Linggajati

Linggajati (or Linggarjati) is a village in the East Parahyangan region of Western Java, Indonesia. The village is on the eastern side of Mount Ciremai National Park (or Ceremai, Cereme), the highest point of West Java province.

Understand

Mount Ciremai

Linggajati is a small village with a population of about 4,000, in the regency of Kuningan, about 12 km north of the regency capital Kuningan. The mountain is an active volcano. No eruptions have taken place since 1951, although there was a plume of smoke in 2015.

The village has become famous because it was the location of the Linggadjati Agreement (using the old spelling of the village name) of 15 November 1946, during the Indonesian War of Independence, between the Dutch administration and the self-proclaimed Republic of Indonesia. The agreement included a ceasefire and the establishment of the Netherlands-Indonesian Union. The Dutch government cancelled the agreement in July 1947, and the war continued until 1949.

Get in

Linggajati is just off the main trunk road between Cirebon (and the Jakarta-Central Java toll road) and Kuningan.

The only public transport to the village is a yellow-coloured angkot (public minivan, locally also called angdes) route from the market in the nearby village of Cilimus (Pasar Cilimus). Cilimus can be reached by taking a bus on the route between Cirebon and Kuningan (which also includes buses from Jakarta to Kuningan). There are no fixed bus stops along the route, but you can ask the driver to stop in Cilimus.

See

• 1 Linggajati Conference Museum (Gedung Perundingan, Negotiation Building), Jl. Gedung Perundingan Linggarjati. M-F 08:00-16:00, Sa Su 08:00-17:00. Dutch colonial residence built in 1918. The building was the main location of the negotiations between the Dutch administration and the Republic of Indonesia during the War of Independence in 1946 (although the agreement was finally signed in Central Jakarta). Linggajati was a compromise location, between the capital of the Dutch East Indies in Jakarta, and the centre of the revolution in Yogyakarta. Negotiations covered issues such as the territory of the Republic, the military presence of the Dutch, and future relationships. The negotiations were successful (as they led to an agreement), but in the end it did not lead to the end of the war. After the war, the building was used as the village's elementary school, but since 1975 it is a museum on the history of the conference and independence war. The collection includes a reconstruction of the negotiation room, and many pictures, paintings, posters, etc. Entrance Rp2,000 (additional donations are appreciated). (updated Sep 2016)

Do

Mount Ciremai (the centre of Mount Ciremai National Park) is on the western side of the village.There are three routes to the mountain summit, but the one from Linggajati is the most common. The track is well-marked, and there are camps (pos) along the trail for camping, but there are no other facilities (also no water). The ascent officially starts at 1 Pos Pendakian Cibunar Linggajati ('climbing post'), about 2 km west of the village. The ascent takes about 6-8 hours. It is common to start climbing at about 22:00, to catch the sunrise from the summit (and avoid climbing in the heat). The descent is much quicker (about 3 hours).

Eat

• 1 Rumah Makan Alinda, Jl. Panawuwan-Sangkanhurip No. 138, Panawuwan (next to the Horison hotel), ☏ +62 232 613 028. Traditional Sundanese restaurant, known for fried gurami fish with chili sauce. (updated Oct 2016)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Ayong Linggarjati, Jl. Linggarjati No. 4, ☏ +62 232 613 644. The only hotel in the village of Linggajati. Double rooms from Rp400,000 per night. (updated Sep 2016)
• 2 Horison Tirta Sanita Hotel Kuningan, Jl. Raya Panawuan no. 98 Cilimus (3 km east of Linggajati), ☏ +62 232 613 061. Modern hotel with fitness centre, sauna, outdoor swimming pool, and spa. Double rooms from Rp700,000 per night. (updated Sep 2016)

Go next

• Mount Ciremai National Park — the highest mountain of Western Java can be climbed from Linggajati.
• Cirebon — the 'city of shrimp' on the Java Sea coast is the nearest major city.