Tourism Objects Yogyakarta

Parangtritis Beach

It is the local legend that has claimed the Parangtritis Beach as the location of the palace of Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, the ruler of the Southern Ocean invisible world.

Regardless the truth, the Parangtritis beach is one of tourism sites you should visit. What is more, at the complex, there are interesting tourism objects, namely: Parangwedang, Parangkusumo beach, Gambirowati highland, Langse cave, and Syeh Belu-Belu's funeral.

The Parangtritis beach is located 27 km away to the south of Yogyakarta. Numerous transportations easily reach there. Moreover, various facilities are available in this area, namely inns, restaurant, swimming pool, bathing place, and camping area.

Swimming along the seashore is not allowed because it's waves are not too friendly. Don't worry, however, you may ride a horse or ride in a horse cart enjoying water and horizon and sunset and sand dunes and everything you want to. Along the seashore there are many stalls offering fresh, young coconuts (costing IDR 5000 each).

Not only the waves and the swishing wind that will satisfy you desire of relaxing, but the natural and supra natural tourism objects around Parangtritis beach will give you other satisfaction.

• Gumbirowati Highland
  Going along the Parangtritis road on the way to the Langse cave you can reach this place. Just from this highland, you may get pleasure from the beautiful horizon of Parangtritis beach. The Gapit Hill is another place around this highland, a spot for taking off of ones in gantole.

• The Langse Cave
  The Langse cave is located on the foot of Parangtritis slope. It is well known place for meditation more than similar places in this area, such as the Tapan cave, the Beji spring, and the Siluman cave. In his books, Dr. Hermanus Johannes de Graaf, a Dutch scientist specializing in Javanese review, states that the Langse cave is Kanjeng Ratu Kidul's cave where Mataram's kings often visit. Once, purportedly, Syekh Siti Jenar and Sunan Kalijaga meditated there.

  Coming from the Parangtritis beach you have to go for about 3 km to the east. Don't be frightened when you are on the edge of an almost vertical slope of 400 m in height. It is a wonderful challenge. The path to the location is a combination of stairs (4 separated ones), roots, and stones.

  Entering to the cave, you may take a bath in one of the rooms with the so cold water from the cave spring. It contains high level of calcium, which is good for eliminating fatigue. After bathing, you are welcome for meditating. The silence in the cave will help you concentrate. The splashing wave of the south ocean is the only sound you hear there.

• Syeh Belu-Belu's funeral
  This especially sacred funeral is located on a fishing hill. In particular days, there are various people making devotional visit there, especially on one night before Friday and Tuesday in Kliwon day (one of 5 Javanese days regarded as the most mystic day).

• Gumuk (the only sand dunes in South East of Asia)
  There is spreading sand dunes named gumuk. The gumuk in this area is a rare phenomenon in the humid tropical area; even it is the only one in the South East of Asia area. The other places with similar sand dunes are the Arabic Saudi and the Gobi desert (China).

  The gumuk is a natural laboratory formed through thousands years. There are some rare gumuk shape types in Parangkusumo, namely barchans, parabolic, comb, and longitudinal dunes. Nowadays, the types are not as complete as before, but the barchans and longitudinal ones.

• Parangwedang
  Parangwedang is a hot spring that is rich of mineral (the mostly elements are Na, Cl, and Mg). Uniquely, the sulfur element, the most common content of spring, is not found there.

Tips for Parangtritis visitors:

• There is another alternative route to reach the Parangtritis beach, namely Yogyakarta - Imogiri - Siluk - Parangtritis. This is 10 km longer than the common route. It offers, however, interesting sight, like a combination scene of rivers and coral reef hills.
• It is suggested that visitors should not be in green in Parangtritis beach to give respect to the local inhabitants belief. They are afraid of calamity befalling ones who are wearing green clothes.