Love Struck: Love Hills, Lembata (Bukit Cinta)

"Kenapa namanya bukit cinta?"

"Why is it called Love Hills?”

"Banyak yang pacaran di sini," ujar driver kami saat menyusuri jalanan panjang dengan pemandangan serba coklat kemanapun kami memandang.

“This is such a dating spot,” our driver explained as we went through the long road and our view was full with the brown landscape.

Memang benar banyak muda-mudi pacaran di Bukit Cinta, Lembata, Nusa Tenggara Timur. Namun kebanyakan dari mereka hanya nongkrong di atas motor di sisi jalan.

He was right. I could see many couples were having a date at Love Hills, Lembata, East Nusa Tenggara. But most of them just spent time on their bikes at the roadside.

"Kalau saya yang pacaran, saya akan pilih tempat di situ," pikir saya sambil melihat area dengan pemandangan perbukitan coklat yang diliputi rumput yang mengering di musim panas. 

“If I were dating, over there would be perfect.” I told myself while looking at the brown hills view covered with dried grass on the dry season.

  

Kami turun di salah satu sisi di Bukit Cinta, tepat di depan area dimana taman kecil masih dalam pembangunan. Namun saya justru lebih suka area yang masih tidak tersentuh bangunan sama sekali, area perbukitan yang tampak tidak ada habisnya.

We went down on one side of Love Hills, where a small park was being built. But actually, I prefer the other side without any construction, purely an endless view of hills.

Kami menyusuri jalan setapak kecil yang dipenuhi rumput kering. Pemandangan di Bukit Cinta, Lembata sangat mengingatkan saya akan pemandangan serupa di pulau-pulau di Taman Nasional Komodo, namun bedanya di sini mobil bisa masuk ke jalanan.

We continued tracking the small path that full with dried grass. The scenery in Love Hills, Lembata, reminded me of the similar sight of the islands in Komodo National Park, but in Lembata we could use the car to access the road.

Saat hari semakin sore, sinar matahari semakin berwarna keemasan dan membuat Bukit Cinta semakin mempesona. Kombinasi perbukitan, gunung dan laut di kala sinar keemasan mewarnai pemandangan yang ada, such a beautiful view!

In the afternoon, the golden sunlight turned Love Hills into more fascinating with the combination sight of hills, mountain, and sea. It’s such a beautiful view!

Satu hal yang pasti, saya jatuh cinta pada Bukit Cinta!

One thing for sure, I am falling in love with Love Hills!

@marischkaprue - falling in love with Indonesia's awesome nature since 2009 (yes, it's too late for her to start travel but better than never started it)

Photos by Ferry Rusli & me

**Some photos taken using DSLR Camera, some with mirrorless camera and some only using Sony Xperia M4Aqua smartphone! Can you spot which using M4Aqua and which using DSLR? It's hard to spot isn't it? Smartphone camera definitely becoming better and better, especially this Sony Xperia M4Aqua with 13 MP Superior Auto camera and 5 MP front camera!

**Some photos taken using DSLR Camera, some with mirrorless camera and some only using Sony Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone! Can you spot which using M4 Aqua and which using DSLR? It’s hard to spot isn’t it? Smartphone camera definitely becoming better and better, especially this Sony Xperia M4 Aqua with 13 MP Superior Auto camera and 5 MP front camera!

Bonus point: it also waterproof IP65/68, can handle 1,5 meters below the water for 30 minutes, splash and swimming is even more fun now!

NOTES:

• Bukit Cinta ada di Lembata, Nusa Tenggara Timur. Posisi Bukit Cinta terlihat dari berbagai sisi di Lembata, termasuk terlihat jelas dari Waijarang. 
• Love Hills is in Lembata, East Nusa Tenggara. It is visible from any side of Lembata, even from Waijarang.
•  Lembata berada di Nusa Tenggara Timur, Pulau Lembata berada di sisi timur Pulau Flores, namun Kabupaten Lembata mencakup gugusan pulau di area tersebut.
•  Lembata is in East Nusa Tenggara, Lembata Island is in the East side of Flores Island, and the group of islands in that area is included in Lembata District.
• Akses masuk ke Lembata paling mudah menggunakan pesawat masuk melalui Bandara Lewoleba di Lembata. Rute yang beroperasi dengan jalur Kupang - Lewoleba. Maskapai beroperasi setiap hari (namun tetap harus cek jadwal terlebih dahulu karena ada kemungkinan penerbangan dibatalkan) dengan jadwal: Kupang - Lewoleba pukul 8.30 pagi, Lewoleba - Kupang pukul 9.30 pagi. Waktu tempuh dengan pesawat sekitar 40 menit menggunakan pesawat baling-baling jenis Fokker 50 (untuk Trans Nusa)
• The easiest access to Lembata is by using an airplane through Lewoleba Airport at Lembata with the route Kupang – Lewoleba. The airline is available every day (but you always have to check the schedule to make sure no possibility of cancelling flight) with the route: Kupang – Lewoleba at 8:30 a.m., Lewoleba – Kupang at 9:30 a.m. It takes about 40 mins flight using the propeller plane with Fokker 50 type (for Trans Nusa).
• Harga tiket pesawat Trans Nusa Kupang - Lewoleba rata-rata Rp. 650.000,- hingga Rp. 700.000,- one way, untuk PP sekitar Rp. 1,4 juta.
• The average ticket for Trans Nusa with route Kupang – Lewoleba is IDR 650.000,- up to IDR 700.000 for one way and IDR 1.400.000 for return ticket.
• Penginapan terbaik di Lembata adalah Hotel Palm Indah Lewoleba, untuk saat ini booking baru dapat dilakukan melalui nomor +6285253913787. Kamar dan service sangat baik untuk kategori hotel di daerah, terdapat wifi di lobby dan area dekat lobby namun wifi sering down. Untuk sinyal internet dari provider ada di depan lobby (E) dan area dekat jalanan. Di bandara, dermaga dan beberapa area lain sinyal 3G. Hot water di kamar mandi kadang beroperasi dan kadang tidak beroperasi.
• The best accommodation in Lembata is Palm Indah Lewoleba Hotel. For now, booking only available by phone to +62 852 53913787. In terms of local hotel, the room was nice and the service was excellent. Wi-fi available at lobby but the signal around the lobby was poor. You can get (E) for internet signal from provider in front of the lobby while you can 3G around the street, at airport, and dock. Hot water in the bathroom only works on and off.