Exploring Indonesia: A Guide to Baduy

As we climbed the muddy track to Baduy, we had flashbacks of our first trip to this isolated village outside of Jakarta. It was amazing how much the area has changed since the last time we visited. The Ciboleger area, one of the main entrances to Baduy, was a lot busier than before, yet I was still excited to visit.

Despite the changes that have happened I would still recommend visiting this place. So for anyone who has never been before, I have written an in depth guide on how to get to Baduy and what to expect when you get there.

Interested in visiting the villages of Baduy I can help arrange the tour? Press the button below to make a booking.

I want to start by sharing a bit of information with you about the Baduy.

People of Baduy Luar

The Baduy

The Baduy are a traditional Sundanese ethnic group that live in the province of Banten, a few hours outside of Jakarta. The villages where they live are famous, because the Baduy do not use modern technology, though this is changing.

The Baduy are split into two distinct groups. The first are the communities who reside in the area known as Baduy Luar. There are 22 villages that are considered a part of Baduy Luar. The communities that form Baduy Luar form a barrier to the outside world for the 40 families who live in the area known as Baduy Dalam.

Baduy Dalam is split into the three villages of Cibeo, Cikertawana and Cikeusik. The people who live in these villages have limited contact with the outside world and do not use any modern technology. The only way to reach these villages is to trek for hours along muddy tracks through the countryside. To learn more about the Baduy take a few minutes to read this article here: http://discoveryourindonesia.com/baduy.

‘Leuit’ after Gajeboh village

Important

I was told when I visited Baduy Luar that foreigners are not allowed to enter Baduy Dalam. I think if you are from a South East Asian country then you can probably visit, but if you are Caucasian you will not be allowed into the villages of Baduy Dalam.

Don’t worry, as a tourist you can always visit Baduy Luar. It is a great place to visit and there’s lots of great trekking to do and traditional villages to explore. This is a really special place and shows you a completely different side of Java.

Night in Baduy

What to Expect

Visiting Baduy Luar felt like travelling back in time. Staying around Baduy Luar community, Balimbing Village, is a case study in the art of doing nothing. Just imagine, it’s 7 pm and the sky is dark; you have already finished your dinner; there is no 3G signal; no electricity. There is just silence. Probably, this is the kind of feeling that you get when you are meditating.

When I was there, we joked that if we stayed overnight in the village for more than 3 nights we would have shared our life history to our travel mates. Staying in Baduy Dalam more or less the same, but it is quieter, more peaceful and you can’t use any electronic items.

Bamboo bridge

How to Get to Baduy

There are two ways you can get to Baduy. You can either join an organized tour (I’ll share with you a bit of information about that later on). Alternatively you can arrange everything yourself. I’ll cover both options, so you can decide which one best suits your needs.

The Arale team! Thank you for the great journey.

Visiting Baduy By Yourself

To get to Baduy you need to head to first get to Rangkasbitung. The easiest and quickest way to reach Rangkasbitung from Jakarta is by train. You can take a local economy train, from Angke Train Station, or an express economy train, from Tanah Abang Train Station, to Rangkasibitung Station. The difference between the two services is that the local economy train will stop at every station on the route from Angke to Rangkasbitung. The express train is direct.

Krakatau Express train from Rangkasbitung to Tanah Abang

Personally I’d advise taking the express train. You can take the following express trains: Rangkas Jaya, Kalimaya Express and Krakatau Express. The journey with the express train takes around 1.5 – 2 hours

Once you arrive at Rangkasbitung train station, walk out of the station to the market. There you will find a number of small red public buses (we call them ‘Angkots’). Ask someone for the bus that takes you to Aweh terminal. It is a 20 minutes ride and will cost you IDR 4,000.

From Aweh terminal you need to take an Elf – a bigger bus – to Ciboleger (the entrance gate to visit the tribe). The journey takes 1,5 – 2 hours drive and costs IDR 15,000. Alternatively you can take an Elf from Rangkasbitung train station straight to Ciboleger for IDR 20,000.

Trekking to Baduy Dalam

Trekking to Baduy Luar and Baduy Dalam

So there you go, that’s how to get to Ciboleger. From Ciboleger you will need to start trekking to get to Baduy Luar! The nearest village to Ciboleger is Kadu Ketuk village. We didn’t stay in Kadu Ketuk, instead we went to Balimbing Village. It took us around 45 minutes trekking from Ciboleger to Balimbing village, where we stayed for several days.

Luckily for me, one of the people in my group knew somebody who lived in the area (Balimbing Village) so it was easier for us to find a place to stay. There are some homestays around Baduy Luar where you can stay if you don’t know anyone.

You will need to pay someone to take you to a homestay. Make sure to agree on the price beforehand and ask them to find a house with a bathroom (otherwise you need to go to the river for bath/toilet).

Hiking across a bamboo bridge.

Arranged Tour

If you’re travelling alone, or you don’t know Indonesian then arranging everything by yourself is tough. I almost guarantee you will get lost on the journey from Jakarta to Baduy. However, that can be part of the adventure.

An organized tour helps cut down on all the confusion and makes your journey to Baduy a lot less of a headache. An organized tour to Baduy lasts three days and it’s an action packed adventure.

Woman weaving traditional textiles.

The Itinerary

On the first day a private (air conditioned) car will pick you up from your hotel in Jakarta. The journey starts at 8am and it’s a six-hour drive to Pasir Nangka. When you arrive at Pasir Nangka you are provided with a meal at a traditional restaurant.

After lunch you will visit Cijengkol Village, where you will be introduced to your friendly tour guide. After meeting your tour guide you will be taken to the house of the village chief to introduce yourself. Introducing yourself to the village chief is an important custom in Baduy culture. After the short introduction you’ll be taken to meet the person whose house you will be staying at.

Baduy Luar is a great place to explore. After an early breakfast it’s time to do some trekking around the beautiful countryside. You spend the second day trekking between some of the villages of Baduy Luar. It’s quite an adventure, the paths are muddy and you are often surrounded by jungle.

The halfway point for the days trekking is the village of Cisadane. After having a traditional lunch at Cisadane you do a big loop and trek back to Cijengkol Village. It’s a busy day and by the time you get back your feet will be sore, but I guarantee you will be happy. You can spend the evening enjoying a quiet night in this isolated village away from the hustle and bustle of Jakarta.

On the third day you visit the house of the head of the village for a traditional breakfast. After saying thank you for being able to visit Baduy, you head back in the car to Jakarta. It’s a six-hour journey back to the city, so you will get to Jakarta around 3pm.

Oh btw, I really like the way the woman were dressed; simple, stylish and effortlessly beautiful. I’m sure you’ll be just as impressed by the simple fashion of the people of Baduy.

Relaxing at a local’s house. The man is wearing traditional clothing worn by the people of Baduy Luar.

Book the Baduy Tour

Visiting Baduy is something really different. It always amazes me that so close to Jakarta there are villages where people don’t use modern gadgets. I’d definitely recommend a visit to Baduy for anybody who wants to be surrounded by nature and experience a completely different culture. If you’re interested in visiting Baduy for yourself I can help arrange everything for you.

Included in the Package:

• Pick up from your hotel
• Private car with driver
• ALL accommodation
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner, mineral water and fruit
• Entry permit to Baduy
• Professional English, French, Spanish or German speaking guide

Interested in joining the tour? Press the button below to make a booking.

Have you ever visited Baduy Luar and Dalam? What do you think about Baduy? Curious about Baduy Dalam women outfit? You should go to see it by yourself because we were not allowed to take photos in Baduy Dalam.

Check Discover Your Indonesia Facebook Page for more picture about Baduy!