Peucang, island paradise of Ujung Kulon

Peucang, island paradise of Ujung Kulon

Bambang Parlupi, The Jakarta Post, Ujung Kulon, Banten

"Visitors are prohibited from feeding animals on the island
and jet-skiing in the surrounding coastal waters." This warning
is written on a board at the end of the pier at the gateway to
Peucang island in Ujung Kulon National Park.

Peucang island is a small but very beautiful, unique and
pleasant tropical island with a white sandy beach, blue coastal
waters and enchanting coral reefs. Various species of wild
animals are found in its forest.

Located northwest of Ujung Kulon National Park, some 77 km
from Labuan in Pandeglang regency, Peucang island is one of the
country's tourist resorts suitable for ecotourism and marine
tourism activities, as well as adventure.

"Peucang" is the local word for barking deer, as hundreds of
barking deer are found in its dense tropical forest, along with
other wild animals, like monkeys, monitor lizards and wild boars.

Some people believe that peucang is the name of a kind of
unique snail much found around coral reefs in the island's
coastal waters. Locals call the snail mata peucang, according to
Djarkasih, head of Panaitan Island - Peucang Island subsection.

Visitors going to Peucang island are mostly foreign tourists.
The trip to that resort is just too expensive for local tourists
due to the remote location of the island. Peucang can be reached
only by sea. There are sometimes strong winds and powerful waves,
making the trip impossible.

Only about 200 tourists visit this island each month. Tourists
can reach Peucang from Carita beach port in Banten by hiring
speedboats available at Lippo Marina at a cost of about Rp 5.5
million each for up to three days and two nights. It takes about
2.5 hours to go to the island from Carita by speedboat, which has
a maximum capacity of 20 passengers.

Visitors can also take motorboats available at Labuan, which
can carry 15 passengers each. Those who prefer to use fishing
boats may hire vessels belonging to local fishermen at a cost of
about Rp 2.5 million per round trip. In good weather, the island
can be reached by fishing boat in four hours to five hours.

Among facilities available for visitors on the island are a
guest house, which can accommodate 50 people, and three wooden
buildings on stilts encircling a lawn at the beachside. The rates
range from US$70 to US$90 per night per cottage. Those buildings
provide air-conditioned rooms with refrigerators and hot water.

Tourists who prefer renting rooms can pay US$35 to US$50 per
day per room. Extra beds are available at US$10 per bed.

The entry fee to the island is only Rp 2,000 per person and Rp
2,500 for insurance, which is valid for one week.

"The fixed prices in the list are not affected by the
fluctuation of the rupiah's value against the US dollar on the
market," said Ferry Irawan, guest relations officer of PT Wana
Wisata Alam Hayati, which manages lodging houses and restaurants
on the island.

A beautifully decorated, traditionally styled restaurant on
the island provides European food, such as spaghetti, and an
Indonesian menu that includes local cuisine, such as peucang
steak at Rp 25,000 to Rp 30,000. Also available are Ujung Kulon
special nasi uduk (rice cooked in coconut milk) priced at
Rp25,000 per portion and asinan (salted vegetables), having a
unique taste at Rp 15,000 per portion.

A cooperative belonging to Ujung Kulon National Park provides
low-rate guest houses. Travelers wishing to stay in a room with
wooden walls can stay for Rp 50,000 per person per night. Those
wishing to spend the night in a shed with mattress and pillows
need pay only Rp10,000 each per night.

University and high school students carrying out research or
on holiday on Peucang island usually prefer staying at cheap
lodging houses or rooms, according to Djarkasih, who also
provides tour guides.

Karang Copong, about three km, or an hour's walk from the
location of the guest houses, is an interesting place to visit.
On the way between the lodging houses and Karang Copong,
travelers may come across deer and green peafowl. From there they
can watch stunning sunset views over the Sunda Strait.

To see the beautiful submarine life, visitors can try
snorkeling in the island's coastal waters. Legon Sumino beach,
about 1 km from the visitor center, is the best place for
snorkeling. Divers can see beautiful coral reefs around Citerjun,
that can be reached in 15 minutes by boat from Peucang island.

Visitors interested in snorkeling must provide their own
diving equipment as the operator of this resort does not provide
any, according to Ferry, who has worked to serve tourists on the
island for two years.

The operator of this tourist resort also offers trips to
Cidaun and Cibunar, two grazing locations in Ujung Kulon. An
observation tower is found in Cidaun, from where visitors can
watch wild animals, such as wild cattle (Bos javanicus), green
jungle fowl and peacock.

Trekking through a 3.5-km path to Cibunar from the north coast
of Ujung Kulon, travelers pass a lowland forest that is rich in
flora and fauna. They will hear clearly the flapping of Rangkong
(Rhinoceros hornbill) wings over the forest or may come across
footprints left by a Javan rhinoceros on the ground. This rare
one-horned rhinoceros is the symbol of Ujung Kulon's pride.

Visitors traveling in the Ujung Kulon National Park are
advised to use the services of tour guides available in the Park.
At only Rp 8,000 per day, a group of visitors can traverse
Peucang island with a guide. For those expanding their tour to
places outside the island, the cost of a tour guide is Rp 10,000.

The cost of a tour package from Peucang island to Cibom and
Tanjung Layar is US$10 per person, including the cost of a guide
and transport using small boats. Clusters of coral reefs found in
Tanjung Layar offer natural views, with big waves pounding the
rock.

An old lighthouse at Tanjung Layar is a prominent feature of
that area. There are other remnants of old buildings constructed
in the 1800s. From that location visitors see the panorama of
Ciramea beach and by trekking for one hour along the south coast
of Tanjung Layar they will come to a white sandy beach, where
turtles lay their eggs.

Tips for visitors

* Bring food and beverages as well as personal medicines,
including malaria tablets. Don't forget to take malaria tablets
before and after the trip.

* To avoid the adverse effect of severe heat, smear uncovered
skin with sunblock and to protect your health, use antimosquito
cream while traversing the forest.

* Wear muted-color garments while watching animals in their
habitat or grazing locations.

* Don't visit Ujung Kulon National Park during the rainy
season and the west monsoon. Bad weather usually hits that region
from November to March.

* For safety's sake during a trip, every group of tourists is
advised to use the services of a local guide.

* Don't disturb or feed wild animals in the national park,
especially long-tailed macaques on Peucang island, which look so
tame.

* Don't throw rubbish in the park, but collect and take it
back to the guest house or outside the park. Obey all regulations
effective in the national park and also the local customs.