The quiet spa village of CIPANAS , at the foot of Gunung Guntur, around two hours' journey southeast of Bandung, makes a delightful place to witness a picture-postcard idyll of Javanese rural life. The plentiful rice paddies are punctuated by glassy ponds, palm trees and flowering bushes, and local villagers supplement their living with fish-rearing. In the background looms the volcanic peaks of Gunung Guntur, Galunggung, Papandayan and the perfect cone of Cikurai. There are walks to nearby waterfalls and you can climb Gunung Guntur in a hard five-hour trek. To get to Cipanas, you must first take a bus from Bandung to Garut bus station (2hr; Rp2000), from where you should walk round to the next-door bemo terminal and take the brown bemo #4 to Cipanas (6km; 15min; Rp500).

All accommodation here is along the road that runs into Cipanas from the main Bandung-Garut road; every place features piped-in hot-water baths. Kurina, at no. 131 (under $5), is the best deal in Cipanas; the similar Pondok Melati, no. 133 (under $5), is also pleasant. Pondok Wulandari, Jl Raya Cipanas 99 (tel 0262/234675; under $5), has good-value rooms with fan and TV, and Tirta Merta, the first hotel on the left as you pass through the gateway, offers reasonably upmarket rooms ($10-15). There are a few warung on the main street.