Discovering the Natural Beauty of Baluran National Park and Enjoying A Memorable Trip with My Best Friend

The Baluran National Park is located in East Java, Indonesia and is known for its diverse range of flora and fauna. The park is home to many species of birds, mammals, and reptiles, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. As an adventure seeker, I always look for new places to explore and new experiences to try. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Baluran National Park with my best friend Daris. It had been a long time since we last saw each other, so we were excited to catch up and spend some time together. We decided to take a motorcycle for the trip and it turned out to be a great decision, as we were able to navigate the park and its surroundings easily.

Daris
Daris
Daris
Daris

Our plan was to camp in the national park, but we were disappointed to learn that camping was no longer allowed due to new regulations. Instead, we decided to take a break and grab dinner at a nearby restaurant. While we were eating, we started to discuss our options for the next day. We considered going to Bali island, but we were unsure about the current COVID-19 regulations. In the end, we decided to find a hotel nearby and spend the night there. The hotel we found was comfortable, affordable, and the staff were incredibly helpful. They provided us with great recommendations for places to visit in the area and even helped us book a tour of the national park.

The next day, we explored the national park as we had originally planned. We were able to see a variety of wildlife and natural beauty in the park. We spent the first day of our trip exploring the national park, hiking on some of the trails and taking in the stunning scenery. We saw a wide variety of wildlife, including beautiful birds, majestic deer, and curious monkeys.

During our trip, we met Abdul, a university student who was interning at the park. He was a great guide and shared some interesting facts about the park’s history and wildlife. We also had a great conversation with a local shopkeeper, who told us some fascinating stories about the park and its inhabitants. We then went to the observation tower. Along the way up, we had a thrilling encounter with a group of long-tailed monkeys. They were playful and curious, but they also seemed aggressive at times. We were careful to keep our distance, but we were almost attacked by one of the monkeys. Luckily, we were able to get away without any injuries.

 Abdul
Abdul

Anyway, one of the things that we were most looking forward to on our trip was the fnb. We knew that there would be plenty of delicious local dishes to try, and we were not disappointed. One of the highlights of our trip was the fresh coconut water that we were able to buy from vendors at the park. It was incredibly refreshing and hydrating, and a perfect drink to enjoy in the hot weather.

Mwehehe, a fresh coconut
Mwehehe, a fresh coconut

Another food that we enjoyed on our trip was instant noodles. Yeah, instead of grilled delicious seafood. we ended up buying a couple of Indomie. Yeah, you heard it right. INDOMIE lol. These are a popular and convenient food, and they can be a great option when you’re traveling and don’t have a lot of time to prepare a meal. We were able to buy instant noodles from local shops, and we found that they were a tasty and satisfying meal. We also brought along some snacks, such as chips and chocolate bar (ours fav), to keep our energy levels up while we were out and about exploring the park.

In addition to the delicious food that we enjoyed on our trip, we were also lucky enough to see some of the amazing wildlife that can be found in Baluran. One of the highlights of our trip was encountering a green peafowl, also known as a Javanese peacock. These beautiful birds are native to the island of Java, and they are known for their stunning plumage. We were able to watch one of these magnificent creatures for a few minutes, and it was an unforgettable experience. There are a few other interesting things to know about these fascinating birds. For example, did you know that the males are much larger and more brightly colored than the females? The males have long, flowing tail feathers and vibrant green and blue plumage, while the females are smaller and have more subdued colors.

 Deer
Deer
 Green Peafowl
Green Peafowl

Another interesting fact about the green peafowl is that they are omnivorous, which means that they eat both plants and animals. In the wild, they primarily eat fruits, seeds, and insects, but they will also eat small animals such as lizards and mice if they have the opportunity. One final piece of trivia about the green peafowl is that they are known for their distinctive calls. The males have a loud and distinctive call that sounds like a series of loud, booming noises, and they use this call to attract females and to establish their territory. The females also have a call, but it is much softer and more subdued. We were not quite lucky since it’s note a mating season so we had no chance to see these creatures in the most beautiful and distinctive pose.

My friend and I were lucky enough to come across one of the rare flowers. We were on our way to the beautiful Bama Beach when we spotted the flower on the side of the road. At first, we were not sure what we were looking at, as the flower was so large and unusual-looking. However, upon closer inspection, we realized that it was an corpse flower in full bloom. We were amazed by the size of the flower and the intensity of its odor, which was strong enough to make our eyes water (it’s a bit exaggerated tho). Despite its unpleasant smell, this is a truly incredible and unique plant. It has a fascinating life cycle, which involves a dormant period of several years followed by the rapid growth of a single leaf and flower. The flower only blooms for a few days before it begins to wilt and die, making sightings of the plant in bloom a rare and special event.

 Corpse Flower
Corpse Flower

Overall, our trip to Baluran National Park was a memorable experience. We were able to catch up and spend quality time together, while also enjoying the beauty of the park and making a new friend. I would definitely recommend this park to anyone looking for an adventure.

Be sure to follow my instagram account @edo_danilyan, thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one!

To Daris: halo halo kek? How’s life? Info halan-halan?

 Penutup
Penutup
 Penutup
Penutup

Edo Danilyan
Edo Danilyan
Graduate Student

Interested in computational biology.