A
farmer at Cangar tends to his crops on the edge of the forest.
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The
Batu region is well known for its garden produce. A wide variety
of fresh fruit and vegetables flourish in the fertile soil and
cool hill climate.
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Until
recently, the only way to get to Batu from the resorts of Tretes
and Pacet, aside from walking over the mountains, was via Malang,
a distance of some 70 km or more. Now there is a new route, giving
direct access to Batu from Pacet. The village of Pacet is not
far from Trawas and the site of Reco Lanang. The road
winds up steeply through primeval forest in the foothills of
Mt Welirang, eventually emerging at Cangar, an isolated hamlet
renowned for its hot mineral pools and streams. From here, the
road descends to Batu, passing through a patchwork of fertile
hill plantations. The mountain panorama is breathtaking, especially
to the east, where the Bromo/Semeru massif dominates the horizon.
The scenic beauty of Batu is almost alpine in appearance and
the resort is sometimes even referred to as Java's 'little Switzerland'.Of
course, there are differences. Bamboo grows in abundance, the
wood being split to create a maze of fences surrounding the fruit
and vegetable plantations. The cool climate and fertile soil
are ideal for growing fruits like apples, for which Batu is well
known all over the island. The town is just 20 km from Malang
and offers a good selection of hotels, shops and recreation facilities.
There are a number of interesting places to visit in the immediate
vicinity, among them the hot mineral pools and ancient Hindu
temple at Songgoriti, Coban Rondo waterfall on the road
to Pujon, as well as the attractive lake at Selorejo. Interesting
day trips from Batu can include Coban Rondo, Selorejo
and, further down the hill towards Pare, the 14th century temple
ruins of Surawana and Tigowangi. |
