OVERLAND BANYUWANGI

Covering a total area of 43,420 hectares, the Alas Purwo Park is situated on the Blambangan Peninsula in the Banyuwangi regency, at the southeastern-most tip of East Java, on a peninsula directly facing the island of Bali.

The Park is made up of mangroves, savannahs, lowland monsoon forests, and coral-fringed beaches. The Park is considered to have the most natural tropical rainforests and one of is the oldest in Indonesia. Thousands of migrating birds visit its pristine forests each year and turtles come to lay their eggs on its secluded beaches.

It is known as the natural habitat of the striped local Java tiger. Today, the Park still conserves rare and endangered wildlife species, such as the amazing Rafflesia zollingeriana flower and the Javanese flying squirrels.

It also has an 8.54 km square of marine area, with pristine beaches in mesmerizing nature, hides away beyond the lush green rainforest of the vast park. Sukamade Beach is the tranquil nesting grounds for endangered turtle species such as leatherback, hawksbill, olive ridley, and green turtles.

Witness the amazing natural events of sea turtles laying their eggs here during night time. Or, participate in escorting baby turtles back to the free ocean after spending some time in the local breeding facility which cares for their early wellbeing.

In Rajegwesi Beach you can swim or observe fishermen's traditions. There is also Green Bay, a crystal clear marine tourism where you can enjoy the astonishing turquoise waters.

In stark contrast to the lush green scenery found elsewhere on the island of Java, the Baluran National Park, located on the east-most edge of Java, consists predominantly of open savannahs, where wildlife roams free. Here one can watch grazing, the large Javan water buffaloes called “banteng”, small Java mouse deer known as “kancil”, peacocks strutting about displaying their colorful plumage, eagles flying overhead and macaques fishing for crabs with their tails.

Discovered by Dutchman A.H.Loredeboer, in 1937 it was designated Wildlife Refuge by the Dutch colonial authorities, and in 1980 Indonesia designated this as a National Park. At the center of this large Park stands the extinct Baluran volcano, watching over its pristine environment dominated by the dry east wind.

Covering 250 sq km, the Park forms part of the district of Situbondo, in the province of East Java, comprising lowland forests, mangrove forests and 40% swathes of fertile savannahs, they provide abundant food for the animals. Here also are many typical Java trees like the Java tamarind and the pecan nut trees.

Ijen plateau or known as 'Kawah Ijen' is highly recommended to mountain buffs and hikers. The Plateau was at one time a huge active crater, 134 sq km in area. Ijen is a quiet but active volcano, and the landscape is dominated by the volcanic cones of Ijen (2,368 asl) and Merapi (2,800 asl) on the northeastern edge of the Plateau, and Raung (3,332 asl) on the southwest corner. The vent is a source of sulfur and collectors work here, making the trek up to the crater and down to the lake every day.

Marvel at the richness of culture and picturesque nature of Banyuwangi, the Sunrise of Java. Meet the Osing Tribe of Kemiren Village, who are still eagerly preserving their ancestor's elaborate tradition and rituals. The history of Kemiren dated way back to the time of the fallen days of Majapahit Kingdom. Where many of the population fled to various region to start a new life. The ancestors of the Osing then resides in the eastern part of Java named Banyuwangi and promptly established the Blambangan Kingdom. They declined to move back to Majapahit, and therefore named as the "Osing" people, which in their language means "no”. After 200 years of glory, the Hindu Buddhist culture of Blambangan then overthrown by the rapid growth of Islam, which led to the new reign of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom.

During the independence war in the 1800s, Cungking village was where the Osing people originally dwells, but Cungking was gradually abandoned as people were running away from the Dutch troops to a densely forested area nearby. There were so many Kemiri and Duren (Durian) trees growing on the thick forest, that soon became their new home. They settle down and named their village after both trees, Kemiri-Duren merged as Kemiren.

Surrounded by unspoilt white sandy beaches, stunning coral reefs, and enchanting underwater, environment Menjangan Island is a perfect definition of what natural beauty is all about. Located about 10Km North West off the shore of Bali’s mainland, the small island of Menjangan forms part of the West Bali National Park Conservation Area. The word "Menjangan" in the Javanese language means "Deer". According to Wikipedia, the name was given by the local population who observed wild deer herds swimming to the island every spring covering a distance of approx 1.2 miles.

The island itself is surrounded by a coral reef, characterized by deep drop offs of near to 60 meters and by complex rock formations. These distinctive features have given rise to a great number of large and small caves, festooned with sponge and soft corals and often inhabited by large groupers, moray eels and by young snappers and batfish in the smaller caves. The sea beds are also rich in large barrel sponges and vibrant sea fans, some of which are truly enormous. Given the depth, the moderate flow of currents and its protection from strong winds, it is common to see tuna, shoals of jack-fish, batfish, angelfish, sea turtles, and on occasion also sharks, especially off the outer corners of the island.