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All roads lead to Krakatau and Ujung Kulon
There are more than one "way" to reach Ujung Kulon. Tour itinerary varies, depends on transportation-modes : fastboat or wooden-boat. Both modes of transportation is possible, but what we mention here is the most convenient choice.Where to start ?
Carita (3 hrs by car from Airport/Jakarta): a small "pass-thru" town on the west coast of Banten facing the Sunda Strait. It is one of the most convenient place to start the tour from. A getaway area, especially the Carita Bay, with plenty of hotels and cottages. Full flocked with visitors during long weekends. Tour: by fastboat to Krakatau and/or Ujung Kulon.Tanjung Lesung (1 hr by car from Carita): a to-be first-class high-end resort area. The area is actually a fishermen village, more or less like Kuta (in Bali) in the old days. Government's plan is to turn this area into a resort area with modern facilities. Currently there are already several good hotels in this secluded area. For those staying at Tanjung Lesung it is more convenient to start the tour from here. Tour: by fastboat to Krakatau or Ujung Kulon.
Sumur (3 hrs by car from Carita): a typical fishermen village full of wooden-boats near Ujung Kulon. Located about 2 hours cruise by wooden boat from Ujung Kulon, the choice here is to visit Ujung Kulon only. Slower than fastboat, yet still convenient with beautiful views overlooking the coast, palm trees, and Ujung Kulon mainland forest. Experience the native fishermen boat. Tour: by wooden-boat to Ujung Kulon (*)
Taman Jaya (4 hours by car from Carita): this is the last frontier before entering the Ujung Kulon forest. A small village, very popular base-camp for budget backpackers who prefer to follow the long trail of the Ujung Kulon forest by trekking. Tour: by wooden-boat to Ujung Kulon (*)
About Ujung Kulon
- Sumur and Taman Jaya villages are actually located within the Ujung Kulon National Park zone.
- The term "Ujung Kulon" here refers the wider area beyond those villages: the Ujung Kulon Peninsula and small islets and islands in the area.
- Boats are mode of transportation to conveniently hop to small islets and islands around, like Badul Islet, Handeueleum Islet, Peucang Island.
- Unless visitors wish to do trekking only in the forest, boats are not needed and trekking starts from Taman Jaya village.
- For long trekking boat will be required to cross from the mainland to Peucang Island, and further cruise back from Peucang Island to Taman Jaya.
Ujung Kulon Trail: the trails are maintained regularly by rangers, since these trails are used by them periodically when entering the forest to check the remote sensing / monitoring equipments. Rangers leave their posts to enter the forest for weeks, stay in shelters or tents. Anyhow, since the Ujung Kulon National Park is a rainforest, muddy, swamps, and most of the trails are "loop trails" which follow the coast of the mainland, these trails could be damaged (not visible) by quick growing bush and trees, and worse covered by sea water during the high-tide.
Long Trekking: most common trek route is: Taman Jaya > Tanjung Lame > Karang Ranjang > Cibandawoh > Cikeusik > Cibunar. This trek offers some "jungle trekking" and endless beautiful view of a long-stretched yellow-orange-pink beach sands of southern part of Ujung Kulon Peninsula facing the Samudera Indonesia (Indian Ocean). From Cibunar trekkers have an option to turn back by the same route to Taman Jaya, or, a better option would be to proceed further into the jungle and come out at Cidaon and cross by wooden-boat to Peucang Island. After some rest at Peucang Island, by boat cruise back to Taman Jaya.
