Pemalang, C. Java. An Eid homecoming trip turned tense for a family after they got lost in a forested hillside area in Pemalang, Central Java, before being safely rescued by police.

Arif Irawan, 37, was traveling with his wife and child on a motorcycle on Sunday night when he decided to take an alternative route to shorten their 150 km journey from Cilongok, Banyumas, to their hometown in Pekalongan, Central Java.

Instead of saving time, the route led them into a dark and isolated forest area near Parunggalih village in Bodeh district.

“Initially I was still on the main road, but after checking Google Maps, I was tempted to take a shorter route that was said to be about four kilometers closer,” Arif said on Monday.

What began as a routine trip quickly turned stressful as the family entered a narrow, poorly lit road cutting through hills and forest. Arif decided to turn back, but worsening conditions made it difficult.

As night fell, heavy rain hit the area, turning the dirt road into a muddy and slippery track. Their motorcycle skidded several times before it could no longer move forward.

“By the time we tried to turn back, it was already dark and raining heavily. The road became muddy and the motorbike kept slipping,” he said.

Stranded in the dark and far from residential areas, Arif managed to call emergency hotline 110, as a phone signal was still available.

“Thankfully there was still signal, so we could call for help. The police came and escorted us safely to our destination,” he said.

Local police confirmed they received the distress call and immediately dispatched officers to the location.

Bodeh Police chief Santosa said officers, assisted by local residents, evacuated the family and brought them to a nearby village official’s house to rest after the ordeal.

“The motorcycle was stuck in a muddy road, so our personnel worked together with residents to move it out of the forest area,” Santosa said.

After recovering, the family was escorted to their destination in Sidomulyo village in Kesesi district, Pekalongan.

The incident comes amid massive Eid travel flows across Indonesia. Around 143.9 million people are expected to travel during the 2026 Eid al-Fitr holiday period, according to projections from the Transportation Ministry.

Central Java is set to receive the largest influx, with nearly 38.7 million arrivals, followed by East Java and West Java.

Private vehicles remain the dominant mode of transport, with more than 76 million people expected to travel by car, followed by 24.1 million on motorcycles and 23.3 million by bus. While most car users rely on toll roads, motorcycle riders are more likely to take alternative routes — similar to the one that led Arif and his family into difficulty.

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