Wondering how to get to Karimunjawa Island? This is the blog post for you.
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The main reason to visit Karimunjawa is, essentially, the same reason why most people HAVEN’T visited yet – they don’t know how to get there. But this is why Karimunjawa is SO worth the effort; it remains a rare Indonesian hidden gem amongst a series of far more crowded paradise islands in Southeast Asia. Until recently, there wasn’t much information available in English and although there’s a pretty good tourism set-up in Karimunjawa, it was previously aimed at local tourists.
For more information on what to do on beautiful Karimunjawa and why you should consider it as part of your Java itinerary, see my Karimunjawa guide:
Karimunjawa Guide – Costs, Example Itinerary & Things to Do
If you’re already convinced, here’s how to get to Karimunjawa Island! I have also included information on cross-country transport in Java below so you can decide how you prefer to get to the ferry port.
How to get to Karimunjawa Island:
Take the ferry between the mainland and Karimunjawa
First things first – to get to Karimunjawa, you will have to get the boat from JEPARA or SEMARANG. Both harbours have a slow and fast boat departing to Karimunjawa.
The general consensus is that the fast boat from Jepara to Karinjawa is the best way. I didn’t speak to anyone on the island who disagreed; firstly, the ‘Bahari Express‘ is very efficiently set up, and secondly, 2 hours rocking about on the sea is better than over 4, right?
None of the boats depart everyday so be sure to check the schedule before you go! If you have any problems finding an updated schedule, just email or WhatsApp your accommodation beforehand – they will be used to queries and happy to help assist you on your journey to their beautiful island.
KARIMUNJAWA BOAT SCHEDULE
Tuesday – 09.00
Friday – 09.00
Saturday – 10.00
Wednesday – 11.00
Saturday – 07.00
Sunday – 11.00
SLOW BOAT: Jepara to Karimunjawa
10 days in Flores itinerary – Maumere, Ende, Komodos
FERRY COSTS
FAST BOAT (RECOMMENDED): 150K IDR – 2 hours
SLOW BOAT: 50K IDR – 4.5 hours
MAKE YOUR BOAT RIDE MORE COMFORTABLE
My journey was smooth on the way over but choppier on the way back. Thankfully I’d prepared with a relaxing playlist, filled my water bottle and had my eye mask at the ready to try and zone out.
There was a movie playing but it was the usual Dwayne Johnson movie that I’ve seen 47984 times on various boats across SE Asia. (Has anyone else noticed SE Asia ferries ALWAYS play a Dwayne Johnson movie? Like for real?) Take layers too – air con on ferries is known to get chilly.
Alternatively, you can also buy a ‘VIP ticket’ on the fast boat costing an extra 15K IDR. During my journey, the normal ticketing area was quiet (so many free seats, I lay down!) but at a busy time it can get crowded and noisy, so you will find the VIP area a lot more comfortable particularly if you’re prone to seasickness. At a glance, VIP tickets are an extra 20K IDR on the slow boat.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR BOAT TICKETS TO KARIMUNJAWA
At the harbour: Most people book their tickets at the harbour before their boat trip without a problem. HOWEVER, It can get booked up on busy periods!
Although my journeys both had plenty of free seats, the FOLLOWING day after I left, the tickets were already booked out in advance! So bear that in mind if you’re on a tight schedule and consider booking your return ticket as soon as you arrive on the island. (I booked the evening before.)
Even during guaranteed quiet periods, still get there 30 minutes before to book your ticket, whereas arriving at the harbour an hour or more before departure is recommended for busy periods.
Online: You can book your tickets online before you go!! The cheapest option I saw was via Happinezz or Satu Dunia tour company from whom you can buy the tickets in advance for just a small extra cost.
A representative will meet you at Jepara harbour to personally pass you your tickets and even wait in the queue for you. It’s good peace of mind if you’re worried and particularly for families.
Book advance ferry tickets here: http://www.karimunjawaboatticket.com/ They can also book the onward journey too (ie, a minivan from Yogyakarta to Jepara).
FLY
Flights are available between Surabaya and Karimunjawa. I have not spoken to anyone who used this method since it’s a lot pricier and not aimed at backpackers – there are only TEN TICKETS per flight which must be purchased from the Surabaya office in advance and in person. Flights only go two or three times a week.
Australia Working Holiday Visa Checklist (all the links you need to get set up)
YOUR ONWARDS JOURNEY
JEPARA
It is not recommended to stay overnight in Jepara as it is not tourist friendly and there’s not much else there besides the harbour. If you do – perhaps your travelling with young children and don’t want to travel late at night before an 8am ferry – there are a few cheap accommodations available.
GETTING TO KARIMUNJAWA FROM JOGJAKARTA
I found this tiring (since the journey is overnight) but easy to organise. Most Yogyakarta accommodations will simply book transport (a minivan or shared car) on your behalf which will pick you up from your accommodation at 11pm and drive you to arrive at the harbour for around 5am – travel time can vary. They drop you at the harbour’s warung which opens at 4am. Myself and three other girls from the same van took a nap on the benches – thankfully it wasn’t too cold. If you do run into issues booking your transport from Yogyakarta to Jepara/Karimunjawa, you can also book a seat on the minibus through this website: http://www.karimunjawaboatticket.com/
GETTING TO KARIMUNJAWA FROM MALANG, BROMO OR SURABAYA
Once again, you can book a ‘travellers’ minivan from your accommodation on Karimunjawa to pick you up at Jepara harbour after you’ve taken the boat back across – ask your accommodation on Karimunjawa when you arrive. Although there need to be 3 people minimum going in the same direction, good accommodations will contact others to find you a seat if you’re solo.
HIKING IJEN AT SUNRISE – Travel advice for seeing a natural phenomenon – East Java
To Surabaya from Karimunjawa, (on the way to Malang and Bromo) this would cost 200k each. You can also ask your accommodation to help you book straight onto a tour to Bromo, though personally, I found it much cheaper to sort this out when I arrived at my hostel in Malang – Malang is a good access point to Bromo as well as being a base for amazing waterfalls and colourful local villages. I got a local bus from Surabaya to Malang – I booked my ticket directly from Surabaya bus station.
LOCAL BUSES
I used local buses for my route Karimunjawa – Surabaya – Malang. A shared taxi picked me up from Jepara harbour and took me to Semarang bus station, where it was easy to buy a bus ticket to SURABAYA with the assistance of a local. The journey took eight hours; I was squeezed between the locals and was the only tourist! From Surabaya bus station, buying a ticket to Malang was easy. That said, you can also book online in advance if you prefer.
I stayed one night in Surabaya to break the journey up. Buses regularly go throughout the day and leave as soon as they’re full. It’s not always comfortable but certainly an experience I won’t forget. Buy tickets at the bus station.
TRAIN SCHEDULES
Head to 12Go Asia to book onwards train journeys. On a later long-distance trip where I used train transport, I found it to be much much more comfortable than the local bus, albeit still crowded.
For more information on planning your trip to Karimunjawa:
Karimunjawa Guide – Costs, Example Itinerary & Things to Do
Need more help? Let me know if there’s anything I forgot! I had a wonderful time on Karimunjawa and hope you can also enjoy an unforgettable experience there. It’s worth the journey, promise!
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