Pulau Tabuhan

East Java


A droplet of creamy white sand, topped with a tuft of scrub, this tiny island set offshore from Java, nearly halfway to Bali, is surrounded by a ring of turquoise shallows with a deep blue drop-off about 50m from shore. You'll see bait balls, schools of tropical fish and some coral structures. The water is aquarium clear, and from the beach the volcanoes and mountains from Java and Bali are spread out in all directions.

Though the winds can rip (there's a reason an annual kite-surf contest is held here), it's possible to camp. If you do, you're likely to have the place to yourself. Unfortunately, not all island visitors are as considerate to the environment as we know you will be, and there can be quite a lot of rubbish at times. To get here, take a taxi or ojek to the Rumah Apung port, north of the ferry terminal, and hire a boat from there. It's 400,000Rp to 500,000Rp with bargaining for a round trip.


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