Asia Nature Travel

Alas Purwo National Park has 434.2 sq km and occupies the whole of the remote Blambangan Peninsula on the southeastern tip of Java. Facilities are limited and its not easy to reach, but Alas Purwo has fine beaches, good opportunities for wildlife spotting, and savannah, mangrove and lowland monsoon forest. Apart from day-trippers and local beach parties on weekends, the park get few visitors. Alas Purwo means First Forest in Javanese - according to legend this is where the earth first emerged from ocean. Its important Hindu spiritual centre and Pura Giri Selokah, a temple in the park, attracts many pilgrims, especially during Pagerwesi the Hindu new year. More recently the huge breaks - which stretch for 2 km - at Plengkung, on the isolated southeastern tip of peninsula. have made it famous among surfers who have dubbed it G-land (for Grajagan, another name of the area)

Orientation and Information
Surfer comes by charter boat from Grajagan at the western end of the bay, but the usual park entry is by road via the village, Pasar Anyar, which has a large national park office and interpretive centre. Call in here to check on accommodation, alternatively check with the head office in Banyuwangi. The actual gateway to the park at Rowobendo, 10km south along bad road, where you need to pay your admission fee. From Rowobendo the road runs past the temple before hitting the beach at Trianggulasi 2 km away. Here has hut accommodation but nothing else.

Sights and Activities
This limestone peninsula is relatively flat and the rolling hills reach a peak of only 322m. Alas Purwo has plenty of lowland coastal forest but few trails to explore it - vast expanses of the eastern park are untrammeled, even bay park staff. Using Trainggulasi as a base, there are some interesting short walks. The white sand beach here is beautiful, but swimming is usually dangerous. Its common to see herds of wild banteng, kijang and peacocks in the early of the morning, and late afternoon at the Sadengan grazing ground, which has a viewing tower. This beautiful meadow backed by forest is 2 km walk from Trainggulasi along a road and then a swampy trail. Alas Purwo also has small population of ajag (Asiatic wild dog), jungle fowl, leaf monkeys, muntcac deer, sambar deer and leopards (mostly black panthers). The park guards can arrange interesting night leopard-spotting expeditions. Guards can also arrange a motorbike trip to the turtle hatchery at Ngagelan, or you can walk. Its 6 km from Rowobendo along a rough road for a 7km walk along the beach at low tide from Trainggulasi. Its also possible to walk along the beach all the way to Plengkung via Pancur, 3km southeast of Trainggulasi, where there a small waterfall that flows onto the beach, another PHKA post and a camping ground. From Pancur a trail heads 2km inland through some good forest to Gua Istana, a small cave and another 2km further on to Gua Padepokan. From Pancur it is a further 11km walk around Grajagan Bay to fine beach at Plengkung, one of Asia's premier surfing spot. Between 1995 and 1998 the QUicksliver Pro surfing championship was held here every year around June as part of Association of Surf Professional World Championships. The surf camps at Plengkung are by no means five-stars but no provide unexpected luxury in the wilderness.
Tours
The bigger and better surf camps away from the beach at Plengkung, are for tour only. Accomodation costs around US$50 a day at all camps, but everyone comes on surfing package that include all transfer, usually from Bali. Established tour operator include the following:
Bobby’s Camp (Booking in Bali 0361-755588 ; www.grajagan.com) The biggest of them. This is run out of Bali and offers three-night packages.
G-Land Jungle Surf Camp (booking in Bali 0361-777649 ; www.g-land.com) The other main operator. The elevated Bungalow are comfortable and have most of the facilities a surfer could want)
Sleeping and Eating
Pesanggrahan (0333-428675). Close to the beach at Trianggulasi, this PHKA establishment has elevated bungalows. The room are Spartan, with only a bed. Water is from a well, and electricity is provided by generator. Through primitive this is lovely, relaxing spot and many who come for a day or two end up staying longer.
Even though staff at Pesanggrahan may sell supplies and cook meals in the high season, its best to brng all food and drink with you. Ttianggulasi has no warung and is deserted if no guest stay. But the Pesanggrahan has a kitchen with a kerosene stove and hurricane lamps.
The PHKA office at Pasar Anyar has a shop selling basic provision for visitors, such as packet noodle, but better to stock up on food at the general stores in Dumbuntung, where the bus drops you. There is also a camping ground and a PHKA post at Pancur.
Getting There and Away
From Banyuwangi’s southern Brawijaya bus terminal the Putra Jaya company has buses to Kalipahit via Benculuk and Tegaldelimo until 4 pm. Buses can drop you at small village of Dambuntung, where you can stock up on food. Then take an ojek to the park office in Pasar Anyar, 3 km from Dambuntung to check accommodation, and then on to the park. The 12km road from Pasar Anyar to Trianggulasi is badl potholed but is flat and negotiable by car. Jeep can be hired from Banyuwangi for one day trips to Plengkung.

From Indonesia Lonely Planet Book