5Eating
Pangandaran is famous for its excellent seafood and by far the best place to sample it is in the pasar ikan (fish market).
Green Garden CafeINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Kidang Pananjung 116; mains 12,000-25,000Rp; h8am-10pm; v)
There's not much of a garden in evidence, but you must try the delicious batagor (crispy tofu) here, which is fried in cassava flour and served with spicy peanut sauce. Down it with a fresh juice.
Rumah Makan ChristiINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pamugaran; meals 15,000-40,000Rp; h7am-11pm)
This clean, orderly rumah makan (restaurant), with a large interior and bench seating outside, is a good bet for local food. It fries, grills and stews tofu, chicken, and fish and offers a range of vegetarian dishes too. All authentic Javanese. Pick and mix to your pleasure, then sit at the common table and dine with your new friends.
Relax RestaurantINTERNATIONAL, INDONESIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-630377; Jl Bulak Laut 74; mains 28,000-72,000Rp; h8am-10:30pm)
A dependable, slightly formal Swiss-owned restaurant with a restrained atmosphere thanks to the starched tablecloths and attentive service. The menu covers both Western and Indonesian fare; portions are generous. It's a great bet for breakfast with muesli, homemade yogurt and brown bread available.
Chez Mama CilacapINDONESIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-630098; Jl Kidang Pananjung 197; mains 30,000-75,000Rp; h8am-10:30pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
A large, airy thatched dining room, twirling with ceiling fans and offering a huge range of Indonesian specialities, but famous for fresh seafood, which you can choose from the cooler. Get the crab.
oPasar IkanSEAFOOD$$
(Fish Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Raya Timor; large fish 40,000-70,000Rp; h11am-10pm)
Pangandaran’s terrific fish market consists of more than a dozen large, open-sided restaurants just off the east beach. Karya Bahari is considered the best – which is why it's so crowded – but all operate on exactly the same basis.
Select your fish or seafood (prawns, squid or mussels) from the glistening iced displays. Decide which sauce you fancy (usually garlic, oyster or sweet-and-sour) and it will arrive in minutes.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oBamboo Beach CaféBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pamugaran; h9am-late)
This fine beach bar lines up nicely with the waves, and is the perfect location to scout the swell with a cold Bintang in hand, particularly at sunset. Benches and tables with thatched umbrellas wander all the way to the beach and surround a dance floor that fronts a bandstand.
7Shopping
MM BooksBOOKS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pasanggrahan; h9am-7pm)
Sells a wide range of second-hand Western titles from a roadside shack. The proprietor, Mas Rudin, is one of the best and most trustworthy guides in town.
8Information
A 3500Rp admission charge is officially levied at the gates on entering Pangandaran. Wi-fi is widely available in restaurants, hotels and guesthouses. There's an unofficial Tourist Information office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0852 9499 9906; beachside) by the waves.
BNI ATMBANK
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Merdeka; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat)
There’s a second branch on Jl Bulak Laut.
BRI BankBANK
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Kidang Pananjung; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat)
Changes cash dollars and major brands of travellers cheques.
National Park OfficePARK OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pantai; h7am-5pm)
National Park OfficePARK OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pangandaran; h7am-5pm)
Post OfficePOST OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Kidang Pananjung; h8am-2pm Sat)
WORTH A TRIP
CRUISING THE BACKWATER
It's still possible to do the once-popular backwater boat trip east of Pangandaran, via Majingklak harbour to Cilacap on the Citandui River, but there are no scheduled connections so you'll have to charter your own compreng (wooden boat). Boatmen in Majingklak will do the three-hour trip for 400,000Rp. Alternatively, you can call ahead through a tour agent in Pangandaran to Kalipucang harbour and organise a boat from there for the same price.
Wherever you begin, you will motor up a lazy green river, with low-rise jungled hills on both sides, passing through estuaries and meandering around islands thick with scrub. You will pass a series of riverside villages and wooden-boat harbours, slip through narrow channels into the mangroves where troops of monkeys maraud and solitary cranes meditate beneath a powder blue sky. Toward the end you'll even pass Nusakambangan Prison Island where some of the so-called 'Bali Nine' were executed by firing squad in the surrounding jungle. As you approach, the prison has the spooky isolated setting of a horror movie, then you round a bend and enter Cilacap's major industrial port, with fiery smokestacks coming from Indonesia's largest petrol refinery. Just like that, you're back in 'civilisation'.
From Cilacap there are direct buses to Yogyakarta (60,000Rp, five hours).
8Getting There & Away
Pangandaran can be a frustratingly slow and complicated place to get to. The nearest train station, Sidareja, is 41km away. Speak to Mas Rudin about organising train tickets.
Air
Susi Air ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-639120; www.susiair.com; Jl Merdeka 312 ) flies daily to Pangandaran airstrip (20km west of town) from Jakarta's Halim Perdana Kusuma airport (824,000Rp, one hour). Double check your bookings before departure.
Bus
Many patas buses to Jakarta and Bandung leave from the Sari Bakti Utama depot, just north of town, and Budiman bus depot, about 2km west of Pangandaran along Jl Merdeka. Other services also leave from the main terminal. Buses run to Bandung roughly every hour (40,000Rp to 63,000Rp, six hours) and to Jakarta’s Kampung Rambutan terminal (85,000Rp to 90,000Rp, eight to nine hours). To Bandung, there are two daily Sari Harum (%0265-607 7065) door-to-door travel minibuses (100,000Rp, six hours). To Yogyakarta, you'll find two daily Estu Travel (%027-4668 4567, 0812 2284 4700) minibuses (110,000Rp to 160,000Rp, nine hours).
From the main bus terminal there are hourly buses to both Banjar (19,000Rp, two hours) and Sidareja (25,000Rp, 1½ hours) for train connections.
Car
Travel agencies rent minibuses with drivers for about 900,000Rp per day including driver and petrol. The most popular trip is a three-day tour to Yogyakarta, usually via Wonosobo for the first night, Dieng for sunrise, then on to Borobudur. You'll reach Yogyakarta via Prambanan on the final day.
Train
The nearest stations are Sidareja and Banjar. As the overland trip by bus to Yogyakarta takes a punishing eight or nine hours, train travel makes a lot of sense. From Sidareja there are two daily trains (3½ to four hours). Agents in Pangandaran organise combined minibus to Sidareja station and economy/business/exclusive class train tickets for 140,000/230,000/350,000Rp. Or you could save some rupiah by catching a local bus to Sidareja and buying a train ticket there (avoiding commission), but this risks not getting a seat on the train once you arrive in Sidareja.
Banjar station, 65km away, is a better bet if you're heading for Jakarta.
Travel agents, hotels and the tourist information office can help with travel arrangements and tickets on all routes.
8Getting Around
Pangandaran’s brightly painted becak start at around 6000Rp and require heavy negotiation. Bicycles can be rented for 20,000Rp per day, and motorcycles cost around 50,000Rp per day.
Around Pangandaran
The scenic coastline around Pangandaran has some terrific surf beaches, forests, lagoons, fishing villages and a recreational park or two. It’s a joy to explore by motorbike. Hotels and travel agencies can set up guided trips.
West of Pangandaran
Heading west of town, you travel along a pretty but busy coastal road lined with palm trees that runs through small villages and paddy fields.
At the tiny village of Ciok
oto, 6km along this road, there’s a large wayang golek workshop, with high-quality puppets for sale (400,000Rp to more than 1,000,000Rp). Next up is Karang Tirta, a lagoon set back from the beach with bagang (fishing platforms). It’s 16km from Pangandaran and 2km south of the highway.
Inland from Parigi, near Cigugur, Gunung Tilu hilltop has fine views and is included in some tour itineraries.
2Activities
Green CanyonBOAT TOUR, SWIMMING
(Cujang Taneuh; per boat 150,000Rp; h7.30am-4pm Sat-Thu, 1-4pm Fri)
The number one tour from Pangandaran is to Green Canyon. Boats buzz up the jungle-fringed, emerald river from a small marina to a waterfall and a beautiful canyon where there’s fun swimming (though the current is often strong here). Locals take good care of the river and you won't see any plastic rubbish.
Boatmen work on a return-trip schedule of just 45 minutes, which only gives you about 15 minutes to swim and explore the narrowest and most beautiful part of the canyon. If you want to motor further upstream or stay longer you’ll have to pay an extra 100,000Rp for 30 minutes. Many tour operators in Pangandaran run trips here for 300,000Rp and include ‘countryside’ excursions to make a full-day tour. To get there yourself, hire a boat from the Green Canyon river harbour on the highway, 1km before the turn-off to Batu Karas. The entrance is clearly signposted at several points along the highway.
Green ValleySWIMMING
(Sungai Citumang; entrance 15,000Rp, life vest for body rafting 20,000Rp, guide 100,000Rp; h7am-5pm)
Reached by a rough inland road from the village of Cipinda (8km from Pangandaran, look out for the sign Citumang), this attraction involves an easy riverside walk from a dam to a small but beautiful gorge called Green Valley. You can swim in the gorge and there are cliff jumps for the brave (or foolhardy).
Pay extra and you've the option of 'body rafting' the river back to the entrance instead of walking, which involves floating downstream using a lifejacket for buoyancy – a surreal and delightful experience as you gaze up at the forest canopy. A guide is mandatory for body rafting.
Batu Karas
%0265 / Pop 3000
The idyllic fishing village and surfing hot spot of Batu Karas, 32km west of Pangandaran, is one of the most enjoyable places to kick back in West Java. It’s as pretty as a picture – a tiny one-lane fishing settlement, with two beaches that are separated by a wooded promontory.
The main surfing beach is the smaller one, and it's a sweet bay tucked between two rocky headlands. The other is a long arcing black sand number parked with pontoon fishing boats that shove off each night looking for fresh catch in the tides. There's good swimming, with sheltered sections that are calm enough for a dip, but many visitors are here for the breaks, and there’s a lot of surf talk.
In recent years Batu Karas' popularity has started to take off as more (tasteful) guesthouses have opened, but the village still retains a low-key, relaxed charm. On weekends, however, it can become inundated with domestic tourists. The best time to surf and relax here is midweek.
2Activities
This is one of the best places in Java to learn to surf. The Point (offshore from Java Cove) is perfect for beginners with paddle-in access from the beach, and slow, peeling waves over a sandy bottom. Other waves include The Reef, a deep-water reef break, and Bulak Bender, a challenging right-hander in the open ocean that's a 40-minute ride away by bike or boat.
The locally run surf co-op, just off the beach, charges 200,000Rp for a two-hour lesson including board hire. Longboards and shortboards (from 70,000Rp per day) are available from locals or the co-op. Although there are better nests these days, Jesfa homestay still rents motorbikes (per day 50,000Rp).
4Sleeping & Eating
Nayla HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0852 1755 3017; d 150,000Rp)
No wi-fi and no frills, just two small concrete rooms, clean and simple, on the main road and steps from the beach.
Wooden HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 6919 4405; [email protected]; r 200,000Rp)
Going for the log cabin look, these three lovely rooms with high ceilings are kept tidy and access a shared balcony with sea views. Downstairs there's a good warung for local food, jaffles, salads and pancakes.
BK HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0822 6023 7802; r 200,000Rp incl breakfast; W)
Four terrific-value, fan-cooled rooms, all with floor-to-ceiling glass on one side, high ceilings, wood floors and wi-fi in the restaurant below. No hot water, but that won't matter much here. It's set off the main beach parking lot, right in the centre of things.
Pondok CowetGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0815 7316 2286; www.facebook.com/pondokcowet; r 450,000-600,000Rp; aW)
Tucked down a dirt road 50m from the main fishing beach, this new addition offers cool brick-house bunkers and rather creative modern rooms with a mosaic of floor-to-ceiling glass, exposed brick walls, pebbled bathroom floors and cow-print blankets.
oJava CoveBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(%0265-708 2020; www.javacovebeachhotel.com; r 399,000-1,299,000Rp; ais)
It's not gleaming new any longer, but this modernist beach hotel still delivers serenity. Tasteful (and damn near indestructible) rooms feature reclaimed wood floors, floating dressers, private terraces and wonderful service. The hip yet laid-back pool area is dotted with bean bags and blessed with ocean views.
The restaurant (mains 40,000Rp to 90,000Rp) serves tasty salads, pizzas, pasta and terrific fries – they call them potato wedges – not to mention buckets of icy Bintang.
L-PariINTERNATIONAL$
(%0822 6023 7802; 16,000-40,000Rp; h7am-10pm; W)
A tourist-driven kitchen serving international and local favourites. It does a tasty fish curry, pasta, fish and chips, and even mixes guacamole in season. All served in a stylish open-faced dining room dotted with sumptuous booths and decorated with photos printed on wood of the local groms (young surfers). Prices are reasonable.
Bayview SeafoodSEAFOOD$$
(mains 15,000-70,000Rp; h11am-late Fri-Sun)
On the main junction as you enter the village, and open only on weekends, this Indo-German ikan bakar (grilled fish) joint offers a range of seafood dishes. Choose your protein from the cooler, and they'll grill, saute or fry it up. Pair yours with the karedok (cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing).
8Getting There & Away
You have to pay a toll of 3000Rp to enter the village. There's no public transport to Batu Karas but it can be reached from Pangandaran by taking a bus to Cijulang (10,000Rp) then an ojek for 30,000Rp. Or you can hire a motorbike in Pangandaran (per day 50,000Rp) and drive yourself, or book a pricey private car transfer (350,000Rp) – an outrageous rate given the distances involved, but that's the going rate in high season. Bargain for low-season discounts.
Central Java
Jakarta may be the nation’s capital, but the Javan identity is at its strongest here, in the island’s historic heartland. This is where Java’s first major Indianised civilisation was born, and it was the stronghold of the great Islamic sultanates centred on the kraton (walled city palaces) of Yogyakarta and Solo as well. Even today, Central Java (Jawa Tengah) remains the province in which the island’s cultural pulse beats loudest.
Though Central Java has a reputation for a short fuse when dealing with religious and political sentiments, it’s a relaxed, easy-going province for tourists. Yogyakarta, at the centre of its own quasi-independent ‘special region’ stretching from the south coast to Gunung Merapi, and Solo, just 65km to the northeast, are Java’s most interesting cities. But even Semarang, the province’s busy, maritime capital, has some charm. Most visitors, though, will find the stupendous Borobudur and Prambanan temples the highlight of any trip to Java's centre. And well they should. No matter the crowds, it's at these two spectacular sites where history and spirit are palpable, infusing any morning or afternoon, sunrise or sunset with magic and mystery.
Wonosobo
%0286 / Pop 113,000
Bustling Wonosobo is the main gateway to the Dieng Plateau. At 900m above sea level in the central mountain range, it has a comfortable climate and is a typical country town with a busy market.
If you value comfort, it’s easy to base yourself here in one of the town’s good-quality hotels and get up to Dieng, which is just over an hour away and served by regular buses.
4Sleeping
oWisma Duta HomestayHOMESTAY$$
(%0286-321674; [email protected]; Jl Rumah Sakit III; r incl breakfast 300,000Rp; aW)
This excellent place has been hosting travellers for years. The attractive rooms have exposed stonework and are decorated with antiques. In fact, the entire house is decorated with the owner's marvellous antique collection, and there is no better choice in town. Book ahead.
Pondok BambooLODGE$$
(%081 894 8495; [email protected]; Jl Raya Dieng Km7; r incl breakfast 350,000Rp)
Set at the top of the tiny village of Kalikuning, laced with a slender stone street and cute as can be, is this collection of three shingled chalets with bamboo doors, walls, lanterns and furniture – including a wonderful dark bamboo bed. Breakfast is included.
It's a terrific alternative to Wonosobo, but you'll need private transport to stay here as it's 7km north of Wonosobo and difficult to reach with public transport. No lunch or dinner is offered.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 17