North Coast (West Java)
Discover North Coast (West Java)
The North Coast (Indonesian: Pantai Utara) region is the flatland region in the north of Western Java, Indonesia. The region is on the Java Sea coast, between the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area in the west and Central Java in the east. In contrast to most of West Java province, the North Coast region is largely flat. This travel guide covers this flatland area, with the exception of the parts that are part of the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area in the west. The region includes the regencies of Karawang, Indramayu, Cirebon, and the northern flatland parts of Subang and Majalengka, as well as the independent city of Cirebon.
What to Experience in North Coast (West Java)
Famous Beaches
Taste of North Coast (West Java)...
The traditional food from the region, Sundanese food, is ubiquitous, and can be found everywhere from major hotels to roadside food stalls. The food is characterised by fresh (often raw) vegetables, sambal terasi (chili sauce with shrimp paste), and fried tofu and tempeh. In the eastern part of the region (including Cirebon), there are mixtures of both Sundanese and Javanese (Central Java) influence. Considering the proximity to the sea, also fish and sea food are popular. The city of Cirebon is known for various special dishes, that are traditionally only eaten in that region. An example is nasi jamblang: a buffet with dishes such as tofu vegetables, liver or meat stews, potatoes, fried eggs, cooked chili, and stewed fish. A key characteristic is the use of teak tree leaves to pack the rice. The town of Rengasdengklok is known for a special green-coloured pancake snack, serabi hijau.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsCikampek is at a junction of toll roads, with Tol Jakarta-Cikampek leading to Cikampek from the west, Tol Cipali continuing to the east (to Cirebon and Central Java), and Cipularang to the south (to Purwakarta and Bandung). In addition to the toll motorways, the original North Coast Route trunk road is still important to reach places like Pamanukan and Indramayu, There is no airport with scheduled flights in the region. The nearest airports are in Greater Jakarta and in Bandung. Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is the busiest airport in Indonesia. There is a direct DAMRI minibus connection from the airport to Karawang, operated about once per two hours during daytime. To get to other places in the North Coast region from the airport by public transport, you will need to go to one of the bus terminals or railway stations in Jakarta first. The main railway serving the North Coast region is the major west-east Jakarta-Central Java railway....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The larger towns and cities are interconnected by a network of buses, and a few daily trains connect Cikampek and Cirebon (and the towns inbetween). Within the city of Cirebon as well as the other larger towns it is easy to get around using a dense network of angkot (public minivans). To and within more remote areas of the region, public transport is more limited. Traffic congestion is common, and especially the toll motorways are very busy during weekends and holidays. The availability of taxis is quite limited throughout the region, and many taxi drivers from the Greater Jakarta area may be unwilling (or not allowed by their companies) to go as far as Karawang. However, you can hire an ojek (motorcycle taxi), which are usually available at all major street corners. Other transport options in some places include becak (bicycle rickshaws). There are many historic sights in the North Coast region, from various periods. The oldest sight is the archeological site of the Batujaya temples.