Banten
Discover Banten
Banten is the westernmost part of the island of Java in Indonesia. This article 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. 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 West Java. The northeastern part of Banten, notably the cities of Tangerang and South Tangerang, are part of the Jabodetabek metropolitan area (Greater Jakarta), and therefore they are not covered in this travel guide.
Famous Beaches
Taste of 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 district 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 cities and villages. In the cities and in the beach resorts you may find modern restaurants, but in smaller villages the food offering is usually limited to roadside stalls. Alcoholic drinks are not widely available in cafés and restaurants, but can usually be found in upscale restaurants and bars as well as hotels and resorts.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe busiest airport of Indonesia, Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), is in Banten province. The main cities 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 cities of Serang and Cilegon. 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. 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....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The road network of the northern part of Banten is extensive, with the major toll road between Merak and Jakarta connecting the largest cities, 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 especially during holidays. In the southern part of Banten, road quality is sometimes poor. A railway connects Rangkasbitung, Serang, Old Banten, Cilegon and Merak. There are only four trains per day per direction, so usually it is easier and quicker to take a bus. The larger towns and cities 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 (minibuses on routes between smaller towns) or angkot (public minivans within the cities, and to nearby villages).
Money & Budget
In most of the region, shopping is limited to local village stores and traditional markets. The cities of Serang and Cilegon more shopping facilities, including modern shopping malls. 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 district 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.
Language & 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 cities this is their first language. English is not widely spoken, but people in touristic jobs (such as upscale hotels at the beach) usually speak at least a little English. The busiest airport of Indonesia, Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), is in Banten province. The main cities and towns of Banten can all be easily reached from the airport.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Banten
a group of women wearing hats
a ferry from Merak Harbor crosses to Bakauheni Port
A small building with many windows and steps leading up to it
A ferry passenger enjoys a sunset view at Merak Harbour, Banten Province, Indonesia
A wooden bench sitting on top of a pile of rocks
an aerial view of a beach and ocean
green-leafed trees
fashion art kolaborasi kebudayaan dengan kecantikan yang disatukan dengan keindahan alam.
Terminal 3 Lounge, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, located in Tangerang, short drive to Jakarta (well, depends on which part of Jakarta though). Photo taken before corona happened.
a red and white boat docked in a harbor
a group of women wearing hats
a ferry from Merak Harbor crosses to Bakauheni Port
A small building with many windows and steps leading up to it