One of the most famous beaches in Malang, which must have been very familiar for local tourists is Balekambang Beach. The beach is located in the village Srigonco, Bantur district, about 65 km south of the city of Malang. This beach has no rocks or coral reefs, so the waves will come straight to the beach and touch our feet softly. Balekambang beach will be very crowded especially in the month of Suro, which traditional ceremonies like Suroan and Jalanidhi Puja held on the beach.
Balekambang Beach which stretch 2 km has another unique persona comes from a magnificent temple located on the island of Ismoyo, just like Tanah Lot in Bali. Visitors can take a look around the temple at ease through a long bridge that connects the shore temple. But keep in mind that women in their period are banned from entering the temple area, regarded the temple as a holy place of worship of Hindus. There is a popular belief, any visitors violate these rules will be possessed by the spirits around the temple . Every visitor should obey these rules if they don’t want to involve with some troubles in the future, even if it doesn’t make any sense at all. Besides Ismoyo island, Balekambang Beach also has 2 other small islands, the Anoman Island and Wisanggeni Island.
Sitting under a shady tree or playing with sand and sea water is a common activity of the tourists who visit this beach. In addition, visitors can also rest in decent bungalows located nearby. For those who like camping , Balekambang also provide camping grounds. Other supporting facilities include swimming pool, restaurant, souvenir stalls, tourist information centre, mosque, hall, and a large parking area.
To reach Balekambang beach, visitors can take two different routes. One is through the district and sub-district Gondanglegi Bantur Srigonco straight to the village. Another route is to pass Kepanjen district, then to the Pagak. Here visitors can take the road that leads to sub Bantur.
But unfortunately the road to the beach is quite horrible and badly damaged, so you must drive very carefully to get there. Also be aware of the great tides come from the ocean. The local government noted that missing visitors always occurred over years, might be led by swimming carelessly.
After all, Balekambang beach is more than fair enough as a tourists’ choice, since you don’t need to spend a lot to pay the entrance tickets. Special ticket charges are available for those who come in groups.
/// Written by Dyah Anggarini, Indonesia