It hadn’t been long since my last visit to a place surrounded by nature.
Yet, I had been longing to to get away from the city again.
When my husband and I were discussing our next trip, Sukabumi in West Java had never crossed either of our minds as a destination to escape the boredom of Jakarta.
Our first choice of city was Malang, as we’d been eager to visit Mount Bromo and enjoy the scenery.
Unfortunately, because it was a rather last-minute idea, by the time I started looking for hotels with a view of Mount Bromo, the prices were extremely high.
In contrast, when I booked it half a year in advance, the price was almost four times cheaper.
Then, to save on the budget, we chose a more affordable destination.
Since Sukabumi is also known for its natural attractions, it came to the rescue.
How to get to Sukabumi
Getting to Sukabumi from Jakarta is simple.
You can first take the commuter line to Bogor Station—we departed from Jakarta Kota Station—then walk about 200 meters to Bogor Paledang Station to catch the Pangrango train to Sukabumi.
Even so, coordinating the commuter line’s arrival at Bogor Station with the Pangrango train’s departure from Bogor Paledang Station was a bit tricky, as we didn’t want to miss the train or spend too much time waiting during the transfer.
I was relieved that we finally made it on time and arrived at Cisaat station, the nearest station to Situ Gunung, our first destination in Sukabumi.
The Pangrango train came to a halt at Cisaat Station
We rented a motorcycle to get around during our stay.
Where to stay in Sukabumi
We split our stay between two areas: one in the heart of nature and the other closer to downtown.
We spent the first two days at Tanakita, a campground in the Situ Gunung area, followed by three days at Nuansa Pagi Hotel, about a 15-minute motorcycle ride from downtown.
I’ll cover both in separate posts, but in this article, I’m going to focus on the part of our trip surrounded by nature.
So stay tuned!
Stopping by at Legok Icak Campground
On our way from Cisaat station to Tanakita, we stopped by Legok Icak, a campground near Situ Gunung.
Though I didn’t book a stay there, I was tempted to check it out after seeing it on social media.
I felt like we were intruders, since there was no one around when we got there.
I contacted the owner, but he had thought that I would come the next day, so he wasn’t there.
However, he allowed us to look around for free.
I was fascinated to see a river flowing through the campground.
So calming
I felt like a child again as I crossed the bamboo bridge, eager to explore more of this peaceful spot.
Being childlike for a moment.
I found it incredibly soothing, as the only sounds we could hear were those of nature: the gentle flow of the river, birds chirping, crickets singing in the distance, and leaves rustling in the breeze.
Rumah joglo (Joglo traditional house) in the middle of the campground.
Look at the green view.
I enjoyed every second of it and wished we could stay longer.
Eventually, hunger urged us to continue our journey.
Thankfully, Tanakita’s administrator confirmed that lunch was included on our first day, so we didn’t need to stop for food on the way there.
Indulge in Camping at Tanakita
Tanakita is a campground in Sukabumi.
It’s located in Situ Gunung, a well-known nature destination in Sukabumi, famous for its suspension bridge, the longest in Southeast Asia.
This means people who book a stay at Tanakita don’t need to pay an entrance fee to the Situ Gunung area.
When we arrived, I was delighted to see the camp area, covered in grass and surrounded by trees, with some tents already set up and numbered.
We chose tent no. 10 because it wasn’t too far from a prayer room (mushola).
After putting our belongings in the tent, a Tanakita staff member invited us upstairs — a public space where guests have their meals or hang out — for coffee or tea while we waited for lunch.
Here is where the guests have our meals.
Before long, the lunch was served. We were famished, so we devoured it.
Look at these homemade dishes. Yumm!
By the way, I don’t want to cram our camping experience into this article, so I’ll save it for a separate post.
A Moment of Healing at Jembatan Gantung Lembah Purba
On our second day at Tanakita, after breakfast, we headed to one of the places we were most excited to visit in Sukabumi: the Situ Gunung suspension bridge, also known as Jembatan Gantung Lembah Purba.
It was only a five-minute walk from Tanakita to the ticket booth.
We chose the Jalur Hijau VIP package, which cost IDR 100,000 per person and included a motorcycle ride to the bridge entrance, a walk across the bridge, and a ride on the Keranjang Sultan.
Upon arriving at the bridge gate, we received a free welcome snack and drink.
Queueing to get the welcome snack and drink
Love it!
The Situ Gunung Suspension Bridge in Sukabumi, West Java, is 243 meters long, approximately 1.8 meters wide, and stands 121 meters above the ground.
From afar, the bridge appears curved downward in the middle due to its flexible steel-and-wood structure, but the real optical illusion begins once you step onto it.
Look at the curve!
It took some time to get over our fear as we crossed it, as the bridge swayed in the wind or from the people on it, creating a tremendous sense of excitement.
We didn’t even dare to look down because we were scared of heights.
It was so silly that we held each other’s hands while crossing, with our free hands gripping the bridge’s ropes.
Despite the nervousness, the scenery was absolutely spectacular, making for a memorable and adventurous experience.
Trying hard to smile to conceal our fear 😀
After finally reaching the end of the bridge, we headed toward the Curug Sawer spot, trekking through the forest of Mount Gede, where towering tropical trees and the crisp mountain air made the walk feel like a scene from a fantasy movie.
I enjoyed every step of the journey, deeply inhaling the crisp, clean mountain air that instantly washed away all my tiredness.
I was so grateful for that moment, hoping we could make outdoor adventures like this more often.
Finding Serenity at Curug Sawer
It felt almost unreal when we arrived at Curug Sawer.
It’s so beautiful that I couldn’t get enough of looking at it.
The roar of the waterfall was thunderous, filling the air, yet somehow, it felt incredibly calming.
It took time to take photos without people in the background.
We took some time to sit on the rocks by the flowing river.
We tried to absorb the forest atmosphere — the smell of the air, the texture of the rocks, the sound of the wind whispering through the trees. I was mesmerized by it, and its peaceful presence seemed to soothe my soul.
As if the world stops for a while
Near the rocks, there was also a river tubing spot.
I wished I had brought a change of clothes so I could have given it a try.
I wish I could join them :'(
Not too far from the rocks, we reached the Keranjang Sultan, where we went for a ride.
The Keranjang Sultan features a 523-meter-long track suspended 160 meters above the ground and stretching across the river.
The ride only takes two minutes.
I was rather disappointed to see that the river wasn’t as full as I had expected and looked a little dry—a stark contrast to what I had seen on social media.
I suppose it was because of the dry season.
After that, we made our way to the exit gate on foot. Although several ojek riders offered to take us there for a fee, we chose to walk instead.
Although the walk was somewhat exhausting, I was glad we did, as it allowed us to cross a unique bridge called Jembatan Merah (the Red Bridge) and enjoy the scenery and fresh air one last time.
Almost there!
The Journey Continues
Based on our experience, Sukabumi turned out to be a nature destination that was well worth visiting.
While it may not be as popular as Puncak, we found that its natural attraction is easier to reach from Cisaat Station—and, even better, we didn’t have to deal with the heavy traffic often associated with a trip to Puncak.
Our journey through the natural side of Sukabumi may have ended here, but there was still more to explore.
In my next post, I’ll continue sharing the rest of our trip, from our stay closer to downtown to the other places we discovered along the way.
So, this isn’t goodbye to Sukabumi just yet—stay tuned for the next part of our adventure!
Read More: My Previous Trip to Curug Cibereum, Puncak, Bogor
