The recent revelation that Gunung Padang, almost certainly a megalithic south of Cianjur in West -Java, a pyramid hides step dating back about the ice age, a significant amount of interest in the form of articles, books, videos, and visitors will be attracted.
These columns are actually millions of old to ten million years of natural cooling lava has been made known as columnar jointing by a process. The site itself is worth a visit for its haunting remote beauty, dotted its green area with hundreds of basalt columns, as if a giant had opened and a box of matches scattered dark gray. Fortunately, the road to the site is now well signposted, and it was entered on GPS.
I visited Gunung Padang with my daughter Rianti, her husband Cas, and our driver Pak Setu to drive an SUV. We planned a return trip, outward over Cianjur, Sukabumi Inbound over. Our morning was delayed start, so to leave at 9am, we arrived for lunch at the Puncak Pass Hotel at about 01:00. This is a convenient stopping point for the journey with his unforgettable southeast overlooking the Cipanas area and Gunung Gede looming up in the west.
We staked by Cipanas-Sindanglaya to Cianjur. It's time to activate your GPS - if you have one. In Cianjur, you have the right (west) and get off on the way to Sukabumi on. Once you (avoid caution prior turn left Cibeber) on the Cianjur-Sukabumi road (very strenuous, because it connects Bandung and Sukabumi) hold for about 7 km to go, with the GPS, until you reach the village Warungkondang. Shortly after the village you will find an intersection with a left (south) turn and a green sign to see Padang 'marked' Gunung. Now you are on a narrow but well-paved road in the hills in the upward direction, with the local coated in a fascinating silver and puce minibuses. The road is typical West Java land, dive well through bamboo and teak plantations, yet, but with many curves. sign of Gunung Padang are visible at intersections. Then come unexpectedly about something a remote station, Lampegan.
From Lampegan winds the road to the middle of the glorious tea plantations. This type of landscape with its sweeping green tea carpets will be familiar for those who know, for example, the tea plantation Malabar area south of Bandung. in good weather it produces an exciting feeling when you become a turning point climb that separates North and South-flowing rivers in Java. Just beyond the horizon, the long deep valleys, are the result of the relatively remote south coast down.
We felt our goal was not too far away (7 km from Lampegan), left when we fall into a small bag down a valley and then through a village on. We swept to a parking lot, with, of all things, a large electronic digital informed us in red numbers the fact that it was 15:06:47 and four portable toilets locked in bright blue colors. Fortunately, a more conventional toilet with plenty of clean water available. There were two smiling leaders and a handful of villagers outside a range of about ten warung .
We have a fairly young leaders were assigned, Pak Yusuf, immaculate in black traditional Sundanese dressed with a blue turban. He took us first to a small source of water, where swimming is your face to guarantee a long life. And then inputs the ground on two stairs. We were among the older direct, select 400 robust andesite steps on a very steep gradient, or a simple, but more and more in a roundabout way.
The choice seemed made for me, and at 72, is no longer a Welsh mountain goat, I found myself enticing, pushed and pulled by my four companions on most cardiovascular the two. It did not help, Pak Yusuf delight us with stories of students who who had collapsed, vomiting, tourists who had been hospitalized, and army officers who had the course failed. Well, of course I did, but, seriously, if you have a heart condition or the like, take the longer around.
It was good, the climb is worth but to rest up to the green grass and gray columns. The light was clear, the mountains amiable, and the air playfully. The peak of Gunung Padang is a kind of wind catchment area, and a piece of poetry floated through my mind, "an old man in windy areas", although my feeling no more could have been compared to the pessimism of TS Eliot Gerontion .
, the scale of the site was smaller than expected, and less crowded. While there was lateish and the site closes at 04:30. There were a few villagers, some workers who are likely geological Pak Danny Hilman team until at the highest (fifth) level, and a character in full traditional Sundanese threads and bling, who introduced himself as "Eric".
The site of Gunung Padang
But all I wanted to do the brightness, clarity and spirituality of the place was, , to enjoy. Never mind any chthonic forces and relics way down under my feet.
Pak Yusuf some specific arrangements of the columns displayed for prayer in the form of Samadhi and prayer place have taken continuously since the West Javanese hero, Prabu Siliwangi, dedicated this site in the early 16 th century.
of musicians in Cas was intrigued by a hollow column which emits notes. It was also fascinating to see how the alignment of Gunung Padang refers directly to Gunung Gede, the highest mountain in the region.
We are descended from the easier steps Rianti had some selfies taken with the villagers, and we take the way home. The route Sukabumi at night was long and uncomfortable, with traffic jams, road repairs and convoys of trucks bringing bottled water from the mountains. We were able to accelerate at 9am home after the Jagorawi toll road hit south of Ciawi, arrive.
travel tips
- to on a weekday , the heinous Friday-Sunday to avoid Puncak traffic. If on the weekends, about Sukabumi is probably a better option.
- When traveling of Sukabumi , take the Cianjur Street and turn right (it is signposted) shortly before Warungkondang.
- From Bandung , the head of Cianjur, then take the road Sukabumi.
- If driving 4WD is best SUV is OK and a sedan is not advisable.
- Several visitors hired minibuses from Sukabumi or Cianjur.
- By train , it may be advantageous to begin to get an early bus to Bogor of avoiding 7:55 train from there the crowded Jakarta commuter train, or in the previous night in Bogor remain.
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