IO – Beautiful Indonesia is true. Blue sky, green trees, a clear watery river can be seen by driving for three hours only from Jakarta.
There are quite a lot of natural attractions in Bogor and surrounding areas. The choice that day fell to the Cipamingkis Tree House. This is the choice of a Bogor native colleague, so we trusted in his choice.
This treehouse sounds interesting. Understandably, a small treehouse is a place to play dreamily as often portrayed in children’s films from the west. In the film, this treehouse looks fun to be a hiding place, because it is located high in the tree.
The trip was taken from Jakarta to Bogor to pick up a friend at his house, and then go to the treehouse through the Sentul area. After Sentul, the road became narrower and the rural atmosphere in West Java increasingly felt. Even the natural scenery becomes more interesting.
In that area, minimarkets are also increasingly rare. So, in a coffee shop, we stopped to drink coffee and eat snacks. The view from the stall is a canyon with a row of scenic green rice fields.
The villagers seemed to have realized the potential of that natural beauty. They provide a spot for selfies complete with a love gate. Of course, those who are interested in the photos on the spot must pay.
Along the way, it turns out there are several tourist attractions that are also crowded by people. The average tourist spot offers waterfalls and spots for photos. But we still drive toward the treehouse, guided by GPS from the cell phone.
Arriving at Cipamingkis Tree House, this tourist spot is crowded on this holiday. Rows of cars have filled the parking lot. There is no public transportation passing through the area so motorbikes and private cars are the only transportation to this tourist spot.
As is usual in tourist attractions in the country, there are many food merchants near the parking lot. Visitors can eat snacks such as meatballs and chicken noodles while sitting on a mat near the seller’s cart.
The treehouse is the main magnet for this tourist spot. There is a path that must be traversed to go up to the treehouse. It takes time to get there because visitors need to take turns to get on, not to mention, there are people taking pictures so we need to stop for a moment.
The shape of the treehouse in Cipamingkis is certainly different from that seen in films. But it’s still pretty satisfying to our curiosity to feel what it is up a tall tree. From that height, you can also see the unspoiled and beautiful scenery.
Another attraction in this place is a small river that is still clear and rushing. This is something that cannot be found in the middle of the city. We can freely dip our feet and feel the coolness of the pristine water.
Unfortunately, some people dip their feet to wash their shoes! Not to mention, not so far from the creek there are heaps of instant noodle packaging trash, snacks, and instant drinks. Crowded tourist arrivals on holidays leaving a pile of garbage that ruins the view.
We decided to take a break while eating meatballs that taste mediocre, but sitting on a mat while eating at this tourist spot was reminiscent of a picnic with a large family in childhood. The old folks used to bring their food and haul everything away, so that there was no garbage left. (Caecilia Linggarjati)