KARIMUNJAWA ISLAND, Java Hidden Paradise
Category : Jogja Beyond

It's time to go to Karimunjawa island when you hear the boat's whistle, either your lovely 6 hours Ferry ship riding from Kartini port of Jepara (137 km from Jogja) or 4 hours Medium fastboat riding when you take Tanjung Mas port in Semarang (95 km from Jogja) as your starting point. Do not think you'll get such a long and dull journey to get  there. It's such an lovely journey when you feel the wind in your face, while your eyes can't stop enjoying sight seeing around the beautiful blue sea. If you're lucky enough, there's a chance for you to see group of dolphins following your ship. While you're enjoying this excitement, in no time your ship is arrive at Karimunjawa island. Time for more fun!

Karimunjawa is an archipelago in the Java Sea, Indonesia, approximately 80 kilometres northwest of Jepara. The island name means "a stone's throw from Java" in Javanese. The main island is also known as karimun. Stands from 27 islands, this mini archipelago became marine national park and it's like a treasure for those who love marine life. Here can be found protected coral reefs (very colorful plateaus and plains in deep and shallow waters), secluded and tranquil white beaches, pelican and hornbill, sea grass and kinds of sea creatures, from crabs, anchovy, starfish, sharks, stingray, jellyfish, red snappers, etc.

Karimunjawa offers good diving experience. Various small islands around Karimunjawa are available for diving and snorkling. Pulau Tengah, Tanjung Gelam, and Menjangan Besar  offers you the most beautiful scenes you have ever seen in your life. The reefs have 35 types of hard corals, sponges, gorgonian, soft and red corals, mixtures of fringing, barrier, and patch with bottom depths ranging from 15 to 40 meters. During your diving time, you'll be accompanying by  amazing 240 or more variety of fish. Their variouscolour and size will give you a kind of feeling that you're living in giant aquarium. You could also ask for  wreck diving session at the island of Batu Kunci, Karang Kapal, Karang Ketel, and Batulawang. If you're not familiar with diving, you can still enjoy the beautiful sea of these islands by snorkling, which is the safest way to see beautiful scenes  down there.

If diving and snorkling are not enough for you, swimming with sharks will give you more adrenalin rush. A shark's captivity in Menjangan island serve you with numbers of various sharks. While your adrenalin pumped up to the highest level, it is really safe for you to swim around those sharks  especially when local guide with maximum experience swims beside you. There's nothing to worry about in this rare experience.

Fishing is another good story of Karimunjawa, a fishing boat will happily takes you to the fishing spot of Karimunjawa island and few small islands around. Snappers, mackerels, squids and other kinds of fish are available here, to catch some fishes in the afternoon will give you stocks of delicious dinner along with fresh coconuts water  from the coconut trees that easily found around the island. These can be done almost every afternoon in Karimunjawa.

It's almost evening when you're back from fisihing , all you have to do then is fire up the grill for those fishes, setup the dinner  on your favourite spot around the beach. Ready?  Enjoy your dinner then,  while watching the beautiful sunset welcomes you  in Karimunjawa island.

Text. Arya Ishtadeva


KARIMUNJAWA ISLAND
Location.
Karimunjawa, Jepara, Central Java, Indonesia.
Note.
137 kilometres far from Yogyakarta

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