arrived at Via Via to meet our guide, a young woman with terrific English. She provided us with ponchos, informed us that we would get wet, and we were on our way. We ventured to the riverside, a short walk from the Café, and our first sight was an immediate reminder of the intense power of volcanoes. The river was flowing rapidly and dangerously close to the top of the man-made walls, and several villagers were busy shoveling cold lava into the back of a pickup truck. Men and boys of all ages filled up one truck within a couple of hours, and they would sell the sand to construction companies for about $100US per load, quite a profit for these local people who lived near or below the poverty line. Since the eruptions, the level of the river had risen dramatically due to vast amounts of cold lava settling on the bottom, and now every time it rains there is a good chance of flooding.
As we strolled the riverside, the rain subsided and we met several locals who were happy to share their snacks with us, answer any questions and pose happily for photos. Our guide taught us about the daily lives of these people, many of whom had been her neighbors for more than two decades, and the continuing improvements to sanitation, safety and health of the local people. Recycling initiatives, clean water projects and free or low-cost clinical care are just a few of the improvements the local community and government were implementing to better the lives of the riverside residents. It was a personal, informative tour that we wouldn’t soon forget.
Indonesia is a vast archipelago with innumerable places to visit, both cultural and natural. Yogyakarta is not on the radar of most travelers who prefer the beaches of Bali, but I would gladly recommend adding Yogya and the tourism options offered by Via Via Café to anyone seeking alternatives to the ordinary options organized by typical travel agencies. Just bring a poncho.
You certainly didn’t let the pouring rain ruin your time there. As they say you made lemonade out of lemons!