Banten

On December 22, 2018 there are a combination of high tide and tsunami make more than 400 persons dead along the beach from Carita to Tanjung Lesung and also in the beach of South Lampung. Moreover more than 150 persons are still missing. The tsunami is caused by 64 hectares landslide of the slope of Mount Krakatoa to the sea. There are no any warning about tsunami even from USGS for this kind of tsunami.

On December 27, 2018 the alert status of Mount Krakatoa was increased to second level of the highest alert. People have also been advised to beware of feasible tsunamis that might come again without warning, if they are in the area at less than 500 meters above sea level. The latest survey found that the mount height decreased from more than 300 meters to only a slightly more than a hundred meters due to landslide and there are 2 cracks with possibility of landslide and tsunami.

Banten is the westernmost part of the island of Java in Indonesia. Halal Travel Guide covers most of Banten province, but the northeastern parts of the province are suburbs of the Indonesian capital and are covered in the article on Greater Jakarta.

Cities

• Cilegon — industrial city on Banten's west coast.
• Labuan — port city with a well-known fish auction and market.
• Merak — sea port with frequent passenger ferries to Sumatra island.
• Pandeglang — regional centre for southwestern Banten.
• Rangkasbitung — town on the north side of the impenetrable jungle of the Baduy people.
• Serang — provincial capital.

More Destinations

• Anyer — well-known beach resort on the west coast.
• Banten — small village on the north coast, but once the centre of the powerful Banten sultanate.
• Carita — more west coast beaches, with panoramic views of the Krakatoa volcano.
• Panimbang — fishing village and the beach resorts of the Tanjung Lesung peninsula.
• Sawarna — beach on the Indian Ocean coast.
• Ujung Kulon National Park — the largest remaining lowland rain forest in Java, a refuge for rhinos.

Introduction to Banten

The province of Banten covers the westernmost part of the island of Java. The province was created in 2000, when it separated from the province of Western Java. The northeastern part of Banten, notably the city's of Tangerang and South Tangerang, are part of the Jabodetabek metropolitan area (Greater Jakarta) and therefore they are not covered in this travel guide.

The town of Banten on the north coast had been an important port for centuries, when a group of (Javanese) that had recently converted to Islam captured the region and established the Sultanate of Banten in 1527. The sultanate became very powerful and at its peak it ruled much of Western Java and the southern part of Sumatra. The town of Banten (nowadays often called Old Banten) became one of the major ports of Southeast Asia. Starting in the 17th century, much of Banten came under the control of the Dutch and finally in 1813 the entire area was incorporated in the Dutch East Indies. Nowadays and the once important town of Banten is just a small village, but you can visit the old sultan palaces and the Great Mosque of the sultanate.

In the Dutch colonial time and the town of Anyer on the Western coast was an important port and the Western terminus of the Great Post Road. However, most of Anyer was destroyed by the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1883. Anyer is a popular beach resort city nowadays and the most important port of Banten by far is now Merak, with very frequent ferries across the Sunda Strait to Sumatra.

Apart from the historical sights in the town of Banten and the region has a large number of mainly natural attractions. In the southwest, Ujung Kulon National Park covers the Western peninsula and Panaitan island. The area, covered by rainforest, is only accessible by foot or by boat and has been known as the last refuge of the endangered Java one-horned rhinoceros. In addition and there are of course beaches on all sides of Banten, with the beaches of Tanjung Lesung (Panimbang) and Sawarna standing out for their beauty.

Talk

Most of the people in Banten speak (Sundanese) (the language of Western Java), but in the northern part of the region (Javanese) is widely spoken (a leftover from the (Javanese) that established the Sultanate of Banten. Virtually everyone however also speaks the national language Indonesian and for more and more young people in the city's thit is their first language. English is not widely spoken, but people in touristic jobs (such as upscale hotels at the beach) speak at least a little English.

How to travel to Banten

[[File:Ro-ro passenger Ship Bahuga Jaya - IMO 7206392 - Bakauheni, Lampung, Indonesia - 26 April 2009.jpg|1280px|Ro-ro passenger Ship Bahuga Jaya - IMO 7206392 - Bakauheni, Lampung, Indonesia - 26 April 2009]]

Fly to Banten

The busiest airport of Indonesia, Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (IATA Flight Code: CGK), is in Banten province. The main city's and towns of Banten can all be easily reached from the airport. There is a direct bus connection from the airport to the port of Merak, via the city's of Serang and Cilegon.

By ferry

The port of Merak is linked by very frequent ferries to the island of Sumatra. Keep in mind that Sumatra is a very large island. It is useful to take the ferry to Banten if you are in southern Sumatra (in Lampung province), but if you are in the north Sumatra it is much quicker to take a plane to Jakarta.

Travel by train to Banten

There is one railway in the region, running from Jakarta via South Tangerang, Rangkasbitung, Serang, Old Banten and Cilegon to Merak. Trains to Rangkasbitung are relatively frequent (about 15 trains per day), but to the other parts of the region there are just four trains per day. It is commonly easier and quicker to take a bus.

Take a bus to Banten

Most larger towns and city's in Banten can be visited by direct buses from several bus terminals in Jakarta. Serang is also served by buses from other destinations, such as Bandung and Central Java and at the bus terminal of the port of Merak there are buses from destinations throughout Java and Sumatra.

How to get around in Banten

Rent a Car or Limousine in Banten

The road network of the northern part of Banten is extensive, with the major toll road between Merak and Jakarta connecting the largest city's and major trunk roads to all other towns. However, roads tend to be severely congested especially in the areas near Greater Jakarta. The toll road sees long traffic jams especialy during holidays. In the southern part of Banten, road quality is sometimes poor.

Travel by train to Banten

A railway connects Rangkasbitung, Serang, Old Banten, Cilegon and Merak. There are only four trains per day per direction, so it is easier and quicker to take a bus.

Take a bus to Banten

The larger towns and city's are interconnected by a network of buses. The most frequent bus route is between Jakarta/Tangerang and Merak via the toll road, with many buses stopping on the way in Serang and Cilegon. To get to smaller towns and more remote areas you can take an elf (shuttle vanes on routes between smaller towns) or angkot (public minivans within the city's and to nearby villages). In the northern part of the region you can get around relatively quickly (although traffic congestion is common). To get to the southern part of the region (such as Sawarna beach), you need to keep in mind that the journey may take many hours.

By taxi

There are some taxi companies in the region of Serang and Cilegon, with the taxis of Blue Bird Group being generally reputable. In other parts of the region thit is more limited. However, in all towns and villages you can rent an ojek (motorcycle taxi), which are available at all major street corners. Other transport options in some places include becak (bicycle rickshaws) and delman (horse carriages).

What to see in Banten

Historic and cultural sights

The main historic sights of the region can be found in the town of Banten on the north coast. As the town was the centre of the Sultanate of Banten and there are various historic buildings, including the old sultan palace and the 16th century mosque. In addition and the town boasts a Buddhist monastery as well as a Dutch colonial fort. The number of historic buildings of interest in the other city's is limited, but beach town Anyer has a lighthouse from the Dutch time (which is also the starting point of the Great Post Road).

Natural sights

The westernmost tip of Banten is covered by the Ujung Kulon National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. and is the oldest national park of Indonesia and the largest remaining lowland rain forest in Java. The park is a refuge for the endangered Java one-horned rhinoceros and the rarest large animal on earth, but there are also many other rare flora and fauna species. There are no roads in the National Park, so you can only get around by foot, or by boat on the seas and rivers. The holiday resorts at Tanjung Lesung (Panimbang) are a starting point for tours to the park.

Other natural point of interest in the province include the active Mount Karang volcano near Pandeglang and the extensive jungle area south of Rangkasbitung. In this jungle and the Baduy people live. The Baduy are a traditional (Sundanese) community, that has not had much contact with the outside world and does not use modern technology. To get near the area of the Baduy community (it is not allowed to get into the area) requires several hours of trekking.

Beaches

Being neighbored by seas and there is a large number of beaches in Banten. The most popular beaches are along the west coast, notably in Anyer, with a well-developed tourism infrastructure. The further you get away from Jakarta and the larger city's of Banten and the quieter the beaches get. The village of Sawarna on the Indian Ocean coast has a good surf spot. Obviously and there are very beautiful and very quiet beaches in the Ujung Kulon National Park, but getting there requires a long trek, or hiring a boat.

Muslim Travel Tips

Key activities are either at one of the beaches (surfing is popular in Sawarna and jetskiing is popular in Anyer), or in the natural areas such as Ujung Kulon National Park (jungle trekking). The city of Cilegon has a golf course.

Shopping

In most of the region, shopping is limited to local village stores and traditional markets. The city's of Serang and Cilegon more shopping facilities, including modern shopping malls.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Banten

One of the dishes Banten is known for is Sate Bandeng (milkfish satay), which is deboned milkfish frilled in its skin on bamboo skewers. Another dish with milkfish is Pecak Bandeng, which is roasted fish covered spices and sambal (chili sauce), served with Rice and fresh vegetables. Another type of satay that originates from Banten is sate bebek Cibeber. Cibeber is a neighborhood of Cilegon. The satay here involves bamboo skewers with duck Meat and a Sauce made of brown sugar with lemon grass, turmeric, nutmeg and coriander.

Apart from the typical Banten dishes, most of the regular Indonesian food can be found in all city's and villages. In the city's and in the beach resorts you may find modern restaurants, but in smaller villages the food offering is limited to roadside stalls.

Go Next

• Greater Jakarta — one of the busiest urban areas in the world, with many possibilities for shopping and dining.
• Lampung — the southernmost province of Sumatra across the Sunda Strait, with two national parks.
• Krakatoa — volcanic island in the Sunda Strait, known for one of the heaviest eruptions in modern history (1883).

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