Hi, guys! Today I will take you to explore Magelang, a beautiful and peaceful village in Central Java, Indonesia.
We’ll be glamping with a fantastic mountain view at Silancur Highland, ride on a jeep around the mountain, visit the colourful Nepal van Java, and stroll through Sukomakmur (a vegetable village).
At first, I wanted to explore Surabaya and Mount Bromo with my mom and sister. But then I saw some IG posts about Magelang and was instantly charmed.
The wonderful view, the idyllic village life, the food… I was so happy I bumped into those posts! I quickly searched for a tour operator to arrange this mommy-daughters trip.
As usual, I planned it far ahead, 6 months++ before the start of the trip… This way, I could manage my spending and have something to look forward to every day.
Yup, I work so I can travel. Having a planned trip motivates me to work, so it’s considered an investment 😛
Chubu Camp, Silancur Highland – Glamping with a View in Magelang
I asked the tour owner, Yudi, to recommend places to stay for the 5D4N Central Java trip. Our first stop was Magelang, famous for its stunning mountain views and jeep ride.
Yudi recommended Chubu Camp in Silancur Highland, one of must-visit destinations in Magelang.
I couldn’t wait to stay there because from what I saw online, it looked like glamping on a sea of clouds 😍 😍 😍
Yup, it was on top of a hill, surrounded by 6 mountains: Mount Sumbing at the back + Mount Merapi, Merbabu, Andong, Telomoyo, and Ungaran at the front.
To reach Magelang, we flew from Kuala Lumpur to Yogyakarta International Airport. When we landed, our driver, Ari, had been waiting for us at the airport.
Before heading to Chubu Camp, we picked a random local restaurant on the way since it was already lunchtime. Unfortunately, the food in that restaurant wasn’t our cup of tea…
Important lesson when you’re hungry: don’t be tempted by big banners on the roadside, guys! Better ask your local driver or guide where you should eat, or google it beforehand.
After lunch, we finally arrived at Chubu Camp. Yaaaay!
The porters welcomed us and carried our luggage to our accommodation. When I reached the ‘camp’, it looked exactly the same like the photos I saw online.
It may be too small for three of us, but that’s ok. Among the accommodations available in Silancur Highland, Chubu Camp is the only one with private access.
It was perfect — we had the view to ourselves, so we could take photos and videos without having to queue! 👏 👏 📸 📸
After checking in, we strolled around the area, took some photos, and had a light snack at a nearby warung (a modest stall at the roadside) as dinner.
By the way, documentation with a camera and drone was included in my tour package (driver + car + guide + documentation; hotels are paid separately).
If you don’t have a drone, I highly recommend hiring a local photographer, because the views in Central Java are best taken from above ⛰️ ❤️ ✨
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Sunrise Photoshoot at Chubu Camp and Magelang Jeep Ride
Rise and shine! We woke up early for the sunrise photoshoot in Silancur Highland. And guess what? One of the best spots is at Chubu Camp itself!
Yudi and his assistant arrived on time, they our personal photos and group photos for a while. Afterward, we had breakfast, then continued the photoshoot around the area.
As the sun set higher, more people came to Silancur Highland for the views and photoshoot.
If you don’t stay here, you need to buy a ticket to enter the area (around RM2.5 / 0.60 USD on weekdays and RM3.5 / 0.80 USD on weekends and public holidays).
Having a jeep ride when travelling to Central Java is a must, and Magelang is the best place to do it. Why? Because this village has a special jeep pathway!
Some locals even intentionally bought jeeps to rent them out for extra income.
CLARA10
Yudi told us that Magelang has a jeep rental system to avoid a monopoly, so every jeep owner gets their turn. Wow, nice! 👍 👍 👍
Next, we returned to Chubu Camp to check out and continue exploring Magelang with our driver, Ari.
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Visitting Nepal van Java, Magelang
Alright guys, there’s nothing much to do in Nepal van Java, Magelang except for a relaxing walk and taking photos.
The highlight of this popular spot is the colourful houses on a mountain, similar to those in the Himalayan area, Nepal.
Oh ya, the real name of this village is Dusun Butuh. When we got there, the photo spot was crowded and we had to wait quite a while for our turn to take photos and videos.
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Releasing My Inner Child in Sukomakmur, the Land of Vegetables in Magelang
Who would have thought a vegetable village could be so beautiful? Sukomakmur, also known as the Land of Vegetables, is one of the hottest spots to visit when in Magelang.
This village grows fresh, high-quality vegetables. For me, the spring onions stood out the most. Usually, the spring onions I saw at the supermarkets have long, soft leaves.
However, the ones in Sukomakmur stood tall and looked so green. Yum… suddenly I feel like eating an omelette with finely chopped spring onions! 😋
There was nothing to do in Sukomakmur, just strolling and enjoying the view and fresh air. And of course, we also had a photoshoot here 💚 💚 💚
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Lunch at the Famous Waroeng Jadoel, Temanggung
Ok, what’s for lunch? We told our driver, Ari, we wanted to eat local food at places that are famous among the locals.
Yup, we don’t want those restaurants that are viral on IG, because sometimes they don’t meet expectations.
Since we were heading to our second village, Temanggung, he suggested Waroeng Jadoel.
Ari: “But the place isn’t pretty…”
Me: “We’re OK! The food is the most important thing.”
My sister: “Sometimes, the more humble the place, the better the food is.”
Don’t be fooled by its appearance, guys… This restaurant looks very humble and a bit stuffy inside, but the food’s quality and taste are on par with proper restaurants.
Ari: “The owner intentionally keeps this place as it is, because that’s an additional charm for visitors.”
We were lucky to get a proper seat and table. It’s a mixed-rice style, where you choose what you want to put on your plate and someone will assist you in putting them on your plate.
There were chicken, fish, tofu, tempe, and vegetables cooked in various styles. You can also try many Indonesian traditional snacks at Waroeng Jadoel.
After realizing how tasty the food was, we went wild on the traditional snacks. We almost tried everything (we shared each among ourselves + takeaways)! 😋 😋 😋
By the way, this place runs on trust — we paid for our meals after we ate.
Nobody watches you while you’re eating. After you finish, you go to the cashier and tell them what you had.
After filling our bellies, we continued our journey to Temanggung, another beautiful village in Central Java, Indonesia. OK guys, I hope you enjoyed our Magelang trip 😊 🌄 📸
CLARA10
P.S. I’ll be travelling and busy moving house, so I might not update this blog for some time
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