Hidden In Plain Sight

Amid the mighty mountains and volcanoes, and centuries-old temples and ruins that surround Amanjiwo, Hashirin Nurin Hashimi discovers the cultural heart of central Java.

- Hashirin Nurin Hashimi

AS WE WALK DOWN A SMALL alleyway through a path illuminated only by the flickering lights of paper lanterns, a traditional bamboo thatched house comes into view. We’ve come to the residence of Pak Bilal, whose three-generation household runs a home industry producing palm sugar, for a special dinner arranged by our host Amanjiwo to cap off our sojourn in central Java. The elfin octogenarian warmly takes our hands in his, leading us into the cosy, candlelit dining room, as the aromas of an authentic Javanese meal tickle our senses.

The food is prepared and brought over from the Aman resort, but some dishes such as the ayam bumbu panggang (grilled chicken marinated with lemongrass and chilli) and pepes tahu (grilled marinated tofu wrapped in banana leaves), which we devour with steamed rice, are finished over hot charcoal here. While it may not be fancy by Michelin standards, the dining experience is heart-warming, more so when a teary-eyed Pak Bilal sends us on our way, grateful that we’ve come to his humble abode.

Pak Bilal’s is just one of the many homes we’ve visited in the rural Javanese heartlands of Borobudur. The beautiful smiles and warmth of the villagers followed everywhere we went. But nothing beats the legendary Aman hospitality we enjoyed at our home base, Amanjiwo, one of Aman’s five properties in Indonesia.