ADDICTED TO KARIMUN JAWA

Clear ocean, blue sky, white clouds an fresh air. An intoxicating blend. You’ll find beautiful locales with these magnificent features scattered throughout Indonesia, and one in particular that shoudn’t be missed is Karimunjawa, 83 km northwest of Jepara.

Karimunjawa is a beautiful group of island with miles and miles if white sand on it shore. One subdistrict is comprised of 27 island. and is divided into 3 area (100,15 hectares) is water, leaving only 7.120 hectares of dry land.

Karimunjawa is sometimes called “the Virgin of Java” because of its pristine water. The water is so clear that if you drop in a coin and let it sink, you will still be able to immediately spot it resting at the bottom of the seabed. This marine national park has a very tropical climate, with the sea breeze blowing all day long. The average temperature here ranges from 26-30 degrees celcius.

The islands’ flora and fauna are incredibly diverse. Featuring coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove, coastal and lowland forests. The mangrove forests cover 10,5 hectares alonem with trails as long as 2 kilometers full of numerous rare species of mangrove trees.

Underwater, you can find a wide variety of aquatic fauna including 242 species of fish withon 133 aquatic genera. Look up, and you will see the white bellied seagulls flying above Burung Island and Geleang Island. Other unique animals such as reindeer and long-tailed macaque also inhabit these areas. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a rare green sea turtles here as well.

Ethnic diversity is common on these island. Most of the people living here come from java, Makassar, and Madura. The Javanese usually live in Dukuh Karimun, Dukuh Legon Lele, Dukuh Nyamplungan, and Dukuh Mricah. Their primary professions consist of farming. Home improvement and construction, aspect of which include making red bricks and coconut oil. The Makassar Bugis live on Kemujan Island, Dukuh Batu Lawang, Dukuh Legon Gede, and Dukuh Tlogo. The Bugises are mostly fishermen, as are the Maduran people, who also make dried fish.

These are two ways to reach Karimunjawa National Park. You can depart from Jepara (Kartini Harbor) and travel onboard Dewodaru and Tiongkol Motorboats, which usually operate twice per week, alternatively, you can travel by airplane from Semarang (Ahmad Yani Airport) to Kemujan Island (Dewodaru Port). These planes depart once a week.

DO & DON’TS

•  Visit during may and august, when the wind is calm and the waves not quite as tall as usual. The islands are typically a bit more crowded during this time.
•   Many local fishermen will offer to take you island-hopping, from Menjangan Besar Island, to Cemara Besar Island, to Merica Island. Each island has it own unique set of wonders, so make sure you know what you want to see and on which island you will see it before you set off.
• The coral reefs and sea creatures in Karimunjawa are all quite charming, but beware : some of them are also poisonus.
• The electricity in Karimunjawa only runs for 12 hours, from 6 PM to 6 AM, so be sure to charge all of your electronics during this time.
• If it’s your first time in Karimunjawa, it’s in your best interest to get a tour guide. They will help to make your visit efficient, comfortable and affordable.