SRI GETHUK WATERFALL
GREEN CANYON
Next stop was Green Canyon, or Sri Gethuk Waterfall, about halfway back to Jogya, an amazing
little oasis that has only opened up in the last 2 years, I would suggest to
get in there soon for a visit before it becomes a major tourist trap.
The place really was special, from the car park we walked down a paved hill section and the most beautifully scenic jungle setting opens up. Yes there are a few stalls along the way, but fairly minimal compared with a lot of other places, I fear it will continue to expand though until it is the usual hawker circus.
There is an awesome river with thick jungle and waterfalls everywhere feeding into the canyon. A quick raft ride upstream takes you to the main swimming spot with a big waterfall and rocks to jump off into the beautiful cool water. It was obviously crowded like everywhere else at the minute but it wasn't too bad.
As usual i was the only bule and was an instant celebrity like many places I went. Everyone wanted photos and handshakes, some people were trying to sneakily take pictures with their phones while their friend stood nearby so I would just walk up and put my arm around their shoulder and instruct them to get a proper picture of us together! They loved it!
i got ready for a swim and after asking the guys already in the water if it was deep enough, jumped off this huge rock. Cheers guy's, I just bumped the bottom a little bit. Yuni laughed because everyone was talking about me, and for once it wasn't how white i was, or that i was simply a bule, or jumping off the rock.... it was because i wasn't wearing a life jacket!
Everyone else was donned with fluorescent life vests, for a country with over 18,000 islands I’m surprised how many people can't swim properly.
Yuni, being inquisitive and adventurous like me, suggested we go for a walk the other way up the river side where there was a little trail, great idea as we were the only ones there. The walk was scenic, but dam hot, and we continued on for maybe half an hour seeing nobody except a water dragon swimming in the river which was a very cool sight.
It was time to continue on to Jogya though and we were back on the bike and heading back to tourist town, but the room had to wait for our stomachs as we were both hungry and we ended up in the town centre for delicious chicken satays.
I had to laugh, without thinking I asked the lady, who was clearly Muslim, during Ramadan, if they had pork satay's?! haha oops. (for the uninformed, Muslims don't eat pork) After a shower we went out and found a new little bar we hadn't been.
It had been a very quiet couple of weeks after my party time in Surabaya and I had actually gone a week without a beer in Malang, as I simply couldn't find one and to be honest didn't feel the urge, which is strange for me as i'm sure you have gathered from reading! Plus Yuni didn't drink much so it was no big deal to go without. But tonight I decided i was in the mood for whiskey and made it my mission to find some!
We found a little bar a bit further from where we normally strayed and found a spot upstairs overlooking the action on the street. I had my first Jack Daniels since Surabaya (i'm normally a Wild Turkey or my homemade rum drinker, but you take what you can get on the road) and Yuni had her first JD's ever.
Ive never seen anyone get such a buzz off 2 whiskey's and she thought the Jacky D was pretty good. It was a fun couple of hours but time to head off to the room after another big couple of days riding and exploring. Those visiting Jogya, make the effort to check out Green Canyon, you will not be disappointed.
The place really was special, from the car park we walked down a paved hill section and the most beautifully scenic jungle setting opens up. Yes there are a few stalls along the way, but fairly minimal compared with a lot of other places, I fear it will continue to expand though until it is the usual hawker circus.
There is an awesome river with thick jungle and waterfalls everywhere feeding into the canyon. A quick raft ride upstream takes you to the main swimming spot with a big waterfall and rocks to jump off into the beautiful cool water. It was obviously crowded like everywhere else at the minute but it wasn't too bad.
As usual i was the only bule and was an instant celebrity like many places I went. Everyone wanted photos and handshakes, some people were trying to sneakily take pictures with their phones while their friend stood nearby so I would just walk up and put my arm around their shoulder and instruct them to get a proper picture of us together! They loved it!
i got ready for a swim and after asking the guys already in the water if it was deep enough, jumped off this huge rock. Cheers guy's, I just bumped the bottom a little bit. Yuni laughed because everyone was talking about me, and for once it wasn't how white i was, or that i was simply a bule, or jumping off the rock.... it was because i wasn't wearing a life jacket!
Everyone else was donned with fluorescent life vests, for a country with over 18,000 islands I’m surprised how many people can't swim properly.
Yuni, being inquisitive and adventurous like me, suggested we go for a walk the other way up the river side where there was a little trail, great idea as we were the only ones there. The walk was scenic, but dam hot, and we continued on for maybe half an hour seeing nobody except a water dragon swimming in the river which was a very cool sight.
It was time to continue on to Jogya though and we were back on the bike and heading back to tourist town, but the room had to wait for our stomachs as we were both hungry and we ended up in the town centre for delicious chicken satays.
I had to laugh, without thinking I asked the lady, who was clearly Muslim, during Ramadan, if they had pork satay's?! haha oops. (for the uninformed, Muslims don't eat pork) After a shower we went out and found a new little bar we hadn't been.
It had been a very quiet couple of weeks after my party time in Surabaya and I had actually gone a week without a beer in Malang, as I simply couldn't find one and to be honest didn't feel the urge, which is strange for me as i'm sure you have gathered from reading! Plus Yuni didn't drink much so it was no big deal to go without. But tonight I decided i was in the mood for whiskey and made it my mission to find some!
We found a little bar a bit further from where we normally strayed and found a spot upstairs overlooking the action on the street. I had my first Jack Daniels since Surabaya (i'm normally a Wild Turkey or my homemade rum drinker, but you take what you can get on the road) and Yuni had her first JD's ever.
Ive never seen anyone get such a buzz off 2 whiskey's and she thought the Jacky D was pretty good. It was a fun couple of hours but time to head off to the room after another big couple of days riding and exploring. Those visiting Jogya, make the effort to check out Green Canyon, you will not be disappointed.
Green Canyon
View from the hill, stopover on the way home
