Karimunjawa - Indonesia’s Hidden Island Paradise
Karimunjawa may well be Indonesia’s “best kept secret”. This beautiful island off the north coast of Java has perfect white sand beaches, incredible colourful coral and stunning natural landscape all without the crowds and beach clubs of Bali. Check out our complete guide to this amazing island from how to get there, where to stay, what to do and where to eat, our blog covers it all!
Come with us as we explore a magical island. Unspoilt, relatively unknown and still full of the true Indonesian charm. The island of Karimunjawa or Karimun Jawa is the perfect example of why you should sometimes leave the crowds behind and go off on an adventure beyond the bounds and beaches of Bali.
Everybody knows that Indonesia has beautiful islands. Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands are famous the world over for their incredible landscapes and pristine beaches. Unfortunately being known the world over, means that they’re also very popular. The traditional beauty spots are frequently thronged with tourists and we have all seen the “Instagram versus reality” posts with the queues of people all lining up to take the same selfie.
Getting that “deserted island” paradise may not be as easy as once it was.
But what if we told you there was another Indonesian island, one yet to succumb to fame and the tourists that come with it? It shouldn’t be a surprise that Indonesia holds some secrets in its islands, after all there are over 17,000 of them!
The island of Karimunjawa is, for now, a proper hidden gem. Crystal clear waters, vivid rainbow coloured coral reefs and picture perfect postcard beaches, Karimunjawa is jaw droppingly beautiful. The island is also easy to get to, with all the tourist conveniences, yet still relatively quiet with a small island life feel. Karimunjawa should be added to any Indonesian Java itinerary.
Get there now, before everyone else finds out!!
Contents:
How to get to Karimunjawa?
What to do on Karimunjawa?
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Where is Karimunjawa Island?
The archipelago of Karimunjawa is located off the north coast of Central Java, Indonesia. The National Park of Karimunjawa spans several islands and surrounding coral reefs. Karimunjawa’s closest mainland town is Jepara, with the larger city of Semarang just west, down the coast.
How to get to Karimnunjawa?
Catching the ferry from Jepara
Ferries run daily from the port town of Jepara on the mainland. You can choose between the slow or express ferry. With them taking five and two hours respectively.
Karimunjawa to Jepara ferry times - take these with a pinch of salt but don’t be late!
Express Ferry Schedule - Jepara to Karimunjawa
Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Friday - 9AM
Saturday - 10AM
Wednesday / Sunday - None
Express Ferry Schedule - Karimunjawa to Jepara
Monday / Thursday - 12PM
Wednesday / Sunday - 11AM
Saturday - 7AM
Tuesday / Friday - None
Tickets for the Express Bahari ferry service cost 200,000 IDR (£10.13 or $12.80) per person for normal class, or 230,000 IDR (£11.65 or $14.72) per person for VIP seating. Tickets can be brought on the day of departure from the ferry terminal in Jepara. As each ferry only runs once a day, the service can get extremely busy on weekends and public holidays. You can book in advance online via a few companies, but they will add a commission to the cost of the ticket.
We opted for the normal class seats, and actually had more space than the VIPs. The VIP cabin had sold out, whereas our massive cheaper class cabin had about 5 people for the 100 plus seats!
To get to the port town of Jepara, you can take buses from all major towns and cities in Java. You can book tickets on 12Go in advance, or directly with the local operators. We travelled from Yogyakarta with DayTrans on an overnight bus that arrived in Jepara a good few hours before the morning ferry.
Semarang is the nearest “big” city and is the closest city with a train station and airport. You can get a shuttle bus from Jepara town for 80,000 IDR per person, or you can hire a taxi from the port for 100,000 IDR per person.
For those whose money is no object (how come you’re reading a backpacking blog?) private charter flights are also available to the small island airport.
Getting to Karimunjawa from Yogyakarta
By bus and ferry:
Many operators run between Yogyakarta and Jepara directly. We opted for an overnight bus with DayTrans that arrived early morning in plenty of time to have breakfast (there is great satay available at the ferry pier) and catch the ferry to Karimunjawa. Our minibus dropped us directly at the ferry terminal and most operators should do this if you ask. Otherwise it’ll be a short taxi ride from Jepara town to the pier.
If you cannot find bus tickets online to Jepara, book a bus ticket to the city of Semarang where you can change to a bus for Jepara.
The Yogykarta to Jepara is the only route we advise that isn’t bookable via 12Go at the moment. There are many operators in Yogykarta however who can book this route for you. If you want to book everything in advance online, book a bus ticket to the city of Semarang and when you arrive there, change buses or take a taxi to Jepara. Book tickets to Semarang from Yogyakarta here. Just bear in mind there is one ferry per day and you need to arrive with plenty of time to purchase tickets and get on board.
Getting to Karimunjawa from Jakarta
To reach the islands of Karimunjawa from Jakarta, you have three options.
Catching a flight:
Taking a flight will be the quickest way to reach the islands from Jakarta, taking just over an hour to fly to Semarang, which is the closest airport to Karimunjawa. Book your flights here.
From Semarang airport, you will need to book a bus or taxi transfer to the ferry port at Jepara.
By bus:
There is a bus route that links Jakarta directly to the ferry port of Jepara. This will take you about 12 hours depending on traffic. Book your bus tickets here.
By train:
There are multiple trains departing the capital of Jakarta to Semarang. The journey time is between 4 to 7 hours depending on the train you choose to take. From Semarang train station, you will need to catch a connecting bus or taxi to the ferry harbour in Jepara.
You can book any of these transport options above on 12Go here.
Getting to Karimunjawa from Bali
From Bali there are multiple different options to get you to Karimun Jawa.
By flight:
You can book a flight from Denpasar airport to Semarang airport that takes about an hour and a half. From Semarang airport you will need to book a bus or taxi transfer that will take you to the ferry port at Jepara. Book your flights here.
By bus:
There are a few different bus operators running routes from Denpasar to Semarang. Again from Semarang, you will need to book a bus or taxi to get your to the ferry port. You can book bus tickets from Denpasar to Semarang here.
If you’d prefer to do everything yourself on your own steam, you will need to catch the ferry to Banyuwangi in East Java. From there you can either take a bus or train to the city of Semarang followed by another bus to Jepara and then finally the ferry to Karimunjawa. If you time this all correctly it will take you between 12 and 16 hours to do in one go (not including the ferry).
Wherever you’re coming from, you can book any of the options listed above in advance from 12Go.
Whichever method you use to reach the island, you will need to pay the National Park fees when you arrive.
How much are the National Park fees for Karimunjawa?
The Karimunjawa National Park fee is 150,000 IDR per person (£7.59 or $9.69). This needs to be paid as soon as you disembark from the ferry.
You will be ushered towards the National Park ticket hut as soon you disembark the boat. Remember to keep these tickets on you at all times on the island.
Where to stay on Karimunjawa?
The majority of accommodation is focused around the southern town on the island where the ferry pier is. You can get everything from budget dorms to luxury resorts.
We opted to stay in Al Kabron Inn and had a fantastic time, with comfy beds, good AC and one of the best showers we’ve had in Indonesia. Netflix on the rooms’ telly was also an added bonus! Breakfast is included daily in the sister restaurant Cap ‘n’ Chris just over the road. Breakfast is a choice of the Indonesian favourites of nasi and mie goreng as well as an American breakfast. We stuck with the Indonesian choices and they were a great start to the day. You can book a stay Al Kabron here.
We’ve also heard great reports of people staying at the Bodhi Hostel and Restaurant, it’s the sister hostel of the excellent Happy Buddha hostel in Yogyakarta and has an onsite cafe serving coffee and brunch. To book a stay, click here.
For those with a boujier budget the Halo Sustainable Resort had amazing views and looked very luxurious, at least from the sneak peak we had at their view!
To check out all available accommodation on the island have a look at the map below. Zoom in or out see all options:
What to do on Karimunjawa?
The beaches of Karimunjawa
You have come to an island paradise for a reason! The beaches of Karimunjawa are stunning, unspoilt (yet) and when we went, pretty much deserted! There are a number of beaches dotted around the island, here are some of our favourites:
Karina Beach (Karimun Beach) / Pantai Karina (location)
If you leave the southern town / ferry port and take the eastern road you will eventually (10-15 minutes by bike, 45 - 1 hour walk) reach the beautiful Karina Beach. It is a small picturesque cove with wooden platforms in the sea, deckchairs on the sand and a small snack and drinks hut. Like many of the beaches on Karimunjawa there is an entrance fee. On Karina Beach the entrance cost was 10,000 IDR (£0.51 or $0.61) per person for tourists.
This was one of our favourite spots on the island. The beach is small enough to feel intimate and secluded, yet large enough that you never felt cramped. The sea was perfectly clear and wonderfully warm. It was also a great spot for some beach based snorkelling!
The hut sells small meals as well as snacks and drinks and even a cheeky beer if you ask nicely!
For those who don't mind an early morning, or driving in the dark, Karina Beach is meant to be one of the best sunrise spots on the island and at night you can sometimes see bioluminescence here.
Bobby Beach / Pantai Bobby (location)
Following the eastern road past Karina Beach you will quickly find yourself at Bobby Beach. Larger than Karina Beach, Bobby Beach is a crescent of perfect white sand full of swings, shaded tables and many different areas to swim in. It has the same entrance fee of 10,000 IDR (£0.51 or $0.61) per person as Karina Beach, but once you are inside, it is clear that the entrance fee is not wasted. The sand is clean and the area meticulously maintained with lots of places to sit in the shade or sun and not a hint of rubbish anywhere.
When we found the beach it had a few families and travellers lounging about but was not busy by any stretch of the imagination. We had a great morning chilling out and swimming around in the clear waters. The beach has a large shallow shelf going out into the sea so it is great for dipping your toes in even if you don't feel like swimming!
There is a cafe selling food and drinks (including beer!) just after you come on to the beach.
If you were looking for an ‘all day’ beach this would be our choice. It has lots of areas to chase / avoid the sun in, good swimming and a decent cafe with seating.
Sunset Beach / Pantai Tanjung Gelam (location)
On the westernmost point of Karimunjawa lies its most famous beach; Sunset Beach or Pantai Tanjung Gelam. We have been to a lot of sunset beaches (Koh Mook and Koh Libong spring to mind) so we are familiar with the premise: start with a westerly facing beach, add in blue sea and sky, mix well with a bar or two and wait for the horizon to set itself on fire, et voila a sunset beach! Karimunjawa fulfilled all of the above criteria with a gorgeous white sanded beach, dotted with bars, bean bags and sun loungers.
Sunset Beach is a good 15-20 minute scooter ride away or at least an hour and a half walk from the ferry pier in the south. The beach is 25,000 IDR per person to enter (£1.27 or $1.60).
The first half of the beach is full of small restaurants and warungs, busy with Indonesian families. Further down the beach you come to the bars and the backpackers. If you are looking for a sunset beer it is to the further end of the beach you should flip your flops.
We made camp at the far end of the beach at the imaginatively named “Sunset Bar” which confusingly had a London Underground sign for a logo and flags flying for a German football team (authentic Indonesia we know). The bar was one of the few with people in and the server was funny and friendly. We made ourselves comfortable on some beanbags and settled in.
The sea, like all of Karimunjawa, is clear and warm and the snorkelling is great right off of the beach as the shallow waters and rocks make a fantastic habitat for all manner of marine creatures.
Sunset Beach is where the parties and campfires happen on Karimunjawa, it is definitely the most popular beach for foreigners. If you want a beer, good company and a stunning sunset, you can’t go wrong with Pantai Tanjung Gelam, we loved it there.
Pantai Batu Topeng (location )
Directly east of Sunset Beach is Pantai Batu Topeng. If you’re heading to Sunset Beach you might accidentally find yourself here first as the scooter park for this beach comes before Sunset Beach’s scooter parking.
Pantai Batu Topeng, like all the beaches on Karimunjawa is white sanded, sapphire sea’d and palm fringed. There is a beach cafe and a few sun loungers available. This beach was much quieter than its neighbouring Sunset Beach so would be ideal for a romantic sunset date.
To head to Sunset Beach from Pantai Batu Topeng, just walk along the beach and climb over the rock pools and you’ll quickly find yourself on Sunset Beach.
Entrance to this beach cost 25,000 IDR per person to enter (£1.27 or $1.60). Be aware that if you park here and walk to Sunset Beach you will have to pay for both beaches.
Pantai Alano (location)
Located on the west of the island, along the main road, past Sunset Beach, you’ll find Pantai Alano beach. Surrounded by palm trees, this little oasis boasts all the usual suspects. White sand, clear water, sun loungers and selfie swings.
The sea is incredibly shallow and feels as though you’re wading through a hot bath. You can walk what seems like miles (probably a couple of hundred metres) out into the sea, and still be standing up. There are plenty of swings out in the shallows for selfies, or just to enjoy swinging over the azure sea.
There is parking at the top of the beach, and a small hut selling noodles and refreshments.
The entrance fee was 5000 IDR (£0.25 or $0.30) per person .
Nirwana / Nirvana Beach - Karimunjawa’s secret beach (location)
As you drive or walk the eastern road, well before Karina or Bobby Beach, you pass the remains of an entrance to a large resort. The resort is long gone, either never fully constructed or completely ruined, but for the intrepid, there lies a beautiful secret. The resort had a private beach.
If you follow the overgrown paved road into the ruined resort you pass a few occupied houses and then the ruins of some cabins. The road winds downwards, the old light posts now cracked and empty, still lining the path. Eventually the path splits in two. One fork leads to the impressive cliffside restaurant, or rather the remains of it.
The cliffside restaurant appears to be mainly intact from the land but is definitely not somewhere we would recommend exploring. From the sea you can see it is missing walls and the wooden floor is rotted with cracks and gaps over large drops down the cliffs and into sea.
Follow the other path down to what was once the resort's private stretch of beach.
The beach is no longer maintained and has a fair amount of driftwood washed up along its shore. It was still, however, stunning. We are always chasing that feeling of discovery, of exploration and Nirwana beach delivered that for us. Palm trees line a crescent of white sand in a perfect private cove. On the left the ruins of the cliff top restaurant loom over everything giving a pleasant, abandoned / secret vibe.
We were the only ones there when we arrived and had a great couple of hours enjoying our own private abandoned resort, swimming in the sea and lounging on the beach. The only person that joined us in the whole of our time there was a farmer taking his herd of goats for a walk.
We were recommended this beach by a friend on the island and there is no sign saying not to enter. The locals we passed on the way were completely unfazed and unsurprised to see us. We do not know if the land will be closed off or even if we were technically trespassing. If you visit Karimunjawa check with your hostel, hotel or guest house before coming to explore.
Also, it goes without saying, be careful! We would leave the abandoned structures well alone, you don't know how stable they are or what has moved in since the people moved out!
Other beaches:
We haven't even attempted to cover every beach on Karimunjawa. Being based in the south of the island there are tons of beaches to the north we never got to visit, and even within the south, there are quite a few we didn't see! If you were on Karimunjawa for weeks you would probably be able to visit a new beach every day! Just do what we did, check out Google Maps and drive! Most beaches are signposted when you have to turn off the main road, just do your research as to what kind of path you may have to pilot your scooter down!
The water off of Karimunjawa is diamond clear!
Tip: There is a lot of coral in the sea, so be careful if you’re wading out with bare feet in the sea! John can confirm that coral cuts are not what you need on the sole of your feet.
Snorkelling and diving in Karimunjawa National Park
Karimunjawa Island is surrounded by incredible, colour filled coral reefs. A snorkelling trip from the island is an absolute must! We love a little snorkelling expedition and our guest house hooked us up with a great itinerary.
We were picked up by bike at 8:30 am from outside our guesthouse and whisked away to a jetty where we jumped on the covered top deck of a wooden boat. The boat and our group sped away across the clear blue sea and took us all around to different snorkelling spots.
We saw an unbelievable array of wildlife that day. Fish of every shape and colour, rainbow sprays of coral and even a camouflaging octopus. We have been on some brilliant snorkelling trips on Koh Lipe and Koh Yao Noi but this was the most colourful and diverse trip we have taken so far. The sea was completely calm, and the visibility was crystal clear underwater. Our guides were amazing, guiding us around coral gardens and pointing out all the incredible marine life. They even snapped photos for us and let us spend as much or as little time as we wanted in each location.
A particular highlight for us was the lunch. We pulled up in some shallows a good few hundred metres from a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. When we hopped overboard we could see that we were standing on a spit of barely submerged land. The white sand stretched away all around us with the turquoise sea gently lapping just over the top. We walked across this bizarre beautiful landscape with the sky being reflected back at us from the mirror sea.
Just below the water you can see the sand / coral shelf. You could walk on it for miles!
Once on the island our lunch was instantly obvious. A large barbeque pit full of the freshest fish we have ever seen was sizzling away. A group of men crowded the barbecue, each expertly basting the fish in a sambal or splashing them with water if they got too hot. The meal was delicious, one of our favourite fish feasts in the whole of our trip so far. It was simple and perfect. Fish, rice, sambal and a bit of green veg, it needed nothing more and neither did we.
Even just looking at this makes us hungry again!
After lunch we had another couple of amazing snorkel stops and another mini island exploration before we were ferried back home. It was one of our favourite days on the island.
We arranged our snorkelling trip through Al Kabron guesthouse and the whole day cost us 275,000 IDR per person (£13.75 or $17.60). This included pick up and drop off from our guesthouse, snorkel mask and flipper hire as well as lunch, snacks and water.
Any guesthouse on the island will be able to arrange a snorkelling trip for you, or check out Get Your Guide to book a tour in advance. You can even book yourself a private snorkelling trip.
For those wanting to go diving on Karimunjawa, there are agencies throughout the town who can arrange this for you, or you can book a trip in advance here.
The Mangrove Forest (location)
Continuing our intrepid adventures into places we may not be meant to go, we made our way north from the town and up to the Mangrove Forest. We had seen the Mangrove Forest Centre advertised throughout the island and had passed the entrance for the Mangrove Tourist area on one of our previous scooter explorations, so we decided to check it out. We pulled up at the suspiciously empty car park and made our way inside.
We found no one at the ticket counter but all the gates were open. A quick Google showed us that the place was listed as permanently closed. We decided to have a little wander around.
It was low tide and the mangroves had their roots exposed as we walked along the raised wooden boardwalk, it was a fantastic sight. The walkways wound deep in the mangrove forest, surrounded on all sides by thick foliage. Every so often there would be a clearing or burst of sunlight as we passed an area damaged by lightning or fire, but the forest was serene and calm. The walkways used to form a long loop you could walk all around, starting at the centre, curving through the forest, past bird watching stations and educational plaques before coming out to the sea itself and looping back around. Nowadays it is sadly in disrepair and it wasn't too far into our expedition until we found the walkways becoming cracked and missing planks. It soon became apparent that it wouldn't be a good idea to keep going, not unless we wanted to tumble a few feet down into the spiky roots and mud of the mangroves.
We hope the Mangrove forest area is redeveloped in the future as it is a beautiful place and a fascinating ecosystem. As it was, it was a fun and exciting little expedition for us. Like Nirwana beach, we would recommend checking with your hostel/guesthouse/hotel on the current state before going. It may be closed off or have deteriorated more since we visited.
Sunsets on Karimunjawa
Being an island whose closest western neighbour is several hundred kilometres away means that Karimunjawa enjoys some phenomenal sunsets. You can, as we have mentioned, enjoy these from Sunset Beach, but there are other options for admiring the fading light.
The Town Harbour
The town harbour gives a fantastic backdrop for the setting sun. We would advise you to come out the bottom of the town square (where the night market is) and watch the sun setting over the boats from the little car park here.
Watching the sun dissolve down into the sea whilst the silhouette of boats bob lazily up and down is a lovely, backpacker budget friendly way of ending an island day.
Amore Cafe (location)
Set on the harbour wall the Amore Cafe is a great sunset spot if you want to stay in town. They serve a good list of bar snacks as well as beer, cocktails and soft drinks. We had our final night's sunset from here and the sky put on a truly spectacular display. The photos below look like we have filtered them or something but no, the sky did legitimately turn purple!
As we’ve mentioned, if you're an early bird and want a spectacular sunrise, head down to Karina Beach or Bobby Beach.
Karimunjawa Night Market (location)
If you are looking for a fishy feast then the Karimunjawa night market is for you. Held every evening on the southern towns green square the night market is full of the catch of the day, with barbecues just waiting to grill it up for you. Anything from snapper to lobster is available, with plenty of glazes and sauces to choose from. We recommend taking an orbit of the stalls and getting a few prices before picking a stall. Even when you have settled on a vendor, get ready to haggle as the first price is frequently ridiculous! Once you have your briney banquet, take a seat on one of the mats scattered around the green and your fish will be ferried to you!
The market also has a few stalls selling tourist trinkets and souvenirs, so even if you’re just there for a browse there’s plenty to keep you occupied.
The Golden Ricefields (location)
We are not usually one for ‘selfie parks’, places full of swings and infinity steps designed for posers to pose posingly in front of. However the Golden Ricefields is more than just a photo opportunity. We stopped in as we were scootering around the island and fancied a drink. We found it to be great. A wooden bridge leads up out of the scooter park and over the rice paddies to a restaurant set high on stilts. The restaurant serves smart looking Indonesian food as well as drinks and smoothies. We were only there for a quick coke zero but the food looked lovely. The restaurant is seasonal so will not be open during the island's quiet season.
The ‘selfie park’ or ‘Instagram creche’ part is a walkway that loops over the rice paddies and around from the restaurant in a square. It does have the usual swings, platforms and stairs to nowhere, but they do not get in the way of the gorgeous views. The island of Karimunjawa is beautiful and the Golden Ricefields provided a perfect platform to appreciate it from.
We can imagine this whole area would look amazing when the rice is ready for harvest!
We would say that the Golden Ricefields is more of a stop along the way than a destination in itself. Luckily the restaurant sits at a natural junction in the island so is an easy recharging point on any scooter driven exploration!
Speaking of scooters…
Exploring Karimunjawa (Karimun Jawa) by scooter
The best way to see the island is to rent a scooter. Almost every accommodation can do this for you and the price seems to be set at 75,000 IDR a day (£3.75 or $4.80), with discounts offered when hiring for multiple days. As always insist on them finding you a helmet!
Jetting about on a scooter on the island’s winding road, the wind in your helmet and the sea to your side was one of our favourite activities, it always is. Exploring things on your own, without a guide and just stopping whenever you feel like it is one of the great joys of backpacking and one we cannot recommend enough.
The island of Karimunjawa is quite large, Google estimates a five hour walk from north to south, so a scooter is essential to get around. For those uncomfortable driving themselves, scooters and regular taxis are available everywhere, just beware of ‘island prices’!
Taking a tour of Karimunjawa
If you would rather a more curated experience of Karimunjawa, which includes transport to and from the island, accommodation and a snorkelling trip, then there are plenty of tour packages available to book.
Check out this tour on Get Your Guide for a multi-day tour that departs from Jepara.
When is the best time to visit Karimunjawa?
For calm seas and drier weather you should visit Karimunjawa in Indonesia’s dry season. The dry season runs from April to October and should give you clearer seas for snorkelling and bluer skies for sunbathing.
How long should I stay on Karimunjawa?
How long is a piece of string? We stayed four nights and would have stayed longer if we could have booked our guesthouse for more! The island is quite large and exploring it is great fun. In terms of ‘destinations’ that are not beaches there are not many on offer, so how long to stay on the island depends on what you want to do there. If you want a week of sunbathing then you can comfortably do that there without getting bored of the food options or running out of new beaches to try. If you just want to have an explore of a beautiful island and be done, you could easily do this in 3 days.
Whatever length of time you stay, we recommend booking your ferry before the day you want to leave. You can do this at their office just outside the ferry pier and it will prevent you being inadvertently marooned on this lovely island.
Where to eat and drink on Karimunjawa?
The majority of restaurants can be found in the main town along with most of the accommodation.
For local Indonesian cuisine, there are local warungs dotted all over serving rice and curry, stalls selling murtabak (make sure to try the chocolate and peanut one) and carts selling nasi and mie goreng. There is also, of course, the night market we’ve mentioned above.
We had an excellent fish, rice and curry with fried tempe and super fresh fish at Warung Ibu Esther. The fish curry was amazing, we were sitting maybe 100 metres from where the fish had been landed that morning. It was also fantastically cheap at 19,000 (£0.95 or $1.22) per plate!
We had a fantastic bowl of soto ayam (Indonesian chicken soup) for 13,000 IDR (£0.65 or $0.83) at Lamongan Pecel Lele Nesu Mulih.
These are all super cheap options, but always check the price in advance as we had a delicious meal rather spoiled in a small out of town warung that charged us 100,000 IDR for two small plates of rice and curry. Not the end of the world but a bit disappointing as we know these should cost at most 50,000 IDR for both plates.
If you’re after more Western fare we can recommend EatandMeet for wood-fired pizza and Waiki for posh coffee. Cap ‘n’ Chris has a lot of Western offerings as well as a pool table and beer.
If you’re on any of the beaches, there will almost certainly be a small stall selling snacks and pot noodles. If you’re on Sunset Beach there is a selection of beach side restaurants.
Conclusion
We honestly considered not writing this article, this is such a beautiful island, we selfishly wanted to keep it on the downlow, but honestly, just go there. It’s not often you find a real life genuine paradise island without the trappings of modern mass tourism.
There are no chain restaurants on Karimunjawa, no Indomaret and no members only beach clubs. What there is is unspoiled beaches, friendly locals, fantastic food and great accommodation. Karimunjawa felt “real”, with working towns and villages, rough and ready roads leading through stunning scenery and a distinct old school island feel. Karimunjawa has all the convenience and beauty of the Thai Islands or Bali but still retains its Indonesian soul and out of the way charm.
Karimunjawa, never change!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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