However Lampung is less than one hour by plane, the trip by boat over Selat Sunda is much more favorable. The distance between Merak, on the northwestern tip of Jawa, and the boat terminal in Bakauheni in the far south of Lampung is 27 kilometers. Sometimes it's possible to see the ominous summit of the famous Krakatau, the vulcano which exploded in 1883 and caused tidal waves which claimed about 35,000 lives.
The route Bakauheni-Bandar Lampung is 99 kilometers, two hours by car over a wide highway. After 38 kilometers you can stop in Kalianda to visit the old hot water sources near Way Balirang, three kilometers above the city. They were built by the Dutch and each of the three baths has another mineral composition. A small entrance fee is asked. The city itself also has two hot-water baths. Another place of interest are the remainings of an old fortress, from where the Indonesian national hero Raden Inten II ( 1830-1889 ) attacked the Dutch. In the neighborhood is his, honoured, grafe.
The area around Kalianda is ruled by Gunung Rajabasa ( 1281 meters ), a sleeping vulcano, with slopes scattered with yellow-green clovetrees. A picturesque road surrounds several small fishiry villages.
The village Canti has a ferry service to the big islands Sebuku and Sebeki off the coast. Boats can also be rented for the rough, three hour long trip to Gunung Krakatau. Canti is also the starting point for the climb of Rajabasa, a trip of several hours. Get a guide at the pier in Canti and start early in the morning.
Past Kalianda, the main road Bandar Lampung inland; after nine kilometers a road to the beautifull beach near Merak Belantung, a closed inlet along the Lampung Bay. An ideal place for swimming and surfing; the beach has it's own place to eat and houses can be rented. Closer to Bandar Lampung the road takes you along beaches. Pasir Putih, 16 kilometers south of the city, offers a very nice view over the Lampung Bay, the uninhabited islands off the coast and with clear weather Gunung Krakatau. Boats can take you to Pulau Condong, with a white beach and warungs.
Bandar Lampung
The provincial capital and university city Bandar Lampung has a view over one of the most picturesque bays of Sumatera. The city is recently freshly named after the merger of Tanjung Karang, the former colonial administrative centre, and the closeby harbour Teluk Betung, the end of the railway system in Southern Sumatera. Good road connections connect Bandar Lampung with all other parts of the province and there are very good hotels.
The most important place of interest is the provincial museum along Jl. Teuku Umar, with a nice collection of emboidered weavings (
kain tapis ), musical instruments and wedding dressings. Furthermore the museum owns a collection archeological findings from Labuan Meringgai ( at the eastern coast ) and Sumberjaya ( in the northwest ). Among them are bronze dongson drums, beads of glass and Chinese ceramics. These findings suggest that Lampung was a part of a trading network with eastern Indonesia, India and Indochina about 2000 years ago. Pasar Mambo, the harbour near Teluk Betung is the location for a nice fish snack. The terrace of the Marcopolo Hotel in Tanjung Karang offers a nice view.
Eastern Lampung
A trip towards the east of Bandar Lampung leads to the elephant training centre and the nature reserve Way Kambas, and can be combined with a visit to the prehistoric settlement Pugung Raharjo, 42 km northeast of the city. Here are, scattered over an area of about 30 hectares in between pepper-, clove-, coffee- and oilpalm plantations, archological remains from the 12th until the 17th century, and probably earlier. Among this are thirteen stepped temple-hills (
punden berundak ), buddhist statues and remains of a fortified settlement. The source is a sollution for those who are already counting: the water seems to keep the body in vital condition and it also seems to be healing. Once people thought that the area was cast a spell over. Until the arrival of the transmigrants, this area was virtually inhabited.
Take for Pugung Raharjo the road from Panjan towards the northeast, six km south of Bandar Lampung. The route runs along the bay and over a wide plateau towards the Sekampung Valley. Shortly after crossing the river you get a turn to the right, where you can find the museum of Pugung Raharjo. Among the shown objects is an 7th century Srivijayan 'curse'-inscription, discovered in the river village of Bungkuk, and an unusual Bodhisattva-statue.
A paved road brings the visitor to the official archeological location, one kilometre ahead. The old settlement was protected by an impressive set of walls and canals; the remains of this can be found in a stretch of 1200 metres along the eastern side and over 300 metres along the western side. Insite are several megalith monuments, including several erected ancesteral stones and old stepped pyramids, which were probably used for pre-Indian religious ceremonies. In scientific circles, there are several different theories about the stepped hills ( which are also found on Jawa Barat ), they should have a strong influence in the later hinduist-buddhist monuments like Borobudur. Other stones include stone grinders, which were probably used for begging for rain during one of these religious ceremonies, and several inscriptesd
batu bergores of which the meaning is unknown. Northeast of the complex is another small megalith group, known as
batu umpak ( pedestrals ).
Turn back to the main road before Way Kambas and complete the route towards the east over a small stretch of hills towards the coastal plains. Turn left at the crossing and drive along Jepara and Tridatu. The road to the elephant centre is clearly signed at the right side. The 16 km long stretch through the park takes you along a savannah-like landscape in which about 250 wild elephants live. The training centre counts 30 big 'students' and is accessible for visitors which can have a view of the lessons. A short safari through the park is also possible. About 13,5 km ahead along the main road is the Way Kanan River. You can rent a little boat , which can bring you to a simple hotel downstream. Along the river there are about 280 spiecies of birds, to don't forget to bring you binoculars.
Western Lampung
Most travellers directly 'attack' the buses heading for the Trans Sumatera Highway to Bukit Tinggi and Danau Toba when they arrive in Bandar Lampung. Though, this location knows several nice places, especially just west of the city. The remote, densely forested mountains alon the southwestern 'heel' of Sumatera are now a national nature reserve, Bukit Barisan Selatan. This reserve consists of an area of 3568 km
2 of the western coast and the mountains from Lampung, and is the habitat of the Sumateran tigers, malay bears, elephants, rhinoceros, wild pig, the Agrus-feasant, rare orchids, rafflesias and the
amorphallus titanum.
Along the rocky coast from Teluk Lampung runs a nice road along small inlets and islands to Padang Cermin. After 35 minutes it reached Ketapang, from where motorized boats can be rented to go to these islands. Keep in mind that this is a very secret Japanese location for growing perls.
Another road leads to the west of Bandar Lampung and followd the upper stream of the Sekampung to Kota Angung along Teluk Semangka, about two hours by car. Stop after 1,5 hour at the foot of Gunung Tangamus ( 2102 m ). From here, you can descend along a concrete stairs ( from the Dutch time ) with about 1100 metres, to the falls of the Way Lalaan River. Behind the first big fall is another, which is much bigger. Don't forget your swimming clothes.
From Kota Agung a motorized boat can bring interested people to the village of Tampang, on the southernmost tip of National Reserve Bukit Barisan Selatan, a journey of five hours. From Tampang, there is a footpath of 32 km which runs into the rainforest to Belimbing. Historically important is a 57 metre high lighthouse which oversees Teluk Belimbing and was built in 1879 on behalf of the Dutch. The lighthouse offers a very nice view over the Indian Ocean and an abandones airstrip which was constructed during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War. Take a guide and lots of water and food.
The Westcoast
An alternative route to the national park starts in Bukit Kemuning, 130 kilometers north of Bandar lampung along the Trans Sumatera Highway. This road runs to the west through the mountains to the traditional village of Krui. The road towards the peak offers splendid panoramic views. Turn right in Simpangsari, about 30 kilometers from Bukit Kemuning, to see the megalith complex in Sumberjaya, on the upper stream of Way Besai, a sideriver of the mighty Tulangbawang. Here are rows of raised ancesteral stones and dolmens to Gunung Abung. Sumberjaya was also the location where imported Chinese ceramics were found which originated from the 8th until the 11th century ( Srivijayan period ), probably used in traditional rituals. The direct environment houses even more megalith complexes.
Further to the west, the road runs along several villages where damar ( tree raisin ) is collected. In Liwa, the road splits in a northern way to the beautifull Danau Ranau. From Liwa the road descends via a pass to the village of Krui. On the island Pisang, visible in the northwestern area, the famous
kain tapis is woven. Krui is also known for it's pepper. The British founded a small outpost here during the occupation of Bengkulu ( 1685-1824 ). The old burial site once had a gravestone with an English inscription, which was replaced by Lampung writing. The stone remembers to a certain 'Bob Brown, son of James Brown Esq.', resident of Krui between 1809-1814. A translation from the Lampung writing goes: 'This is the inscription of the grave of Bab Barawan, son of the resident Masta Barawan Iskanwayar, from a marriage with a woman from Lampung.' The dates cant be read anymore, but probably they date from Browns descendance in November 1814.
