Banyuwangi Tourism Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Banyuwangi is the eastern-most regency of East Java. To the north lies the regency of Situbondo. The regencies of Jember and Bondowoso neighbor Banyuwangi to the west. To the east lies the island of Bali and to the west lies the Indonesian Ocean. Banyuwangi is situated on the coordinate 70 45’ 15” S and 113’ 38.2” E. Because of its location, Banyuwangi has diverse natural scenery, rich art, culture, customs and traditions.
The beauty of nature is spread across Banyuwangi from the west to the east. Mountains, forests and beaches mark the landscape of the regency. For instance, Ijen Crater, in the western part of Banyuwangi is famous for its beautiful crater lake, the traditional sulfur miners who amazingly climb up and down the slope of Mount Merapi, and the plantations that cover the Crater’s slope. The National Park of Meru Betiri is famous for its Java Tiger and turtles. These locations form the center of the Tourism Developed area which is called the Diamond Triangle, which connects one Tourism Object to another.
Banyuwangi also has various art, culture, customs and traditions. One of the typical arts of Banyuwangi is Gandrung, a welcoming dance for distinguished guests. The dance is the defining dance of Banyuwangi. Besides Gandrung, Seblang, Kuntulan, Damarwulan, Angklung, Ketoprak, Barong, Kendang Kempul, Jaranan are arts that can be seen in Banyuwangi. Other customs that can be observed in Banyuwangi include the sea offering, metik (a celebration performed before rice and coffee harvesting),Rebo Wekasan, Kebo Visit Banyuwangi the Real Tropical Country keboan, Ruwatan, Tumplek punjen, Gredoan, Endog-endogan, etc. These events are performed every year and are included in the Calendar of Events of Banyuwangi. The typical handicrafts and traditional foods are available across Banyuwangi. The products and places that should be visited are Batik Tulis at Temenggungan and Tempo, Bamboo handicraft at Kecamatan Rogojampi and Kalipuro, etc. Banyuwangi also has typical food products; such as bagiak, selai pisang (banana jam) etc.
There native people of Banyuwangi are Banyuwanginese. They have their own dialect which combines the languages of Javanese and Balinese. Ethnic Javanese, Madurese, Balinese and people from Banjar also call Banyuwangi home. The diverse natural scenery, the rich art, culture, customs and traditions, constitute worthy treasures that must be introduced to all people. The people of Banyuwangi and the local government will be supported and benefited by tourism. The income from tourism will provide the capital to develop the regency of Banyuwangi. Tourists will also benefit from their rich experiences as they visit Banyuwangi. Banyuwangi also known for its ferry connection at Ketapang to Gilimanuk in Bali. This area has a lot more to offer though and it is becoming better known as a visitor destination in its own right.
Banyuwangi tourism travel guide and tourist information popular destination :
Ijen Crater
Ijen Crater is the world's largest highly acidic lake in Java and is the site of a labor-intensive sulfur mining operation in which sulfur-laden baskets are hand-carried from the crater floor. Coffee plantations cover much of the Ijen caldera floor, and tourists are drawn to its waterfalls, hot springs, and dramatic volcanic scenery.
The volcanic cone of Ijen dominates the landscape at the eastern end of Java. Crater of Ijen is filled by a spectacular turquoise blue lake, its surface streaked in wind-blown patterns of yellow sulphur.
Kaliklatak Agro Tourism
Kaliklatak a privately owned plantation with an elevation of 450-750 m above sea level. located on the slope of Mount Merapi where Ijen Crater lies. It is about 15 km to the west of Banyuwangi. It is 1000 ha in wide, and the commodities plant are producing coffee, rubber, cocoa and spices. Cloves begin as flowers on the clove tree, cinnamon is ground bark, pepper grown on vines and nutmeg like golf-ball size pears hanging on broad leafed trees, are to be seen. Touring the plantation is a trip through a vast, exotic spice machine process which ends with neat packages ready for export.
Alas Purwo National Park
Alas Purwo National Park is wild life reserve at the Blambangan Peninsula is also known as “Alas Purwo”. Alas means forest or jungle and purwo is the beginning of everything. The width of Alas Purwo is 43 hectares square which is completed by many kind of wild animals, especially the species of banteng (Bos javanicus), deer, pics, andpeacocks. There are many caves in the forest which are blanketed by many kinds of plantations.
The visitors can meet many Javanese Bull here, especially in the dry season where many bulls are wandering outside the park to get into water sources. Some other endangered animals are also pretected here, they are: Cuon alpinus, Muntiacus muntjak, Cervus timorensis, Presbytis cristata, Pavo muticus, Gallus sp., Olive ridely turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, Eretmochelys imbricata and Chelonia mydas.
Beside its fauna, Alas Purwo also protectect some endangered flora, such as; Terminalia catappa, Calophyllum inophyllum, Sterculia foetida, Baringtonia asiatica and Manikara kauki.
Alas Purwo National Park is one of the more remote and least populated parks areas in East Java, and one which is relatively under-visited due to both the difficulties of getting there and the lack of developed accommodation options. It is also an area of great mystical significance to the Javanese - legend has it that this was the first area of the whole world to emerge from the ocean.
Sadengan Savannah
Sadengan is the feeding ground for wild animals in the area of Alas Purwo National Park. The visitors can see the wild animals such as wild bull, barking deer, wild pig, peacock, jungle fowl and many kind of birds. The wild animals are grassing and can be seen in the morning and afternoon from the viewing tower.
The original animals tourism is very interesting and adventurous for domestic and foreign tourists. Sadengan has many famous wild animals. One of them is Bos Javanicus, which is endangered animal. In Sadengan, the visitors can take pictures as much as they want. This journey will become interesting experience, although the visitors may feel difficult journey to reach Sadengan location, especially if they haven't private vehicle.
Plengkung Beach
Plengkung is known as one of the best surfing beaches in Indonesia located on the south coast of Banyuwngi the eastest of East Java. The word of “G” in “G-Land” derives from Grajagan, the name of the bay where the huge waves were found at the south of the Banyuwangi. It is surrounded by virgin tropical land forest. G lad offers the worlds most demanding surfing sport, and recommended for professional surfers only. May to October is the best time for surfing. No doubt it is a world of surfer paradise. G-Land or cross the Grajagan Bay to Plengkung beach where the waves challenge invite the surfers.
Ngagelan Beach
Ngagelan is breeding area. It is located 7 km to the west of Trianggulasi Bay. It is also the hachery for the baby turtles. Ngagelan beach has much kind of turtle, such as Lepidochelys olivaceae, Eretmochelys imbricata, Dermochelys coreacea, Chelonia mydas, etc. Lepidochelys olivaceae is the most available here.
Tabuhan Island
Tabuhan Island located in north-east Banyuwangi, east Java, near from Watu Dodol Beach, is 23 km away from Banyuwangi. Tabuhan Island is the fantastic island that composed and surrounded by white sand. Coral seems to blossom into garden with an amazing variety of forms and colors. Growing coral from reef acts as homes for whole communities of marine life such as; thousand of beautiful marine view, aquarium fish species (Amphiprion the Dacyllus, the red coloured Labrida and the Gorisygula), shellfish, sponges, crayfish and marine plants. The visitors can do some activities whether snorkeling or deep diving with breathing equipment exploring a reef and marine life in the spectacular drop offs are also an excellent under water visibility or sun bathing, an unforgettable experience.
Grajagan Beach
Grajagan is an interesting beach to visit. A wide clean sand hampers the beach. The hill across the sea, stick on the ground strongly. The beautiful panorama of Grajagan fishing village can be seen here. The caves for the battle protection in Japanese Era can be seen here. The cottages and motel are available for the visitors. Grajagan is located about 53 km to the South of Banyuwangi and it also not too far from Alas Purwo.
Grajagan is one of Banyuwangi beaches that show the combination of rolling ocean waves on one side and the dense forest on the other one. In this place, we will be able to see the beautiful panorama of Grajagan fishing village. Because of that, there are many tourists visit this place. Here, you can find an old cave, which was restricted by Japanese soldiers.
Sukamade Turtle Beach
Sukamade beach is about 97 km to southwest of Banyuwangi. It is a natural, quiet, beautiful place and part of the 50,000 hectare Meru Betiri National Park surrounded by vast cocoa, coffee and rubber plantations, are to be found here.
Almost every night of the year, turtles appear on Sukamade beach to lay eggs. It is clearly a globally important site and one which is protected 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by the over-worked park rangers. Some eggs are taken by the rangers to protect them from predators, both human and other animals. These are incubated in the safety of the park hatchery and the youngsters are released to the ocean on the very beach from where the eggs were laid. There are similar beaches within the park boundary but it seems to be Sukamade that the turtles prefer.
Gandrung Dance
This is a highly regarded artform in Banyuwangi and one of the nicknames for the city is actually Gandrung. In Javanese Gandrung means hopelessly in love. The love in this case is directed to Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice. The performance is a homage to Dewi Sri in gratitude for the rice harvest. The performance is a very special cultural event with unique orchestration. Check at the Tourist Information Centre for scheduled performances.
Seblang Traditional Ceremonies
Banyuwangi has two kinds of Seblang ceremonies. They are Seblang Oleh Sari and Seblang Bakungan. Seblang Ritual is one of public ritual of Using community that can found in two villages in Glagah district, Banyuwangi, that is Bakungan and Olihsari. This ritual is held for pray and wishfull to the God, in order to get the welfare and secure. This ritual is as same as Sintren ritual in Cirebon area, Jaran Kepang and Sanghyang in Bali Island.
Seblang dance in both villages has different time, in Olihsari village usually held a week after Id Fitr, while in Bakungan held a week after Id Adha. The dancers are chosen by a supernatural man and usually, the dancers must come from the previous dancers. In Olihsari village, the dancers must young girls, while in Bakungan the dancers must women in 50 years old above who get menopause.
This Seblang dance actually is very old tradition, so it difficult to know about its history. But based on a source, the first Seblang dancer is Semi, who is the beginner woman of Gandrung dancer (die in 1973). After she got secure from her disease, then her mother promise (Mak Midah or Mak Milah) must be done, Semi finally became Seblang in her childhood till younger, she was Gandrung dancer.
Meru Betiri Reserve
Meru Betiri Reserve corns at the end of 30 kilometers of pot-holed road that crossed a half dozen rivers and wound up through dense jungle and rubber plantation. It is 58,000 hectare and located about 97 km to the south of Banyuwangi.
Meru Betiri is a natural habitat of the rafflesia flower (Rafflesia zollingeriana), and various other plants such as mangrove (Rhizophora sp), api-api (Avicennia sp), waru (Hibiscus tiliaceus), nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum), rengas (Gluta renghas), bungur (Lagerstroemia speciosa), pulai (Alstonia scholaris), bendo (Artocarpus elasticus), and several medicinal plants.
This Park is also home to several protected animals, including 29 species of mammal and 180 species of bird. Among them are the banteng (Bos javanicus javanicus), panther (Panthera pardus), wild pig (Sus scrofa), long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), Asian wild dog (Cuon alpinus javanicus), red-tailed flying squirrel (Iomys horsfieldii), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis javanensis), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak muntjak), Timor deer (Cervus timorensis russa), green peafowl (Pavo muticus), leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), common green turtle (Chelonia mydas), and Pacific ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea).
Meru Betiri National Park is known as the last habitat of the Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) which is now a highly endangered and protected species. However, no traces of this tiger have been found for many years and it is feared to be extinct.