To revitalize a place, you need a magnet, something special that makes people want to go there. I learned this back in 2016 at the 2nd International Conference on Village Revitalization in Japan. At that event, the Spedagi bamboo bike was the main icon that acted as the perfect magnet to bring people together.

So, when I saw the glass bridge connecting Jodipan Rainbow Village and Kampung Tridi, I immediately thought: This is the magnet. It gives people even more reason to visit.

"It was designed by civil engineering students from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) and built in 2017," I recently told two travelers from Germany. "The painting company PT Indiana provided the entire budget, just as they did for the Rainbow Village."

They were surprised to learn that this was actually the first glass bridge ever built in Indonesia, spanning a length of 25 meters and a width of 1.25 meters.

​Whenever I lead a walking tour in Jodipan Rainbow Village, I always explain that when this bridge was new, the glass was so clear that people could see the river right beneath their feet.

​​"In the beginning, visitors had to use protective covers over their sandals and shoes to walk on the glass, but it was hard to manage," I told them. "Now, because everyone walks in their shoes without covers, the glass has become blurry."

Interestingly, I’ve noticed that some travelers actually prefer it this way. I like to tell them that it’s just like life: sometimes we are braver simply because we cannot see what lies ahead too clearly.

While the bridge offers a stunning view of the colorful houses, my personal favorite moment is watching a train cross the nearby railway bridge. Check out this short video I recorded:

The view is great, but travelers always ask me the same two questions when we are on this bridge. Here are the answers:

When does the train pass the bridge?

I spent a full day tracking the Malang train schedule at Jodipan so you don’t have to! [Tap here to see the schedule].

Why do we have to pay again?

The glass bridge doesn't just connect the two villages physically; it also blends them into what looks like a single ticketed area. I explain exactly how this works in this short article: [Read more here].

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