Riyadi Slamet

My partner, son and I spent three days home-stay with Slamet and it was one of the memorable parts of our brief trip through Java. Kalianyar is very much a traditional Javanese village, with virtually no tourist facilities as such, for the very good reason that there are virtually no tourists. As such, if you are considering home-stay with Slamet it might be wise to take enough cash to cover your costs. That won't be much because the local food stalls and market are geared towards the locals,so everything is ridiculously cheap. Kalianyar is a traditional center for the production the terracotta roof tiles that are part of just about every building in Java, and is surrounded by the requisite lush rice fields. Slamet can take you for a walk around the outskirts of town and point out all the fruit trees you have never heard of. Expect plenty of shouted "Hello!"s - Westerners are still a novelty here, and the people are unfailingly friendly, in the Javanese manner. The big draw card in the region is the famous Blue fire of the Ijen Crater. Again, Slamet is available and can organise a vehicle and guide you up the two hour climb to the top of the volcano. This is an all night sojourn because (surprise) the flames are much more visible at night. You will also want to be at least averagely fit, although you would have to be near Olympic standard to match the endurance of the miners who hump their loads of sulphur up and down the mountain.. The climb is also hugely popular with holidaying locals. Afterwards there are some hot springs to soak in and ease any aches. For anyone who is interested in experiencing Indonesia beyond Bintang beer and Balinese back-rubs, talk to Slamet about a home-stay. If you are firmly wedded to your creature comforts but ready to tackle the Ijen crater, talk to Slamet about a tour. We did both and had a great time.