Banyuwangi: Osing Culture, Coast and Ijen

Banyuwangi brings together a variety of reasons to visit: Osing traditions, the volcanic landscape of Ijen, protected forests and coastal destinations. When planning, consider whether culture, nature or activities by the sea should be the focus of your stay. Experiences range from cultural performances to a walk along the crater rim and challenging surfing.

Osing Culture and Cultural Performances

The Gandrung Sewu Festival has been held in Banyuwangi Regency since 2012 and has been part of the Kharisma Event Nusantara program since 2023. If you plan to attend a future edition, check the latest dates. Another cultural experience awaits at Desa Wisata Adat Osing Kemiren: the village preserves the customs, language and traditional arts of the Osing community.

Gedhogan is also performed in Kemiren during the harvest season. Women beat mortars and pestles, accompanied by angklung and drums. As the tradition is tied to the harvest season, it is advisable to confirm the timing locally. Visitors can also learn how to prepare traditional coffee in the village: the beans are pounded, roasted and sifted before the coffee is served. Traditionally, the roasting is done in a pan over a clay stove. Ask local hosts whether this experience is available.

Cultural performances take place every evening at Taman Blambangan as part of “Banyuwangi Culture Everyday,” a program organized by the Banyuwangi Tourism Office. As schedules may change, check the latest program before visiting. The Hindu temple Pura Giri Selokah is located in Alas Purwo National Park and attracts many pilgrims, especially during the Hindu Pagerwesi ritual. Kampoeng Batara, meanwhile, is a creative educational destination where children are taught about culture and literacy; check program details in advance.

Ijen and the Landscapes of Banyuwangi

The Ijen Plateau, also known as Kawah Ijen, was once a large active crater covering an area of 134 square kilometers. Today, Ijen is a quiet but active volcano. The landscape is shaped by the volcanic peaks of Ijen, at 2,368 meters; Merapi, at 2,800 meters; and Raung, at 3,332 meters. Visitors can walk along the crater rim for about one to one and a half hours. A three-kilometer route also leads from Paltuding Post to the rim of the Ijen caldera. Local access rules may change; check them when planning your visit.

The coastal destinations also vary considerably. Teluk Hijau, also known as Green Bay, is in Taman Nasional Meru Betiri near Sarongan in Kecamatan Pesanggaran. The bay has clear, greenish water and is surrounded by rocky cliffs and well-preserved tropical forest. Pantai Pulau Merah in Desa Sumberagung has a small red-sand hill near the shoreline—a distinctive feature of the beach.

Pantai Plengkung, known as G-Land, is in the Alas Purwo National Park area in Kecamatan Tegaldlimo. Large waves make the beach a destination for challenging surfing; sea conditions vary. Bangsring Underwater in Desa Bangsring is a snorkeling destination and a coral reef conservation center. Sea conditions there can also change.

Alas Purwo National Park includes mangroves, savannas, tropical lowland monsoon forests and coral-fringed beaches. Thousands of migratory birds visit its forests each year, and sea turtles come to remote beaches to lay their eggs. Djawatan Benculuk has a different kind of forest: this protected forest in Dusun Purwosari, Benculuk, is characterized by giant trembesi trees that are several centuries old.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

Search for a hotel based on the experiences that interest you most, rather than limiting Banyuwangi to a single type of excursion.

Discover more destinations: Banyuwangi, Gradjagan, Bangorejo, Situbondo, Lamongan, Sumenep, Bondowoso, Probolinggo City.

For the broader travel overview: East Java.