Art Shops - Banyuwangi

Art Shops 
 
Banyuwangi has both traditional and modern shopping center. Both of them have their own attractions. Traditional shopping usually happens in traditional merket. The interesting thing in traditional market in the customers must bargain the good wherever they want to buy, in order to get cheap price. On the other hand, in the modern shopping center, the custommers do not need bargaining the goods, as the prices have been labeled with fixed price.

There are some shopping centers you can visit in Banyuwangi

Downtown :
- Banyuwangi traditional market of Blambangan
- Banyuwangi traditional market

Supermarket and Mini market :
- Wijaya Department Store
- Pelangi Sari-Banyuwangi and East Java typical Cookies mini market
- Arjuna
- Madani

• Gift Shop

Pelangi Sari
Jl. Letkol Ngurah Ray 16, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 426704

Ardial
Jl. Basuki Rahmad 115, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 421717

Bu Is
Jl. wahid Hasyim 79, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 424454

• Batik gallery

Virdes
Jl. Doktren Baitus Salam, Simbar,
Tampo, Cluring, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 394214

Sritanjung
Jl. Tarakan 13, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 415061

Sayu Wiwit
Lingkungan Sri tanjung,
Temenggungan, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 422642
   

• Painting Gallery

Gallery & Museum Mozes Misdy
Jl. Gatot Subroto 119 Ketapang,
Banyuwangi Phone : +62 333 423573

Fine Art Gallery
Jl. Agus Salim 75, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 422208

S. Yadi. K
Jl. Widuri, gang Anggrek 24
Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 421184

• Art Shop

Larus
Jl.Jendral Sudirman 4, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 421445

Widuri Art
Jl. Widuri 4B, Banyuwangi
Phone : +62 333 415927

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Seblang Dance

Seblang

Banyuwangi has two kinds of Seblang ceremonies. They are Seblang Oleh Sari and Seblang Bakungan. Seblang Ritual is one of public ritual of Using community that can found in two villages in Glagah district, Banyuwangi, that is Bakungan and Olihsari. This ritual is held for pray and wishfull to the God, in order to get the welfare and secure. This ritual is as same as Sintren ritual in Cirebon area, Jaran Kepang and Sanghyang in Bali Island.

Seblang dance in both villages has different time, in Olihsari village usually held a week after Id Fitr, while in Bakungan held a week after Id Adha. The dancers are chosen by a supernatural man and usually, the dancers must come from the previous dancers. In Olihsari village, the dancers must young girls, while in Bakungan the dancers must women in 50 years old above who get menopause.

This Seblang dance actually is very old tradition, so it difficult to know about its history. But based on a source, the first Seblang dancer is Semi, who is the beginner woman of Gandrung dancer (die in 1973). After she got secure from her disease, then her mother promise (Mak Midah or Mak Milah) must be done, Semi finally became Seblang in her childhood till younger, she was Gandrung dancer.

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Barong Dance

The word Barong has several meanings. In the Sanskrit language barong means bear, derived from the word “B(h)arwang”. Baron can also refer to the roots that live near a bamboo cluster or a performance imitating a wild animal. Evidenced from the meanings above, the last meaning is closer to the meaning of the Barong Traditional Performance. 

 There are many Barongsin Blambangan of Banyuwangi; for instance, Barong Prejeng, Barong Osing or Barong Blambangan. The main character of this performance is a big giant head, with open wide eyes and two tusks protruding from his mouth. Barong is a traditional performance. The story is taken from a folk tale. The most famous story is taken from Barong Jakrifah that tells about the struggle of the villagers to open a new area in the jungle and they have to face evil spirit of the jungle. The performance is usually begins in the night and finishes at dawn. The message to take care of the forest is always given in every performance.

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Gandrung Dance - Banyuwangi

Gandrung Dance

The government of Banyuwangi gives special attention to the art of Gandrung. The purpose of this is to encourage the spirit of local ethnicity that will in turn increase the development of tourism. For this reason, Gandrung was determined to be the mascot of tourism in Banyuwangi according to the Banyuwangi Regency Decision, Number 173 in 2002.
The word “Gandrung” comes from the Javanese word that means “desperately in love”. It means that they are in love with the goddess of the rice paddy, Dewi Sri, that brings prosperity to the people of Banyuwangi who are mostly employed as farmers. In gratitude for the good harvest, the people organize a performance which is called “Gandrung” because the farmers were in love with the goddess of the rice paddy.
The Gandrung performance used to be performed at night, running from 09 PM until 04 AM. This traditional art is performed during the day as well to especially welcome distinguished guests.

Gandrung dance that dominated with special orchestration is one of traditional art in Banyuwangi and become the characteristic symbol of Banyuwangi. So, in every event Banyuwangi always has similarity name with Gandrung. In fact, Banyuwangi is often called Gandrung City and in almost every corner of Banyuwangi, we can found Gandrung dance statue. Gandrung is often perform in many event, such as; marriage, Pethik Laut (marine ceremony), circumcision event, anniversary, and the others events.

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Alas Purwo

Alas Purwo, one of Java’s last remaining sacred spaces

On Java, across a short stretch of water from Bali, is one of the most remote and fascinating national parks in Indonesia. Alas Purwo could be an enchanting travel destination for tourists and a treasure trove for those in the logging business.
The park, in the far southeast corner of Banyuwangi, covers 43,000 hectares of land consisting of savanna, mangrove forest, beach forest and lowland tropical forest. Indeed, the jungle embracing its beaches appears to have materialised straight from the sea. Alas Purwo is also home to rare and endangered mammals, including the Asiatic wild dog, wild oxen and leopards. Thousands of migrating birds visit its pristine forests each year and turtles come to lay their eggs on its secluded beaches. And for surfers, the park’s coastline boasts one of the best and most consistent reef-breaks in the world.
But although it hasn’t entirely escaped the scourge of logging, this precious jewel of Javanese legend has not been cleared for timber or developed for tourism like most national parks in Indonesia. According to local followers of Javanese mysticism, it is the park’s sacred power that has saved it.

A sacred space

Alas Purwo is not only a Mecca for wildlife and surfers, as the guidebooks tell us. Followers of Javanese mysticism believe the park has been a sacred space for centuries, drawing mystics from elsewhere in Java to experience its spiritual power. Kebatinan (traditional Javanese mystical belief), followed by communities in Central and East Java, centres on inner and outer spirituality, and the connection between the natural and supernatural worlds. As its Javanese name suggests, Alas Purwo is the place where, according to Javanese mysticism, the earth first emerged from the ocean.
Followers of Javanese mysticism also believe that spirits inhabit trees, rocks, rivers and springs. And those well versed in ilmu Jawa, or Javanese mysticism, are said to have the ability take on the form of wild animals. So, for followers of Javanese mysticism, Alas Purwo’s rich flora and fauna also makes it a highly revered place.
In Javanese mysticism there is a fine line between the natural world and the parallel dimension of spirits. In Alas Purwo that line is often blurred, and for some it does not exist at all. People have told stories of being lost for days among the overgrown Hindu ruins, bamboo forests and a labyrinth of false trails. There are common accounts of people finding themselves in ghostly villages and encountering mysterious characters, perhaps apparitions, who have shown them the way out.
The parkland is relatively flat but has rolling hills concealing many caves that are used for meditation. Mystics, shaman, or those in search of the inner self (kebatinan) spend days — even years — at a time exploring the parallel world of spirits said to exist in the park. With few personal belongings these seekers of mystical knowledge (and fortune) come under the spell of Alas Purwo’s natural and supernatural elements. Each year during the auspicious Javanese month of Suro, which marks the Javanese New Year, hundreds of people of all religious beliefs make the pilgrimage to the park to meditate, make offerings to Nyai Loro Kidul, the goddess of the South Sea, and to harvest the supernatural energy of the place.

Accessibility

The park has maintained its magnetism in part because it is difficult to access. There are a couple of permanent walking tracks and one bitumen road, but even that has restricted access. It was built for the only available accommodation in the park, the three surf camps at Plengkung. Government rangers patrol the road and only allow vehicle access to a select few, namely the managers of the surf camps. Most guests access the camps via boat from Bali on pre-arranged package deals.
The road runs for about 12 kilometres from Trianggulasi village, on the park’s edge, as far as Plengkung, on the coastal fringe. It was built with tourist development in mind, but has met with considerable resistance — most of which has been supernatural. Inexplicable disruptions and sabotage of the construction took place, hampering its progress and confirming the widely held belief that the park is spiritually protected.

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Ijen Crater

Ijen Crater is the biggest crater lake in Java. The sulfur crater lake lies between a natural dams of deeply etched rock. It is 200 meters deep and contains about 36million cubic meters of steaming acid water, shrouded in a smelling swirling sulfur cloud. Inside the crater the different color and size of stones are found. Indeed the crater of Ijen is beautiful garden of stone as well.

The view of sulfur miners who climb and go down to the crater is also amazing. A man puts about 10 kg of yellowish stone in to his basket, before he descends the mountain slope to sell his load, carrying the same basket, going in the same direction, digging the same mineral. It is the natural picture that can be seen everyday.

Ijen Plateau lies in the centre of Ijen-Merapi Malang Reserve, which extends over much of the mountainous region directly west of Banyuwangi and borders on the Baluran National Park in the northeast. As at Mt. Bromo, the caldera is best viewed from the air. Fortunately, almost all commercial flights operating between Denpasar - Surabaya, Yogyakarta or Jakarta usually fly, if not directly over, then close by Ijen plateau, where the seemingly luminous blue/green crater lake forms an unmistakable landmark. It is beautiful scenery and located about 32 km to the north west of Banyuwangi.

The principal attraction at Ijen is the large Crater Lake that has much sulfur, which lies hidden between sheer walls of deeply furrowed rock at more than 200 meters. The Ijen crater itself lies at approximately 2,300 meters above sea level. It forms a twin volcano with the now extinct Mount Merapi. The enormous Crater Lake, which is 200 meters deep and covers an area of more than meters, a million square meters, contains about 36 million cubic meters of steaming, acid water.

Ijen crater shows a special type of volcanic feature common to Indonesia, about 1 kilometer in diameter and 175 meters deep. The floor is covered completely by a warm lake, milky blue green in colours held back by a dam built many years ago by the Dutch, in order to keep the hot, mineral laden water from raining the crop lands below.

The crater can be reached from either the east or the west by any kinds of vehicles, but the second part of the trip covers distance 3 km on foot (jungle track). However, the latter is more popular approach, since the climb from the road's end to the edge of the lake is only one and a half hours. And a walk around the lake takes a full day.

The temperature drops at night, near the crater rim it can fall to about 5° Celsius. The road ends at Jampit, where very basic shelter is available. It is also possible to sleep in the old vulcanology station further up the hill, now used by sulfur collectors, but permission must be obtained in advance.

The sulfur is transported entirely on foot. In the past, horses were used but they were found to be less practical on the hazardous terrain. Today, the mine yields nine to twelve tons of sulfur per day.

Men carry individual loads of up to 70 kg, often barefooted, up to the rim of crater and then 17 km down the mountainside to a factory near Banyuwangi. The porters are paid by weight. The most important advice if you are traveling to Ijen is: "If you lose your way, just look out for the sulfur trail". The meaning was clear, since a continuous flow of two ways traffic, carrying the sulfur down the mountainside from the lake and trudging up again to re-load, had left a yellow trail on the well-worn path. The best time for seeing Ijen Crater is at 8 to 9 am.

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Plengkung

Plengkung is known as one of the best surfing beaches in the world. The word of “G” in “G-Land” derives from Grajagan, the name of the bay where the huge waves were found at the south of the Banyuwangi. It is surrounded by virgin tropical land forest. G land offers the worlds most demanding surfing sport, and recommended for professional surfers only.
May to October is the best time for surfing. No doubt it is a world of surfer paradise. Most surfers start from Bali, take an overland to Banyuwangi and directly to National Park of Alas Purwo, G-Land or cross the Grajagan Bay to Plengkung beach where the waves challenge invite the surfers.
However it is not recommended for novices

Accomodation
There are some simple cottages and a jungle camp available by the beach.

Recreational facilities
Plengkung is located on the south coast of Banyuwngi the eastest of Fast Java. The visitor can visit Plengkung overland. To reach Plengkung can be taken in two ways:

* Overland. Banyuwangi-Kalipahit (59km)by bus Kalipahit Pasaranyar (3km) by ojek or rent a car, Pasaranyar-Trianggulasi (12km), Trianggulasi-Pancur-Plengkung/G-Land.
* Overland-sea : Banyuwangi-Benculuk (35km) by bus, Benculuk Grajagan (18km) by bus or public transportation, Grajagan-Plengkung by speedboat,
Both ways to Plengkung are OK, if the visitors choose the second way, they can spend the night at Grajagan and enjoy the view before continue the journey to Plengkung.

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Grajagan

Grajagan is an interesting beach to visit. A wide clean sand hampers the beach. The hill across the sea, stick on the ground strongly. The beautiful panorama of Grajagan fishing village can be seen here. The caves for the battle protection in Japanese Era can be seen here. The cottages and motel are available for the visitors. Grajagan is located about 53 km to the South of Banyuwangi.

Grajagan is very ideal as transit place or as the gateway to Plengkung beach. Beside its location that not too far from Alas Purwo, Grajagan is very beautiful beach. It needs about 2 hours to reach Plengkung by canoe rent. The journey is has similarity time if we reach it by car through land. Grajagan is could be the choice of the visitors who want to go to Alas Purwo National Park using canoe. A 314 ha area is located in forest of KPH South Banyuwangi, precisely in 111 square of BKPH Curahjati or administratively, in Grajagan village, Purwoharjo district, Banyuwangi regency.
Open-air recreation or nature activity can be done in many places, such as: in forests, mountains, lakes, beaches, etc. Grajagan is one of Banyuwangi beaches that show the combination of rolling ocean waves on one side and the dense forest on the other one. In this place, we will be able to see the beautiful panorama of Grajagan fishing village. Because of that, there are many tourists visit this place. Here, you can find an old cave, which was restricted by Japanese soldiers.
There are also available cottage, cafe, and playing area for children. This tourism object usually crowded of visitors on holiday. The interesting journey from Grajagan to Alas Purwo is using canoe rent, especially to Ngagelan beach that is Turtle breeding. You will have an interesting experience and view many natural panorama.

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Rajegwesi Beach

Rajagwesi Beach is located in the Sarongan Village, Pesanggaran Subcity, Banyuwangi. This beach is near to the Sukamade beach. This beach is included in the Meru Betiri national park. It's about 88Km from Banyuwangi city, 31Km from capital of subcity, Pesanggaran.
Like the south beach of java in general, Rajagwesi beach has the gigantic wave. I suggest not to swim too far from coastline.
If you want t photoo go there, You must ride the public transpotation are provided by government or you can get the tour program are provided by the Hotel in Kalibaru. Ussually, The people make Rajagwesi beach to rest for a while and then continued their adventure to Sukamade beach or Green bay.

Well, now I'll give a bit description about Rajagwesi beach. Rajagwesi beach is the black sand-beach. The location is isolated by green hills that surround in north, west, east side of beach. There are the big coral reef, the location are scattered in west side of beach. At the top of one coral reff, the are old graveyard. The graveyard believed by local people as Wong Agung Wilis graveyard. Wong Agung Wilis was renowned as the stauch fighter against Dutch colonoalize at former time. The graveyard looks shady and shaded by frangipani tree that seemed to guard the graveyard.
You also can find some stall, It sells snack, rujak, coffee or the bowl of meatballs and hawkers selling various toys...There are the public bathrooms. After you soaking in sea water, you can rinse body here....

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Sukamade Beach

Sukamade Beach Banyuwangi

Sukamade beach is about 97 km to southwest of Banyuwangi. It is a natural, quiet, beautiful place and part of the 50,000 hectare Meru Betiri National Park. Almost every night of the year, turtles appear on Sukamade beach to lay eggs. It is clearly a globally important site and one which is protected 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by the over-worked park rangers. 

Some eggs are taken by the rangers to protect them from predators, both human and other animals. These are incubated in the safety of the park hatchery and the youngsters are released to the ocean on the very beach from where the eggs were laid. There are similar beaches within the park boundary but it seems to be Sukamade that the turtles prefer. The stability of the turtle population has been helped by a careful system of tagging and monitoring, as well as the use of the special hatcheries.

Watching these giant creatures emerge from the surf and struggle-up the beach to lay their eggs on a moonlit night is a unique and unforgettable experience, and one which is certain to ensure Sukamade's ever-growing profile. This is certainly off the beaten track and requires some effort to reach but it is very worthwhile indeed. At Sukamade Beach itself: green sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, olive ridley turtle and the occasional leatherback. The wilderness jungle of the surrounding Meru Betiri National Park is probably the last hope for a surviving Java tiger. The only recent evidence though has been footprints and faeces and your chance of seeing one is as close to nil as to be irrelevant. Some of the rangers believe the tiger is already extinct while even the most optimistic estimates put the population in low single figures. Other mammals present in the park include banteng, leopard cat, wild pig, muntjac and Java rusa deer. There is also a diverse and varied birdlife.

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A Glance of Banyuwangi

Welcome to Banyuwangi Tourism

Banyuwangi is the eastern-most regency of East Java. To the north lies the regency of Situbondo. The regencies of Jember and Bondowoso neighbor Banyuwangi to the west. To the east lies the island of Bali and to the west lies the Indonesian Ocean. Banyuwangi is situated on the coordinate 70 45’ 15” S and 113’ 38.2” E. Because of its location, Banyuwangi has diverse natural scenery, rich art, culture, customs and traditions.

The beauty of nature is spread across Banyuwangi from the west to the east. Mountains, forests and beaches mark the landscape of the regency. For instance, Ijen Crater, in the western part of Banyuwangi is famous for its beautiful crater lake, the traditional sulfur miners who amazingly climb up and down the slope of Mount Merapi, and the plantations that cover the Crater’s slope. The National Park of Meru Betiri is famous for its Java Tiger and turtles. These locations form the center of the Tourism Developed area which is called the Diamond Triangle, which connects one Tourism Object to another.

Banyuwangi also has various art, culture, customs and traditions. One of the typical arts of Banyuwangi is Gandrung, a welcoming dance for distinguished guests. The dance is the defining dance of Banyuwangi. Besides Gandrung, Seblang, Kuntulan, Damarwulan, Angklung, Ketoprak, Barong, Kendang Kempul, Jaranan are arts that can be seen in Banyuwangi. Other customs that can be observed in Banyuwangi include the sea offering, metik (a celebration performed before rice and coffee harvesting), Rebo Wekasan, Kebo Visit Banyuwangi the Real Tropical Country keboan, Ruwatan, Tumplek punjen, Gredoan, Endog-endogan, etc. These events are performed every year and are included in the Calendar of Events of Banyuwangi. The typical handicrafts and traditional foods are available across Banyuwangi.

The products and places that should be visited are Batik Tulis at Temenggungan and Tempo, Bamboo handicraft at Kecamatan Rogojampi and Kalipuro, etc. Banyuwangi also has typical food products; such as bagiak, selai pisang (banana jam) etc. There native people of Banyuwangi are Banyuwanginese. They have their own dialect which combines the languages of Javanese and Balinese. Ethnic Javanese, Madurese, Balinese and people from Banjar also call Banyuwangi home. The diverse natural scenery, the rich art, culture, customs and traditions, constitute worthy treasures that must be introduced to all people. The people of Banyuwangi and the local government will be supported and benefited by tourism. The income from tourism will provide the capital to develop the regency of Banyuwangi. Tourists will also benefit from their rich experiences as they visit Banyuwangi.

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