Palak Siring Kemumu - Wisata Alam Yang Scenic

Wisata alam Palak Siring Kemumu, tempat yang sejuk dan bagus untuk bersantai

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Mengemudi menuju pedalaman dari humiditas Bengkulu utara, Anda secara bertahap akan melewati area persawahan dan mulai menanjak melewati desa-desa pegunungan yang sejuk dan lembab di sekitar Kemumu, Arma Jaya, kabupaten Bengkulu Utara. Kemumu terkenal dengan daya tarik alamnya yang indah yaitu Palak Siring, sebuah kawasan yang indah, sejuk, dan cocok untuk bersantai dan juga bisa digunakan sebagai base untuk hiking di sekitar sungai kecil yang bersih dan perbukitan hijau di sekitarnya. Jika Anda tidak ingin melakukan hiking, Anda bisa berjalan kaki singkat untuk melihat pemandangan alam yang keren atau berenang (dekat lokasi air terjun Palak Siring) dan menikmati makan siang Anda. Anda dapat bermalam di Palak Siring, atau melakukan perjalanan pulang-pergi dengan mudah dari kota Bengkulu. Sehari di Palak Siring bisa menjadi pengalaman yang menyenangkan. 

Hiking di sepanjang tepi sungai dan melintasi hutan berbukit

Palak Siring Kemumu jarang dikunjungi oleh turis, namun di hari Minggu dan hari libur kawasan ini akan dipadati oleh pengunjung lokal. Sayangnya tempat yang indah ini tidak memiliki fasilitas yang memadai dan mengalami masalah dengan sampah. Tiket masuk per orang hanya Rp. 2.500 (sekitar US $ 0,15), gratis parkir kecuali akhir pekan.

Lokasi: Palak Siring terletak di Kemumu, Arma Jaya, kabupaten Bengkulu Utara, sekitar 62 km (38,5 mil) / 1,5 jam dari kota Bengkulu, atau sekitar 15 menit berkendara dari Arga Makmur. Temukan lokasi wisata Palak Siring di Google Maps.

Note: Selalu berhati-hati saat berjalan di dekat lokasi air terjun. Beberapa jalan setapak dan bebatuan bisa basah dan licin.

Foto-foto dari wisata alam Palak Siring 

Nafas segar dari alam Palak Siring

Pemandangan dari puncak air terjun Palak Siring

Kolam alami yang sejuk dekat air terjun Palak Siring

Anak sungai Palak Siring

Aliran air yang sejuk dan bersih di dekat air terjun

Photos by Adriansyah Putera and Peter Kimball

Tips for Traveling on Rainy Sumatra Days

Mount Kaba hike

You will encounter iffy weather if you visit Bengkulu province or other provinces of Sumatra during the rainy season. In Bengkulu province and its neighboring provinces including South Sumatra & Lampung province, the rains normally start from October to March (peaking in December - February) slightly later than the north parts of Sumatra. The weather is still hot and more humid in the coastal areas, but at higher elevations tend to be cooler.

Traveling in Bengkulu province during the rainy season especially within the wettest months December – February can be very challenging and inconvenient for most travelers. The December to February rains can come in sudden tropical downpours, and or it can also rain nonstop for a whole day. If you want to go backpacking to try a rainy season escape or a very adventurous trip that many travelers miss out on, perhaps in the rural or mountainous areas, it will require not only willpower but also preparation and a lot of patience. Make sure you carefully plan what to wear on a rainy day and bring the right gears. Here are some important tips from real travelers and my own experiences for traveling on rainy Sumatra days:

General rules: planning and preparation are half the battle. 

First identifying which regions you want to visit & stay, what you want to do and how long you want to travel before packing for your trip to Bengkulu province to get a greater understanding of what will be needed.

Suggested items to bring

Going rural

• A light waterproof rain jacket (heavy plastic raincoat might be too warm to wear in the coastal areas).
• Four of five t-shirts should be enough. The weather at higher elevations tend to be cooler, you can layer t-shirts for warmth instead of strictly winter clothes. You can buy extra t-shirts at low prices in many places in Sumatra if you need more, but if you are a big and tall person it will be very difficult to find plus size t-shirts. 
• Two or three pairs of convertible long pants for backpacking, hiking or for any outdoor activity you may partake in. They can keep you warm when the temperature drops and can be turned into a stylish pair of shorts when the temperature bubbles up. 
• An emergency kit. It can help with some unpleasant situations that arise while on the travel trail, especially if you plan on hiking or going rural. It can be adapted to your needs, type and length of travel, and destinations. The basic emergency kit should include at least the following items:

1. First aid kit & enough medication for your entire stay. It is best to keep your medications in their original containers with clear labels, officials at ports of entry may require proper identification of medications.
2. Ready-to-eat canned food and drinking water.
3. Cellular phone.  We suggest you to bring a cellphone or buy a cheap cellphone and a local SIM card in Indonesia for your communication needs.
4. Multipurpose utility tool like a Swiss army knife.
5. A flashlight, the waterproof one is recommended. Power outages are frequent in Sumatra during thunder storms. 

➤ Don’t bury your emergency kit at the bottom of your travel bag. Keep it handy in case of an emergency.

• Sturdy hiking boots for going rural or hiking.
• Waterproof bags and zip lock bags (for use in protecting your camera equipment, electronic devices, travel documents, emergency kit, etc).
• A folding umbrella.
• Extra socks to wear while wearing shoes/hiking boots.
• Sandals/flip flops.
• An extra towel. It almost always comes in useful! 
• Rainy season is also mosquito season, so don’t forget to bring mosquito repellent and anti malaria tablets especially if going rural.  Recommendations for suitable drugs to prevent malaria can be found at www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html
• Locks for your luggage, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

We greatly recommend that you go through a final checklist once you think you have got all items with you.

Packing

Don’t bury things you needs such as emergency kit, extra clothes, or drinking water at the bottom of your backpack or travel bag. If you are going to go backpacking, your backpack has to be balanced or you could fall over. Don’t make your pack too heavy at the top or bottom, it’s best to keep the heaviest items close to your back. Access and balance are the keys to packing well. 

That is all that we can write. Remember that a Sumatra escape or adventurous trip during the rainy season is only suitable for those who enjoy slow travel and don’t mind stopping for one or more days due to weather disruptions.

Tips for driving safely on rainy Sumatra days, click here!

Driving Safely on Rainy Sumatra Days

Rainy weather road trip

This article has been updated on October 6th, 2018

     If you’re planning to drive in Bengkulu province or other areas of Sumatra this rainy season there may be more needed than a full tank of fuel. Roads in much of Sumatra are not great and can be more difficult in the rainy season. Potholes, slippery and poorly visible roads are often the causes of many road accidents during the rainy season. We list some important tips to minimize accident risks for your rainy weather road trip.

Safety starts before you drive. Here's what you can do before you hit the road:

• Give yourself extra time to check traffic, road and weather conditions before you go. It's also recommended to regularly check them for long distance driving. 
• Check brakes, steering, and fluid levels. 
• Make sure that headlights, turn signal lights, brake lights and windshield wipers are clean and functioning properly.
• Check tread depth. Worn tires especially bald ones can be deadly on wet roads. It is widely accepted that tires should be replaced if the remaining tread depth is down to approx 1.6 mm (2/32 inch tread depth). This minimum tread depth standard is adopted by many of the world’s national transportation authorities. 

  

  Tire pressure label 

• Check tire pressure, and also make sure that your spare tire is properly inflated. Many times people ignore their spare tire until they have a flat, and then find the spare tire is flat too. Keep in mind that many vehicles have different tire pressures on the front and rear axle. Recommended tire pressure is usually shown on a label attached to inside of the driver side door, doorpost, or glove box door. 
• Prepare an emergency kit and keep it in the car, you never know when something's going to happen to you or your car. The basic emergency kit should include the following items:

1.  First aid kit
2.  Car tool kit
3.  Food and drinking water.
4.  Flashlight. Waterproof flashlight is recommended. 
5.  Jumper cables. 
6.  Multipurpose utility tool like a Swiss army knife.
7.  Two reflective warning triangles

Safe Driving in the Rain

The Sumatra rainy season often brings heavy rain and often means flooded roads, a few rain drops can quickly develop into a heavy downpour. Here's what you can do to have a safe drive during the rains & thunderstorms:

• Maintain safe following distance.  The 3-second rule needs to be increased to at least 5 seconds as wet roads can double stopping distances. 
• Turn on your windshield wipers to keep your windshield clear. 
• Rain can cause windshield and windows to fog up quickly. If your windshield and windows fog up, turn on the air conditioning and open the windows a little bit if necessary to increase the airflow. In a car without AC, a rag or piece of clothing will work as well, you'll just need to clear the windshield and the window more often. 
• Turn on your headlights even in a light rain, or in gloomy, foggy conditions. They not only help you see the road but also help other drivers see you. 
• Avoid excessive or sudden braking. It’s best to apply the brakes smoothly and gradually before coming to a complete stop. If you push the brake pedal to the limit, the car will probably skid. 
• Don't follow large trucks or buses too closely, they tend to kick-up a lot of spray which can reduce your vision. Take care when passing them as well, if you must pass, do it quickly and safely.
• Go slow when driving through a puddle of uncertain depth. If it is deeper than the bottom of your doors, turn around and find another route. Deep water can cause serious damage to a modern car's electrical system. 
• When stuck in the mud, shift into 1st or 2nd gear and accelerate slowly. Don’t spin the wheels, or you could sink deeper.
• When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible and wait until the storm passes.

Bengkulu - Kepahiang road condition

Flood Hazards

Many areas within Bengkulu province are considered to be at low to moderate risk of flooding. Floods can occur in Bengkulu province and the neighboring provinces as a result of heavy rainfall for a prolonged length of time. Take extra care when driving through these following areas which are prone to flooding:

• Bengkulu city: Bentiring, Rawa Makmur, Semarang, Surabaya Permai, Tanjung Agung, and Tanjung Jaya.
• Seluma district: Jenggalu, Cahaya Negeri, Air Periukan, Sukaraja, Seluma, Talo, and Semidang Alas Maras.
• South Bengkulu district: Pasar Manna, Manna, and Ulu Manna.
• Kaur district; Kaur Selatan (South Kaur), Nasal, Simidang Gumay, Tanjung Iman, Tetap, Luas and Maje.
• Rejang Lebong district: Sindang Kelingi, Air Dingin, Bermani Ulu, Curup, Selupu Rejang, and Padang Ulak Tanding.
• Kepahiang district: Bermani Ilir, Merigi, Ujan Mas, and Kepahiang.
• Lebong district: Lebong Utara (North Lebong), Uram Jaya, and Pelabai.
• Central Bengkulu district: Karang Tinggi, Taba Penanjung and Pondok Kelapa.
• North Bengkulu district: Lais, Batik Nau, Ketahun, Air Besi, Putri Hijau and Marga Sakti.
• Mukomuko district: Pulau Makmur, Ipuh, Arah Tiga, Lubuk Pinang.

Hope it helps and stay safe!!!

Photos by Adriansyah Putera

Palak Siring Kemumu - A Scenic Natural Attraction

Palak Siring Kemumu natural attraction, a cool and good place to relax

Last updated: April 2nd, 2020
Klik di sini untuk versi bahasa Indonesia

     
Driving inland from the humidity of northern Bengkulu, you gradually leave the rice terraces behind and ascend into the cool, damp hill villages around Kemumu, Arma Jaya, North Bengkulu district. The village of Kemumu is known for its scenic natural attraction called Palak Siring, a lovely, cool and good area to relax and use as a base for hiking around the clean small river and surrounding green hills. If you don’t want to do hiking, you can do some short walk to see the cool panorama or swimming (near the Palak Siring waterfall site) and enjoy your lunch. You can stay there or easily day trip from the city of Bengkulu. A day at Palak Siring can be a wonderful experience.

Hiking along the river's edge and through hilly forest 

Palak Siring Kemumu lacks of tourists, though Sunday and public holidays are crowded with local visitors. Unfortunately this beautiful place lacks of adequate facilities and experiences a problem with litter. Admission per person is just Rp. 2,500 (about US$ 0.15), free parking on weekdays. 

Location: Palak Siring is located in Kemumu, Arma Jaya, Northern Bengkulu district, about 62 km (38.5 miles) / 1.5 hours from the city of Bengkulu, or about 15 minutes drive from Arga Makmur. Find the location of Palak Siring on Google Maps. 

Note: Always be very cautious when walking nearby the waterfall site. Some of the trails and rocks can be wet and slippery. 

More photos from Palak Siring Kemumu

The view from the top of the Palak Siring waterfall

Palak Siring creek

Cool swimming hole site near the Palak Siring waterfall

The cool and clean water stream nearby

The sweet breathing of Palak Siring nature

Photos by Adriansyah Putera & Peter Kimball