Sempu Island is a small island with no inhabitants, located in the southern part of Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Not many people know about this island, since it is difficult to access. I went there about six months ago with my friend. It took us about five hours to get there from Malang, and we got there without enough information and preparation. The only thing we knew was only the beach, and the rest was adventure.

After a half-day trip by public transport, we arrived there at Sendangbiru beach, the only way to go to Sempu, around 11 in the morning. We could see the island from this beach. But the island is actually a conservation area, that got us a bit confused by the red tape. After a tough negotiation with the guard, we were able to rent a boat, together with two other people who became our friends. It took 15 minutes to get to the island and the boat cost 100,000 rupees round trip.

The island was so wet since it rained a lot days before. The mud was so thick and hard. We slip over and over again. There was no path as it is a conservation area, so the path was only forest, to reach the beach called Segara Anakan, Indian Ocean.

Risking coming back late, we went ahead to get to the beach, and after walking for about three hours, there we were. Yes it was beautiful! People say it’s like Phi Phi Island in Thailand. Mind you, we only enjoyed it for 20 minutes, otherwise we couldn’t go back home, because the last minibus from Sendangbiru left at 4pm. We arrived at 3 pm After taking some photos, our new friends left there and the two of us went back to Sendangbiru.

On the way back we met a group of five with whom we later went together. Unfortunately, one of us injured his leg. The day grew darker and we couldn’t go any faster. It was already getting dark, and many other people came with us as the last group to return. There was no torch, no electricity in the middle of the forest. There was only panic in the silence but we kept going. We often had to crawl on the slippery and spiked ground. We kept going while asking some friends and boatmen for help. And after five hours, we feel revived, we find the exit with the boatmen waiting in the same place where we arrived. We were all incredibly muddy all over our bodies.

Luckily, some of our friends had cars, so my friend and I were able to go home after taking a shower in Sendangbiru to get all the mud off our bodies. I got home at 1 am, my parents were waiting for me in a panic.

After all, I would suggest my friends to come with preparation when they come to Sempu Island, like good slippers or boots. And since it is a forest, it is better to wait for the land to dry out, so that we can reach Segara Anakan beach much faster and safer. Some people resting on the beach at night should bring their own food and drinks next to the camping utility like tent and flashlight, because we can’t find any street vendor there. Finally, we must take into account the last hour of public transport.