Last Saturday, on the final weekend of February 2024, I went on hiking journey to CIC, a destination known for its enchanting combination of waterfalls and tea farms. While the exact meaning of CIC slipped my mind, but rest assured that me of the experience that awaited – a blend of splashing waterfall and strolling tea plantations surrounded by wild flowers.
Picture this: a day filled with water meeting rock and the sweet tea leaves and wild flowers dancing in the breeze.
We hopped on motorcycle ride from my place to CIC, a typical Bandung drive characterized by the inhalling of fresh air, characteristic air of the rainy season. Armed with a packed lunch for two, my best friend and I plan on dining in the middle of nature. When we arrive around 10 am, we paid the entrance fee of Rp. 20,000 per person, with an additional Rp. 5,000 for parking. Our adventure began with an exploration of the stone stairs, leading us to the points of the area. We started by going down some stairs and passed a bunch of university students, probably having a party for the freshman.
We walked on this cool bamboo bridge, and you could already hear the water calling us. After about 15 minutes, I noticed something spooky above us – leftovers from a landslide. It was kind of creepy, but it added a bit of adventure to our trip. It reminded us that nature can be wild. Even though it was a bit scary, it made the whole journey more exciting.
Along the way, you’ll notice a bunch of pipes. It’s not like they’re forgotten or anything, but I believe they head towards a nearby village. You can see some leaks here and there, and the sound of water splashing from the leaks adds to the whole scenery, almost like a natural soundtrack leading us to the waterfall. As we were getting close, we crossed paths with a bunch of other hikers. The trail wasn’t consistently rocky; the interesting part was maneuvering through some pipes, spicing up the challenge on our way. Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for! After about an hour of walking, the sound of rushing water grew louder, and there it was – the waterfall.
I couldn’t resist dipping my foot into the chilly water. We took a break, enjoy in the breathtaking view, and when we had our lunch, it felt like the perfect reward, doubling the satisfaction after the adventurous journey. Post-lunch, I couldn’t resist going beyond just dipping my foot – I splashed the refreshing waterfall water all over me. With my hair wet, under the clear blue sky, and the soothing sound of the waterfall, I closed my eyes, feeling a sense of peace.
It was exactly what I needed after hustling through the corporate life from Monday to Friday – a weekend recharge for the soul. Had our fun in the waterfall, we prepare up for the journey back. Our route led us through Sukawana tea farm, and let me tell you, it wasn’t your typical tea farm. Picturing wildflowers in full bloom, accompanied by the gentle buzzing of bees and the butterflies, adding an extra layer of enchantment to the farm. I can’t stop staring in awe as tea farm and wildflowers is my two of my fave things.
As we continued our journey, we noticed that the place also offered a camping area place in the heart of the forest beneath towering pine trees. We were definitely coming back for that. After an hour of walking, we reached our starting point, and the whole experience turned out to be super fun for both of us.