Karimunjawa National Park

Karimunjawa National Park - Geleang Island

The Karimunjawa archipelago, located in the Java Sea, widely known as The Karimunjawa National Park these clustered island offer magnificent scenery for divers and travelers.

Karimunjawa is located in the north of the city of Semarang, Central Java, It takes approximately four to five hour to visit this typical Indonesian resort island from city of Semarang, that`s quite a long way down ahead but once you arrived you`ll be surrounded by pristine beach with touch of Indonesia`s natural beauty.

Karimunjawa is among one of the seven marine national parks in Indonesia, it has very rich biodiversity, As a marine national park, Karimunjawa is mixture of five different ecosystems and surely  attracts those who wish to take in its natural beauty and learn more about marine life. The biodiversity found in Karimunjawa is marvelous; among the most significant are the 44 different species of mangroves, 11 species of sea grass, 9 species of sea weed, and 444 species of fish. The coral itself has 176 different species that you likely want to see while snorkeling. Two protected biota species in Karimunjawa are the black coral (Antiphates sp.) and organ pipe coral (Tubipora musica). Others include the triton trumpet, the hornet helmet, and the pearly-chambered nautilus. Here are also hawksbill turtles, common green turtles, and on land are the red-breasted parakeet and other tropical bird species. 

Separated from the larger island of Java, Karimunjawa geographically located about 120 kilometers from the north coast of Semarang, its floats between the island of java and borneo (kalimantan) such a  distance forms a natural fence from physical degradation and has made it culturally resilient from modern influences. There are 27 islands in this national park, only 5 are inhabited by locals. Towns and villages are set on the island of Karimunjawa (the largest island), Kemujan, Nyamuk, Parang, and Genting. 

Karimunjawa - Corals reef

Island Attractions

Series of nature adventure available in front of travelers` eyes, magnificent view of coral reefs, tons of sea grass and seaweed next to the lush mangrove forest that splendidly reflect images on the rippling water surface. As the boat cuts across the still water in the morning, you will see the warmth of early sun rays fall on the lowland tropical forest on the coast. They look fantastic.

1. Diving and Snorkeling is a definite activity you must do. The coral reefs are excellent to capture with your underwater camera. The fringing reefs are among those patch reefs and barrier reefs. The colorful fish glide in large groups above the black corals and organ pipe corals, the two protected biota in Karimunjawa.
2. Trekking through the villages in Karimunjawa is an alternative. The locals are friendly as you can observe them working in the cultured sea grass patches. The track is not limited to this height, as Karimunjawa’s highest point is at 506 meters above sea level. Trekking through the forest and finding yourself gazing on the 27 islands dotting the Java Sea is an extraordinary experience.  On land, there are deer, long-tailed macaques, white-belly sea eagles, and various species of birds. Trekking could be very fulfilling and a great outdoor experience.

Karimunjawa - Corals reef

Where to stay in Karimunjawa

Resorts in Karimunjawa are typical Indonesia resort, some of the most notable resort are Kura-kura Resort and Karimunjawa Resort. The Menjangan Kecil Resort is found on Menjangan Kecil island. While the Barracuda Resort looks very popular with its lush tropical small forest and cottages among the rows of coconut trees. Best time to visit the Park is between April to October.

How to get to Karimunjawa

Karimunjawa itself has an airport in Kemujan Island, called the Dewadaru Airport. Small aircrafts land here although the flight schedule is still dominated by chartered flights from Semarang, Yogyakarta or Bali. Ferries serve the islands three times a week, either from Jepara or also Semarang, and speed boats are plenty and available on special request. tickets are vary starts from 45.000 IDR to 165.000 IDR.

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