Continuing part 1 about the places of interest in Jember Regency, East Java. Here are other places you can visit in Jember. You can cover these three sites in a day trip if you start early.
Rembangan Recreational Site
Located on the foot of Mt. Argopuro in the north of Jember Regency, the Rembangan Recreational Site is one of the backbones of Jember tourism. Situated on about 536-meter elevation, the road from Jember City to access this recreational site is undulating with plantations and woods on both sides of the road. No air conditioner is needed when the car is ascending the road since the air is getting chilly. Some roads have sharp turns that only allow professional drivers to steer.
Rembangan is the only mountainous recreational site in Jember. The site offers a gorgeous view of the Jember landscape where as long as the eyes can see is a green carpet of surrounding plantations. It is also the best spot to view the skyline of Jember City at night.
Setting on 13.45-hectare land, aside from hotel rooms, the complex also has a restaurant, two swimming pools, a tennis court, a meeting hall, and a camping ground to cater to its visitors who frequent it on weekends and holidays. Interestingly the water for the swimming pools is coming from the fresh spring water that is constantly flowing.
The Dutch colonial architecture hotel was built in the 1930s. It was constructed for the plantation owner to supervise their plantations as well as a place to recuperate. Rembangan had been a gateway for plantation owners until 1950 when the area was started to be managed by the local government.
The original architecture of the building can still be clearly seen in the part that now serves as a restaurant. Its teakwood pillars and Art Deco style are something to amaze at.
One of the hotel rooms, Melati 01, was once resided by the first President Sukarno when he was visiting Jember after Indonesia’s Independence. Currently, the original hotel construction has been renovated.
The place could be a bit crowded during the holiday seasons, still, visitors can explore the surrounding green area and enjoy its genuine fresh air.
Practical Info
There is no public transportation to the site from Jember City, it is suggested to rent a car.
The price of the rooms in this 3-star hotel ranges from Rp 205,000 to Rp 1,635,000 depending on its type. The site also has a hall that can be rented for offsite meetings or events.
The restaurant offers Indonesian food, seafood, hot and cold drinks, and some snacks. The price is affordable ranging from Rp 20,000 to Rp 100,000 per dish.
Opening hours: all-day
Contact: Dusun Rayap, Desa Kemuning Lor, Subdistrict Arjasa, tel. 0331 510 7224- 510 7212
Villa Koffie Afdeling Rayap
Down the road from Rembangan Recreational Site, about a 10-minute drive away there is the Agrotourism Site of Coffee Plantation of PTPN XII. The lush coffee plantation is located on an elevated land with a small stream flowing.
The Agrotourism Site is open for education tourism with an appointment. The plantation staff can give an educational tour to visitors who like to know more about coffee, especially the Robusta coffee which is planted there. The site is not for processing the coffee, but visitors can sip the fresh delicious cup of coffee in a small coffee shop.
The ambiance was both refreshing and relaxing as we entered the plantation. The coffee trees grow on the sidelines of the big trees and conifers. I saw a white-painted big house with colonial architecture located in a large yard. The Dutch colonial house is called Villa Koffie Afdeling Rayap which was built in 1908.
As we were driving inside the plantation, we could see a row of empty houses of the plantation workers that were left because of the flood a few years ago.
Not only touring the plantation, visitors who want to sense the atmosphere in the colonial house can rent the rooms at the villa. The villa used to be a house where the plantation owners gathered. Having five huge sleeping rooms with a total of 33 beds, the house is open for rent for visitors.
Staying in this house, visitors will definitely sense the atmosphere of staying in the colonial time at a coffee plantation. They can also make an excursion to waterfalls on the plantation.
Recently, a small camping ground along with rented tents has been opened for visitors.
Practical information:
There is no public transportation to the site from Jember City, it is suggested to rent a car.
Opening hour: for education tourism, the tour is from 9 am to 16.00 with appointment.
Contact: 0821 3192 2805 (customer service)
Papuma Beach
Papuma (Pantai Putih Malikan) Beach at Wuluhan Subdistrict is the most recommended beach to visit in Jember Regency, it has a long beach line with unique characteristics that visitors can stroll down. Located in the south of Jember Regency, Papuma Beach stretches from the east passing the rocky hills on the cape and then to the west side. The beach is buffered by thick forest on the elevated lands.
Located about 40 km from Jember City, it takes about a 4-hour drive by car to Papuma Beach. There are two routes to reach the beach, one route passing small towns and villages, and another route passing the country road with the fantastic view of teakwood plantations and rice fields. I was taking the latter route. Just like other routes in the southern part of Java, the road to reach Papuma Beach is an ascending and descending winding road.
Papuma Beach is managed by a subsidiary of Perhutani (a state-owned company that manages forest resources) of East Java since most area belongs to Perhutani. As soon we entered the gate we were led to a small road lined by tall and big trees that create a long canopy just above the small road.
There is a row of several wooden cottages that visitors who want to spend the night by Papuma Beach can rent. Public bathrooms and toilets for visitors are also available, in addition to warung/vendors that sell local foods.
The white sandy beach on the east side is not rocky and is shallow and calm enough for the children to swim. Many fishermen moor their boats on this side. Visitors can see flocks of fishermen’s boats floating. The boats can be hired to explore the surrounding waters. Walking down to the west in the direction of the cape, the beach is getting rocky. When the low tide comes, the rocky sea bed can be stepped on. Beware of the slippery stones and sharp rocks when you roam this area during the low tides.
Off the waters, there are seven protruding big rocks scattered on the sea. “Those seven big rocks have names,” said Kuako, the site manager of Papuma Beach who accompanied us. These big rocks can be clearly seen from Siti Hinggil, a small hill that can be accessed by cemented stairs. It is the best spot to get an extraordinary 360-degree view of Papuma Beach.
Siti Hinggil is located at the tip of the cape. On the top of it, there is a small hut, the highest point in the area that directly looks over the biggest protruding rock off the waters. From this spot, visitors can see both the east and west sides of Papuma Beach.
The sky was cloudy when I was there. I didn’t get the perfect view of the Indian Ocean, still, the sea breeze and the full view of the area were just extravagant. I wished I had not gone home soon so I could enjoy the breathtaking panorama longer. Facing to the north, I could see the thick trees on the hills on the cape and the beach walls. “The extended west side of Papuma Beach is still not explored,” said Kuako, pointing to the rocky forest hills on the west.
Walking on the west side of Pupuma Beach, the beach has different characteristics. It has both smooth sandy and rocky parts. There is a camping ground on this side. From this side, it is easy to see some hopping long-tailed monkeys that live in the trees.
Despite the tempting view of the beach, visitors are not allowed to swim on most of Papuma Beach, “It is dangerous,” Kuako emphasized.
Practical Info:
There is no public vehicle serving Papuma Beach from Jember City. Visitors can rent a car.
Entrance Ticket: Rp 15,000 (weekday), Rp 30,000 (weekend) for domestic tourists.
The room rate of the cottages depends on the season. On weekdays, the price ranges from Rp 250,000 to Rp 650,000, and on peak season, the price ranges from 450,000 to Rp 1,000,000.
Customer service: 0821 3192 2805
The trip to the locations was facilitated by the Jember Tourism Agency