Nusakambangan, a beautiful tourist resort

Nusakambangan, a beautiful tourist resort

Slamet Susanto and Blontak Poer, The Jakarta Post, Cilacap, Central Java

Nusakambangan, an island of some 21,000 square meters located
south of Cilacap regency in Central Java, has long been known as
a prison island where first-class criminals ranging from thieves
and murderers to corruptors and terrorists are locked up under
maximum security.

Convicted corrupter Pande Lubis, hammer killer Rio Alek Bulo,
83 convicted defendants of the Aceh separatist movement and
hundreds of killers and robbers are all residents of the infamous
island.

The island has had an eerie image for years, especially with
the establishment of hundreds of the Super Maximum Security (SMS)
cells designed for convicted terrorists, and a special prison for
convicted drug users and dealers.

In short, ever since the island was declared off-limits in
1905 by the Dutch colonists, nobody has been permitted to enter
it. No one has been able to enjoy its beautiful scenery. Little
was known about it at all until 1996 when the island was finally
opened to the public as a tourist destination.

"It is now opened on weekends and holidays as a place of
recreation. Ever since, the port has always been crowded with
visitors at those times," Eko, a guard at a port in Nusakambangan
told The Jakarta Post.

According to Woro Santati of Cilacap Tourism Office,
Nusakambangan was opened as a tourist destination following an
agreement between the Central Java Governor and Ministry of
Justice in 1996.

The Cilacap government then invested some Rp 1.7 billion in
preparations for the opening up of the island, most of which was
used on the construction of tourist-related infrastructure.

A special agency (BPOW) was also established to manage tourism
on the island, with the Nusakambangan Prison warden made head of
the agency and Cilacap Tourism Office chief as the deputy.

It takes 35 minutes by motor boat from Lomanis Port in
Cilacap, to get to the island's Sodong Port. On the way, tourists
can take in the scenery at Intan Port, the Pertamina complex,
Segara Anakan lagoon and the mangrove forest.

Up to 2000, a tourist had to pay Rp 15,000 to take the trip,
with the minimum number of people at 20 per tour. Of the fee, Rp
10,000 was for transportation. The remaining Rp 5,000 was for the
provincial government of Central Java (Rp 600), the regental
government of Cilacap (Rp 900), and the Ministry of Justice (Rp
3,500).

"Since 2000, however, the fees have been increased to Rp
20,000 per tourist, in which Rp 15,000 is for transportation, Rp
2,500 the prison, Rp 1,500 the regental government and Rp 1,000
for the provincial government," Woro explained.

On weekdays, according to Woro, tourists are also welcome to
visit the island but are required to charter their own boat at a
rate of Rp 1.2 billion per tour. They are also required to pay an
additional fee of Rp 13,000, with the minimum number of tourists
set at 20.

The local tourism office noted that during 2003 alone, some
100,000 visited the island, generating an income of over Rp 20
million. "But we reckoned there would be a decrease this year,
due to the series of legislative and presidential elections,"
informed Woro, adding that some 2,000 tourists visited the island
during the Idul Fitri holiday season this year.

Speaking separately, Nusakambangan's Permisan Prison Warden
Kristadi said that the island had conserved much of its natural
potential.

At Karangbandung beach, Majeti island, the rare Wijayakusuma
flower can be found. Myth says this particular flower has the
supernatural power of bringing the dead to life.

"West of the island, can be found rare plalar trees. In Solok
Ranca Babakan there is a beautiful white sand beach," said
Kristadi, suggesting that the management still needed much
improvement, especially with regard to the distribution of
revenue, which he said was unfair.

At present, he said, there were four prisons on Nusakambangan.
Initially, it had nine but the other five were no longer
operational. The existing prisons were LP Batu, LP Besi, LP
Kembang Kuning and LP Permisan.

"Unfortunately, not all the prisons have a share of the
revenue. It's not fair as we also have to maintain and mend the
facilities," he said.

In fact, he said, almost all tourists visiting the island
usually visit Permisan Prison, which he managed.

However, none of the revenue goes to Permisan. "It's annoying.
They visit Permisan, but the revenue goes elsewhere," he said.