Parangtritis Beach

The Legendary Beach in Southern Yogyakarta

Have you heard the story of Nyai Roro Kidul, the queen of South Java Sea mystical kingdom?Parangtritis is one of place that known has many stories related to it.  

Just one hour drive from Yogyakarta, this beach is easy to reach. T

he wide black sand beaches and the typical southern java sea waves surely wait for your visit.   

Travelling in Yogyakarta is incomplete without visit its beauty beaches in the southern shoreline. There are varies of beaches with its natural beauty and characteristic that spread from the Gunung Kidul, Bantul and Kulon Progo. Those beaches are perfect for you who want to get out of city and have some relax time. From those beaches, Parangtritis Beach is the most popular beach in Yogyakarta. This beach is always crowded by local and foreigner enjoys the beach.

Parangtritis is famous with the legend of Nyai Roro Kidul or the Queen of Southern Sea. Nyai Roro Kidul is known as the queen of mystical kingdom under the southern java sea.  The legend is also linked the queen with the Yogyakarta Sultanate, it’s said that Nyai Roro Kidul is the bride of the first king of Mataram Kingdom, the ancestor of Yogyakarta Sultanate. This make the Southern Sea Mystical Kingdom has intense metaphysical relation with Yogyakarta Sultanate. In the myth that believed by locals is said that there is a mystical line that connects Parangtritis, Sultanate Palace and Merapi Mount.   In the beach area itself, there is a myth to do not wear green colour clothes. It because, there is tale that Nyai Roro Kidul loves green colour.  It said that, person who wear green colour clothes is would be track down into sea and goes to the mystical kingdom of Southern Sea.

Parangtritis is located around 40 kilometres from Yogyakarta City. It’s around one hour car ride from the city. This beach is easy to reach, there are several transportation option whether use public transportation or private vehicle. There are many rental services in Yogyakarta, just decide which motorcycle or car do you want to use. If you like to use public transportation, there is bus from Giwangan Bus Station that can take you to Parangtritis.  Therefore, the bus were operated only until 17.00, it’s better to consider your visit time if you use public transportation.    

The beach has complete facilities. There are several accommodations near the beach area with inexpensive rates. Those accommodations can be good option to stay overnight near the beach area.  Near the beach, there are also some restaurant that serves food and drink. Most of them are serve seafood menu such as: crab, shrimp, snapper fish, lobster, and other kind of fish from the sea.  Despite directly order to restaurant, there is an option to buy  fresh fish from the Depok fish market that located in Depok Beach in the west side of Parangtritis, or from the fisherman that just arrive at the shore.

In the beach there are varies of activities that can be done. It is such as by walking around the beach to see the wide ocean ahead with its big waves. If you feel tired, just sit to relax and the wind blow, it will make you cool even in very hot day. There are also additional attractions such as: horse riding, ATV riding and horse carriage that offer in the beach area that worth to try. The most beauty scenery is when sunset come.  In that time you will see the sun go to fade into shadows under the southern sea. If you are lucky and there is no cloud in the sky, you will be able to see this awesome moment.