East Java Oasis: Bale KambangOn first i mpressi on Java’s 3 bi g g est ci ty Mal ang doesn’t offer much ex cept l ess traffic and a coolertemperature than Surabaya and Jakarta. However, if you know where to lookthis city has hidden gems lurking beyond the burning piles of trash, and motorcycle exhaust. When the s moke of the city centerclears it reveals a beautiful landscape of emerald greens and sapphire blues that serve to remind me that I am actually living on a breathtaking tropical island if I can only charm the go ddess Java enough to uncover her secret oases. It was this quest for more from what had become my more or less sleepy littlehometown for the past 8 months that brought me to Bale Kambang beach. A mere 2 hour drive from my humble apartment, my students had been recommending this location to me for months, but since I h ad no idea how to get there, it remained uncharted territory and I didn’t really believe that Malang stretched all the way to the coast. It turns out I was wrong. Named for it’s resemblance to the famous be aches of the neighboring island of Bali: Bale Kambang(meaning small floating house) exists as a part of Malang. And since it’s impossible to reach with public transportation, it has remained a well kept secret of the East Javanese peopl e. My day started at 5 a.m. to beat the heat and the crowds. My friend Nita and our driver for the day pi cked up Stephani e and I to begi n our journey. Our first desti nati on was the fl ower stall at the local rd
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East Java Oasis_ Bale Kambang _ International Andrea
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8/11/2019 East Java Oasis_ Bale Kambang _ International Andrea
n first impression Java’s 3 biggest city Malang doesn’t offer much except less traffic and a cool
mperature than Surabaya and Jakarta. However, if you know where to look this city has hidden g
king beyond the burning piles of trash, and motorcycle exhaust. When the smoke of the city cen
ars it reveals a beautiful landscape of emerald greens and sapphire blues that serve to remind me
m actually living on a breathtaking tropical island if I can only charm the goddess Java enough tocover her secret oases.
was this quest for more from what had become my more or less sleepy little hometown for the p
onths that brought me to Bale Kambang beach. A mere 2 hour drive from my humble apartment
dents had been recommending this location to me for months, but since I had no idea how to ge
ere, it remained uncharted territory and I didn’t really believe that Malang stretched all the way to
ast. It turns out I was wrong. Named for it’s resemblance to the famous beaches of the neighbor
and of Bali: Bale Kambang (meaning small floating house)exists as a part of Malang. And since
possible to reach with public transportation, it has remained a well kept secr et of the East Javane
ople.
y day started at 5 a.m. to beat the heat and the crowds. My friend Nita and our driver for the dayked up Stephanie and I to begin our journey. Our first destination was the flower stall at the loca
e met the Hindu priest and caretaker of the temple,a close friend of Nita’s and after visiting with
d his wife at their very humble beachfront home, we were granted the key to go inside the templnor usually reserved for high Hindu spirituals and family. We tied yellow sashes around our wais
ceremony and made our way across the bridge jutting out of crystal clear turquoise water to the
e scenery that the temple offers is healing to the soul. All my stresses melted, washed away by t
ashing of waves, the fragrance of burning incense, and the fellowship of friends in a peaceful plache inner courtyard of the temple has exquisite stone carvings, sand beneath visitors feet, and a vi
the 10 foot waves crashing to remind visitors of the power of the ocean goddess and the smallne
humans in the world mere grains of sand like those under our feet in the scheme of the universe
ter a while enjoying the temple we headed out to the water to cleanse ourselves in the refreshing
nsparent sea salt. The water was amazing. It was cleaner than the water that attracts most touris
li or Gili Trawangan. It’s also teeming with life, but armed with a strong current protecting the re
m most destructive swimmers. The tide took us down the coastline lounging and floating and picshells and dead coral along the way. Fish nibbled at my feet like I was an all you can eat buffet