Visiting Tretes, East Java

Tretes is a small town about an hour's drive from the second largest city in Indonesia - Surabaya, in East Java. It's on the slopes of Mt. Welirang.

It's possible to take a day trip to Tretes from either Malang or Surabaya. But the traffic jams usually make the trip longer - especially on Sunday afternoons when everybody wants to go home to the cities at the same time from the mountain town of Tretes.

Tretes has several small hotels, some with swimming pools, (heated or not). Besides staying in a hotel, you can also or rent a small bungalow for a visit.

Tretes has a much cooler climate, when compared to Surabaya. You can sleep without air conditioning and still be comfortable. There are nice walks around town or around the rice fields so that you can enjoy nature and the unique flowers and plants.

There is one plant called a Kumis Kucing that, when you touch it, will close up the leaf in "shame".

Other things to do:

• Hire a horse for hour
• Go to the swimming pool
• Enjoy the sun
• Hike up to one of the waterfalls. There are two Waterfalls; "Kakek Bodoh" ( dumb grandfather) and Pucuk Truno. You can see the Pucuk Truno waterfall from two sides - the lower level, or from above at the top where the water starts to descend.
• At the "Sri" Restaurant you can eat a nice chicken dish and drink fresh young coconuts
• At special times you can view the Ramayana folk dance (from the Hindu epic of the same name)
• You can also play golf
• Visit nearby Mt. Bromo (inactive volcano)
• Nearby Tretes there is also a safari park
• View villagers who mine sulfur in a very simple manner high in the mountains. It's found in big yellow chunks near the volcanic steam vents near the top of the volcano and it and is very odorous (sulphide and sulphate minerals in their native form - found in volcanic regions). This yellow mineral is used for medicines.

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