Tidung Island... Meh!

Last week, I went to Tidung Island with my friends (19 people). We stayed there for 3 days and 2 nights. The island was not that good like people used to tell in many blogs. Dirty beach, thick grey clouds, and bad accommodation really made us wanna leave that island as soon as possible. I'm really sure that every kind of animal would agree to close their eyes. Here's the story.. but let this monkey close its eyes first..

Our expenses:

1. Taxi in front of Mall Taman Anggrek – Muara Angke Pier: Rp 30.000 (for 5 ppl) @ Rp 5.000. Tips: drop your team at the gas station or a thug will ask you Rp 2.000 for the taxi.

This is Muara Angke.. Weks!


Yes.. close your eyes.. (and your nose, my friend)

2. Boat ticket Rp 33.000 one way (Muara Angke – Tidung Island). (Ask local people which boat you should take. No need to buy ticket. The sailor will collect the money on the boat.) You may choose to sit on the roof or inside the boat. We choose to sit inside the boat. When you choose to sit on the roof, bring your jacket and put attention to the hot “knalpot” (exhaust pipe). Just don’t touch it.

This is the boat: pay attention to the destination.

This is a picture from the inside of the boat. It may be crowded in the weekend.


3. Accommodation: Rp 1.000.000 for two nights (20 ppl) @ Rp 50.000. They give us one house divided into two small houses. Each small house has one bedroom (for 3-4 people with a bed and a fan), small kitchen with one water dispenser without stove, one living room (where we slept with carpet and a mattress 6-7 ppl), and one bathroom with bunged up water drainage. There is also one air conditioner that flows into the two small houses. The electricity at that house was so bad, on and off for several times.

Looks good from outside, but it's bad in the inside..



ouch!

4. Meal: each Rp 15.000. Too expensive for little dish and bad taste. You better buy the food outside; there were several food stalls selling fried chicken (pecel ayam), instant noodle, etc. They also open up to midnight. But I suggest you to order and wrap the food for lunch when you go for snorkeling.

They could find some food at night. Don't you worry about the food.

This is the meal: nasi, tempe, ikan, teh.

kaing..

5. Bicycle: Rp 17.000 for one day. Just order it for one day. You better use bicycle when you want to go Small Tidung Island. The distance is quite far (15 - 20 minutes bike riding). You also charged for bike parking @ Rp1.000. And tell the rental to take them back after finish using it. Don't park it in front of your guesthouse. They will charge you the bike that you don’t even use if you don’t give it back.

Use the bicycle to go to Small Tidung Island.

The parking lot

6. Small boat for snorkeling: Rp 500.000 for one day (@ Rp 25.000). The boat can accommodate up to 30 ppl. The guide will bring you to the smaller islands: Payung Island, Air Island, Karang Beras Island. They will check for the stream first. If it’s safe, then you can jump into the water. They also rent snorkeling equipment: snorkeling glass & pipe, life vest, and fins; all for Rp 35.000.

The smaller boat.

7. Barbeque at the beach: @Rp 20.000. We ate 4 chicken-fish (ikan ayam-ayam), several squids, with rice, chili, and some vegetables. It’s optional, and it is depend on the weather also (raining or not).

Ikan Ayam-Ayam

8. For guide: we have to pay Rp 300.000 for two days for two guides (@ Rp 15.000).

9. Going back home: Boat ticket (Tidung Island – Muara Angke): The guide bought us the ticket with the same prize: Rp 33.000 (Rp 23.000 for students) or you can also buy it on the boat.

10. Back to Jakarta, from the pier there are several public transportations waiting (taxi or public transportation). We used B01, Suzuki Carry with red color. The fare is Rp 4.000 from the pier to Grogol Bus Station.

Day one: June 8^th 2010, Exploring Tidung Island.

06.30 In the morning, we arrived at the pier. There was also a group of people (around 16 people) go to Tidung Island and several ibu-ibu using the same boat with us. The boat was not that full like I used to see in several blogs.

07.15 The boat sailed. The weather was not that bad even though I only saw grey clouds outside. Better bring playing cards, mp3 player, your ipod, PSP, or drink Antimo to spend your 3 hours on the boat. There was a small box at the back of the boat, you can use for pee-ing.

10.15 We arrived at Tidung Island dock, and the guide picked us up. We went for lunch and watching Silet discussing the leak sex tape.

After we arrived on the islands, Azmil was upset because __________.

The clock showed 12:00 already and the guide said that our guesthouse wasn’t ready yet. He was begging us for apologize for the inconvenience. That was the time when the first bell for unprofessionalism rang.

Abandoned...

13:00 we still trapped in the same temporary house and we insisted the guide to clean the house faster and start the island tour as soon as possible.

Meh!

13:15 we moved our body and our backpacks to our guesthouse and started our tour exploring the island. We used the bicycle to the east side of the island (Small Tidung). Like I said, it was 15-20 minutes bike riding. After we park our bicycle, we went to the bridge. That was the only thing that the Island has for attraction. Since the weather was not that good, the water wasn’t that blue and green like I used to see.

The view from the top of the bridge.

The love bridge.

We went on foot crossing to Small Tidung Island. Small Tidung Island is used for coconut farming, only the farmers stayed in that island. There was a tomb of The Black Commander. The guide said that the Commander was a huge person. The guide said that we should go to Virgin Sand, located at the end of the Island. After walking for a very-very long time… we arrived at the Virgin Sand. I don’t know why people gave that name; I didn’t even see any labia shaped on it. All I see was trash along the beach: from baby diapers to pink jacket, from helmet to bottle of infusion. So sad, that Jakarta’s trash all stranded into this island.

Trash!

Yes, that's what we SEE in small tidung.

Close your eyes, pussy!

The pathway in Small Tidung Island, surrounded by coconut farm.

Keep walking.. Don't watch him..

He just wanna pee...

We had to walk through this kind of pathway to
the Black Commander's grave yard & the Virgin Sand.

Keep walking... don't look at the trash..

This is it !!! The end of Small Tidung Island: Virgin Sand.

All of the virgin should strike a pose here.

Yes... this is the Virgin Sands... I think it's already lose the virginity.

I'm still virgin..

We see the dolphin !!! But it's dead.

Don't cry..

The beach from the other side of the island is cleaner.

Come and take a pose first.

Star fish !!! Finally... and sandals, hehe..

Some beautiful spots for taking picture.

ihiy.. No drugs..

Ayo foto!

Foto lagi!

Last shoot before leaving the island.

After walking through bushes and rocky dirty beach, we went back to the bridge. They called the bridge as the bridge of love. You must jump and scream from the top of the bridge. That was quite relieving after several hours walking for insect bites and bad shits.

It's gonna rain...

But we prefer to take some pictures :p

Everyone! Strike a pose!

Background: Great Tidung Island

Background: Small Tidung Island

You can take beautiful pictures on the brigde.

All together now !

Emaaaaaaaaakkkkkk.....

Yes, you MUST try this!

Woooo hoooooo !

Back to the house, and sleep. That's the end of our first day trip.

Day two, June 9^th 2010, Island Hoping and Snorkeling

06:00 some of us went for the sun rising. But I prefer to sleep and waiting for the breakfast. Our menu for breakfast was nasi uduk with tempe bacem, one fried fish, and kerupuk (this is it for Rp 15.000 ?! Oh nooooooo….) McD should open their branch at this island. It's quite ruining my mood that day, but thanks God that the sun was shinning so bright that day and I can see Mr. Bluesky up above me.

08:00 we arrived at the pier and started the islands hoping for snorkeling. We went to three spots: Payung Island, Air Island, and Karang Beras Island. We didn’t snorkeling at Karang Beras because the stream was too strong. So we were brought to another spot near Tidung Kecil Island. We spent all the day by snorkeling, or some other fishing. The coral wasn’t that bad, but that was also not that good (comparison to Karimun Jawa or PhiPhi Island). Overall the group were having fun by snorkeling all day.

The pier.

Our boat is at the back one (red).

Always sit on top of the boat!
That line was the bridge that we've crossed yesterday.

Snorkeling time!

Finally!

Anaz, manteup dah jadi model snorkeling.

From one spot to another spot.

Can you see the coral ?

This is Air Island. (private island)

Air Island

Ada kapal.. numpang foto dulu bang!

Bunda & Nisa

The beach is beautiful here, the water is clear.

All together now!

Ayo mbaaa.. udah ditunggu.. foto muyu.

Another JUMP!

YAY !!!

Gadis penjual pelampung

*saingangadispenjualkorekapi*

16:00 we sailed back to Tidung Island. I went back to the beach for sun setting with some of my friends, the rest were taking bath and watching news about another leaked tape.

Ibu-ibu bermain voli! Hip hip hura!

Judulnya sun-setan.

Nih setannya. :p

Hajar Bang Boi !

19:30 we had barbeque at the beach near the park. They served us better food than the common meals.

Get ready for BBQ.

The squids.

Azmil is being fed.

Come and eat !

Around 9 pm I went back and payed off to Mr. Mur, some others were still burning some fishes and clam shell. We finished our payment as the deal that already made through the telephone. The additional charge was the guide. He insisted to hire 2 guides with his bureaucrazy blahblahblaah reason. I think one guide is enough. Besides he insisted us to pay the bike for two days. So sad.. We didn’t even touch the bike for one whole day. So meh! So sorry, I can't recommend you to my friends.

Last Day, June 10^th 2010 Say Goodbye and Never Come Back Again

Early in the morning (06.30 am) we went to the dock and jumped into the boat. The guide bought us the ticket. 07.20 the boat sailed. After drinking two pills of Antimo and zappp! I woke up by the smell of Muara Angke. Jakarta, we’re back!

Last pose before leaving..

Walking to the pier.

They missed the city.

Back to the pier.

And back to the boat.

In conclusion, Tidung Island wasn’t that good like I expected before. The special thing from this 'too commercial' island is just the bridge and jump from the top of the bridge. For the snorkeling, you better save your money for another Islands.

*special thanks for: Dita, Alia, Indah, Chrisen & Nisa for the pictures.