In March, Angie’s dad, brother, and nephew came for a visit. We had been anticipating this trip for months, and it was so exciting to have them here. They arrived the Monday before our March holiday, and had a few days in Jakarta while we worked. We loved having a full house, and the pool got more use than it ever has before.
We did take their first full day in Jakarta off work so we could show them around and make sure they were set to entertain themselves the rest of the week. We decided show them how to navigate the MRT for a trip to Monas, the national monument.
The MRT is such a great way to get around the city. We were in luck when we got to Monas – the air was amazingly clear! We could see for miles, and got great views of the city, the port, and even all the way to Salak volcano to the south of the city.
Once we were on break, we headed out to Desa Laguna, a small resort island in the Thousand Islands, for two nights. To get there, we took a ferry to Pulau Kelapa, and then the Desa Laguna folks picked us up on small local boats. The weather around Java was rainy and windy due to storms on the Indian Ocean, but we didn’t expect much trouble. We were sorely mistaken, and ended up in a terrifying 30 minute ride to the island.
Desa Laguna, once you get there, is an amazing place for a weekend getaway. We spent hours snorkeling and paddle boarding in the calm water around the island. Angie’s dad had never snorkeled before, and we all enjoyed the colorful fish, crabs, corals, and other sea creatures you could see in the water. We also had a lot of time to hang out together and chat or read, or just enjoy looking out at the sea.
Because of the bad storms around Java, our Krakatau trip was cancelled. Instead, we decided to ride the bullet train to Bandung and spend a couple of days there. The WHOOSH train, as it’s called, just opened in October 2023 and is shiny, new, and efficient. It was a super fun ride!
A friend had recommended the Padma Hotel Bandung, so that’s where we stayed. The Padma is a fantastic hotel, with a gorgeous view over the forested mountains to the north. With heated pools, bountiful breakfast and afternoon snack, and an activity center for kids, it was ideal for our family.
One of the reasons we chose Bandung as a replacement to our Krakatoa trip is because there is a nearby volcano, Tangkuban Perahu. We hired a driver for the day and drove an hour over to the volcano. Our first stop was an easy 1.5 km hike to one of the lower craters. It’s pretty cool to smell the sulfur in the air and see boiling water over the steam vents. We even soaked our feet in pools of warm water that are supposed to have health benefits.
The large top crater on the volcano is accessible by car, so after our hike our driver took us up there to look around. After taking in the volcano it was time to relax! We headed to the nearby Gracia Spa to soak in some more hot pools.
The other thing we did in Bandung was eat! The hotel has a great restaurant, and there were several other places within walking distance, including the lovely Miss Bee Providore. We also went out in town one night, enjoying the funky Bloof restaurant.
After two nights in Bandung we caught the train back to Jakarta. Unfortunately, Angie’s dad got a terrible fever and ended up in the hospital. Luckily, he recovered pretty quickly. But for a couple of days, Adam, Fritz, and Fulton were on their own. Adam did a great job getting them out to shop for souvenirs, and they managed to try out the neighborhood fish restaurant.
The family ended up spending two extra days in Jakarta. The last weekend was pretty relaxed. We mostly hung out at the house. We did get out to Levant, the French restaurant around the corner from our house, for lunch on their last day. It was a big hit with Angie’s dad during their first week here, so it was nice to go one more time before they left. All in all, it was quite the adventure of the trip! We are so glad they were able to visit, and we have memories we will cherish forever.
Photo credits: Fritz, for most of the photos. 🙂