Hey travelers! Today's story is about my journey through nature in the North Aceh wilderness, more specifically in the nature area of the Blang Kolam waterfall. This was done at midday last Saturday when the sky was overcast. Even though I hoped before traveling there that the weather would be sunny because it was good for taking photos, everything was not as expected. You can't demand more because you can't arrange nature as you like.
Because there is no public transportation to Sidomulyo, a village that is close to the tourist destination, you can ride a motorbike there and bring some provisions such as food and sufficient mineral water.
The distance to Sidomulyo can be reached in approximately 5-6 hours from the center of the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, but it only takes 45 minutes from the city of Lhokseumawe.
There is a vehicle parking area provided by local guards; yes, the area is managed by the local community, and you are required to pay IDR 10,000 for a parking ticket. So you don't have to worry about your vehicle because someone will take care of it while you enjoy your natural adventure there. Perhaps because it was not a holiday, there were only a few vehicles parked there.
From the parking area, you have to follow a narrow path flanked by shrubs; sometimes, on the right and left there is a fairly deep ravine. But luckily, in some parts of the path that are very uphill and steep, stairs have been made to make it easier for you to hike until you arrive at the waterfall spot.
As you walk, you can hear the loud hum of cicadas from the dense undergrowth and the songs of birdsong from the dense canopy of trees. It's not uncommon for primates like monkeys and langurs to scream. You do not know whether they are cheering for you or welcoming you warmly at their home.
The fallen leaves were seen scattered covering the stairs and paths that I walked through. There are at least hundreds of stairs that you have to go through, and that's enough to make your calves tired so that every 5 minutes you have to stop for a moment to catch your breath, and then you can walk again.
I don't know who left a flip-flop there. The strap has been covered with moss. I guess whoever it is has found the strap of his flip-flop broken off while hiking.
After about 25 minutes walk, you can see a river filled with rocks below the ravine.
Dark-bodied dragonflies and millipedes are common things you find while walking.
After walking for about 30 minutes, you reach the edge of the river, which has large stones on the surface. The first thing you want to do is wash your sweaty face while listening to the gurgling sound of water flowing between the rocks.
The feeling of tiredness after walking on challenging terrain seemed to pay off completely when I saw the amazing sight. That's where you can see twin waterfalls that are so beautiful. You seem to have found a paradise hidden in the jungle.
The loud hum of cicadas, birds chirping, and the sounds of primate screams which were clear enough before, have now disappeared, swallowed up by the sound of the rushing waterfall.
There were only a few visitors there; I didn't find more than five, including myself. I prefer not to have many people there because the quiet atmosphere is more pleasant.
The sky was getting darker covered with thick clouds, and it didn't feel like time was going so fast. A guard came screaming at us from 100 meters away, saying visiting time was over. Yes, we were required to leave the place at exactly 5 pm.
That's the story of my journey. I would love to be able to share more of my travels in the future with you here and hope you never get bored with that.
