The Mythical Tumpak Sewu Waterfall

Tumpak Sewu Waterfall

The Javanese Mythical Believe

Javanese would never be far away from mystical believe. Though most of people embraced Islam as the official religion, yet the ancient and traditional believes still co-exist within Javanese culture. Some places like mountain and deep jungle are considered sacred, whomever goes to those kinda places must not have bad intention or do bad things that against local morality or they'll have bad luck through their journey or worst they'll be dead in their path. It is believed that the mystical beings lives in the places like that, it also believed that they even have kingdoms or society living in those places.

But some of those places are not that scary anymore, they became tourism objects with visitors in daily basis. The advanced technology such as internet or GPS gadget or even Social Media plays big roles in changing the society's mind. For example hiking Mt.Semeru, it's not only dominated by those professional hikers today. Some high school students could do the same. Social Media has become the main cause of this phenomenon. Many new destinations are now easily become famous and gain many visitors. Just like the destination I have visited last week during my long weekend holiday. It is called Tumpak Sewu Waterfall.

Sewu is a Javanese term for the word many or a thousand. Tumpak Sewu can be means there are many waterfalls in one place. It is for real, here we can see waterfalls in almost circular cliff within 200 m high. It reminds us of the Rivendell in the movie Lord of The Ring where the palace is surrounded by many waterfalls.

Rivendell

The Route

It took me around 5 hours ride from Jember Regency, It is located in  Pronojiwo District, Lumajang East Java. It is actually closer when we go from Malang City since the location is somewhere in the border with Dampit District, Malang Regency. We encountered beautiful scenery through the journey from the mountain scene to the terraces of rice fields that looks like the one in Bali. We had to pass the mountain area with the winding road and through deep jungle, following the GPS.

The place is already managed by the local villagers with only IDR 5000 for parking motorcycle and another IDR 5000 for panorama entrance. I thought it would stop, but then I had to pay for another IDR 5000 down on my way to the waterfall. So typical, This happens in some tourism destinations in East Java where the paying is not stopping in two or three times. Why don't they just charged us for IDR 15000 for all the fee we must pay instead of dividing them into IDR 5000 on each different spots. 

Tumpak Sewu Waterfall

I wouldn't lie about its beauty, only that the crowd have occupied the best spot for photo taking. This is normal since the day was a public holiday. First walk was easy, around 400 m long of walk through well maintain small road. But then, climbing down the 200 m cliff was the real challenge. They built steps made of bamboo which only fit for one person at a time. When I passed other visitors I asked them whether it is still far or already close by, they always say it is still very far down. Not to mention that we have to walk another 400 m crossing shallow and swift river twice.

But then, all the struggle paid off once we reach the Waterfall. I didn't think it would be so huge, and I felt so small at the same time. I thought I was in the mythical place, it really is Rivendell, without the palaces. Luckily there were only few people down there in the waterfall. I couldn't really touch the waterfall since it is out of reach. All I could feel was the cold and wet wind go through my body that makes my clothes all wet. Everything looks beautiful, the waterfalls, the cliffs, the river and the jungle. None of the scenery gives you disappointment. Some people went further up to the rocky hill in front of the waterfall to get more epic photos. I wouldn't do the same coz it's life risking.

The surrounding area is so green with cliffs on both sides, it somehow looks scary if I were alone. the maximum hours of climbing down to the waterfall is at 15.00 p.m. That is due to the dangerous steps if we climb back during the dark. Yes, climbing up is the true challenge on this place, especially for those who rarely do exercise like me, and it was much scarier. 

I believe that there is still more to explore in East Java. Mythical places like this will be found more in the future. Once a sacred place to be a tourism destination, as long as we can respect the nature and its inhabitant, it should be fine.