Sawarna Beach, The Truly Captivating Beach on The South Coast of Java

The tourism village of Sawarna is the entry point to this natural wonder. As you enter the village, you will be greeted by lush green paddy fields, serene village ambiance, and refreshing breezes. Sawarna Beach is located at Gendol, Bayah District, Lebak Regency, in the province of Banten, Jakarta's neighbor to the capital's west. Sawarna Beach offers a host of natural wonders such as asits rushing river, lush forest, rocky hills, caves, and more. The beautiful landscape is also shrouded in the myth of “Nyi Roro Kidul”, the mythical Queen of the South Seas, besides being replete with the history of coal exploitation in the nearby areas of Bayah and Lebak.

Overlooking the vast open Indian Ocean, featuring crystal clear blue water and stretches of white sandy beach, shaded by beautiful rows of sheltering trees, the Sawarna Beach is without a doubt one of the most beautiful beaches in the province of Banten. The beauty of Sawarna beach is truly captivating. Those who enjoy surfing will also find the waves at Sawarna quite challenging. Its barreling waves have managed to attract surfers from all over the globe including those from USA, Australia, Japan, and Korea.

Beneath the surface, the underwater beauty of Sawarna also makes it a perfect place for snorkeling. Here, you can find the most colorful coral reefs and various species of tropical fish. Some of the best spots for snorkeling are at Ciantir Beach, Tanjung Layar Beach, Karang Bokor Beach, Karang Seupang Beach, Karang Traraje Beach, and Legon Pari Bay. Aside from its stunning beaches, Sawarna also offers fascinating adventure opportunities in some of its spectacular caves, such as the Lalay Cave, the Sikadir Cave, Cimaul Cave, Singalong Cave, and Pasir Tangkil Cave. The caves at Sawarna are Karst caves that were formed during the early Miocene period.

Get There

To reach Sawarna Beach, you can take the route from Serang to Pandeglang-Malimping-Bayah-Sawarna, or alternatively Rangkasbitung-Cileles-Gunung Kencana-Malimping-Bayah-Sawarna. From the capital city of Jakarta you can take the toll road from Tomang to Serang. From Serang, you can head to Saketi, in Pandeglang.

Another alternative is to take the public bus from Jakarta to Pelabuhan Ratu in Sukabumi. From Pelabuhan Ratu, there are minibusses that can take you straight to Sawarna which charges around Rp 35,000. These minibusses follow the route Pelabuhan Ratu-Cikuray-Cibeber-Bayah.

From the city of Bogor in West Java,  you can also reach Sawarna via  Cilograng to Pelabuhan Ratu which is approximately about 145 km. This is the route used by public buses from Bogor. From Pelabuhan Ratu you can take another bus to Bayah Terminal. From Bayah there are jeeps that can take you to Sawarna through a bit of relatively rough roads. Do remember that these jeeps only operate until 05:00 pm, so you need to be there beforehand.