Karimun Corals

When you think that Java is not a good place for some diving, well you’re wrong. There are some beautiful diving spots that are properly run as a tourism spot. One of them is the Karimun Jawa National Park. The national park is located north of Jepara city, a city famous for its beautiful wood-engravour furniture. The exact location of the national park lies 60 NM (nautical miles) beyond the north seas of the city.

The national park consists of 22 islands on the Java Sea with a total of 111,625 hectares, and Karimun Jawa island is about 1,285.5 hectares. The national park is a great place for divers wishing to see the natural beauty of the coral reefs of the Java Sea. Packed with beautiful white-sand beach, it’s a good place for Snorkling, Diving, Fishing, Sun Bathing, Canoing, taking a ride at the Banana Boat. There are also some shark and snapper fish farm, seaweed farm run by the locals, turtles conservation, and mangroove forest.

It’s a recomended spot for naturalist photographers seeking some objects for their photos.

Some of the best place of Karimun Jawa for exploring are:

• Pulau Menjangan Kecil
• Menjangan Besar
• Tanjung Gelam
• Legon Lele
• Genting
• Kembar
• Parang
• Cemara
• Krakal

Reaching the island will take quite a long trip, about a 3.5 hours trip by boat from Semarang or 2.5 hours from Jepara. The schedule is as follows:

• Saturday: Semarang – Karimunjawa 08.30 WIB
• Sunday: Karimunjawa – Semarang 14.00 WIB
• Monday: every first and third week; Semarang ( 07:00 WIB ) – Jepara (09:30 WIB) – Karimunjawa
• Tuesday: every first and third week; Karimunjawa ( 11:00 WIB )

Tickets:

• VIP Semarang – Karimunjawa : Rp. 130.000
• VIP Karimunjawa – Semarang : Rp. 128.000
• VIP Jepara – Karimunjawa : Rp. 83.000
• VIP Jepara – Semarang : Rp. 59.000
• Bisnis Semarang – Karimunjawa : Rp. 110.000
• Bisnis Karimunjawa – Semarang : Rp. 108.000
• Bisnis Jepara - Karimunjawa : Rp. 63.000
• Bisnis Jepara – Semarang : Rp. 35.000

If you’re willing to go a longer and cheaper trip (5 - 6 hours), you could use the ferry to the island, here’s the schedule and ticket price:

• Wednesday: Jepara – Karimunjawa jam 08:30 WIB.
• Thursday: Karimunjawa – Jepara jam 08:30 WIB.
• Saturday: Jepara – Karimunjawa jam 08:30 WIB.
• Monday: Karimunjawa – Jepara jam 08:30 WIB.

If you’re the I-always-get-that-sea-sick-feeling stuff and willing to spend more money and a more luxurious way of travel you could rent a plane through AVIASI Semarang, their phone is +62 (024) 7612282. Some of their service are

• Cesna 402, capacity
  6 people 1.050 US $ / hour , minimal carter 2 hours.
• Cesna 172 capacity
  3 people 363 US $ / hour , minimal carter 2 hours .

Note:

• waiting fee 50 US$ ( 06:00 WIB – 17:00 WIB )
• Round fee +500 US$ ( per one day one night )

The prices are by US dollars.

Now where to stay??

You could try the Nirvana Laut, a resort lodge by the beach, you could find the prices here.

Map of Karimun Jawa

See bigger map