Seribu Island, Exploring Exotic Islands While Doing Many Activities in Jakarta

Seribu Islands is well-known as exotic islands near Jakarta City. The beauty of the islands becomes the first choice for the residents in Jakarta to relax and refresh their mind. Besides that, you can do many things and you will have fun anytime you visit the island. 

Location

Seribu Islands lies at the north of Jakarta. To reach the island, you can take travel agent to ease your trip. If you want to feel the real adventure, you can start your journey by taking a ferry at Muara Angke Port. If you want to go to Pramuka Island, you can take a ferry to cross the sea for about three hours. But, if you want faster trip, you can take a premium speedboat at Mariana Ancol Port.

Activities

Exploring the Islands

Seribu Islands is a group of islands. You cannot visit all of them only in a day. Here are some popular islands you can visit. Firstly, you can visit Pramuka Island. Pramuka Island is the closest island from Muara Angke Port. This is a center of Seribu Island official. There, you can find many lodges and turtle conservation. The facilities are complete, such as home-stays, internet, electric and mosque.

Secondly, you can visit Harapan Island. The island has health care, home-stays and mosque. The island is populated and most of them are fishermen. Thirdly, you can visit Kotok Island. The island has white sand and look so shining when the sun shine. In this island, you can see hawks conservation. 

Fourthly, you can visit Tidung Island. The island has an exotic panorama. The coral reefs must be explored if you love water activities. Besides that, you can fulfill your passion to snorkel with friendly fish. Fifthly, you can go to Perak Island. The coastline of the island has extraordinary scenery. You will feel peaceful as you spend your time here.

Enjoying the Sunrise

Morning is a perfect chance to welcome the day. As you open your eyes, you can go to Perak island to see the sunrise that has beautiful silhouette. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the moment.

When the day getting hotter, you can start to stroll along the islands. Or, you can continue your adventure by renting a boat from the lodges to explore the islands. To rent the boat, you only need to pay IDR25,000 or US$2.5 per person. You can go to Hantu Island, Bidadari Island, Kotok Island, Tidung Island,and Perak Island.

Snorkeling

As you spend your vacation in Seribu Island, don’t miss to snorkel, especially when the day is shining. Usually, the equipment is prepared by the travel agent before you come, such as frog legs, life jacket, and many more. The best spot to snorkel are Tidung Island and Kotok Island. You can ask the guide to show you the diving spots as well. Don’t forget to apply sun-block and plain bread to feed the fish. 

Fishing

If you love fishing, you can bring the equipment from Jakarta or rent in Seribu Islands. The surface of water is shallow and the fish is dominated by clown fish and the grouper. Be aware to sea urchin because sometime our eyes cannot see them.

Banana Boat

If you love adventure sport, you can challenge your adrenaline to take banana boat by paying IDR35,000 or US$3.5  per person. If you come with your family, you can ask them to play together because it will be more fun. As you are on banana boat, you are challenged to conquer the wave with high speed.

Enjoying the Sunset

After you have chance to hunt the sunrise, it will be more complete if you hunt the sunset as well. The combination of colors over the sky must be captured by your camera. If you come to Seribu Island with your spouse, you will get the romantic atmosphere. With these activities, it is not surprising if Seribu Island become the first choice to spend the holiday for the residents of Jakarta.

Pictures taken from www.rikoru-rhi.blogspot.com

Bidadari Island, the Island with Historical Site to Relax in Jakarta

Bidadari Island is one of beautiful islands around Seribu Islands. The distance of the island is only about 15 km from the coastline of Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia). The island offers you natural beauty. Thus, it is not surprising if the island become favorite place to escape from the routine. Bidadari Island is also surrounded by the stretches of sea to attract visitors. You can explore the island and go along the beach to enjoy the sunset. This is one of occasion that you may not miss as you visit the island.

Location

Bidadari Island lies at Jakarta, Indonesia. The island is accessible because it can be reached around 20 – 30 minutes from Ancol Beach by speedboat. You only need to pay IDR160,000 to IDR200,000 or US$16 – US$20 per person. If you have reserved a room in the cottage, you can ride jet-ski. In one day, there are 2 – 3 depart from Marina Ancol Pier.

Along the trip to the resort, you can see the group of islands that is rich of history, such as Kahyangan Island, Kelor Island and Onrust Island. These islands have the ruin of Dutch like the building, the fortress, and old pier.

Accommodations

Bidadari Island has a resort above sea surface or it called as floating cottages. The cottages are just like stilts above water and looks like fishermen village. Besides that, there are two kinds of land cottages, i.e. stilts model and not stilts model. The models of cottages are just like traditional houses from Minahasa.

If you want to do water activities, you can play jet-ski, canoeing, kayaking, banana boat, fishing, snorkeling, diving, and swimming. Along the coastline, you also can find huts to relax or just lay down while enjoying the breeze and natural instruments from the sea. If you want to cross to Onrust Island, the resort provides you small speedboat to take you there.

Activities

Along the journey to Bidadari Island, you can see white sand. The fine sand can be seen clearly before you arrive. As the speedboat gets closer to the pier, the fresh air will welcome you. After take a rest for a while at the cottage, you can stroll along the beach. There, you can find mangrove forest and old trees. 

One of unique tree in Bidadari Island is ‘Pohon Jodoh or Mate Tree’. They said, if a couple sitting under the tree, their relation will be long lasting. Thus, it is not surprising if there are many couples taking pre-wedding pictures under Pohon Jodoh. Around 50 meters from Pohon Jodoh, you can find the ruins of old building. It is known as Martello Tower that built in 1850 and broken caused by the eruption of Mount Krakatau in 1883.

After exploring Martello Tower, you can start to enter to closed area to see the attraction of dolphins. Even, you can swim together with them. This area is also used to do therapy for autism kids. They have to pay around IDR150,000 or US$15 per 30 minutes. If the day getting darker, you can see some people playing beach volley ball, cycling, playing tennis table and many others.

If the day is shining, you can see the sunset clearly. The combination of many colors looks so beautiful in the sky. Bidadari Island is also a suitable place to dive and snorkel. You can see the diversity of marine life and coral reefs. Thus, don’t miss to visit the island as you come to Jakarta. The island is a perfect place to relax and refresh your mind.

Pictures taken from www.dianajakarta.blogspot.com

Papa Theo Island, A Perfect Spot to Dive and Camping

Papa Theo Island is one of paradise for a diver. According to professional divers, the island has series of diving spots that have to be visited for those people who want to explore and get acquainted with an exotic underwater’s view. If you curious to know more about Papa Theo Island, lets go there now. 

Location of Papa Theo Island

Administratively, Papa Theo Island is located at Seribu Island Jakarta and its place so close to Petondan Besar Island, Kelor Island, and Kelapa Island. The good news is that the island is easy to be reached. You can rent a speedboat from Marina Ancol Beach and it takes around 1.5 hours.

Besides that, you also can reach Papa Theo through Mutiara Beach for about 40 – 50 minutes. However, if you want to enjoy the trip, you can take long boat from Muara Angke or Ancol/Marina and it will take around 3 – 3.5 hours. But, no worries because you will never bore to enjoy the wave of water and how big is the sea. 

Picture koplakconcept.blogspot

Its time to dive at Papa Theo Island

Approaching Papa Theo Island, you can see a long pier from the distance. The pier is used as parking area for the speedboat or long boat. Actually, Papa Theo Island is refer to Petondan Kecil Island which is has unique spots because under the water, there is diving spot of shipwreck that has 100 meter length.

Because of the diving spot you are going to explore is a shipwreck, you are suggested to bring a torch because this area is tend to dark. Off course you don’t want to get crash with the ruin of ship, do you? In addition, it must be interesting to explore a challenging diving spot here. 

As you dive at Papa Theo Island, you will meet beautiful coral and reef. It is really an amazing panorama. There are many species of fishes, such as pinnate bat-fish, grouper, nemo, and boxfish. Perhaps, the presence of ruins of shipwreck invites the fishes and make it as their home while looking for food.

In a holiday season, the area of Papa Theo Island will be flooded by divers from around the world. Thus, for tourist who love water activities, this is the right place to spend the time. After doing the activities here, you can spend the night at the resort near Papa Theo Island, Putri Island, or Sepa Island. If you still curious about this place, you can try other diving spot, such as Karang Congkang which is full of healthy reef and coral.

Camping at Papa Theo Island

After satisfied exploring underwater of Papa Theo Island at Seribu Islands, you can continue your adventure by camping. You can reserve the place to the island keeper. This is a great way to spend the time around the island. Spending the night by making a tent near the beach becomes what tourists desired. You will be accompanied by the sound of wave and the stretch of white sand. You can witness the sunset and the sunrise as you stay there while sipping a cup of coffee or tea. 

Sepa Island, an Exotic Island Near Jakarta

Sepa Island is one of isolated island in Seribu Islands, Jakarta. Although the name of the island is not that popular than Tidung Island and Pramuka Island, but Sepa Island is worth to visit because there are many things you can do while relaxing after your routine in the capital. Sepa Island can be reached from Marina Ancol by taking speadboat from 19^th Pier for about 90 minutes. It is a bit longer but along the sailing you can feel the breeze from the sea with fresh aroma.

Diving and Snorkeling in Sepa Island

The presence of a resort in Sepa Island is so supportive and enable you to do many water activities. However, diving and snorkeling become the common activities in Sepa Island. Turquoise water with various fishes can be seen easily.

The slogan of ‘Paradise for diver in Jakarta’ for Sepa Island is suitable because if you are a real diver, you will amaze witnessing the formation of coral reef. The panorama of underwater will make you want to stay longer there.

Actually, Sepa Island is a resort island that offers the beauty of underwater life. As you step in, you will feel as it is an isolated island with clear water. White sands in the beach stretching so far and suitable for sunbathing. Sepa Island is only 7 hectares but the appearance is so modern.

Picture Catherinewisatakepulauanseribu.blogspot.com

Not only diving, snorkeling and sunbathing, even you can fish in Sepa Island. So if you have this hobby, you only need to sit on the pier and wait till you catch the fish. Actually, the resort itself becomes the favorite spot for fishing because while you enjoy the day, you can feel the breeze from the sea.

If those activities are not enough, yet, you can challenge yourself to do marine walk. This can be unforgettable moment because not only in Bali, in Sepa Island you can come closer and have fun with beautiful fishes.

You don't have to worry for sinking because although you don't wear diving equipment, you still able to walk on the base of sea by wearing kind of helm. This is so sensational and you will not regret to experience marine walk in Sepa Island. After satisfied doing this activity, you can continue visiting turtle conservation.

The natural beauty of Sepa Island becomes a dream island for those who have tight schedule every single day. You can leave from the capital and come to the one of exotic island in Seribu Islands. Whatever you want to do, you can do it here. Banana boat, knee board, playing billiard, jetski, canoing, and many more.

Pretty fun, isn’t it? If you plan to relax and explore Sepa Island, you can take package. The cost of each packages are so vary and it will be depend on where you will stay. However the range are around IDR1.350k – IDR200k. The good news is if you take package of Sepa Island, the operator will pick you up from Jakarta and take you back.

There, you will have chance to catch the sunrise and sunset around the pier. Very nice.