bromo

Coban Manten plus Coban Tengah

Journal
Written by
RITA ANDRADE
Posted by Administrator

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been hearing a lot about Coban Maten ever since I arrived. Not only Maten, also Middle and Rondo. I even wrote the names of these waterfalls in my notebook with a little heart on it, meaning I really wanted to visit them! Before visiting any of them, my host told the story of Rondo, or Widow, Waterfall. There was once a couple who was engadged to get married. There was still some time left until the wedding and they could not see each other in the meantime, but they were missing each other so much they had to escape to meet! On their way to the meeting point, they met a man who fell in love with the girl, and his fiancee had to fight that man - but first he ordered her to hide in a Waterfall. The two man fought for a long time and ended up killing each other, leaving the now widow forever waiting for her lover in the waterfall that is today known as Coban Rondo. So, today was the day I was going to visit these 3 waterfalls - the highest being Manten, at 1300m above sea level.  

 

COBAN MANTEN
This waterfall is not only a waterfall - it's two waterfalls and they are a couple. You have a taller narrower one that is the groom; and then you have a shorter but larger one which is the bride and simbolizes the woman that can carry babies. It is said that, when you go there, you should make a wish realted with your loved one: either to find the right person, if you don't have a partner; or to be forever hapily married to the partner you have. To get to the Coban Manten it is a good walk up the hills of Mountain Kawi. We  had a guide with us the whole time, Dwi, a wonderful 28 year old man from the mountains, who looks like he is 13 years old - full of energy and with a very young look - and is a very interesting person who's dream is to climb Puncak Jaya Mountain in Papua.

He works as a guide in several tracks and also takes care of a plantation full of medicinal and culinary herbs and flowers, and fights forests fires whenever he can. Dwi is a great guide, had a very steady passe, took us through all the shortcuts where there was not even a path, just really in the middle of the forest. It would not be possible for us to reach anywhere without Dwi!

The way to the waterfall is not easy, but anyone can do it, even if it takes longer. We passed 3 water streams - and I regreted bringing my tenis shoes instead of sandals. The water is very fresh and clean, which made things better on that very warm day. After about 3,5km going up, we finally arrived!

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The two waterfalls were bursting with water and that makes anyone smile. They are very beautiful, especially if you think about them as a couple - there, for God knows hoy many years, falling separately and then joining their streams. It's a very romantic idea, if you think about it, and maybe it could be very special if you could visit it with our loved one.

When we get there, the closest and easiest waterfall is the bride. Strong, powerful waterfall, but gracious at the same time. I sat there, looking at it, and made my wish. Who knows, maybe it come true! Next step: groom! To go to the groom waterfall, you literally have to clim up the stream - in the middle of the water. So I decided to give on being careful with my tenis shoes, and just corageously put them in water, not caring anymore about their state. They got mushy, but I did go up the stream very happily. Very carefully so that I wouldn't fall butt first in water, like my host did, I finally got up and met the groom!

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Heavy road

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Go to the groom side

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on groom side! smile :)

 

The groom is actually not very strong on the bottom - it looks stronger on top. When it reaches the bottom, its lighter and there is a little nice lake where I decided to wet my feet a little more, with tenis shoes included. Took some pictures and when I was satisfied, we went down the stream, which is more dangerous because of the slippery rocks. But we got down injury-less. We relaxed a little next to the bride, and soon got on our way to the next waterfall - Middle. On our way, Dwi spotted something in the tree - he climbed it, really efortlessly, got a buch of leaves from a branch, got down and put them on his backpack. Smiling. I was thinking - you just climbed a tree like you were walking up some stairs. When I grow up i want to be like him.  

 

COBAN TENGAH

We went down from Maten the same way we got up - but going down is tricky. Anyway, my now soaked wet tennis shoes, that were once white, were now brown, heavy and mushy. It was ok, though, since we had to cross the 3 water streams again and everytime it was very refreshing. After being halfway down, we took another path to get to the Middle Waterfall. We passed through a group of very nice man cutting down trees with chainsaws, but were on their lunch break.

We continued and in the middle of the track there was a blocked passage for any scooters or cars - from then on, just on foot. We continued and passed through about 6 or 7 streams of water - but I notice that bridges were bring built to facilitate the passage. Nice! The path was very easy, about 15 minutes and we arrived at this very isolated waterfall, but already prepared for visitors. It even had 4/5 garbage bins!

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COBAN TENGAH or middle waterfall

 

The waterfall itself was really really pretty. Coming down from the middle of the rock, exploding life all around! Gorgeous view! And then, a lake right down were the water hits, where one can easy have a safe dive. I just took the chance to wash my shoes and socks and let it dry a little while we were there. It was already 13h, and we started at 9h, so we were starving! Took out our lunches and ate with the view of the waterfall. After that, put on my still wed shoes, and got on our way back!  

 

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Dwi rescue some plant in one tree. its like orchid

 

PLANTATION
When we got to the starting point, to go and visit the Rondo waterfall, we decided to clean up and take a rest - and take my shoes off again to let them dry. I didn't even realised how tired I was until I sat down! We ended up stayind there until 14h, and then, instead of seing the widow waterfall, we headed into a plantation.

Dwi went along with us: at that point i did not know he worked at the plantation. When we got there, it was like discovering a little bit of organized paradise in the middle of nothing. It's not exactly a plantation, it's more like a garden. They so many plants, all with their names and beneficts for your health - it's like a natural pharmacy, I would say.

Dwi went around explaining everything to us, taking some leaves for us to smell, explaining what it was used to. As we reached a small tree, he took one of the few leaves of that tree and, off the stem he squeezed a gel that he kindly put on the wound I made on my leg while climbing up the hill. It burned, but what burnes, heals! He also gave us leaves for aromatherapy and to make some teas. Then we got to a tree that I actually was familiar with that has small red cherries: in portuguese is called "pitanga", and my grandmother always has them and makes very good ice cream with them! They are very bitter, though, but I really like them.

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The taste is good!!!

 

Dwi offered my some. Hmm, tasted like home. Afterwards, we checked on the flowers - there were these beautiful roses that smelled so wonderfully, I just wanted to take them with me! But here there is not only plants and flowers, there are a lot of activities that can be enjoyed there. One of them is a little zoo, with deers and monkeys. The deers are loose - and I fed one of them some apples! It was pretty scary, as he had big hornes, but they are very calm.

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The deer still currios about me. may be ask, who are you?

 

When we noticed, it was already too late to go to visit the widow waterfall, as it was 14h40 and at 15h I was going to do something that I had always dreamed of: paragliding. We decided to skip Coban Rondo, as we had already seen 3 waterfalls today, said goodbye to Dwi and headed to the mountain I was jumping off.  ==> AUA!!!!

 

#coban#manten#waterfall#Tengah#eastjava#malang

 

Courtesy: RITA ANDRADE