MALANG ODYSSEY

 Written by : Aurel Ezmarelda Ratu Imang

Class : XII-6

 

Annyeong haseyo!! Yeoreobun jal jinaeseyo? Hello everyone, how are you? Wowww finally I uploaded my newest blog again because I was very busy joining a trip to Malang. So, let’s follow my story for approximately five days with Malang Odyssey!

 

On the first day, we gathered at Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan. The atmosphere was crowded and exciting because it was holiday season. After taking care of the necessary documents, we boarded the plane and started our journey to Malang. The trip felt quite long, and I slept during the flight. When I opened my eyes, we had already arrived. After quickly tidying up our belongings, I followed our tour guide. Outside the airport, we were picked up by a travel bus. I really enjoyed seeing how beautiful Malang city was. The most memorable view for me was a long bridge surrounded by the open sea. I do not even remember how many photos I took of it.

 

Our first destination was lunch at a roadside restaurant that served Bebek Suramadu and sambal pencit as the main menu, and I must admit that it tasted incredibly delicious. I even joked that I wanted to bring the seller home so they could sell in front of my house. After that, we checked in at HARRIS Hotel & Conventions Malang. It was quite luxurious and comfortable. We had some time to rest before gathering again in the hotel lobby to continue our trip to Bakso President. I was not too hungry, so I only drank iced orange juice and ate some fried snacks. Later, we visited Malang Night Paradise. It was already dark, and the decorative lights shone brightly. It was so beautiful. We rode the Magic Journey attraction, a boat ride surrounded by glowing flowers and bright buildings. I felt like I was in the same boat as Princess Rapunzel. After that, we returned to the hotel.

 

On the second day, we went to Hawai Waterpark, one of the most famous waterparks in Malang. Honestly, I was a little hungry because we were not given breakfast and were brought directly there. I was afraid I might faint, but thankfully I brought bread and sausages from Samarinda. There were many children there, and I made new friends who were much younger than me. The artificial wave pool was very fun because we kept bumping into each other and saying sorry repeatedly. It was hilarious.

After that, we continued to Ocean Garden and Kampoeng Heritage Kajoetangan. There were many beautiful artworks painted directly on the walls. Every step I took, I was amazed by how talented the artists were. We also saw Kopi Hamur Mbah Ndut, but I did not try it because I only ate my bread and sausages from the morning and I also do not like coffee. For dinner, we went to Pondok Desa. I ate quite a lot, and the grilled gurame fish was the most delicious dish. It tasted so umami and amazing, or maybe it was because I had not eaten rice all day. Later, we visited Alun-Alun Malang and saw the fountain and the beautiful mosque at night before returning to the hotel.

 

On the third day, we visited Lembah Tumpang. The scenery was very green, peaceful, and well organized. The architecture imitated ancient Hindu kingdom buildings with a strong Balinese atmosphere. After lunch at a restaurant in the middle of rice fields, we continued our journey to Gangster Town. The vibe felt like being abroad because the buildings and vehicles looked unfamiliar. There were replicas of goats, motorcycles, airplanes, and cars displayed there. Then we went to the floating market. It was very beautiful, and I loved interacting with local residents and buying some of their products. After that, we had an afternoon meal at Resto Bu Atik. My favorite menu was the sweet and spicy chicken because the meat was very tender and delicious. At night, we visited Cafe Sawah. I ordered some drinks, but in my opinion, they tasted quite ordinary, just like drinks in other cafes. We spent some time relaxing in the gazebo before returning to the hotel.

On the fourth day, we went to Kota Wisata Batu. There were many insects and animals, some real and some replicas, including aquariums and other attractions. After that, we had lunch at Warung Areg. We ate fish again, and honestly I was already tired of eating fish, so I ordered something different. Later, we returned to the hotel and prepared for the next day.

 

The next morning, we had breakfast at a soto ayam stall near the hotel. It was quite delicious, and I liked it. Then we went to Suku Baru Malang, where we played fun rides such as Bianglala and the carousel. After that, we returned to the hotel.

 

On the last day, after arranging our hotel bills and packing our belongings, we visited Malang Strudel, one of the famous souvenir centers in Malang known for its Bolu Malang and various dry snacks. There were also typical Malang keychains. The place was very crowded, so you must be careful if you bring valuable items. We had lunch at Bakso President again. This time I ordered grilled chicken with sweet soy sauce and iced orange juice. Finally, we went to Juanda International Airport, took care of our documents, and flew back to Balikpapan.

 

In my opinion, this trip was a mix of wonderful experiences and a few small inconveniences. I truly enjoyed the variety of destinations, the beautiful scenery, the unique attractions, and most of the delicious food. I loved visiting places with artistic value and cultural atmosphere, and I was especially happy to interact with local people and make new friends. However, there were also some minor complaints during the trip. For example, we were not given breakfast on one of the days, which made me feel very hungry, and we ate fish quite often until I felt a little tired of it. Some drinks at the café also tasted ordinary, not very special. Even so, those small shortcomings did not reduce my overall happiness. Overall, I highly recommend this trip because it was fun, memorable, and full of new experiences that I will never forget.