After some nice days in Yogyakarta, my friend and I traveled on to Karimunjawa, an island located north of Java. We had tried to research a bit about the island beforehand, but there was limited information available. What we did find sounded nice, so we were curious to see if the place could live up to our expectations. We were hoping for about a week of full relaxation and beautiful beaches—and that’s exactly what we got!
In my research, I was on Google Maps, zooming in on the island to look for various accommodations, attractions, etc. I came across a small, secluded accommodation called Floating Paradise, which looked really nice. We ended up booking three nights there a few days before heading to the island. In the pictures, it looked a bit primitive, but the place had good reviews. It turned out to be the best decision because wow, it was amazing!
Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to get to Karimunjawa, but we decided to take the time and were glad we did—Floating Paradise is on our top 3 list of awesome experiences in Indonesia.
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How we got to Karimunjawa
We took the train from Yogyakarta to Semarang. The train took a big detour, so it actually took us seven hours to get there, but the train journey itself was a great experience, passing through beautiful landscapes while we ate Pop Mie (cup noodles) along the way. From Semarang, we found a taxi to take us to the town of Jepara, from where the ferries to Karimunjawa depart. The ride took almost three hours due to roadworks along the way, and we got stuck in long queues. In Jepara, we ended up staying two nights so we could have a day of relaxation before the next day of travel.
The ferry left around 9 AM and was just a short taxi ride from our hotel. The ferry ride itself was tough! I never usually get seasick, but wow, what a trip. It was hot and humid, we were packed in tight, and the boat swayed from side to side. Seasickness bags were handed out quickly, and even though I tried to focus on my breathing, I could tell that several people around me were getting sick. My friend and I hardly exchanged a word during the journey because we felt so awful. I was very relieved to finally set foot on solid ground when we arrived in Karimunjawa after about two hours. On the way back it was a little bit better, I think it depend on the weather.
Yogyakarta – Semarang – (7 hours by train)
Semarang – Jepara – (3 hours by taxi)
Jepara – Karimunjawa – (2 hours by ferry)
Floating Paradise
Our three days at Floating Paradise were pretty magical. The place is owned and run by a cool couple, Astrid from the Netherlands and her husband Tono from Karimunjawa. Together, they had renovated three huts standing on stilts over the water. It was primitive but in a good way—and there was a fully functional toilet installed in our hut. The view over the sea was so beautiful, and from our little terrace, we could see groups of small fish jumping out of the water when chased by larger fish.
We enjoyed incredibly delicious homemade food with lots of vegetables, went kayaking, and snorkeled around the area. One afternoon, we did yoga with Astrid and the other guests. It was such a nice experience!
Private snorkeling tour
Together with another couple who were staying at Floating Paradise, Astrid helped us arrange a private snorkeling tour. We were picked up and sailed out to completely deserted islands, where we jumped into the water from our boat and snorkeled with our guide. There was no one else around, and for lunch, they grilled fish and cooked rice and vegetables, which we ate on the beach—so delicious. The visibility wasn’t perfect, but we still saw beautiful fish and corals.
The most beautiful paradise beach
After three nights at Floating Paradise, we had to move on because another group had booked the hut. We then had two nights at a hostel within walking distance of the town. From there, we could check out the few shops and enjoy good food at cozy cafés. On the second-to-last day, we walked to the beach called “Bobby Beach”—it was amazing! Absolutely paradise-like with turquoise water, swings hanging from the palm trees, and very few visitors. It took us about 25 minutes to walk there from our hostel, and even though it was hot, it was definitely manageable. Many people rode scooters on the Island, but we didn’t want to, and we managed just fine without one.
