Baluran National Park

"Afirca in Java", this is a popular term described by people about Baluran National Park which is located at Situbondo regency, East Java province, Indonesia. When we step our feet there, Africa nuance will strike our eyes. Wide savannas and amazing panorama will refresh heart and eyes.

Savanna is the most characteristic of Baluran National Park. In dry season, the savannah in Baluran are always visited by wild animals. The total wide of savannah is 40% of the wide of The National Park, which is 25.000 hectare. At this place, you will feel like visiting the beauty of Africa open area, which is green in rainy season and is gold-like in dry season. Sometimes you will see a group of deers in the middle of grass. We occasionally hear the unique voice of patridge, which is like a certain music completed with the beauty of savannah. If we are lucy, we will witness a group of peacocks which is slyly appeared themselves.

There are 444 kind of plants in the forest at the Park, including native plants, like Widoro Bukol (Ziziphus rotundifolia), mimba (Azadirachta indica), and pilang (Acacia leucophloea). Widoro Bukol, mimba and pilang are plants that can adapt themselves in the very dry environment (when they are still green). Other plants are asam (Tamarindus indica), gadung (Dioscorea hispida), kemiri (Aleurites moluccana), gebang (Corypha utan), api-api (Avicennia sp.), kendal (Cordia obliqua), manting (Syzygium polyanthum), dan kepuh (Sterculia foetida).

There are also 26 kinds of mammalia there. Some of them are java bull (Bos javanicus javanicus), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), ajag (Cuon alpinus javanicus), antelope (Muntiacus muntjak muntjak), deer (Cervus timorensis russa), leopard (Panthera pardus melas), kancil (Tragulus javanicus pelandoc), dan kucing bakau (Prionailurus viverrinus). Java bull is a mascot of Baluran National Park.


Summary about Baluran
The most worth seeing places in Baluran:
Batangan area: There is japanese cave and the cemetry of the son of Maulana Malik Ibrahim. The visitors also can watch the dance of peacock at their breeding time in October / November and also go camping.
Facilities: information center, camping field.

Bekol and Semiang areas: animal observation such as forest chicken, peacock, antelope, deer, bull, bird.
Facilities: researcher's bungalow, guest house, observation tower.

Bama, Balanan, Bilik areas: maritime tourism, fishing, snorkeling. In July and August, we can see the fighting of male deers. There is time that we can see a group of grey monkeys looking for crabs using their tails at low tide.

Manting, Air Kacip areas: we witness springs that never dry. There are leopard habitats here.

Popongan, Sejile, Sirontoh, Kalitopo areas: Visitor can rent a boat to enjoy calm sea, looking at many kind of fishes. Observation of bird migration.

Curah Tangis areas: rock climbing at the height of 10 - 30 meter, with a slope of 85%.

Candi Bang, Labuan Merak, Kramat areas: there is cultural tourism.

The best time for visiting: Between March until August, every year.

To reach Baluran: The distance between Banyuwangi - Batangan is 35 km. Batangan to Bekol is 12 km (45 minutes). Baluran also can be reached through Situbondo to Batangan with the distance of 60 km.