Kampung Warna Warni is
fancy colours, fancy people

South of the city centre of Malang in East Java Indonesia, a little village became attention by locals and tourists. Kampung Warna Warni is the name of the community. The village locates in a small valley sandwiched between two bridges. So far it looks more like a pit instead of a valley. One bridge is a railway bridge while the other is the main road bridge. Kampung Warna Warni means in Indonesian “Colourful Village”. And that is the right name for this place with all these fanciful colours.

Row upon row, the houses jostle each other on the slopes of the little valley. A small river meanders through the valley. However, a bridge crosses the river and connects both banks of the village. The bridge painted in shrill blue, green and orange colours as everything in this place. The main road bridge offers a good viewpoint to get an overall view of the village. Actually, here is the starting point for a visit to the village. For a small fee, everybody can visit the place. The residents sell souvenirs, drinks and other odds and ends.

Fancy colours, fancy people

I learned from the locals, the village was a project of students from a university from Malang. Their intention was to turn a shabby grey place into a colourful village. Indeed, the village reminds me of Rio’s Favelas. It seems that some inspiration came from there. It’s incredible to see the small houses with small rooms and all in different flashy and garish tints. The villager painted almost each and every little thing. The roofs, the walls and even the stairs all ornate painted.

A shiny puzzle of colours. Red, blue, green in between orange and purple, the colours are an expression of lifestyle. The artistically styled walls with animals or fantasy pictures looking amazing.

For a walk through the narrow streets, it took me off two hours around in maximum, depends on the fitness. Because I need to climb stairs down first and up to return later. The village of Kampung Warna-Warni is a great and nice idea. Not only for the outfit of the village but also for the villagers to get a small business. Despite all the facts, the village became a famous spot for people from Malang as well as for tourist. Moreover, it is open and welcome everyone indeed.