Traveling to Banyuwangi

Taking a long road trip for travel was never on my list except for going home to Jakarta. But this year was different; my family and I chose to travel to Banyuwangi. Banyuwangi is the easternmost region in East Java, a 6-hour drive from Pasuruan. Banyuwangi itself has many tourist destinations.

Why Banyuwangi?

As I said before, Banyuwangi has a lot of tourist destinations. You can choose from mountains to beaches. Besides that, I considered the holiday season, when famous destinations like Yogyakarta or Bali can be crowded. Not that Banyuwangi is not famous, but by analyzing the travel distance and the travel habits of Indonesian people, I thought it wouldn’t be as crowded. And I guess was right!

What was my itinerary?

I’m only going to mention the famous tourist destinations in Banyuwangi because I was traveling with my 4-year-old daughter and my pregnant wife. So, for four days, my itinerary was:

1. Day 1 - Staying at Ketapang Indah Hotel
2. Day 2 - Going to Baluran
3. Day 3 - Going to Djawatan and Red Island
4. Day 4 - Going home

Ketapang Indah Hotel

Ketapang Indah Hotel is a must if you go to Banyuwangi. I’m usually pretty frugal, so I felt Ketapang Indah was expensive, but it was worth it. You have access to a beach on the same area with the hotel. Eventhough it has black sand and is rocky, it is still worth it. The view is, what I can say about it.. It is very calming. The wind, the coconut trees, the blue sky-it has every element to relax the body and mind.

Baluran

Baluran is actually in the Situbondo region, not Banyuwangi. The landscape with wild animals like bulls and monkeys, creates an Africa-like view. My family and I even prepared outfits so our photos would look like we were on a safari! Honestly it was just my daughter who wore a safari-like outfit. If you go further in, there’s also a beach called Bama Beach. There are no waves there, making it perfect for children to play on the sand. Oh, and the sand is white! In Baluran, you should watch out for the monkeys! They try to grab everything you’re holding.

Djawatan

I always fascinated that Djawatan is located right by the side of the road. We didn’t have to travel far off the main road to enter the Djawatan forest. Djawatan is an area with a grouping of Samanea Saman trees, creating a surreal view that makes you feel like you’re in another place. The photoshoot services there are very cheap, ranging from 20.000 to 50.000 rupiahs for many photos.

Red Island

Red Island is located in South Banyuwangi. It took us an hour to drive from Djawatan. The beach has a very strong waves and white sand. We ordered seafood, which was quite delicious and reasonably priced. After lunch, we rented a beach chair and ordered coconut drinks. My daughter and I played in the sand together.

Summary

Even though the itinerary didn’t go exactly as planned because of heavy rain on day 1, I think it was nice because we got an extra rest day. Oh I forgot to mention our homestay from day 2 to day 4, the one and only Banana Homestay! It was comfortable place to stay, with a friendly owner and homely cooking, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking for a reasonably priced homestay with great service. Banyuwangi has many other destinations too, like Alas Purwo, Ijen Crater, Green Bay etc! Overall, it was our best holiday ever.