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About 3 weeks ago I went to Pramuka Island, which is the capital city (island) of Thousand Islands Regency. More about Thousand Islands can be read here.

Getting there is not difficult. You can go from Muara Angke port, taking Ferry. It will take about 2.5hr trip to Pramuka, and the fare was about IDR 35k per person. The other option is to take Government-managed fast boat from Marina Ancol (pier #21 if I recall correctly) and it cost you IDR 35k per person.

Let’s go to Thousand Islands!

It takes about 1 hr to Pramuka if you take the fast boat, and the fare was IDR 35k per person. Although the counter opens at 9am, but you have to be there at 6am. Why? because of very very limited seats, faster, long queue (you can’t book it) and safer boat. Same thing happens when you’re going back to Jakarta from Pramuka.

Ancol Marina is also a good spot for taking morning photography.

Ancol Sunrise (about 8am)

Daylight

Welcome to Pramuka Island

Welcome signage in the pier…nothing in it!

People at Pramuka are mostly friendly to visitors. There are no cars nor big roads; just small roads, bicycles, and motorcycles. Indeed, you can walk around Pramuka for about 1 hr, either on foot or by bicycle. It’s a small and ruhe island.

People in Thousand Islands are mostly Bugis, known for famous seamanship. They are originated in Sulawesi and typically have dark skin and round-shaped skulls.

Some Cute Kids

Happy Tourists

Lodging is considerably cheap if you go with 3-6 people. We booked a small guesthouse with Air Conditioner and 6 mattresses on the floor and the cost was about IDR 400k per night. The water felt like sea water (sticky and salty) but there were bottled drinking water. Note that electricity was usually turned on from 4pm to 9am.

We rented a boat for a full day island hopping; about IDR 300-350k for 12 hrs, about IDR 75k for a guide, and IDR 35k for a pair of swimming fins.

Alternatively, you can rent smaller boat to visit nearest island.

These were our guides

From Pramuka, you can go to several islands for snorkeling or sight-seeing. I can’t swim, honestly, so I went around island/shores to take pictures and the others went snorkeling. The shores were relatively clean with white sands and clear waters. Landscape photographers must love these islands.

Dead Tree in Shore

Another Dead Tree in Shore

Resting Stop

Living Starfish

Lost in sea

Afternoon/Night

Another attraction you can see when you’re near Pramuka is the Keramba. It’s a floating restaurant and surrounded by fish farms. I went there in the afternoon and the lighting was not very good, so I only managed few good shoots there.

Keramba in the Afternoon

Sunset (almost set) from Keramba

Practically there is no night entertainment in Pramuka. It was quiet night. Occasionally some tourists have their own parties, but after 10pm, it’s very very quite. Nevertheless you can find 1-2 warung open until midnight. Initially I planned for star/night shooting, but it was cloudy in the night with occasional rain.

Sunset from Pramuka Pier. It was cloudy.

Stormy Dusk

In The Morning

Thanks to relatively low pollution, the air was fresh in the morning despite the salty feeling. I can see misty fog in piers, sea, and in the distance islands. We planned to catch 10am fast boat, but the tickets have been sold out since 8am! We took the ferry which goes to Muara Angke. The ferry was damn slow, hot (capacity 100), and the wooden structure feels creepy (considering I can’t swim!)

Morning Ritual (about 7am)

Morning in the pier

Foggy pier

Morning Habit

Finding food for Breakfast

Morning Sport (You can rent bicycles for about IDR 30k per day)

Go to work

It was really a good and refreshing trip. Surely I will come again to Thousand Islands, but next time to other islands (I heard there are more interesting islands)

See you and I hope you enjoyed your stay here

Related posts:

1. My Trip to Thailand
2. Trip to Central Java: A Culinary Experience