While I was still busy admiring the scenery and taking pictures, both my parents were already inside the car. They were chatting away and they thought I was already inside the car. He started the car and left the parking spot. From a distance, I thought my dad was just adjusting the car so that I could get inside quicker. But I started seeing the car was speeding and that’s when I panicked.

I had to run for 3 minutes just to catch the car and knock on the door really loud. Inside the car, they thought the parking guy was trying to stop them but they were surprised that it was me.

“ I really thought you were already inside the car!” said my dad
“ nope, I was still taking pictures.” As we laughed, he said, “ otherwise you had to pawn your camera just to get home”

Toroan Waterfall

This picturesque waterfall is called Air Terjun Toroan. It’s as natural as you can get and by that I mean, the place is beautiful yet unkempt, with so much trash around, and minimal human alteration. It’s unlike many waterfalls around in Indonesia where it’s often well-managed and the safety of the visitors are ensured with plenty of attractions to do.

This waterfall was rather an exception. There are signs here and there but there’s not much to do around. However, what made the waterfall attractive and must visit is the fact that the waterfall is directly going to the sea instead of the common waterfall we see in the jungle. This type of waterfall is pretty rare in the country and there are only a few scattered around Java, Bali and other islands. After visiting this waterfall, we hope that the local government will really develop their tourism because this island has potential just like other well-known islands in the country. I believe once they do a bit of cleaning up here and there, this place is as amazing as those waterfalls in Bali or even other islands in the country.

The journey going to the waterfall took about 3 hours from Surabaya. We have to cross the bridge that connects Java and Madura island, then go to western side of the island and further. If you follow google maps, it will take you to the place pretty accurately. The road going there is pretty nice but Madura itself is pretty barren with almost nothing to see other than a sight of the strait along the way.

Once we reach the waterfall, we only have to pay for the parking ticket and also 5000IDR/person which isn’t a lot. We had to go down the stairs just to get to the waterfall area which is facing directly to the strait. There were plenty of rocks as much as trash. It’s very unfortunate that people litter in the area which otherwise could be even more beautiful if it was cleaner.

This waterfall doesn’t have a clear blue or even tosca color due to its geological formation and location, the water is brown especially when it’s closer to the land. You can actually explore from side to side but that day, the temperature prevented me from exploring all sides of it. It was blazing and with sunscreen, I still got sunburned afterwards and got so red especially around my face.

It was only me and my mom who visited the place and made the waterfall feel like it was ours. It was such a long journey for us and that it is worth it. It also felt like we discovered a hidden gem that has only been visited by a few. This kind of place isn’t everyone's cup of tea because of the water and also the overall area but for us, the less people, the better it is especially for me too. We also had to be extra careful when exploring the area especially with bits of glasses here and there. When it comes to marine life, the area is pretty lively. There are small fishes and tiny crabs that you can see around.

When the sun got higher, we spotted some fishermen trying to fish around the area. There were also children swimming around the rocks and seemed to have fun. On top of the waterfall and the parking area, there is a small cafe serving coconut water and food. We saw some visitors who didn’t get down but just stayed in the cafe admiring the strait from the cafe.

We had coconut water from the cafe and it was really fresh. There were some coconut trees around and we know that it’s freshly picked and locally sourced. At the bamboo cafe, we also had a little nap because the wind swayed us to sleep. It was really pleasant just sitting at the cafe and enjoying the view. Eventually, we left the place at around 2 PM to go look for lunch at a famous restaurant and signature dishes of the island which is fried duck. Stay tuned for that one!