TANCAK
The Highest Falls in Jember
Aan Anugrah
email: anugrah_da@yahoo.com
Ph. +62 81 358 961985

TANCAK
The Highest Falls in Jember
It is nine in the morning when we get to coming post of mount Pasang after some 30 minutes riding on
motorcycle started from the downtown. Passing through well-built upward roads until reaching to the
entrance of Pasang mount village, we find series of rubber and cacao trees in the site, shady and kind of
countryside plantation, a perfect place for a family picnic carrying a meal-box and laying a mattress on a
carpet of full-grown green grass. Pasang mount village is named after the mount where a waterfall exists. It is
situated about 500m above sea level. You will find yourself breezy for the first coming.
I knock the door where it is the house of the base of every hiker going to the waterfall. No one is coming out
from the door, it is quiet, however the next door neighbour is asking one of us to come inside right away, to
let us put our helmets and to park the motorcycles. We go all by four; Aan, Sari, Yudi and Neni. Coming at
this time in the morning makes us wondering whether they are leaving early for their activity. So, nothing
more to wait, we begin our first walk heading to the north, but wait, Yudi stays still at the base. He let us just
go ahead. “Hey come on, we do not want you just sitting here alone missing the beautiful sunny day, dude”.
Unmoved, he nods and gives a smile lazily. He is waiting for Pak War’s coming, the owner of the house. So
what? we three are leaving him alone…
The village is neat just every house looks similar. We even have no idea to find out where Pak War’s base
house is at the beginning. Later we knew that the housing was developed by a state owned plantation
company, Nusantara XII. They can reside here as long as they work for the company. Most of the inhabitants
strive to work as plantation farmer in the area. They could be from a supervisor of farm site, up to an
ordinary farm labour, cultivating a special plant well grown in the field range; coffee and cacao.
At last, we see an old big building, an outstanding Dutch structure we suppose. This building leads us to the
path of waterfall. The waterfall is our final, but the scenes along the way are worth telling and enjoying. The
flowing sparkling water sounds bubbling, a current flowing stream accompanies us to the way on the other
side, and sometimes, passing farmers go downward. They cast us with their shiny smiles. It is natural and
genuine. We keep going upward following a rough path that is dominated by the coffee plantation. We start
perspiring, after some 15 minutes walking with the sun is in very good mood. Sari gets slower, the last time
he went hiking was nine months ago, she realizes, while Neni keeps looking through her walk, conversely.
Stop by for a moment is nothing better we can do than cooling down our heartbeat. Till we find an old
cracked wooden hut, that is a nice place to rest. Puff, it is still a half way long…
Surprisingly, after having some minute chit-chat, Yudi appears on his walk. With his smiley face, he is yelling
at us for our leisurely walk. He thought, we would be somewhere near to the tip ground of waterfall. “Hey, I
suppose you have been enjoying its swift flow of waterfall there”, he adds. “Yeah, we didn’t make it fast ‘cos we
were waiting you’’, I deny, and don’t you think just sitting idle at home makes you bore, right?
Now we four are all heading upward, Yudi and Neni lead the way. Tough, Sari and I walk behind. I follow her
rhythm. Since she has begun to adapt to what is surrounding the landscape, I start to say anything about
nature. She is trying to figure out kinds of plantations whether they are edible or not. Once we find a rose-

apple tree grows up, I try to pick them up. Nothing easier than jumping up to grab the fruit. Aha, I get one!, it
is a worth trying. The fruit is edible but this one is not ripe enough. Sari takes a glance at me, see me if I have
taken the wrong one. Ah, at least. Entering to dense vegetation area would be a pleasant experience, nothing
more just we cannot get it at our place. Seeing a picturesque green circumstance, feeling a brisk wind blows
over the trees, and being at an atmosphere where we can sight deeply the fresh air would ease our mind. Until
we are at an open sighted area, looking farther at the hill in which a spot of the former landslide occurred.
It becomes a lesson to put a respect to the environment preservation. Then it reminds me about the flood
disaster happened close to the area in that new year evening of year 2006, with a dozen victims of injured and
homeless survivors. Another factual matter…
Within less than two hours hiking, entering to the lush green forest, we are very close to the falls. Afterward,
there is a figure of huge and long standing banyan tree, something about thousands of years has been serving
to guard the forest, facing and witnessing us tracing along the narrow gap, sinking our shoes down to the
waterway and grasping the shrub uphill. I do not see Yudi and Neni ever since, both of them have been
reaching up to the waterfall, I guess. However, two of us are still telling each other about our past trip to
some places of natural wonder. That is nice to know each other as we have already known for only a couple of
weeks.
Till we find a rather flat terrain, the bustling waterfall within few meters ahead apparently sounds. The tip of
waterfall is so gorgeous with a circular shaped valley on both sides. Going downward quickly, we are reaching
to the spilled water flow, our body and faces get splashed. Cool and pristine water spring is ready to quench
our thirst. I notice that Yudi and Neni have already been here, sitting in a breezing draft, trying to capture
what I’m saying, which is barely heard. By an instinctive drive, I put my shirt off going to plunge into cold
water, ouch… exciting; this is the perfect place to chill out.
Going back downward is not just on the way back home, but the other view of part of the city can be seen
since we are luckily at a lofty view. It takes just a half time of going upward without any hassle. Arriving
back at the home base, we have been waited by Pak War. The conversation begins. Pak War dominates
the conversation in Madurese, I sometimes miss listening to what he is talking about, but Yudi excels in
responding back to the dialogue. And Sari even has no idea at all. His warmth and hospitality makes us feel
more comfortabe, but we have not much time to stay either. Sari and I are about to permit to be leaving,
but they insist us to wait for a while. Meanwhile, Yudi and Neni seem okay to be here for an extended time.
Until Pak War and his wife are preparing us dishes for lunch, uh, why are they bothering themselves? We
are actually incredibly hungry and plan to eat out, but what sort of food they have already served makes us
remain here and no other choices better than eating up the food, (lol). Pak War asks me to be back again
sometime and of course I would, I am really really going to visit this place again. This place is just perfect for
those who would start to like hiking. But now we have to leave, and Pak War as usual gives his handshake a la
nature lovers, permits us to leave. Sampai jumpa!
Contact:
Aan Anugrah, anugrah_da@yahoo.com
+62 81 358 961 985