The stunning gardens of Kebun Raya Cibodas are an extension of the Bogor botanical gardens. Spread over the steep lower slopes of Gunung Gede and Gunung Pangrango at an altitude of 1300m to 1440m, these lush gardens are among the dampest places in Java. The Dutch tried to cultivate quinine here (its bark is used in malaria medication), though the East Javan climate proved more suitable.
You’ll find an outstanding collection of ferns, palms, 65 species of eucalyptus, Mexican mountain pines and glasshouses bursting with cacti and succulents. A road loops around the gardens, passing via the Japanese garden with its cherry trees, and there are also paths leading through forests of bamboo to the impressive Cismun waterfall. In general, the gardens here have more of a wild and unkempt look to those of Bogor – and they're all the better for it.