An Itinerary of a SIx Weeks' Tour
INCLUDING BATAVIA, BUITENZORG, SOEKABOEMI, SIN- DANGLAJA, BANDOENG, GAROET, DjOKJOKARTA, PRAM- BANAN, BORO-BOEDOER, SOERAKARTA, SoURABAYA, TOSARI, BROMO, CHERIBON, KRAKATAU, PADANG AND PADANG-PANDJANG.
It is strange that while the winter months are best for visiting India, May and June are the best for touring through the Dutch Archipelago, as by that time it has ceased raining," except for an occasional shower. In the following itinerary the dates of the steamer departures are of course tentative.
| 1st day 2d |
Batavia. Java is reached in about thirty-six hours from Singapore. The port of landing is an interesting city, although the lower town with its native and Chinese population is not over- clean; but Weltevredon, the European suburb, is charming, with its shady streets, spacious squares and pretty villas. Early morning band concerts (5.30 to 6.30) are given in the Zoological Gardens and Waterlooplein. |
| 3d day 4th 5th 6th |
Leave Batavia by train for Buitenzorg, the seat of the governor-general, whose palace is in $ the magnificent Government Botanical Gardens, which are perhaps the finest in the world, and were established in 1817. Leave Buitenzorg by train across the saddle between Mounts Salak and Gedeh to Soekaboemi, a beautiful sanitarium with a lovely climate of an average temperature of 75° Fahr. A beautiful drive can be made to Wijnkoopsbaai, one of the few attainable points on the south shore of the island. |
| 7th day 8th 9th |
Sindanglaja. This beautiful resort is reached by rail and trap from Soekaboemi, and can be made the center of many delightful mountain excursions, especially to the waterfalls of Tji- beureum, Tjikoendocl and Tjibodas; and from here the ascent of the active craters of the Gedeh and the Pangerango can be made. |
| 10th day 11th 12th |
Bandoeng, a short distance by train from Sindanglaja, is another good center for excursions, the principal one being to the crater of the Tangkoeban-Prahoe. |
| 13th day 14th 15th |
Leave Bandoeng for Tjitjalengka and Garoet. Garoet. A clean and pretty little town situated in the midst of volcanoes, the principal one being the Papandajan, which is easily accessible. |
| 16th day | Leave Garoet by rail to Djokjokarta. |
| 17th day | Djokjokarta. Visit the fort and the resident's splendid house and grounds. The sultan's palace, the great Kraton, is situated in a walled enclosure four miles in circumference, and contains numerous buildings, ponds, canals, campongs, elephant stables and a menagerie, and is populated by 15,000 persons belonging to the retinue of the court. On festive occasions one can witness a representation of " wajang wong. " |
| 18th day | Make excursion to the ruins of the temples at Prambanan, which are of Hindu-Buddhist origin, and are very extensive and interesting. |
| 19th day | Drive from Djokjokarta to the renowned Buddhist temple of Boro-Boedoer, built in the eighth or ninth century, and consisting of a series of bas-reliefs representing scenes in the life of Buddha, surmounted by a cupola in which sits Buddha, the teacher. Resume drive, and spend the night at Magelang. |
| 20th day | Drive from Magelang to Ambarawa, stopping en route to ascend Mount Pinggit, to view the . Valley of Kedoe, the " Paradise of Java." |
| 21st day 22d |
By rail from Ambarawa to Soerakarta, the heart of the ancient kingdom of Mataram, and residence of the native sultan, Mangkoe Negoro, whose palace is inside the Kraton. |
| 23d day | By rail from Soerakarta to Sourabaya |
| 24th day | Sourabaya, the second town in Java, and the military headquarters of east Ja,va. Here, too, are the dockyards and artillery workshops. The town is indeed a very busy one, but not attractive for residence. |
| 25th day | Leave Sourabaya by train for Pasoeroean, thence by car for Tosari. |
| 26th day 27th 28th 29th |
Tosari is the highest health resort of Java, lies on a small promontory of the Tengger ridges, and commands one of the most magnificent views of east Java. Many wonderful excursions can be made from Tosari, the principal one, of course, being over the Moenggal Pass to the Zandsee (sea of sand), with its volcanoes, Batok, Bromo and Widodaren. If the traveler happens to be here during the great Bromo festivities in the month of May, he will see thousands of people camped on the Sand Sea at the foot of Bromo. Another wonderful trip is to the Semeroe, the highest volcano in Java (12,093 feet). |
| 30th day | Return from Tosari to Sourabaya, via Pasoeroean. |
| 31st day 32d 33d |
Leave Sourabaya by steamer for Batavia, stopping at Cheribon en route. The town is situated at the foot of the Tjerimai Volcano. |
| 34th day | Leave Batavia by steamer through the Straits of Sunda for Padang, Sumatra. We see the colossus Krakatau, whose terrific eruption on August 27, 1883, together with the tidal wave that followed, swept away 36,000 people, with their cattle and villages. Five miles from the place of the catastrophe people died from burns, while the fine particles of dust in the air are said to have caused the beautiful sunsets observed over the entire globe for many months after. |
| 35th day | Arrive at Padang, and leave for Padang- Pandjang by train over a road which bears a striking resemblance to the St. Gothard in Switzerland, between Goeschenen and Ander- matt. Time about four hours |
| 36th day 37th 38th 39th |
Padang-Pandjang is a good center to make excursions from, which can include Anei Pass, Fort de Kock, the active Volcano Merapi and Lakes Singkarah and Manindjau. Most of the points of interest can be reached by rail. The inhabitants have a proud bearing, and the women arc quite handsome. |
| 40th day | Return by rail to Padang. Notice the peculiar peaked roofs of the native houses. |
| 41st day | Leave Padang by steamer for Batavia. day. . |
| 42nd day | Arrive at Batavia, thence by steamer to Singapore, where connection can be made to points east or west |
