Karimunjawa Travel Guide
A group of 27 islands in the Java Sea about 80 km north of Jepara, Central Java. Most of it is Karimunjawa National Park, protecting coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves. White-sand beaches, snorkelling and a relaxed island pace, just a few hours from Java.
Why Go to Karimunjawa
Karimunjawa is the closest place for people on Java to get a real tropical-island feel: clear water, white sand and quiet fishing villages. Only a few islands are inhabited; the rest are protected within the national park.
Most visitors stay on Karimunjawa island and join day-long snorkelling boats to small islands such as Menjangan Kecil, Cemara and Tengah. Karimunjawa and Kemujan islands are joined by a bridge, with mangroves and a small airstrip on Kemujan.
One thing to remember: getting to Karimunjawa depends on the sea. In the west-monsoon season boats can be cancelled for days, so build a spare day into your plans.
- Snorkelling the reefs around small islands
- Sunset at Tanjung Gelam Beach
- The mangrove boardwalk on Kemujan
- Hilltop lookouts above Karimunjawa village
- Grilled fish at the town square at night
Current Conditions in Karimunjawa
Districts & Where to Base Yourself
- Karimunjawa villageThe harbour, town square, homestays, restaurants and boat agents.
- West coast of Karimunjawa islandTanjung Gelam beach and resorts; the best place for sunset.
- KemujanMangroves, a Bugis fishing village and the Dewadaru airstrip.
- Small islandsMenjangan Kecil, Cemara, Tengah and others, visited on day boats.
What to See in Karimunjawa
- Around Karimunjawa island Tur snorkeling pulau-pulau kecil Day boats take visitors to several reef spots and white-sand islands, usually with a grilled-fish lunch on the beach. Don’t stand on coral or feed the fish; use reef-safe sunscreen.
- West coast Pantai Tanjung Gelam A white-sand beach with coconut palms and shallow water, the most popular spot for sunset.
- Kemujan Hutan Bakau Kemujan A wooden boardwalk through mangroves protected by the national park, with signs about the mangrove species.
- Karimunjawa village Bukit Joko Tuo A lookout hill near the village with views over the harbour and surrounding islands, especially in the late afternoon.
- South of Karimunjawa island Pulau Menjangan Kecil A small island close to the village with easy reef snorkelling, often the first stop on day tours.
Local Food
- Grilled fish, squid and fresh seafood at the Karimunjawa town square
- Home-style Javanese and Bugis cooking at village warung
- Fresh young coconut on the beach
Getting There
Boats leave from Kartini Port in Jepara: fast boats take about 2 hours and slow ferries about 4–5 hours. There are also fast boats from Tanjung Emas Port in Semarang on certain days. Sailings are not daily and depend heavily on the weather; book well ahead, especially in holiday season.
Getting Around
Renting a scooter is the usual way around Karimunjawa and Kemujan islands. For the small islands, join a shared boat tour or charter one through your homestay.
Practical Tips
- Keep a spare day; boats can be cancelled by high waves.
- Bring enough cash; ATMs on the island are limited.
- Mobile signal and internet can be weak on the small islands.
- Choose operators who don’t let guests stand on coral or feed fish.
- Bring seasickness tablets for the fast-boat crossing.
Full Karimunjawa Guide
🧭 About the City
Karimunjawa consists of 27 small islands, the main ones being Karimunjawa, Kemujan, Menjangan Besar and Menjangan Kecil. Since 2016, there has been 24-hour electricity in most places on Karimunjawa Island, though some other islands may receive as few as six hours per day. Orientation: Most facilities for travellers are found on the largest island, also called Karimunjawa. The main settlement is at the southern end of that island. It is where ferries dock and most services are to be found. Accommodation is scattered across the island. Travel out to the furthest islands in the archipelago will take two or more hours depending on the type of boat used. Climate: Tropical. It is very hot here in the dry season (approximately April to October) and wet and humid in the rainy season (December till March). History: According to a local legend, Karimun means not clear or obvious, because in clear weather the islands can be seen from the coast of mainland Java, but not clearly. Apart from use as a pirate base, the islands are believed to have been uninhabited until a penal settlement was established during the British occupation of Java in the early nineteenth century. Archaeological finds of Chinese ceramics on the seabed near the islands which date from around the 13th century suggest that the islands were once part of a trade route to Java. The settlement was abandoned by the Dutch during the Java War of 1825–1830, but the former convicts remained as settlers. Coconut plantations set up during the convict period became a major source of income, as did fishing. The islands were declared a national park in 1988. Landscape: Mostly low-lying islands with sandy beaches. There is some fringing mangrove around Kemujan. The highest point as Bukit Gajah at 506 meters (1,660 ft). Flora and fauna: One can find various kinds of sea animals, like turtles, sharks, and fishes, in the watery territory of Karimunjawa. On land, there are birds, deer, monkeys and snakes. Entrance to the natural forest requires a National Park guide.
✈️ Getting There
There was a plane service, but this was abandoned during COVID and has not yet restarted. By boat: There are regular ferries from Jepara, Semarang and Kendal, except during the monsoon season from December to February when the waves may be too high for a day or two. There was a severe case on December 31, 2014 when about 500 tourists could not go back to Java due to 3.5-m-high waves and the ATMs ran out of money after 3 days, because some of the coal cargos also landed to avoid high waves and its crew also used the ATMs. Cash for at least 5 days should be prepared, because vendors still have their merchandise. See also Weather wave forecast from Indonesia (only available in Indonesian – search “Prakiraan Tinggi Gelombang” (aka “Wave Height Forecast”). From Jepara: KMP Siginjai (slow boat, regular ferry, by ASDP). Mon 07:00, Wed 06:30, Fri 06:30, Sat 07:00. Return Tue 07:00, Thu 12:30, Fri 12:30, Sun 07:00. 5 hours duration. Be at the Kartini port at least one hour before, as the ferry sometimes departs earlier than scheduled. It can be booked online with Indonesian bank account only (ask local friend or hotel). Book early if you want economy class as it can get full. Economy ticket Rp 105,000, Vip ticket Rp 150,000 (better and numbered seat, AC, separate western toilets). If paying cash at counter, administrative fee Rp 9,000. (updated Apr 2024) Express Bahari (speed boat). Mon Fri 09:00-11:00, Sat 10:00-12:00. Return Mon 12:00, Wed 11:00, Sat 07:00, Sun 11:00. In high season it may need to be booked in advance. Go to the office along the street to Jepara port or ask your hotel to do it for you. Rp 200,000-230,000. (updated Apr 2024) All boats are only operational if the waves are none to medium. Double-check latest schedule before travel. From Semarang: The state-owned, PELNI provides two ships to go to Karimunjawa, KM. Lawit and KM. Kelimutu. The cheapest fare is Rp 90,000. You may check the schedule in the PELNI office Semarang Branch or by PELNI app. There is also a fast boat, KMC. Kartini from Tanjung Emas Port. Be aware that PELNI boats are using north island pier. From Kendal: Express Bahari, ☏ +62 822 4180-0700 (Kendal), +62 297 312333 (Karimunjawa). Departing Kendal for Karimunjawa at 08:30 on Tuesdays and Fridays. Departing Karimunjawa for Kendal at 12:00 on Wednesdays and Sundays. Kendal is the town immediately to the west of Semarang, reachable by bus and train. The crossing is scheduled to take two and a half hours; traveler feedback indicates three to four hours is more realistic. Schedules are not reliable and services may be cancelled at the last minute if there are not enough ticket sales. VIP tickets Rp 260,000. (updated Oct 2017) From Yogyakarta: Day Trans, Jl. Letjen Suprapto No.55, Rw. I, Bulu, Kec. Jepara, Kabupaten Jepara, ☏ +62 851-0132-6868. Daytrans ticket can be bought on tiket.com too. Stop at Semarang, Jepara bus shop and Jepara Kartini Ferry Terminal. From Yogyakarta Rp 165,000-190,000. (updated Apr 2024)
🚌 Getting Around
On Karimunjawa and Kemujan islands you can rent cars or motorcycles. Boats are available to get to the other islands. It might be a good idea to book a rental car before you arrive in Karimunjawa because there are few cars.
📸 What to See
Beaches and beautiful coral reefs. Beaches: 1 Alano Beach (Pantai Alano). (updated Aug 2022) 2 Batu Putih Beach (Pantai Batu Putih) (near the airport). (updated Aug 2022) 3 Batu Topeng Beach (Pantai Batu Topeng). (updated Aug 2022) 4 Bobby Beach (Pantai Bobby). (updated Aug 2022) 5 Ujung Gantungan Beach (Pantai Ujung Gantungan) (In Menjangan Besar Island). (updated Aug 2022) 6 Ujung Gelam Beach (Pantai Ujung Gelam). (updated Aug 2022) Islands: 7 Cemara Besar Island (Pulau Cemara Besar). (updated Aug 2022) 8 Menjangan Kecil Island (Pulau Menjangan Kecil). (updated Aug 2022) 9 Seruni Island (Pulau Seruni). (updated Aug 2022) 10 Sintok Island (Pulau Sintok). (updated Aug 2022) Wildlife: 11 Konservasi Penyu Taman Nasional Karimunjawa. Sea turtle conservation. (updated Aug 2022) 12 Penangkaran Hiu Karimunjawa. Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks conservation. (updated Aug 2022)
🎯 What to Do
Diving & snorkelling: Snorkelling day tour, Pelabuhan Wisata (Pier near Alun Alun). Typical tour includes one snorkel (near Pulau Menjangan Kecil, 1 hr), one island stop for lunch and leasure (Pulau Cemara Besar, Rp 5,000), another snorkel (sea but nearest Pulau Cemara Kecil, 1 hr) and another island stop (Pulau Cemara Kecil) from 09:00 to 17:00. Staff usually has a waterproof camera and will share photos after, usually through hotel. Group up to 12 persons. May try to get your own boat/group if want specific highlight or avoid more crowded hours. Snorkelling day tour Rp 200,000-250,000 including equipment and lunch but excluding one island entrance Rp 5,000. (updated Apr 2024) Kemujan divers (PT. Kemujan Indah Resort), Karimunjawa Dive Resort, Kemojan RT. 3 RW. 2, Kec. (North part of the island), ☏ +62 821 2130 3005, kemujan-divers@kj-dr.com. Snorkelling excursion with divers Rp 400,000, PADI fun scuba diving Rp 1,600,000, PADI discover scuba diving Rp 1,800,000 (each includes 2 spots or dives). (updated Apr 2024) Diving and snorkelling. There are many interesting spots for diving like Taka Panyawangan and Gosong Cemara. There are some shipwrecks that attract fish and divers alike. 1 Cilik Island (Pulau Cilik). Find a nemo. (updated Aug 2022) 2 Gelean Island (Pulau Gelean). Find a nemo. (updated Aug 2022) 3 Kemujan Island (Pulau Kemujan) (20 min by boat to wreck dive site from Kemujan Island). Shipwreck diving. The cooperation coal ship between Indonesia and Norway sank in the water of Kemujan in 1960. (updated Aug 2022) Hiking: You can also go hiking around the island to find many places where there is a beautiful panorama. 4 Love Hill (Bukit Love). (updated Aug 2022) Mangrove trekking: It's unclear if still possible. Some report main site has closed. 5 Mangrove Area Tourism (Kawasan Wisata Mangrove). (updated Aug 2022) Stargazing: DeepSky villa astro night, Ds. Legon Goprak, Dk. Alang-Alang, RT.02/RW.04, ☏ +62 81392859191, deepskyvilla@gmail.com. Rp 100,000. (updated Apr 2024)
🛍️ Shopping
The best known handicrafts in Karimunjawa are its wood carvings, and many shops sell them. Many people also go to Karimunjawa to find the dewandaru plant, believing it can prolong life.
🍜 Food
Karimunjawa cuisine: Bakso ikan ekor kuning, a fish ball soup. Lontong krubyuk, a rice cake with chicken, cabbage, tofu, and bean sprout in a brown soup. Tongseng cumi, squid in a sweet and spicy gravy. Food stalls: Surrounded by sea, Karimunjawa offers lots of seafood. Fresh fish and prawns are staples in the island diet. Restaurants are located within hotels. Other eateries, or warungs, provide decent cheap food like fried rice, fish, or an assortment of veggies. Be flexible and you'll do fine. 1 Alun-alun Karimunjawa. In the alun-alun (town public park), there are a lot of seafood stalls. They serve grilled fish and the local dish tongseng cumi. (updated Aug 2022) 2 Bakso Ikan Ekor Kuning Bu Daton, Karimunjawa. Serves bakso ikan ekor kuning. (updated Aug 2022) 3 Eat & Meet, Jl H Dr Soetomo RT01 RW02 (near the ATM), ☏ +62 297 319-1103. Wood-fired pizza, pasta, beer, ice cream. (updated Aug 2022) 4 Warung Makan Sami Roso, Jl. Dr. Sutomo. 05:00-11:00. Serves lontong krubyuk. (updated Apr 2024) 5 Warung Makan Ester Simple Fresh (Warung Ibu Esther), Kabupaten Jepara (On Alun Alun). 06:00-22:00. Do your own plate, usually Rp 20,000-30,000. (updated Apr 2024)
☕ Drinks & Nightlife
There are no clubs and only one lounge bar, the Cumibar. It is difficult to find alcohol, but it can be found at Breve Azurine (Cumibar & Lumba Beach Snack Bar), the Eat & Meet restaurant and The Happinezz hostel. A beer costs about Rp45,000. Bottled water can be bought readily. At meals, seasonal fresh fruit juice is a treat (mango, orange, avocado). The whole coconut drink is very common with a reasonable price of Rp10,000-20,000.
🛏️ Where to Stay
There are various kinds of accommodation, from four star hotels to homestays and campsites. Hotel: 1 The Happinezz Hills, Jl. I. J. Kasimo (on a hill near viewpoint Bukit Love), ☏ +62 877-3779-3332, Info@thehappinezzhills.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Offers 12 double rooms, 4 twin rooms, and 1 family bungalow. Every room has been decorated in one of these four themes: beach, ocean, nature or sunset, based on the beautiful surroundings. The swimming pool includes a pool bar. A daily Western and Asian breakfast is served in the onsite restaurant. Scooters for rent. Budget: 2 Mulya Indah Homestay, Jl. Pemuda, ☏ +62 812 260 06329. From Rp80,000. (updated Aug 2022) 3 Arriani Homestay, Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro (near the main mosque), ☏ +62 818 086 56588. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. room fan Rp 115,000-135,000, ac Rp 225,000-250,000. (updated Apr 2024) 4 The Bodhi Tree Hostel & Chill, Karimunjawa, Kabupaten Jepara, Jawa Tengah, ☏ +62 812-3922-2203. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 10:00. shared/private bathroom+toilet (dorm attached cold water only, other one with hot water, toilet paper, toilet gun), towel, soap, wifi, rooftop. dorm Rp 80,000, double room Rp 400,000, snorkelling day tour Rp 250,000, breakfast Rp 35,000, main course Rp 35,000-60,000, drink Rp 25,000. (updated Apr 2024) 5 L'isola che... Hostel - rooms & dormitory, Jl. Perintis, Karimunjawa, Kabupaten Jepara, Jawa Tengah, ☏ +62 812-3962-4782. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. shared/private bathroom, wifi. dorm Rp 170,000, double room Rp 300,000-415,000 including breakfast, snorkelling day tour Rp 250,000. (updated Apr 2024) Lodging: 6 Roemah Emak Villa. A relaxing home for family, next to the beach. (updated Jan 2018) Mid-range: 7 Blue Laguna Inn. (updated Aug 2022) 8 Dewadaru Resort. (updated Aug 2022) 9 Wisma Apung Karimunjawa. A hotel in the middle of the sea. (updated Aug 2022) 10 Ayu Hotel Karimunjawa, ☏ +62 813 2749 0558. Provides freshly made breakfasts, clean rooms, and private open-air bathrooms with outdoor showers. Hosts do things like organizing ferry tickets, scooter rentals, and snorkeling tours. (updated Sep 2026) 11 Halo Sustainable Resort, Jl. Kemojan, ☏ +62 812 222 33979. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. From Rp668,801. (updated Dec 2022) 12 Eco Casa Resort, ☏ +6282323927802. (updated Jun 2025) Splurge: 13 Kura-kura Resort, ☏ +62 24 7663-2510, info@kurakuraresort.com. On Menyawakan Island. Shaded by coconut trees and surrounded by white sand beaches and pristine coral reefs. A high class hotel with scuba facilities. (updated Jan 2018) 14 Breve Azurine Lagoon Resort (Jiwaquest), ☏ +62 297 319-1059, breveazurine@gmail.com. Five minutes to the east of Karimunjawa town, on Lele lagoon. Twelve rooms, 2 restaurants and bars. (updated Jan 2018)