Camping in Indonesia - Glamping on a Volcano!
Join us as we escape the hustle and bustle of the West Javan capital of Bandung and go camping in the lush forests of Lembang. Perched on the side of Mount Tangkuban Parahu, the Be Glamping campsite is a cosy refuge surrounded by nature. Read all about what we get up to and why you should give camping in Indonesia a go!
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Every so often we find ourselves in need of some nature. We always like the hectic hustle of cities and were in love with the chaos of Bandung, but after a few nights exploring and eating amid the traffic and the hubbub we needed an escape. We have always loved camping, but glamping on the side of a volcano, with posh tents and our own BBQ sounded too good to miss. We couldn't wait to get out to the forests of Java, it was time to do some camping in Indonesia.
When's the Best Time to go camping in Java?
Unsurprisingly, the best time for camping in Java is during the dry season that runs from April to October where you’ll have hot, sunny days and not that much rain.
Bear in mind that most of the camping including what we do below is done high up on mountains and volcano sides, so you will need to pack a jumper as it will be a lot colder during the night.
Where To Camp In Java?
There are campsites and glampsites all over the island of Java.
In East Java, you can camp on the slopes of Mount Bromo. In Central Java you can camp amongst the lava fields of Yogyakarta’s Mount Merapi and nearer the capital of Jakarta, you can treat yourself to glamping experiences in Bogor. We however were in West Java …
Outside the West Javan capital of Bandung, to the north of the city, lies Mount Tangkuban Parahu (sometimes spelt Perahu). Tangkuban Parahu is an active volcano (it last erupted in 2019!) popular with hikers and sightseers due to its natural beauty, bubbling hot springs and giant steaming crater. On the fertile volcanic slopes are many resorts, camp sites, restaurants and coffee shops.
One such campsite caught our eye on Google Maps and, after some WhatsApp conversations, we booked ourselves into Be Glamping for a couple of nights beneath canvas.
Be Glamping is set just off the road in a picturesque area of evergreen forest, offering both camping and glamping. Eager to leave the city traffic and grab some fresh air we packed our bags and set off.
Getting To Be Glamping, Cikole Lembang
From Bandung
The easiest way from Bandung to the Be Glamping campsite is by car or taxi.
We used Grab on the way there and Blue Bird Taxi on the way back down. The ride is a little over an hour of winding mountain roads and cost us between 90000-100000 IDR ( £4.60 - £5.10) each way.
We didn’t find a way to get to Be Glamping via public transport. Although it may be possible to get a bus to Lembang, and then a shorter taxi onwards.
From Jakarta
If you're coming from Jakarta to Be Glamping it is a little over three hours drive away and will include some toll roads.
Wherever you started from, Be Glamping is within a nature park and you will need to pay 10000 IDR (£0.51) for entrance. If you’re driving in, there is an additional fee of 30,000 IDR to drive your car within the park boundaries.
Depending which side of the grounds you enter from, you may have to walk through Bi Lands Cikole or Cozy Land Adventure Park and Campsite. Be Glamping is in the quiet little valley between Bi Lands and Cozy Land. The check in desk is the log cabin next to the brook at the bottom of the small valley.
Be Glamping - What Is It Like!? What Are The Facilities?
Be Glamping is a very picturesque campsite. Nestled in a dell between evergreen trees, each of the khaki coloured teepee tents are scattered about the valley on their own raised plots. The tents are far enough apart so that you always feel you have privacy.
Each of the glamping tents come with outdoor chairs, table, gas stove, kettle, cooking utensils and an individual fire pit. Inside the tents are large and comfy with mattresses, a light, blanket, pillows and plug sockets. There is even WiFi for you to connect to. They are certainly a step above normal camping!
There is a small toilet and shower block next to the river. The toilets were always clean and the showers hot. However, you will have needed to practice your squats as the toilets are Indonesian squatty potties not Western thrones.
The best thing about Be Glamping, and the thing we came seeking from bustling Bandung, was the calm serenity of sitting out in nature. Being high on the volcano’s side, the air is cleaner and fresher and the temperature is far cooler than down in the city. It felt great just to sit out amongst the trees, with a little stream flowing below us and breathe in deep from the forest.
We paid 900000 IDR (£45.90) for two nights glamping and although this is higher than our usual accommodation budget, it was so worth it as a romantic getaway treat. If you have your own camping gear or want a different tent there are various other price options available. For us, to be out amongst nature, cuddled up under the stars with a warm fire beside us was well worth the price we paid.
Campfires
Each camping spot comes with a circular fire pit for camp fires. Down by the reception cabin they sell bundles of firewood.
If you buy a bundle, they will come, build and light the fire for you. The bundles cost 20000 IDR (£1.02) each but you will need more than one if you’re staying up late. We would say the fire pit is an essential expense, if you don’t have a campfire have you even been camping? We bought bundles both nights and it was wonderful to sit outside our tents in the cold night air with a fire crackling beside us.
Tip: Make sure you buy some marshmallows from Bandung itself to toast on the fire!
Barbecues
We are frequently led by our stomachs and our decision to stay at Be Glamping was no different. When we were looking for somewhere to glamp, the inclusion of Korean BBQ meats in the Google listing really sold us a stay at Be Glamping.
You can order from one of a few different meat sets and the site staff will bring you platters of meats, marinades and salads for you to cook on a little gas stove and grill. It is great fun to be out in the forest trying not to let your meat carbonise and wolfing down lettuce wrapped slices of marinated beef.
The staff were very helpful as there were only the two of us and all the portions on the menu were for 4+ people. The staff at the campsite split our order in two and let us have it over the two nights we were there, which turned it into a much more economical dinner! The smallest package (more than enough for two people for two days) cost 210,000 IDR (£10.71).
What Is There To Do At And Around Be Glamping?
Obviously the number one recommendation we have is to simply relax in nature! The forest is calm, green and beautiful with morning mists coiling around the trees and star filled night time skies. We had been travelling predominantly through Java’s sprawling cities by this point and although we loved Jakarta, Bogor and Bandung it was so nice to breath in the fresh forest scents and be amongst the trees.
And relax…
However, should you tire of forest bathing, there is plenty to do around Be Glamping:
The Tangkuban Parahu Crater
The steaming crater of Mount Tangkuban Parahu is around 1.5 - 2 hours walk from Be Glamping or a 17 minute drive. The massive crater was originally, along with two other local volcanoes, part of a huge volcano who’s enormous caldera broke into three parts after an eruption.
The views are meant to be amazing and if you have the time and money it is one of the area's top attractions, just check the main crater is open before you go as it can be closed if the gas build up gets too high!
The crater gets extremely busy at weekends and holidays. Tickets cost 300,000 IDR (£15.30) each for foreigners. We did not visit the crater during our visit, as we had already visited Kawah Putih and Kawah Rengganis Cibuni the day before our stay at Be Glamping.
If you want to book a tour of the crater check out GetYourGuide’s day out here.
The Cikole Orchid Forest
A short 20 minute walk from Be Glamping is the beautiful Cikole Orchid Forest. Contrary to its name it is not just a forest with some orchids, but a manicured nature park with gardens, restaurants, performance spaces, petting zoo, crazy golf and more.
We had a great day out here, so good we have written about our experience visiting. The Orchid Forest is good for an afternoon out and costs 100000 IDR (£5.10) per person to enter.
Adventure Parks, Zip Lines and ATV’s
All around Be Glamping and across the side of the volcanoes are adventure parks offering a range of adrenaline fuelling outdoor activities.
From bicycle powered tightropes, to zip lines, off-road mountain biking and more. These activities are usually inside ticketed parks but both the parks and the amusements are very cheap. We wandered around the pretty Pal 16 Cikole taking in the views down the mountain, the entrance cost 10000. IDR (£0.51) per person and the zip lines cost the same.
These parks would make a great day out for families with children. Just stick to the well maintained offerings!
Hiking Trails and Waterfalls
There are lots of hiking trails crisscrossing the volcano of various lengths and difficulties. The area around Cikole is really pretty, covered by forests and greenery. As you head back towards Lembang, the forests will give way to carpets of tea gardens.
Some of the hiking paths are apparently in worse condition than others, so make sure you have a map downloaded and don’t stray from the trail.
There are also numerous waterfalls in the area, some have ticketed entry and some will not be flowing in the dry season.
When we visited Be Glamping we were in the mood to relax so didn’t do any of the hikes on offer. For those less lazy than us we would recommend downloading the AllTrails app and checking recent reviews before setting off.
Orchid the Cat
Ok so this one may not be a permanent feature but during our time at Be Glamping we were doted on by the incredibly sweet (and heavily pregnant) black and white cat we named Orchid. She was incredibly loving and snuggly so we hope her or her offspring are still around!
Eating And Drinking At Be Glamping
Man cannot live on barbecue alone (although he is willing to try). For lunches we ventured out of our canvas sanctuary and found some lovely local spots for food.
Buruan Uyghurs
Just outside of the Bi Land entrance to Be Glamping is this gorgeous wooden restaurant. Buruan sells stylishly presented Javanese food and it is delicious. From classic main dishes like ayam bakar ( sweet grilled chicken) to awesome and unexpected snacks like keju aroma (deep fried salty sweet cheese sticks) the food was yummy and although a little pricey, well worth it.
Limasegi Dipinus Coffee Cikole
Down the road to the east of Be Glamping is this super stylish coffee shop. Overlooking beautiful manicured grounds in the shallow valley below, Limasegi Dipinus Coffee was a great place for a cup of Java. We went for some posh lattes and a sweet treat but you could of had a full meal from an extensive menu if you wanted.
Very stylish!
If you’re after coffee and heading back to Bandung, there are many great options to choose from!
Local Foods and Warungs
Be Glamping is surrounded by small stalls, both in the park and along the road, selling quick cheap meals. You can easily get a good affordable nasi or mee goreng from any of these. Be Glamping will also give you the local spots WhatsApp numbers and you can order them direct to your tent!
Tips And Tricks For Camping On Tangkuban Parahu
Weather
It is much colder up on the mountain, as in we went from shorts and t-shirts to jeans and full jumpers at night. After the fire is out, it gets pretty chilly, so make sure you pack for the colder weather and maybe ask for an extra blanket if you are prone to becoming a popsicle!
Supplies
As we have mentioned there are plenty of places to eat on the volcano's slopes. There are also stalls selling cakes, murturbak and drinks. These snacks tend to be a little more expensive so make sure you bring what you need from Bandung. As you have to get a car to the campsite any way you may as well stock up. Speaking of stocking up….
Beer
This is Indonesia, so beer is not as easy to come by as it would be in other SE Asian countries. We wanted to enjoy some fireside beers so we brought some Bintangs with us from Bandung.
From what we could tell there wasn’t anywhere walkable from Be Glamping to buy alcohol from so if you want a beer remember to bring it with you!
ATMS
We did not find a single ATM during our time on the volcano so make sure you bring enough cash for everything you may want to do.
Conclusion
We loved our time camping / glamping. It was so refreshing to get away from the city and back into the green, clean nature. We had two nights, so only one full day in the Mount Tangkuban Parahu area and could easily have spent longer. The Be Glamping campsite was excellent, from the comfy tents and cosy fire pits our stay was fantastic.
We have to give a special shout out to the brilliant staff. There was barely any English spoken by the on-site team, but they were always around and always helpful from setting up our fires, to cleaning the absolute mess we made of their barbecue trays. There was no issue with language as we had a WhatsApp number with an incredibly helpful person who would translate and send on whatever we needed to whoever needed to hear it. It all worked really smoothly, and they made sure we had a great time. If we had any problems booking taxis, buying food or anything else they were always on hand to help.
We can highly recommend Be Glamping - Book your stay here!
We loved our time glamping, after a couple of weeks in Java’s sprawling cities it was amazing to sit fireside, with quiet music playing whilst stroking our new feline friend in our beautiful woodland haven.
There’s something special about waking up under canvas!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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