Meru Betiri at glance
The Meru Betiri National Park is located on the eastern side of Java island. According to the official’s data, Meru Betiri covered as wide as 58.000 hectares. It has numerous varieties of flora and fauna inside which shows on the land, up in the sky and along coastline.
This rich of variety of life form namely Biodiversity. It has five type of ecosystems; coastal forest, brackish forest, lowland rain forest, swamp forest, and rheofit ecosystem. All those ecosystems are home to animals and plants which have numerous species.
Endemic flora in the Meru Betiri is Padmosari Flower (Rafflesia zollingeriana). While the native wildlife resident which have been recorded by officials are Leopards, Bull, Deer, Boar, Green Peafowl, Javanese Hawk, Slow Loris, Primates . As for the types of turtles are Leatherback turtle, Olive riddle turtle, Hawksbill turtle, and Green turtle.
Some zoologist states that in Meru Betiri is one of the main site of Javanese Tiger. In fact, those beauty animal has been avowed extinct long ago. Meanwhile, in recently update data they states that they found the track of Leopard and caught them on the camera.
In addition to biological potential, Meru Betiri National Park also has a very strategic tourism potential to visit. In the district of Banyuwangi there are Sukamade Beach, Rajegwesi Beach, Green Bay, Damai Bay and Stone Shore. While Jember area there are Permisan Beach, Meru Beach, Nanggelan Beach and Bandealit Beach.
The first step of sea turtle’s baby see the world
The most popular beach in Meru Betiri National Park is Sukamade. This is the main site of four species turtles come ashore to lay their eggs every night beneath the sand. The average number of the eggs for one turtle is 90 to 130 eggs. If the ranger find more than one turtle in a night, it can be 350 eggs per night. Thus, due to the intensity of turtles producing egg highly, the national park ranger have to keep this area from poacher and wild predator in 24 hours.
The National Park ranger take good nurturing care of the eggs. They collect it into the hatchery zone and waiting for 40 days until all of them hatching. The percentage of hatching can reach 93% as if they can make the chamber-nest temperature as well as natural process.
Once the eggs have hatched and the turtle’s baby are born, the ranger and or caretaker feed them well with the smooth chopping fish and algae. They have to make sure that the baby physically well-nourished before they release them to the sea. Seeing the process of releasing is heartwarming when witness this tiny creatures grab by the tides and facing their future in the ocean.
Meanwhile, according to the officials ranger, the natural process of hatching can be only 75 %. It is due to many factors influence the process of hatching. Some factors which can make hatching process unsuccessful are; predators, sea tides, temperature under the sand. The natural predator for turtle’s eggs are boar, monkey, snake, monitor lizard.
How to get to Meru Betiri National Park?
Meru Betiri National Park can be accessed from two regencies. Both regencies are Jember and Banyuwangi. If you start from Jember regency, you can start the tour direct to Bande Alit beach and then continue to Sukamade.
But if you take from Banyuwangi you have a big chance to visit many stunning places. You can visit Ijen Crater and afterwards going to Sukamade. You can also take a tour to go there after taking Kalibaru Plantation tour.
However it can be easy when you take from Banyuwangi. Common tour agency customized their tour to Meru Betiri National Park after Ijen or Kalibaru Plantation tour.
Hiring private car
Hiring private car is fully recommended. It caused will make you easier to enjoy your journey to go anywhere. As we know that the distance of tourism spots in East Java are pretty far from one to another. Somehow transportation to Sukamade will change two times. First using a smooth city car and then change it into 4 WD car. But if you are already hiring 4 WD car from Banyuwangi, you don’t need to change it.
Using public transport
On the other hand, there is also another option to reach Meru Betiri National Park. That is using public transport. If you are coming from Banyuwangi, you can take a bus at Brawijawa Bus Station and stop at Jajag regency. Afterwards, you have to search a transport to drop you off at Pesanggaran Village. Once arrive in Pesanggaran, you have to look for another transportation to bring you to Sarongan village or direct to Sukamade. It needs a lot of effort and patience to search transportation service to bring you to Meru Betiri.
However, in this case hiring private car is fully recommended than using public transport. You can change the option by taking Bus and then booking the jeep with local tour agency in southern of Banyuwangi.
Things to do in Meru Betiri National Park
You will be driving from Ijen to Sukamade around 4 hours to reach Pesanggaran village. In this place you have to change your vehicle into 4 WD car. Along the way to go there you will pass through the rocky terrain and stop at the awesome places that makes the tour will be going to WOW!
Here are the bucket activities that you can have during your excursion to Meru Betiri National Park.
- Adventure driving
Driving into 4WD car going through rocky terrain, river and row of the trees at National Park will be great experience.
- Green Bay
Green bay is like a private beach. Hide away from people and it is located inside of Meru Betiri National Park. With white warm sand and blue-greenish water, this beach is the best place to visit during the tour after through rocky terrain. You can do swimming, taking plenty photos or just sightseeing around this beach. To reach this spot you have to get through the dirt narrow track, cross shallow river and a bit physical demanding activities.
- Traditional Brown Sugar
It is traditional brown sugar industry which has been managed by local people in Sungai Lembu area. They take the sugar liquid from coconut bloom at the plantation. Early morning around 04.00 am they start to go to the plantation to take the sugar liquid then process this for about 4 hours before it become a brown solid sugar. It is traditionally sugar maker. Visit this place and gain the new experience on your travel in East Java.
- Cocoa Plantation
This plantation is controlled by local as their daily job. They work for 8 hours in a day to controlled this plant. Other locals are also working in the cocoa factory in this area.
- Turtle at Sukamade Beach
This is the icon of Meru Betiri National Park. There are four species of turtle that come ashore laying their eggs in every year. Those species are Leatherback turtle , Lekang turtle , Hawksbill turtle, and Green turtle. In Sukamade beach the most regularly come ashore is Green Turtle. One green turtle can lay their eggs average 80 – 120 eggs per night.
The activity of Meru Betiri National Park Ranger
This is not about the place for turtle, but also Sukamade is one of the main site of Turtle conservation in East Java. The National Park Ranger keep this place to help their existence still in a good record number.
Here is the National Park Ranger was collecting the turtle’s eggs and put them all beneath the sand. Afterwards waiting for 40 days as turtle babies hatching.
- Meru Betiri National Park Accommodation
Here is the accommodation at Meru Betiri National Park. This is the Ranger lodge that offered to tourist who want to do excursion to Meru Betiri National Park.
Let’s take a look other attractions
Meru Betiri is classified as Biodiversity. It keeps so many creatures inside. Endemic flora in the Meru Betiri region is the Padmosari Flower (Rafflesia zollingeriana). While protected species of fauna are Leopards , Bull , Deer , Peacocks , Javanese Hawk , Slow Loris , Lutung Javanese and Turtle.
Meanwhile the common creatures that we can meet and see in Meru Betiri National Park are not so many as listed on the Ranger record. It caused the area of Meru Betiri is pretty wide, thus them spread out all the area.
How long to complete excursion to this National Park?
Well… this area is pretty wide and large. To complete around this National Park needs 4 days trekking. If you love do trekking you must try this program and hopefully you can meet the rarely creatures inside.
Here are the creatures that you can meet and see if you are lucky along doing excursion at Meru Betiri 🙂
- Oriental Pied Hornbill
- Monitor Lizard
- Javan langurs
That are what we can share to all traveler who wants to visit Meru Betiri or Sukamade. You can make reservation or booking this excursion by contact (email/Whatsapp)
Email: javaparadisetravel@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +62 822 4406 3122
Have a good day.. traveler!
