"Ujung Kulon National Park" Suaka Margasatwa Ujungkulon by theo1006

Ujung Kulon National Park is one of the few still uninhabited and untouched areas on the overpopulated island of Java. It lies on the most westerly tip of Java and consists of a peninsula and some islands, altogether 760 km2. It has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site, mainly because it is the last vestige of the Javanese Rhino. Some 50 of them still live in the park, but they are seldom seen by tourists.

Tamanjaya jetty

Tamanjaya is the village nearest to the park entrance. It takes a day to get there from Jakarta, either all the way by road (250 km), or by road to Labuan or Carita, where a boat can be chartered.
Few Indonesian tourists visit the park, and the foreigners who come here are mostly expats living on Java, like us.
The easy and expensive way is to book a tour, see your Lonely Planet guide.
But it is cheaper and more adventurous to travel to Tamanjaya and arrange a hike or a boat trip with the local people, like we did. See my tips and email me if you want more advice.

Wife Helen with porters on Sunda Jaya porch

The only accommodation in Tamanjaya is Sunda Jaya homestay (a more ambitious hotel has gone broke). It is run by mr Komaruddin, who is also the chairman of the village representative council. Try his mobile phone number +62.85753638232. If this is out of range you may send a fax to +62.253.801835 or leave a message with the rangers' office in Labuan: +62.253.801731. Preferably using Bahasa Indonesia!

• Pros:Friendly and helpful locals
• Cons:Primitive facilities only