For REGENCY PROFILE/July 23

For REGENCY PROFILE/July 23

Parangtritis Beach remains prime tourist spot

Bantul regency has quite a number of tourist attractions, with the most well-know destination being Parangtritis Beach, some 29 kilometers to the south of Yogyakarta.

Parangtritis is a major contributor to the regency's revenue and also contributes to the income of residents in its vicinity. In 2001 more than 1.5 million local and foreign tourists visited the area.

The attraction of Parangtritis lies in its expansive, beautiful and mysterious beach. Bordered on the east and north by Bukit Seribu (A Thousand Hills), the beach boasts some sand dunes.

Another unique spot is the Parang Wedang hot water springs, which are said to be able to cure certain skin diseases.

Another tourist attraction is the adjacent Parangkusumo Beach. Local people believe that the mythical Queen of the South Ocean, Ratu Kidul, uses the beach as a meeting place with the founder of the Javanese kingdom, Panembahan Senopati. On certain Fridays in the Javanese calendar, devotional services are held, which attract thousands of local and foreign tourists. On the first day of Suro (the first month of the Javanese calendar) hundreds of thousands of people gather at the beach to take part in the ritual.

Various other fascinating rituals connected to Ratu Kidul are performed at Parangtritis Beach on certain Tuesdays and on the first of the Muharam month as per the Javanese calendar.

Apart from numerous hotels and restaurants found near the beach, horse and carts for tourists to travel in around the area are also numerous.

Other interesting tourist attractions are Pandansimo Beach, Cerme Cave, Gajah Cave, Selarong Cave, the sacred Imogiri cemetery for Javanese kings and the Wayang Museum (Shadow Puppet Museum). The Bantul regency is also famous for its handicrafts, which are popular among both foreign and domestic tourists.

Business opportunities, especially in tourism, are in abundance in Bantul regency.

The area does not have a star-rated hotel in spite of the great number of domestic and foreign tourists. Restaurants and other tourism-related businesses should be a sound business investment here.