Indonesia

Situ Patenggang

May 21, 2016

Situ Patenggang or Situ Patengan, located in Ciwidey, Bandung Region, is a lake and famous with their myth. But what I’m fascinated by is the spacious green tea plantation next to the lake. It felt like I was in the Willy Wonka’s factory, you know where everythings’ edible. What sadden me was the cloudy then rainy weather. Good thing that I was able to take pictures before it rained.

How to Get to Situ Patenggang?

Situ Patenggang location is more further than Kawah Putih. Since I stayed in Legok Kondang Lodge the previous day, it took me around 30 minutes from the Glamping Legok Kondang Lodge by car. The road is quite narrow and just enough for two cars. I highly doubt there’s public transportation to Situ Patenggang. Tour bus or guided tour are some of the options you can choose if you don’t have a car. Indonesia is a tropical country that only have two seasons, wet and dry seasons. I went to Situ Patenggang on May (spring/wet season) but I’m sure that this place can be visited all year round and still look as stunning.

Once you get to Situ Patenggang entrance gate, just like Kawah Putih site, you have to pay the entrance fee for you and your vehicle. They charge local people during the weekday for IDR 18’000 per person but charge IDR 135’000 for foreigners, which is ridicilously much more expensive than the local one. For weekends, locals will have to pay IDR 20’500 per person and IDR 185’000 for foreigners. Indonesian really do seek opportunity in charging the non-local. The price for car entrance fee is IDR 11’500. Then you have to drive passing by one of the most amazing tea plantation heaven. Make sure you stop and take pictures! Once you are near the lake, you need to park you vehicle because if you keep goin’ on, it will be the way to exit Situ Patenggang and the road is a one-way.

*the prices listed above are as per May 2016

You might able to see boats and swan-like water bikes. You have to walk pass through the vendors along the street and then you can go to the small island (but still connected with the main land) and people will start offering you prices to get on their boat. I have to say that this is typical Indonesian (or maybe Southeast Asian) in order to catch tourists attention. My tip is to bargain before accepting the price. Ask them to lower the price.

Patenggang Lake

The reason people are taking boats in this lovely Patenggang Lake (Situ means lake) is because there’s Pulau Asmara (Island of Romance, if you translate it literally) in the middle of the lake and it shaped heart-like from above. There’s also Batu Cinta (stone of love) that became one of the main attraction for tourists. The myth of Situ Patenggang is that this place had become the witness of two lovers who were once lost each other but eventually found their ways to be together again.

In the island that is attached to the main land (not the Pulau Asmara), people were picnic-ing. Some others were riding boat to encircle the lake or just simply admire the lake and tall trees surround you. This place can be far if it from Bandung center city, but it’s totally worth the time. I would suggest everyone to go here to Situ Patenggang if you have lots of time and a proper vehicle. The journey from Bandung city to Situ Patenggang can be time consuming.