After the record debut – 752 thousand total viewers, the most watched ever with an increase of 39% compared to last year – Beijing Express returns tonight, Thursday 19 March, at 9.15pm exclusively on Sky Uno and streaming on NOW. The second stage takes place again in Indonesia, for a 238 kilometer route with a full backpack.
The route: Ketapang to Tumpak Sewu
The race starts from the port of Ketapang, on the north coast of Java. From there, the couples will cross the Indonesian countryside to Lumajang, where they will find the Red Book: whoever finishes first wins a place in the ranking and can assign a penalty to their opponents. The final goal is the Tumpak Sewu waterfalls, among the most spectacular in the whole of Indonesia, with their waterfalls that fall into a lush gorge.
Guiding the travellers, as always, is the host Costantino della Gherardesca together with the first correspondent of this season, Lillo.
The route
The route chosen for this stage tells of an Indonesia that is less touristy than the more well-known image linked to Bali. Departure from Ketapang, in eastern Java, immediately brings you into a dimension of passage and border, where ferry traffic coexists with a daily life still linked to fishing and local markets. It is an area that in recent years has been attracting more and more travelers precisely because of its authenticity, far from the most crowded routes.
Continuing inland, the itinerary passes through rural areas such as Lumajang, where the landscape is dominated by rice fields, villages and the imposing presence of volcanoes. Here the journey becomes slower and more physical, in line with the spirit of Beijing Express: not just moving, but adapting to a territory that requires different rhythms and direct contact with the local reality.
The finish line at the Tumpak Sewu waterfalls represents the most spectacular point of the stage, but also one of the least accessible. Considered among the most scenic in South-East Asia, they can be reached via steep and slippery paths that require a certain amount of effort. It is precisely this contrast – between effort and wonder – that makes the place emblematic even for those who really travel: a destination that is still relatively little traveled, where nature remains the absolute protagonist.
Elimination bet: the first Duel is at stake
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All ten couples are still competing, but the episode will be an elimination round. The Exes – Steven Basalari and Viviana Vizzini, last classified in the first stage – are waiting to find out which couple they will have to challenge in the first Duel of the season, as established by last week’s Black Envelope. The modalities of the challenge will be revealed by Costantino only on site, at the Tumpak Sewu waterfalls.
The ten couples competing
Biagio Izzo and Francesco Paolantoni (Gli Spassusi), Chanel Totti and Filippo Laurino (I Raccomandati), Jo Squillo and Michelle Masullo (Le Dj), Fiona May and Patrick Stevens (I Veloci), Dani Faiv and Tony 2Milli (I Rapper), Steven Basalari and Viviana Vizzini (Gli Ex), Tay Vines and Assane Diop (I Comedian), Elisa Maino and Mattia Stanga (I Creator), Candelaria and Camila Solórzano (Le Albiceleste), Gaia De Laurentiis and Agnese Catalani (Le Biondine).
