The Mystical Beach of Parangtritis: Where We Don't Wear Green | Indonesian Itinerary 6

When the plane was about to land in Jogjakarta, I saw a glimpse of the shoreline facing the Indian Ocean. From thousands of feet up in the sky, I could see stretches of beaches punctuated by rocky cliffs. I imagined myself walking on the sand and feeling the salty breeze on my skin. And boy did it come true. And I'm glad I didn't wear green on that day too. Please read on to know why.

Pantai Parangtritis (Parangtritis Beach) is found on the southern coast of Java, in a city called Kretek. It's still a part of the Special Region of Jogjakarta.

This beach is believed to be the sacred domain of Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, the Queen of the Southern Ocean. According to the locals, she is not particularly fond of visitors and that she likes green, especially yellow green. So people who come here do not wear this color so as not to attract the Queen. If they do, she would lure them into the water and drown them. Hence, this is not a swimming beach, which explains why I only saw a few children wading in the shallow parts, accompanied by adults.

It took us about an hour to get here from our hotel in Jogja. But it could be longer actually because we had to take a detour. It rained the previous night, and some of the roads leading to the beach were still flooded. In fact, we wanted to spend some time in a nearby sand dune afterwards, but it started to rain when we got there. We just had a quick stop, I wasn't even able to take photos.

But we have to admit that the cloudy weather added to the tone of this place. The photos look like something out of a dream sequence. Just look at that vast expanse of exotic volcanic sand. It's a stark contrast to the white-sand beaches that I'm used to in the Philippines.

Being a sacred place, this spot is more of a park than a resort. Yet it is still quite enjoyable to just leisurely walk around feeling the sand between your toes or maybe get closer to the water and wade your feet in just a bit.

Beyond the colourful umbrellas, you only need to cross the street and find diners that serve local cuisine. But we didn't have lunch there. In fact, I forgot where we had lunch that day. I was probably enchanted by this mystical beach because it is all I could remember clearly from that day.

We decided to explore the rest of the beach. We were told that there was a waterfall at the end, so we hopped on this buggy that was readily available for tourists. The driver is looking at us, probably wondering if he could drive with all that weight. Maaf, bapak! (Sorry, sir!). 😅

Waiting just around the bend is the waterfall. And riding on this coach reminds me of the Indonesian children's song "Naik Delman." Let' sing:

Hei tuk tik tak tik tuk tik tak tik tuk
Tuk tik tak tik tuk tik tak suara sepatu kuda
Tuk tik tak tik tuk tik tak tik tuk
Tuk tik tak tik tuk tik tak suara sepatu kuda

Hehe, I love the onomatopoeia in the lines. "Suara sepatu kuda" means "horseshoe sound." You can find lots of YouTube videos of this song.

It's quite exciting when the buggy traverses the shore in ankle-deep water. You can hear the splashing sound as the horse trots on the wet sand. I mean, I've been on tartanillas in downtown Cebu, but nothing beats this surreal experience. I never expected to be riding this on a beach. It's just an unexpected combination for me. Horseback riding, maybe, like that Old Spice ad, but not a buggy, hehe.

And what is that I spy with my eye? Anjing! 😍 It's Indonesian for dog. I suddenly missed my dog Tiger when I saw this pup. And he seemed to be having a fun time too.

And we're finally here! Is this paradise or what? A long beach of volcanic sand hugged by rugged cliffs plus a waterfall? I wish I lived here.

I tried to cross, but the waves were too strong. Even if I were wearing a swimming attire, I still wouldn't dare in this weather. But the waterfall is so inviting, isn't it? I'm sure some people have already gone closer. There seems to be a makeshift cottage or something on one of the rocks.

I was so happy to be here. Those who know me know how much I love the beach. That's no surprise for a Cebuana like me. Sand on my toes and salt on my hair and skin. That's the way it is. 😍

This image is etched in my mind. I'd like to think of this as Ratu Kidul's altar. We can only admire it from afar, but we can't touch it.

TBH, I didn't memorize our entire itinerary. I wanted to go with the flow on this holiday. So I was quite giddy with happiness when my friends said that we were going to the beach that day. We've already visited major temples, namely Prambanan and Borobudur (you may click the hyperlinks to read my articles on these historical landmarks). To go to the beach was a total treat! Not even the overcast sky could dampen my spirit.

My friends and I definitely had a great time until it started to drizzle and we had to make a dash to the van. Well, that's December weather in the tropics. Actually, before we left for the sand dunes, we tried riding the ATV (all-terrain vehicle) in one corner of the pantai. However, I was having such a great time falling off the back of the vehicle that I didn't bother with the camera anymore. Sometimes, it's best to be just present in the moment. 😅

The alluring dark gray volcanic sand made me (and my friends) crave for more adventures. Catch me again soon with an article or two about volcanoes in Bandung. 🌊 🏖 🌺

You may read more about me and my interests in my first article: Get to Know April: A Self-Intro Blog

Check these out for more of my travelogues of Indonesia:

• Selamat datang di Padang! (Welcome to Padang!) | Island Hopping in Sumatra
• An Ode to a Lost Love | Bukittinggi Memoirs
• Prambanan: A Temple of with a Story of Love and Betrayal
• Chasing the Sunset in Ratu Boko

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Images: All photos are owned by the author unless otherwise indicated.