Enjoy Sempu island, a paradise in a small island

Sempu island is a coastal paradise scenery, tranquil beaches, crystal clear water, clean white sand, and incredible ocean views.

This island situated at the southern coast of Malang Regency. To reach Sempu island, firstly you need to get to the beach called Sedang Biru, this beach is the gate to cross to Sempu Island. This beach located at South of Malang, there is no regular public transportation that will take you to Sendang Biru beach, so I recommended you use a private vehicle for a vacation to this island. Trip duration to Sendang Biru takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours from the city of Malang with a relatively slow speed, because the terrain is mountainous road, fortunately the road is pretty good.

Upon arrival at Sendang Biru beach, you can get rest a while before crossing to Sempu island. There are many stall or event small cafetaria set up by local people, you can buy the food, drink and other in those stall, some stall also provide camping equipment rental.

If you want a kind of sea food, you can find it at the fish auction center which is situated next to Sendang biru beach, you can find many kind of fresh fish and ask a cafetaria to grill it for you lunch or dinner.

To cross to Sempu Island, you need to hire a wooden boat to local people, do not forget to save the phone number of the fisherman so that you can call him when you want to get out from Sempu island.

Sempu island is a natural lagoon lake, local people usually call it “Segoro Anakan”, which in Javanese means child of sea, The Segoro Anakan lagoon is connected directly to the ocean by a tunnel, there is a camping ground around the Segoro Anakan lagoon, so you can stay overnight in the island using a tent.

Sendang Biru Beach

After passing through a challenging journey from Malang, we will arrive at Sendang Biru Beach, the gateway to cross to Sempu Island, this beach is a tourist destination with a beautiful breathtaking view, scenic white sand along the coastline, Sempu strait with crystal clear and blue sea water. Fishing vessels has double function, to catch fish in the ocean and to take visitors to Sempu island, and are lined up neatly on the edge of the beach.

The atmosphere of this beach can cure boredom of monotonous activity. There are many visitors who enjoy the beach, just to swim, enjoy the atmosphere and views of the waterfront or trekking to proceed towards the lagoon Segoro Anakan inside Sempu Island.

Crossing to the Sempu island

After obtaining a permit from the manager, you are now ready to cross to Sempu island. You can hire a fishing boat that are not being used, do not worry about how to find it, because on the waterfront next to the fish auction, fishing boats lined up ready to take you and friends to the Sempu island,  if you are planning a camping and overnight, do not forget to save the phone numbers of the fisherman in order to contact the owner of the boat when you get back from cruising the island, then you can reach him via hand phone.

Don’t imagine that crossing from the coast of Sendang Biru to Sempu Island for hours, it’s only take 15 minutes, crossing the strait with the quite sea and not too deep, all eyes that look you see blue sea and island views with leafy green trees, as well as several large coral challenging famous powerful waves of Java south ocean.

Sempu Island actually has some destinations such as Sendang Biru Beach itself, the Gulf of Ants, one of the gates to trekking path to Segoro Anakan inside Sempu Island, Pasir Panjang beach, Pasir Kembar beach One and Two. But among some of the destinations most visited by tourists are Segoro Anakan, because it’s dazzling view. Island Conditions still sustainable and natural, the atmosphere and the scenery makes the veins of our nerves more relaxed, refreshing ..

Rainforests Trekking

The wise man told me to reach heaven it must be fought first, patiently passing the exam and obstacles and the course was not easy. These words fit perfectly to describe the trekking activity toward Segoro Anakan. After crossing of the Sendang Biru Beach to the Gulf of Ants using fishing boats, then next is cruising lowland tropical forest inside Sempu island, for about 2 hours we were treated to roam the forest atmosphere with large trees, the sound of birds chirping “cicitcuit” here and there, from faint distant heard sound of the waves. Trekking path also has shaped rather wide path for visitors every day passed, rocky and occasionally found a large tree that fell blocking the path, but there is no need to worry about leeches who used to be friends when trekking forest, as far as our experience here free leech . Because we carried supplies and goods for camping, our backpacks full and heavy, quite exhausting and tiring, so that we feel if we were less  exercise.

Segoro Anakan Camping ground

After approximately 2 hours exhausting walk, we finally arrived at Anakan. When we arrived it was dark and we could not enjoy the view Segoro Anakan directly, without waiting too late we soon built a tent, immediately look for firewood to burn coal and make fresh fish that has been we bought earlier in the Fish Auction Center. Enjoying a night on the edge of a small lagoon by the campfire while eating grilled fish with chili sauce and fresh, it feels that heaven, especially our hungry after trekking for 2 hours. Once full of grilled fish we eat and sleep in order to wake up early tomorrow morning to enjoy the atmosphere of the lagoon Segoro Anakan.

Morning was ahead, we can only enjoy Segoro Anakan, it’s view really special, a lagoon with white sand on the side adjacent to the tent where we build, surrounded by high cliffs that bordered the sea, between the cliffs there is a hole cave that channel water to the sea when the waves rising lagoon. That’s where the most beautiful scenery in the lagoon can be found, such as coral stage occurs naturally overgrown with small green grass, as the waves hit the reef and through the cave while we were beside it to enjoy the atmosphere, this is an unforgettable experience, the fatigue of the travel to this lagoon with full of obstacles toward are paying off, so enjoy it. Under the stage reef is quite deep lagoon side with a depth of about 2 meters, turn blue when viewed from above coral stage, very suitable used for swimming.

We can also climb to the top of the cliffs and enjoy the sea view from the heights, enjoying the view of the blue sea south of Java a mark of depth with the waves that hit the barrier reef that limit the lagoon, from a distance we can also enjoy a large rock on the beach is a bit far away, If you occasionally bring fishing rods, you can fishing there.

Route from the Malang Train station to Sendang Biru Beach

If you take the train then get off at Malang station, then from there you can find public transportation to the terminal Gadang, of the Gadang terminal you can ride public transportation or bus to the district Turen, from Turen there are one or two public transportation to Sendang Biru beach every day, but had to wait for the full first and departed.

Route from Malang Terminal (Arjosari) to Sendang Biru Beach

From the bus terminal Arjosari short walk to the town of freight transport base with labels AG (Arjosari – Gadang) to Gadang terminal, from Gadang terminal the route is the same as above.

Tips and information

• If you plan on camping so bring enough supplies, enough drinking water because there is no source of fresh water inside the island.
• If it is your first time visiting the Sempu island, so we recommend using the services of a ranger to take you to Segoro Anakan, so you do not get lost and in addition they are also more familiar terrain of the island, ranger rental costs between Rp. 150.000, – to Rp. 250.000, –
• Do not come too late, dark will bother you while trekking and anyway you need time to look for firewood and build a tent.
• Bring a flashlight or light, also bring a knife to help you find dry branches, if you forget to take it out of the house, you can rent it on the local people.
• Bring a tent from where you live, even though managers of Sempu island also provide camping tent rental, for anticipation if the tent already leased out.