Savanna View ... Bekol

“ One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things ” 

– Henry Miller –

Savanna View

Traveling is to see and explore a horizon that never been seen before. Being new from an alienation. Become a friend of a journey. A journey to see the new stuff with a new way. A new path for a way back home. The 'Final Destination'. 

I think that does not need to go to the African continent if you just want to see the savanna. Indonesia also have it. One of them was in National Park Baluran, Eastern Java. Expanse of grassland or savanna Bekol seen against the background of Mount Baluran were Baluran National Park, Situbondo. Moreover 40% from 25,000 ha of the park's location is savanna. A savanna that you can see hundreds of deer running around and close to a water source, peacocks with its beautiful, buffalos with the colony. The best view that you can get it from a tower whereas you could see a real wildlife like an Africa apperance. 

If you would like towards to the savanna, from the entrance, you were treated by the forest collided with a bush on the side of the road. Along road from the entrance to Padang Bekol with a distance around 16 Km, you will pass a very damaged road. You will cross the cobbled ways, accompanied by the right side of the road by a hedge trees that are deciduous leaves due to dry season. After + 10 km, faintly visible on our left a towering mountain is not so high, the mountain called glaze. After that, around km 12, we see a different landscape. A stretch of savanna with a sparse shrubs. A beautiful African appearance, but of course without the wild animals roam. That's called Padang Bekol. 

Just an information, you could use your own vehicle or rent an "Ojek" from the entrance. 

Near to Padang Bekol, there is a building complex which was office and some homestay. It turns out there are in the post Bekol tower with 10 meters in height, located on a hill. After reaching the tower, from above you could see a quite beautiful scenery. On the one hand, there is a stretch of the plains with the mountain backdrop Baluran. Second hand, the sprawl of vast savannas, which seems infinite. Just like the African savannas. No less fascinating is if you look at the east side, loomed a blue sea that looked as flickering sunlight. What a spectacular scenery from this tower!!!. 

When I came to National Park Baluran, mostly savanna was burned intentionally or not. Information from officials here said that the savanna Bekol burned intentionally due to produce a new plants. It is intended for the good of the deer itself. But, some part was burned due to dry season.

Watching the real life make us to be concerned with the balance of life, especially with the forest. Forest ecosystems should be maintained so that its continuity can be maintained up indefinitely. Go green and save Forest for our life sustainibility. 

Have a great travelling and create your own journey.

With Leisure, 

MKS

Situbondo, 16 Sept 2012