Indonesia Travel Guide

Karimunjawa Gives Days for Forever Holiday

Have you ever imagined that just on Java Sea, hidden paradise is waiting for us to be explored? At first I was only able to imagine it and was quite satisfied to witness the natural beauty of Karimunjawa from televisions, pictures and writings that I found on the internet. All the pictures were amazing. I couldn’t even believe that ocean had really beautiful colors from green, blue into turquoise. I can’t remember how many times I looked into the pictures and every time I did it, I was always amazed. New conscience started to fill my mind, the paradise couldn’t be reached if I were just sitting in front of my computer. Somehow I needed to be there, to feel by myself paradise getaway.

“And the journey had finally begun”

Though Karimunjawa is a part of Jepara administrative region but it can be reached from two places, Tanjung Mas Harbor which is located in Semarang and Kartini Harbor which is located in Jepara. If you would to take the fast boat, Tanjung Mas is the right option to get to Karimunjawa within 3,5 hours. But if you were a backpacker and willing to feel the more traditional boat, ferry that takes 6 hours, you may choose Jepara as your first starting point.

I had felt by myself both fast boat and ferry and based on my own opinion, taking ferry gave me special impression. I could just relaxing on the deck, sitting for hours, chatting with other passengers, playing cards with some friends and enjoying myself surrounded by the sea. After almost 6 hours on the sea, the ferry called as Muria berthed at the Karimunjawa Port. The port was totally different with what you have in Java for instance. It’s considerably quiet with only one building and no other ships that berthed there unless Muria. And you must see the water, very clear; you can even look into the deepest and see hundreds of fishes swimming around the ferry.

As now one of the most favorite holiday destinations, Karimunjawa has many places to stays from the cheapest to the most expensive such as Kura Kura resort. If you had limited budget, you may choose to stay in local house that is offered in about $2 – $3 for a night. Home stay can also be good option and cost you about $6 -$10 per room for a night. If you liked to go for higher price, some hotels are available with air conditioner in about $15 – $100 per room for a night. But no matter how much your budget is, you should try to stay at least one night in Wisma Apung Karimunjawa. It’s the only floating hotel and it has small pool which is full of benign sharks and stingrays where you can swim with them with no worries.

There is just one way to experience the greatest holiday in Karimunjawa in which it’s what you can call as island hopping. What you need to do is renting a boat and it only costs about $35 – $50 for about 10 hours for small and medium boat that can take 10 to 15 passengers. There are some islands you need to visit, Pulau Tengah, Pulau Cemara Kecil, Pulau Cemara Besar, Pulau Kecil, Pulau Menjangan Kecil and Gosong. You can do snorkeling in some spots around the island. The corals are beautiful, rich in color and shapes from acropora to montipora. You will also be surrounded by hundreds of fishes with many colors and shape, makes you feel like you’re inside the most beautiful aquarium ever. If you desired beautiful beaches, Karimunjawa perfectly suits your need. All sands are white and the water is transparent where it makes you able to see small white fishes swimming just next to the beach.

A week may not enough for you to see all the beauties of Karimunjawa since what it has is never endings paradise that is always there waiting for another people and giving them chance to adore it, to adore a piece of paradise on earth.