Lake Patenggang + Rancabali Tea Plantation

In my first week in Indonesia, I ended up covering a lot of ground and spending a fair bit of time exploring the mountainous regions surrounding Bandung. In my last travel post I outlined a sunny morning spent at Kawah Putih. Afterwards, we explored a bit more of the region and headed to Lake Patenggang (the hot springs would just have to wait). The drive to Lake Patenggang is a picturesque one as the area is surrounded by lush tea plantations. On the way we pulled over on the side of the road and got snap happy. By this time in the afternoon the climate had cooled dramatically and an eerie fog was descending over the mountain. It only got heavier as we arrived at the lake. At the lake there's a small market and you can head out on one of the many boats. We opted not to and instead explored the shores of the lake. Which were covered in rubbish. I had forgotten just how prevalent rubbish is in Asia, even at scenic tourist destinations like this. Aside from that, there was something calming about the being by the water and watching the fog roll in and I can only imagine what a hive of activity the place must be on a bright, sunny day.

What: Lake Patenggang and Rancabali Tea Plantation
Where: Ciwidey, around a two hour drive south of Bandung, Indonesia.
Entry cost: I can't remember the exact cost but it was basically loose change. However, the international tourists in my group did get charged a higher entry fee (even me, and here I was thinking I could fool them all).

Tips:
- Time your trip wisely. We ended up travelling back to Bandung during peak hour and ended up in a hellish 3 hour traffic jam.
- The roads around the mountain are winding, narrow, and quite hectic. There was quite a bit of swearing coming from us girls in the back seats. Make sure you have an experienced driver, or at least someone who is familiar with the area and Indonesian traffic.