Want to get away and lie on a beach? Read on.
Would you like to insert yourself into a picture like this?
Indonesian island paradise postcard, (c) Periplus
I know I would.
The Republic of Indonesia consists of 17 or 18 000 islands, of which about half have names and 3000 are permanently inhabited. As such, it ought to be relatively easy to find a deserted island or beach. However, getting to such places can be difficult, time-consuming and/or expensive.
So here is a quick guide to some of the best deserted beaches in Indonesia that aren’t too remote, in no particular order:
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| Pulau Tidung / Tidung Island | Pulau Pramuka / Pramuka Island |
A ferry from Ancol in North Jakarta will take you to this group of islands, home to some very nice beaches. There is a range of accommodation available for different budgets from hostel to resort with golf course. Its proximity and convenience to Jakarta means some hotels can seem quite expensive compared to other parts of Indonesia, especially on weekends and school holidays (when prices increase significantly). As a rough guide, the further from Jakarta, the better the deserted beach; the closer islands tend to attract more day-trippers along with some of the capital's waterborne pollution. Or, if you're Indonesian and money is no object, you could ensure isolation by buying one of the islands; I once had a student whose parents had done this.
Accommodation and transport packages can be arranged through Grayline Tours or the Jakarta Tourism Office, or you can contact each resort directly. A selection of what's available is listed here.
Karimunjawa, Central Java
Karimunjawa, looking out from the beach
Nestled between Central Java and South Kalimantan is this island chain. Again, a range of accommodation – many including all meals – is available. Or if you really want to get away from it all, you can live 1 km offshore on a fishing platform!
Karimunjawa, aerial view
You can get there by speedboat from Semarang (three hours) or less speedy boat from Jepara (seven hours). Garuda and Sriwijaya Air fly to Semarang from Jakarta, and the latter also from Surabaya. Jakarta-Surabaya (Pasar Turi) trains all stop in Semarang, too. Note that during the wet season (mostly in Dec-Mar) boats sometimes don't sail due to high seas.
Mawan Beach (near Kuta Lombok), West Nusa Tenggara
Mawan Beach
About 5 km west from Kuta on the south coast of Lombok is a spectacular horseshoe beach called Mawan (pronounced Mar-warn). The only inhabitants are a small fishing community, so most of the time you can be guaranteed the beach to yourself.
You can get to Lombok by plane from Jakarta/Bali/Surabaya then take a taxi from the airport (a flat rate), or by boat from Bali and then get a connecting bus (many conductors will be happy to arrange your onward transport at the Lombok ferry terminal). You will need to arrange/charter transport (e.g. ojek) to Mawan Beach, and on the way back you can visit the Astari Cafe with stunning views of the surrounding coastline.
Gili Meno
Gili Meno – one of the three Gili Islands, off the NW coast of Lombok - runs a close second, if only because walking and lying on parts of the beach which are covered by sharp shell fragments. You can get there by ferry from the nearest mainland town of Bangsal or direct from Padangbai, Bali on Perama Tour.
However, if you have a bit more time to spare you might also want to consider:
Banda Island
Banda Islands, Maluku
A ferry ride from Ambon is this island chain. While they are also famous for nearby diving and snorkeling, some of the islands are themselves worth visiting for stunning, unspoilt beaches.
You can fly to Ambon directly from Jakarta (many choices) or Surabaya (Batavia Air), and an Air Asia service from Kuala Lumpur is planned. Unfortunately, it seems Merpati no longer flies from Ambon to the main town of Bandaneira, so you will have to travel by boat. According to its schedule (which may not be entirely accurate), the Pelni ferry goes in each direction every week or two, taking seven or twelve hours. Better check on or before arrival at your local Pelni office.
Pulau Derawan, East Kalimantan
Derawan Island
As reported in The Jakarta Post, this is the favourite place in all of Borneo (including the Malaysian section) of the local Lonely Planet author Muhammad Cohen. Highlights and details for how to get there are contained in the link above.
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