Pelabuhanratu Off The Beaten Path

When visiting Karang Hawu ...
climb the towering cliff Gunung Karang Hawu (watch your breath) and find the Pesarean Karamat, a little green house with 2 white lotus flowers. Hear the telling about this special place by the juru-kunci (door-keeper). About the pilgrim who met Nyai Lara Kidul and created a painting, you can see inside the little green house, and the pilgrim's grave too. Listen to the silence, and a sudden hush could announce some predictions ...

Nyi Belorong or Nyai Blorong is represented as a mermaid, as well a beautiful female with the lower part of the body of a snake. The Javanese Nyi Belorong seduces the weak people, and as soon as the weakness struck she shows herself's true colours, the deep-sea beast. The male equivalent is Kyai Belorong and once their victimes has been caught, they use the human parts of the body for their royal palace. It is told when people cannot control theirselves, the dragon will come out ... in any kind of form!

Find the Cerita Rakyat, a book for children. This legend originated in West-Java and developed into the myth about Karang Bolong, Center-Java ...

Not that many foreigners make the Southerly West-Java trip ... the transport's not much fun ... and the coast is a rugged, volcanic district where the Indian Ocean waves take on Javas Southern beach for ages. And Karang Hawu, known for a particular pleasure-trip, is worth this trip!

In 1966 Mrs. Ratna Dewi Sukarno, late President Sukarno's wife, asked at this spot for "minta-ampun", is forgiveness, when the opening-ceremony of the Samudra Hotel got destroyed by a hurricane-like storm. Because the Spiritqueen of the South-Sea had not been invited in a proper way ... is told. Mrs. Ratna Dewi Sukarno was brought from Paris where she had a little vacation, to Karang Hawu where she performed her "minta-ampun" ritual. Which became a well-known gossip until today!
KARANG HAWU

Via the Puncak Pass you may travel via Bandung through the Preanger to the mini-village Cipanas nearby Garut. Absolutely an unique area on the slopes of a vulcano, which taking care for "warm water", even in swimming pools. And, the world-famous Puncak sawa's are full of warm water. However travelling to Ujung Genteng (upmost South West-Java) you'll pass the same scenery ... beautiful views most tourists never beholded.

For reach to Ujung Genteng area, you must bring your own car, because the public car just until Surade area and soon you can use motor cycle taxi services.

Pelabuhan Ratu bursts with great, remarkable and, even weird stories. The unexpected always is watching its opportunity to jump into your life. Like that one at Teluk Pelabuhan Ratu ...

So a family out of Bogor went for a trip at night to Pelabuhan Ratu. That night was a special one dedicted to Ratu Kidul, the Spirit-queen. The family had their's photo taken.Once developed they could NOT see the father at the pic. Instead the composite picture showed a beautiful young princess right at the spot of the father. And some smoky stuff, known as the "ecto-plasma" with spiritual events.

It has never been proved whether this compisite picture has been fashioned or not. I also could not locate this family to verify this remarkable telling, and for sure any foreign visitor will be approached to buy this telling, ... 'cuse me ... photograph. To me this cute story underlines the local belief of the Javanese Spirit-queen, although the picture shows an extraordinary symbolical female, described in legends all over the world with the same looks,... thanks for reading.

One night I could'n't sleep and, had a great experience on the terrace watching the sparkling of the thousands of stars. Thrilled with excitement I could watch the CRUX, better know as the Southern Cross ... not that seen so easy.

Originally part of Centaurus, A. Royer described it as a separate constellation in 1679. It appears on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, and Western Samoa. At the time of Christ it was visible from the latitude of Jerusalem (almost 32 degrees N). Crux points almost due north-south. Two of the stars of Crux (Alpha and Gamma, Acrux and Gacrux respectively) are commonly used to mark South. Acrux is the 13th brightest star in the sky.

In the year 1967 the spot of the Batu Karut was photographed by the Dutch photographer Rogier Boon, and described by Pak Ruud Koot for a Dutch-Indo magazine (Moesson). It was said you could not come close to the Batu Karut, because this place was then very crowded all over with poisened snakes. The locals will affirm this fact. I visited the same spot 30 years later ...
The place got cultivated in a tradional way, though you still can feel the spiritual inspiration. See here the spot out of sea-view, where the "patilasan" should be. You can see the "triangle" of the tree and the branches constructed by nature ...

A Sacred Spot...
If you really like silence, if you seek for the tranquility in your mind, if you want to quiet down, then allow yourself to pay a visit to Batu Karut (Rock Of Young Baby-Indian Corn), Pelabuhan Ratu, West-Java (next to the Samudra Beach Hotel). Spirituality today isn't that special anymore to western people. Some spend all their money and travel to India for joining a group who do visit a guru, master-teacher, whether looking all alone for someone who could tell more about life, love and more.

All over Indonesia you could find "guru's", just the language will be difficult ofcourse. Though you could make a trip within yourself and try to open your mind, spirit of whatever, to learn listening to your own voice deep inside. I guess the Batu Karut would be a perfect place to make a start.

This Batu Karut place is a "patilasan", the "remainder of something very old", like ruins. To the Javanese it is the way where spirits do move. The Batu Karut should be a "patilasan" of Ratu Kidul, the Javanese Spiritqueen. On this very special sacred spot She treads upon the land. There is a huge rock overgrown and covered with vegetation. A second huge rock has been placed on the left side, so it seems there is a true gateway. Ask the locals and they show you the exact spot (see picture).