Jepara between the coast, culture and island life

Jepara brings together maritime attractions, culture and crafts. When looking for a hotel in Jepara, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your trip: would you like to visit Kura-Kura Ocean Park, plan a boat crossing from Pantai Kartini to Pulau Panjang, or explore the museum, fort and woodcarving? The places below represent different aspects of the destination and give your planning a clear direction.

Marine life and boat crossings

Visitors can take motorboats from Pantai Kartini to Pulau Panjang. For practical planning, it is a good idea to check departure times in advance. The large aquarium area at Kura-Kura Ocean Park includes sharks, hawksbill turtles, rays, snappers, groupers and pufferfish. The touch pool has freshwater fish, especially tame turtles that visitors can touch. The boat crossing and the diversity of species in the aquarium offer two distinct maritime experiences.

Islands within the wider Jepara destination

Visitors can explore Pulau Panjang on foot along a circular trail. The island’s central tropical forest provides a resting and breeding place for seabirds. The Kepulauan Karimunjawa lie around 90 kilometres north of Jepara and comprise 27 islands in the Java Sea; part of the area belongs to Karimunjawa National Park. The crossing takes an average of about three to four hours by the Siginjai ferry, the Express Bahari speedboat or a Pelni ship, depending on the vessel and weather. Activities on the islands include snorkelling, diving, easy trekking and wildlife watching. The landscape features mangrove forests, coastal forests and small islands.

Museum, fort and woodcarving

Nearby Desa Mulyoharjo is a centre for wood sculpture and carving. The R.A. Kartini Museum offers a different cultural focus: its four exhibition rooms are devoted to R.A. Kartini, old Jepara, Dar Oes Salam and crafts. The themes direct attention to R.A. Kartini, local history and various areas of craftsmanship.

Benteng VOC, also known as Benteng Kompeni, is located in Dusun Ujung Batu, Kelurahan Ujung Batu, Kecamatan Jepara. The structure stands on a hill on the shore of the Java Sea. Themed exhibition rooms are part of the R.A. Kartini Museum; Benteng VOC is another place of interest for travellers interested in Jepara’s cultural sites.

Weaving in the wider Jepara destination

Tenun Troso is also part of the wider Jepara destination. This traditional woven textile comes from Desa Troso, Kecamatan Pecangaan, Kabupaten Jepara. It is made using the ikat technique on non-mechanical looms and features a variety of patterns. Unlike wood sculpture and carving in Mulyoharjo, Tenun Troso is based on a different craft technique and uses a different material.

If you are looking for hotels in Jepara, the places and themes described above can help you decide what to focus on during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Pelang 1

Return to the main travel overview: Jepara.