Parangkusumo Beach, Panoramic Beauty Wrapped in Legend

Parangkusumo Beach, Panoramic Beauty Wrapped in Legend – As a special region in Indonesia, Yogyakarta has various unique things. The lives of the people still adhere to customs and culture, not to mention the government system which still maintains the royal model. Every corner of the city of Jogja seems to have an interesting story to visit, including the tourism sector.

You may have heard of several tourist attractions in Jogja which are famous for mystical stories. Instead of being empty of visitors, these places are actually busy with tourists who are curious about the story. One of them is Parangkusumo Beach, a tourist attraction that is closely related to the legend of the Queen of the South.

Even so, Parangkusumo Beach also offers various other features that will make you even more interested in visiting it. Come on, check out the review!

The attraction of Parangkusumo Beach

The charm of Parangkusumo Beach is still attached to a mystical legend. So, don’t be surprised if you smell the fragrance of incense when you set foot on Parangkusumo Beach. The reason is, there are still offerings that are deliberately placed at several points on the beach. Find out the story here!

The beach is sacred to local residents

Parangkusumo Beach is one of the beaches that is considered sacred by local residents. The people of Jogja believe that there is a special relationship between the Jogja Palace and Nyi Roro Kidul, the ruler of the south coast. In Javanese tradition, Parangkusumo Beach is considered the main gate or road to the Magic Palace of the South Sea, the kingdom of Nyi Roro Kidul.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Parangkusumo Beach is often a destination for pilgrims during the month of Sura in the Javanese calendar. Likewise, on normal days, visitors will flock to the beach on Tuesday Kliwon and Friday Kliwon nights.

Famous for the legend of the love story of the ruler of the sea

ngeli (meditated in the river flow) to perfect his supernatural powers.

But suddenly a storm occurred which made the sea water boil, the trees were uprooted, and the fish were thrown onto land. This incident made Ratu Kidul appear on the surface of the sea. The two of them met and fell in love.

At that time, Senopati expressed his desire to control Mataram. Senopati’s request was granted on the condition that Senopati and all his descendants wanted to become Ratu Kidul’s husbands. Then, Senopati agreed as long as they didn’t have children. It is believed that this agreement makes the Jogja Palace have close ties with the South Sea Palace.

On the other hand, the Senopati tapa ritual makes many people believe that all kinds of wishes will come true if they are prayed at Batu Cinta, Cepuri Complex. Batu Cinta has now become one of the most popular areas on Parangkusumo Beach.

Beautiful and exotic views

Even though it is full of mystical nuances and legends, Parangkusumo Beach also offers views that are no less beautiful than other beaches in Jogja. Here, you will see palm oil plants lining the back of the beach which creates a beautiful impression.

Meanwhile, on the beach there is a fairly wide road made of paving blocks that connects Parangkusumo Beach with Parangtritis Beach. Through this route, you can explore both beaches easily and comfortably.

Interesting things at Parangkusumo Beach

There are various interesting activities that you can do at Parangkusumo Beach. You can find out some of them below:

Enjoy the panoramic sunset

Have you ever watched the sunset at Parangtritis Beach? Very beautiful, isn’t it? You can enjoy the same view again from Parangkusumo Beach. The two beaches on the same coastline make the sunset view at Parangkusumo Beach no less beautiful. So, don’t miss it!

In order to enjoy the exotic sunset optimally, you should come to Parangkusumo Beach in June-August. Don’t forget, prepare a camera to capture all your special moments at Parangkusumo Beach!

Watching the rituals of the labuhan ceremony

The labuhan ceremony is held when entering the month of Ruwah in the Javanese calendar. The aim is to express gratitude for the protection given to the Jogja Palace. It is said that this ritual is a symbol of the bond and power between the palace and the rulers of the southern seas. In the labuhan ceremony, there will be offerings in the form of personal items belonging to Sri Sultan as ruler of the Jogja Palace. Starting from jarik , surjan, nails, hair, agricultural products, to typical foods such as apam are also offerings.

All offerings will be prayed first inside the Cepuri Complex, then paraded by courtiers to the beach to be washed away. Further, the offerings that are washed away will be contested by visitors seeking blessings.

It is said that this labuhan ceremony ritual has been carried out since Senopati met Ratu Kidul for the first time. Because it has been carried out for years, the labuhan ceremony has become a routine cultural and tourist agenda at Parangkusumo Beach.

Watching the melasti ceremony

Usually, the melasti ceremony at Parangkusumo Beach starts at around 14:00. This ceremony was attended by thousands of people dressed in typical Balinese clothing. They will perform various beautiful dances before carrying out the offering event into the sea.

Tourist attractions around Parangkusumo Beach

Did you know that Parangkusumo Beach is close to several other tourist attractions? So, make sure to visit the following places while on holiday at Parangkusumo Beach!

This natural phenomenon is a sand dune formed by the wind. The location is in the Parangkusumo and Parangtritis Beach areas. At first glance, Gumuk Pasir will remind you of the desert in the Middle East.

Apart from Jogja, it turns out you can only find the Gumuk Pasir phenomenon in Mexico. Previously, Gumuk Pasir in Jogja was only used as a place to take photos. However, since the emergence of sandboarding (skating on the sand), Gumuk Pasir has become increasingly crowded with tourists.

While at Parangkusumo Beach, try to stop by and enjoy it. When else can you visit this rare natural phenomenon?

Gardu Action

An abbreviation for Garbage Care and Education, this place is a waste processing area as well as an arena for learning good waste management. Even though it is a waste processing site, Gardu Action is far from being dirty and smelly.

This tourist spot in Kretek District is actually very rich in artistic nuances. When you enter Gardu Action, you will see various art installations made from rubbish and used goods. Some areas are even fun spots for selfies !

Before becoming art items, the waste collected by Gardu Action will be divided into two groups, namely organic and non-organic waste. This non-organic waste will be used to make usable goods and art installations. Meanwhile, organic waste will be managed into compost.

Paragliding runway

When you are at Parangkusumo Beach, you will see a line of high karst cliffs to the east. Not far from the cliff, there is a flat place which is usually used as a base for paragliding. Local residents usually call it Watugupit.

If you want to enjoy the beauty of the beach from a height, the Watugupit paragliding platform is the place you must go. Not only beaches, you can also see the charm of the southern coast of Yogyakarta in its entirety. For those who like hunting for sunsets, the Watugupit paragliding platform can be a fun location to enjoy it.

Location and access to Parangkusumo Beach

Located in Parangtritis Village, Kretek, Bantul, Parangkusumo Beach is adjacent to Parangtritis Beach and Depok Beach. The distance is about 30 km to the south of Jogja City. That way, you can explore three beaches at once when visiting this area. Not to mention the various tourist attractions in the surrounding area.

As one of the popular tourist attractions in Jogja, you can easily access Parangkusumo Beach. If you drive a private vehicle, you can pass Jalan Parangtritis. Next, from the Fort Wetan area, you only need to take the straight road south.

If you use public transportation, the Jogja–Parangtritis public bus from Giwangan Terminal is ready to take you. Later, you can get off at Parangtritis subterminal. The transportation costs are not expensive at all, namely around IDR 15,000.

Parangkusumo Beach ticket prices

To enter Parangkusumo Beach, you need to buy a ticket of IDR 3,000. This price also includes Parangtritis Beach tickets, so you are free to explore both beaches. For those who bring private vehicles, you need to pay an additional fee of IDR 2,000 for motorbike parking and IDR 5,000 for car parking.

At Parangkusumo Beach, you can choose several ways to get around. If you are tired of walking, you can rent a horse for IDR 20,000 per round. There is also ATV rental for IDR 50,000 for 15 minutes of use.

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These are some of the interesting things that make Parangkusumo Beach so unique to visit. This specialty cannot be separated from the legend behind it. For those who like culture and legends, Parangkusumo Beach must be on your holiday list when in Jogja. Do you dare to visit it?

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