Visit Sukamade Beach, A Hidden Paradise In Banyuwangi

Sukamade Beach is not an unfamiliar name to people who love adventures in Indonesia. Located in Meru Betiri National Park, Sarongan Village, Banyuwangi, East Java, this beautiful beach is known for its incredible sceneries and mysteries. If you plan on visiting this beach, you might have made the best decision you can make.

Sukamade Beach is located approximately 97 kilometers away from the center of Banyuwangi. This beach offers many features that attract a lot of tourists from all over the country. From its beautiful white sandy beach, crystal-clear blue ocean, and many other incredible natural sceneries, there is nothing on this beach that is not beautiful.

Before you visit Sukamade Beach, you have to know a couple of things about this tourist attraction. That way, you will be able to understand what this beach is all about. Other than that, you will also be able to know some things you can do at this destination. Without further ado, here are some things you should know about Sukamade Beach.

The History of Sukamade Beach

Before we talk about anything else, let’s take a look at the interesting history of Sukamade Beach. This beach was first discovered in 1927 by the Netherlands. One of the most interesting things about this beach ever since it was first discovered is that it has always been a place for sea turtles to breed.

During the rainy season, you will often see the mother of turtles going to the land to lay her eggs. After the eggs have hatched, the baby turtles will go to the ocean and start their new lives. This is also one of the things that attract many international tourists to Sukamade Beach.

A Conservational Tourist Destination

Because Sukamade Beach is a place for sea turtles to breed, this tourist destination is a conservational place. You will be able to see four different sea turtles out of the seven existing sea turtles in the world. These types of sea turtles include the green turtle, scaled turtle, loggerhead turtle, and leatherback turtle.

Sukamade Beach is always supervised by the national park guide. If you swear to abide by the strict rules on this beach, you can watch the sea turtles when they lay their eggs at night. This incredible scenery will truly move your heart, remembering that the struggle to breed turtles is pretty hard.

To lay her eggs, a mother turtle has to carry her heavy body weight, crawled many meters from the sea to sandy dry land, and dig the sand until at least one meter deep with her fin. Only after that, she will be able to lay her eggs safely. Such scenery will truly move your heart like nothing other.

During the process of making a place for her to lay her eggs, you will not be able to get close to the mother sea turtle. After the turtle has started laying her eggs, the guard will allow you to get closer to the sea turtle. You can take photographs of the whole process as long as you do not disturb the turtle. Once the turtle has laid her eggs, the guard will take those eggs carefully. They will then count the eggs and move them to a semi-natural hatching area. And that is one of the best things you might see if you visit Sukamade Beach.

Releasing Baby Sea Turtles

Another incredible thing you can do if you visit Sukamade Beach is release baby sea turtles. You will be able to do this activity during certain times, including from 06.00 to 06.30 AM and 03.00-05.00 PM. This is another activity that will move your heart.

Sea turtle eggs will hatch after approximately 7-12 weeks. After the eggs have hatched, the baby sea turtles will be released to the open sea. You will be able to participate in this process as long as you follow all of the rules that the guide will explain to you.

How to Access Sukamade Beach

The next thing you need to know is how to access this beach. Because it is located around 97 kilometers away from Banyuwangi, you need to spend a 5-hour drive to reach Sukamade Beach. You will even find a couple of off-road paths along the way, which means you need to take a special vehicle. You can use a Jeep, Land Rover, Trooper, or other similar vehicles to get to Sukamade Beach.

The route to Sukamade Beach can be quite vicious for a vehicle. You will start by going from smooth roads too potholed roads. The last eight kilometers of your drive will consist of only rocky roads, muddy roads, and even a river. The journey to reach Sukamade Beach is already a very fun adventure.

During the drive, you will pass two other beaches, including Rajegwesi Beach and Green Bay Beach. Those two beaches are also beautiful beaches you can find besides Sukamade Beach. You can visit those other beaches or stay at the many local hotels you can find on Rajegwesi Beach.

Tips Before Visiting Sukamade Beach

Before you plan on visiting Sukamade Beach, you need to know a couple of helpful tips. The first thing you should do is to bring a flashlight before visiting this beach. During the walk to the beach, you will walk through a forest. And if you are visiting the beach at night, a flashlight will be very useful.

Once you have arrived at the beach, you should turn off all of the light sources that you brought. This is because sea turtles are very sensitive to light. You will disturb them if you turn on any kind of light, which is why you should be careful.

Another thing you should keep in mind is to be quiet. Sea turtles will get scared if you talk too loudly. The national guard will tell you to be quiet at all times, especially if you are there to see the turtle laying her eggs.

You can photograph the turtle when she starts laying her eggs. You can even approach the turtle when you do that. However, you should not use flash when you are photographing the turtle. The flash from your camera can cause the turtle to go blind for a couple of seconds.

If you decide to release sea turtles on Sukamade Beach, you should be very careful and mindful of the baby sea turtles. You should never accidentally drop the baby sea turtles, especially from tall heights. You should also mind your step when you are walking around the beach. You do not want to accidentally step on a baby sea turtle.

If you are visiting Sukamade Beach during the rainy season, you should think about bringing an umbrella or a raincoat. That way, you will be safe from the rain. Make sure that you do not leave any garbage or other things on the beach.

Final Thoughts

Sukamade Beach is a very unique and gorgeous beach you can find in Banyuwangi. This hidden paradise is a conservational national park where sea turtles can breed. You will be able to experience many incredible activities in this park, including watching sea turtles lay their eggs and releasing baby sea turtles into the ocean. That is why you should visit Sukamade Beach on your next vacation.