KARIMUNJAWA, an archipelago of 27 islands off the coast of Indonesia’s Central Java province and situated north of Semarang, is fast gaining popularity among travellers from Singapore and Malaysia thanks to improved accessibility and heavy promotions by provincial tourism stakeholders.
This year, the Central Java Tourism Promotion Board estimates that arrivals to the destination to date are up 20-30 per cent over the same period in 2011.
The board’s director of market development, Marah Indra Madewa, said: “Karimunjawa has been one of our focus for promotions since last year, and it has started to gain recognition among Singaporean and Malaysian travellers who like beach holidays and activities, such as diving and snorkelling, thanks to direct daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Semarang by AirAsia, and from Singapore by Batavia Air.”
The Central Java provincial government is also planning to upgrade Dewa Daru Airport on Kemujan, one of the main islands in the archipelago, to attract more chartered and regular services to the destination.
The airport is capable of handling six- to 12- seater aircraft, and currently serves chartered flights from Semarang.
Normally a 4D3N package, the choice of activities in Karimunjawa includes island hopping, snorkelling, diving, swimming with sharks, and night fishing.
Madewa said: “Travellers have a choice to go directly from Semarang by fast boat, or overland from Semarang to Jepara (approximately 80km south-east of Karimunjawa) and visit the wood carving and furniture industry which Jepara is famous for, and (subsequently) take a three-and-a-half-hour speed boat ride to the islands from there.”
“On the way back, they have the option of staying one night in Semarang for shopping,” he added.
