01 Jan 2023
My friends and I had an incredible trip from Bali to Kawa Ijen with Dewa in December 2022!
He is exceptionally kind and patient, not to mention punctual and has excellent driving skills. The car was very clean and spacious making the long drive comfortable for the three of us. It was perfect to catch a few zz’s before the early morning hike. We also visited the Botanic Gardens which was great to stretch the legs between the long car ride and to be in nature.
Dewa always went the extra mile to ensure we were all having a fantastic time and responded to any of questions with a smile. He is incredibly experienced, and told us he has made the visit out to Ijen thousands of times over the past 10 years, and is friendly with many of the people along the way. It was also great to learn about Bali in a more intimate way from the eyes of someone who grew up here.
The transition from the homestay, where we slept until 1230am, and then meeting the local guide Yoyon at about 130 am was seamless. Yoyon was also great, having been a miner for 10 years and more recently transitioned to be a guide in the last 5.