Little Africa in Indonesia, Baluran National Park

SURYA.co.id | SITUBONDO - Baluran National Park has the largest savanna in Java Island and its ambiance resembles Africa. It is really fit to call Baluran National Park as Little Africa in Indonesia.

Baluran National Park quite different from other travel destinations. Why Because the wildlife here is really ‘wild’, not like as in the zoo or safari.

In the safari, stay close to various animals is easy. Moreover, they just get close to us when they smell the food inside the cars. But it is not same here. To reach this national park, the journey is quite challenging because we must pass the unpaved roads around 40 minutes until an hour.

The area of Baluran National Park is located in Kecamatan Banyuputih, Kabupaten Situbondo, East Java. The north border is Madura Strait, while in the east is Bali Strait. In the middle of this national park, there is Mount Baluran, but it is totally a good panorama to see it from afar.

Baluran National Park is dry forest ecosystem in Java Island, with its savanna, mangroves, seasonal forest, beach forest, uphill forest, stock forest, and evergreen forest. For photographers, it is the best to come on dry season, around July until August because all the forests are beautiful yellow.

In the dry season, animals like deer, buffalo, peacock, that lives inside the forest will come out to savanna area. Because the official of Baluran National Park provides water and mud hole. These animals are very shy, so if there are cars near them, they always run into the forest.

There are many trees, plants, and water during rainy season so the animals do not come from the forest.

Before exploring the national park, the visitors should go to Tourist Information Center (TIC) to get short explanation about the national park itself. It is as a reminder so we are not going to disturb, damage, take, or hunt the flora and fauna while we in the inside Baluran National Park.

Budi Supriyanto, the Head of Distribution and Digital of Tourism and Creative Economy, said that the access to go Baluran National Park is not expensive, and the ambiance is just like in Africa. Along the way to Bekol Savanna inside Baluran National Park, there are many teak trees on your left and right.

It is better to begin the journey in the morning. If you are lucky enough, you could see fig in the morning with dramatic effect that would eye-catching panorama to take in a picture. Or it is better if you could depart on the dawn because the sunrise in Baluran National Park is really awesome.

Inside Baluran National Park there is Bama Beach that is also a good spot to see the sunrise. Along the Bama Beach, there are many mangroves, and it is also conservation area but be careful in this area. It is due to many wild monkeys. If you are nonchalant for a moment, your handphone or your camera will be stolen by those monkeys.

In Bama Beach, we also could take a boat to go to the national park. Moreover, this place is a good spot for snorkeling, but it is better for you to swim a little bit far so you could see more fish and sea animals.

After that, the trip could be continued to see the savanna all around the national park. If you want to sense extraordinary experience, you could walk by foot because it is quite safe. The animals are quite shy so it is not really dangerous. But remember to stay safe and look around!

Have a good time while visiting Little Africa in East Java!Translated by: Vicensa Naomi