Participants of West Java Adventure Off Road competition get more than just a taste of Javanese culture
THERE’S probably not much difference between our off-road scene and that of neighbouring Indonesia’s. The tracks are muddy and unforgiving, while the weather is equally unpredictable with the scorching sun at midday and erratic rains in the afternoon.
So, what makes an off-road expedition in West Java stands out?
“Nasi timbel, Javanese dances, rolling padi fields and the warm kampung welcome,” says Narimah Samat of Red Adventure, a KL-based event company.
The gutsy woman and Mohd Khairul Bakri formed the sole Malaysia team in last month’s annual West Java Adventure Off Road.
There were 58 teams in 174 4WD vehicles. While Indonesians formed the bulk of the participants, there were four foreign teams, including one from Malaysia and another from Vietnam.
The four-day expedition covered 300km, from the shopping city of Bandung to Karawang, the capital of Karawang Regency, some 50km east of Jakarta.
The route passes through valleys, hills, beaches and padi fields and offered foreign participants the chance to savour Javanese culture, tradition and hospitality.