The Best White Crater and Green Lake

South Bandung is famous with the Argo-tourism, it is like farm and livestock (agriculture and tea plantations in Rancabali, Ciwidey), Water Tourism (Patenggang and Situ Situ Cileunca) and Nature tourism (Kamojang Crater, craters and hot springs White Cimanggu). The most famous for agriculture in South Bandung is Rancabali. It's better to push on through the stunning scenery around Rancabali. That place around 42 km from Bandung. Basically this place is one big tea estate surrounded by lush green hills.

Beside the wonderful tea farm, there is something hiding in the south Bandung. That is Kawah Putih. The mountains south of Bandung offer magnificent scenery, a rolling evergreen landscape of neatly cropped tea bushes. Kawah Putih is a volcanic crater that has a beautifully colored lake. Usually Turquoise, the lake has a serene atmosphere with the sun reflecting off the gemstone colored surface as the steam drifts idly by.

Another one, when you visit South Bandung, Patenggang or Situ Patengang. Situ Patengang is a natural lake located in the tea plantations Bali Ranch. Tourism is the tube cool and fresh, very far away from pollution. On the edge of the lake there are many boats which can be rented to tourists around the lake. Do you like strawberry? Want picking it by your self. This is the place you can do it. There many Strawberry Gardens in Ciwidey along the way to Kawah Putih. You can handpick your own fresh strawberries straight from the many gardens, and the best part is  Picking strawberry and eat them in the good athmospare in the mountain is perfect way to do it in your holiday time.

Tips to traveling

Visiting this place is better in the morning until afternoon time, because in the afternoon the fog had come down normally. The fog is very dense there patengan visibility even be only 1-2 feet away so it will not look anything sight.

Don’t go in the rain season in Indonesia, normally rain season in Indonesia in October until December. Transition Period Rain Season and Summer Season around March-April. But because the warming global, the weather can’t be prediction but most of rain will be heavy in December. If you lucky you also can get sunny day in December too. But it is not guarantee.

Indonesia money used Rupiah (Rp); Indonesia Dollar Rupiah (IDR), every days and month the dollar currency will be different just make simple example 10.000 IDR is $1 US. But for make sure look the bank rate dollar to Rupiah to make estimated budged for holiday to around Indonesia. 

How to go there when already in Bandung, by:

• Rent Car
•  Used Travel Agent
• Rent Motorbike (If you have International License) 
• Public Transportation

This book about backpacker with the low budged, so let’s discuss about Public Transportation. We start from Bandung Hall Station, from here choose a mini bus (mikrolet) ST-Hall – Luewi Panjang, the cost around 10.000 IDR ($1 US), or whatever your position just go to Luewi Panjang Terminal (Bus Station Luewi Panjang). After you arrive in Bus Station Luewi Panjang, find elf (the ugly transportation without name) the transportation just had write Luewi Panjang – Ciwidey. People call this transportation Elf or L300. Just asking bus Ciwidey. After you get bus direction to Ciwidey, the journey need around 50-90 minutes the cost you used this Elf around 12.000 IDR. That is depend on traffic jam but if you are not traveling on weekend that is just need around 45-60 minutes only (an hour).

The transportation will go when the passengers already full. So just find the nice seat near the window. Because it good access to get fresh air and not feel so hot. In 30 minutes by this transportation you can see the wonderful view of the mountain. The feeling so hot and tired in the transportation will gone when you can see the view and your mind just focus when you will be arrive to the terminal Ciwidey.

Because this public transportation some passengers maybe will bring many stuff, the local people sometimes shopping in the city and sell stuff in their village, so will be many stuff there. So just be patient until you get the terminal ciwidey. To get to Kawah Putih area has two alternatives by Ojek or public transportation (angkot). If ojek you should ask the ojek with the pay around 30.000 IDR. The first the ojek will offer the price up but you should negotiation until 30.000 IDR, depend on your bargain. The way goes to this place around 30 minutes. The ojek will bring you near the ticket box to get you to go to Kawah Putih with the ontang-anting.

Other transportation is public transportation metromini with the yellow color with the name Situ Patenggang - Ciwidey the price around 10.000 IDR to get to gate of Kawah Putih. You just need walk around 5 minutes from the billboard Kawah Putih in the left side. Then you can see the ticket box entrance. When arrive in the box ticket. The ticket is 50.000 IDR plus ontang-anting 15.000 IDR so you can get to Kawah Putih 65.000 IDR (6.50 USD). If you can show the passport to the ticket Box you can get discount 5 percent. The employee will give you the ticket and you can go to the line and waiting Ontang-Anting full to bring you go to Kawah Putih.

Ontang-Anting will go when passengers already 13 people, if the people still not full the ontang-anting will not go (depart). If you don’t have time to wait long time, you can walk around 5 kilometers or charter the ontang-anting around 100.000 – 120.000 IDR.

Kawah Putih area is not very big, but it very special in it is the blue water, especially under hot sun and sometimes the color can change to be green. Depend on the weather in this area. The weather in the Kawah Putih can’t be prediction, sometimes the weather changes to be rain soon but suddenly just became under hot sun; sometimes hot sun became raining). But don’t worry about the weather, in this area some people offer you to rent an umbrella.

When already in Kawah Putih area, you can find the a warning board that suggest tourist to remain at Kawah Putih for merely 15 minutes, because the sulphur (sulfur) smell so strong if you near the lake of White Crater (Kawah Putih). The view is magnificently stunning. You can see the mountain around the lake, it sound like mountain become the wall to keep the lake safety. The white sands and also the rocks become white near the lake. Sometimes you can see the sulfur lake get boil and smoke. That is so magical. If you are lucky the wind flow not much to make sulfur get everywhere, so you can stand there for a long time without mask or with mask. Normally people can stay there around 30 minutes.

If got headache or problem just go to up first and breathe the fresh oxygen and then turn stairs to see the lake again. Don’t make yourself become danger because of the sulfur smell so strong. If you still need to longer see the wonderful view of Kawah Putih. Let’s explore the view and this area is not so big but You can find something different inside your mind, feel so peace.