INDONESIA – JAVA WEST (Bandung, Cirebon)
UJUNG KUTON NATIONAL PARK WHS This national park, located in Banten Province in the extreme south-western tip of Java on the Sunda shelf, includes the Ujung Kulon peninsula and several offshore islands and encompasses the natural reserve of Krakatoa. In addition to its natural beauty and geological interest – particularly for the study of inland volcanoes – it contains the largest remaining area of lowland rainforests in the Java plain. Several species of endangered plants and animals can be found there, demonstrating the ongoing evolution of geological processes since the Krakatau eruption in 1883. The critically endangered, endemic, single-horned Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is most seriously under threat (estimated at approximately 60 individuals).
Krakatau volcano is part of the WHS, is the most well known and studied of all modern volcanic eruptions, due primarily to the devastating effects (36,000 people killed) registered throughout the northern hemisphere\
Ujung Kulon National Park, located in on the extreme south-west tip of the highly populated island of Java, has the best and most extensive lowland forest remaining on the island. The property, including the Ujung Kulon peninsula and several offshore islands retains its natural beauty and possesses a very diverse flora and fauna,. The property is globally significant as the last and most important natural habitat of the along with several other species of endangered plants and animals. Other notable mammals in the property include carnivores, such as leopard, wild dog (dhole), leopard cat, fishing cat, Javan mongoose and several species of civets. It is also home to three endemic primate species; the Javan gibbon, Javan leaf monkey and silvered leaf monkey. Over 270 species of birds have been recorded and terrestrial reptiles and amphibians include two species of python, two crocodile species and numerous frogs and toads.
WHS.org. Two separate sites
1. Ujung Kulon National Park famous for its mangrove forest and the Javanese rhinoceros.
Day 1. Drive from Jakarta to Desa Sumur, then a 3-hour boat trip to Laban. On the way, you could see TamanJaya village, the very western village on Java. From Laban walk through the rainforest to Pos Karang Ranjang. In the rainy season, the track might be hellish: thick mud and water to your knees all the way. In dry season it’d be ok. From Pos Karang Ranjang go further to Cibondawoh beach through another Rainforest. Cibondawoh Beach is astounding with it’s high tides, blue water, and pearly beach.
Day 2. A 13 km walk on the seaside from Cibondawoh to Cikeusik, and then to Pos Cibunar through rocks, rainforest and plain green grass fields. Cibunar has snorkeling or a bath in the Cibunar River.
Walk through rainforest to Pos Cidaon to see wild bulls on its vast grass field. Peucang Island. Have a 1/2 boat trip from Cidaun, and snorkel to see great corals and fish. Peucang Island can also be reached easily by boat from Carita or Labuan.
Return to Labuan, Desa Sumur by long boat trip
Need snorkelling equipment, swimsuit, raincoat, rainforest equipment, binoculars, medicines, bug repellent.
One night at Sunda Jaya Homestay, a second night on Peucang Island and a last night camping in the park.
2. The volcanic islands of Krakatoa and Anak Krakatau in Sunda Strait. Drive 2.5 hours to Cilegon and then a small seaside road to the small beach town of Carita. The jetty for a 1.5-hour boat ride to Anak Krakatau.
Anak Krakatau (a part of Ujung Kulon National Park), can’t land on the Anak Krakatau island itself because of the ongoing volcanic activity, so land on Sertung Island.
Get there. Jakarta Kalideres bus station, car or bus to Labuhan, one bus per day 5 hours to Tamanjaya in a minibus that was often crowded, without air-conditioning, filled with cigarette smoke. The last 20 kilometres are on a completely broken road with huge holes that would have been almost faster to walk at times.
Krakatau volcano in 2018 lost about 250m of height, and all its trees. The island is now just a barren wasteland of hard-packed ash with canyons riven by rainwater. There’s a small beach of ash, but Alert Level 2 means you’re not allowed to approach within two kilometres.
The nearby island of Rakata suffered a landslide after the tsunami hit, but was otherwise unaffected – green, fish, and monitor lizards
Anak Krakatau or the Child of Krakatau, a volcanic island which emerged from under the sea in 1927 from the caldera formed by the terrible 1883 eruption of Krakatau (which killed more than 30,000 people. Visit the historic Dutch Cikoneng lighthouse.
BANDUNG
Airports: Bandung (BDO), Kertajati (KJT)
Bridge – – Bandung: Pasupati Bridge
History, Culture, National and City Museums: Bandung: Museum Gedung Sate.
Museum Konferensi Asia Afrika. Museum dedicated to the 1955 Bandung Conference of newly-independent African & Asian states.
Sri Baduga Museum. Eclectic public collections encompassing local history & ethnography, archaeology, coins & fine art.
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Jakarta-Bandung High Speed TrainRoads, Art Museums: Bandung: Amazing Art World Museum
Architectural Delights:
Bandung: Bumi Siliwangi
Bandung: Kologdam Building
Bandung: Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel
Bandung: Villa Isola
Religious Temples: Bandung: Al-Irsyad Mosque
Military, War and Police Museums: Bandung: Museum Mandala Wangsit Siliwangi
Natural History and Earth Museums: Bandung: Bandung Geological Museum
Science, Technology and all Industry and Mining Museums: Bandung: Puspa Iptek Sundial
Zoos: Bandung Zoo
Hospitality Legends: Bandung: Savoy-Homann Bidakara
Museums – Various: Bandung: Museum Pos Indonesia
Markets: Bandung: Pasar Cibaduyut
CILEGON
Religious Temples: Cilegon: Masjid Agung
CIREBON
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Cirebon: Keraton Kanoman
Cirebon: Keraton Kasepuhan
Architectural Delights: Cirebon: City Hall
Botanical Gardens: Cirebon: Kuningan Botanical Garden
Bizzarium: Cirebon: Sunyaragi Cave Park
Beaches: Pangandaran Beach
Lighthouses: Cikoneng: Cikoneng Lighthouse
Culinary Delights” Cendol (Dawet)NEW
TASIKMALAYA
SERANG
SUKABUMI
Villages and Small Towns
Baduy
Carita
Road Bridges and Tunnels
Road – Jakarta–Cikampek Toll Road
Road – Trans-Java Toll Road (Merak-Banyuwangi)
Vestiges of the Past
Batujaya
Gunung Padang Megalithic Site
Serang: Old Banten
Religious Temples: Banten: Great Mosque of Banten
Botanical Gardens: Cibodas: Cibodas Botanical Garden
World of Nature
Djuanda Forest Park
Gunung Gede
Mount Ciremai NP
Mount Gede Pangrango NP
Mount Halimun Salak NP
Ujun Kulon NP
Waterfalls: Pangandaran: Curug Pananjung Pangandaran
Caves, Sinkholes and Saltmines: Green Canyon
Lakes: Talaga Bodas (White Lake)
Zoos: Bogor: Taman Safari I
Beaches: Pangandaran Beach
Lighthouses: Cikoneng: Cikoneng Lighthouse
Culinary Delights” Cendol (Dawet)NEW
