Carita Travel Guide

Carita is a nice beach in the Labuhan district of west Banten, West Java. It lies just west of the capital Jakarta, just up from Labuhan, and is best known for its snorkeling and diving and views of the Krakatau islands.

Worth It?: Not really unless you plan on seeing Krakatau.
What to Do: bathing on Carita Beach, visiting Carita National Park.
Best Time to Go: April through October for the driest weather.
How Long?: One or two days in the area.

The beach is around three hours from Jakarta by fairly good roads and is best noted for its calm waters that are particularly good for swimming, snorkeling and diving. In addition, the fishing in Carita is also really good, as is the sailing and touring.

Also of note nearby to Carita is Carita National Park, which features some of the best examples of lowland rainforest on the island of Java. As a consequence, it is also a birdwatcher's paradise, with many fine species of birds, including the white-breasted babbler, Javan sunbird, and the black-banded barbet.

There are loads of accommodation options in and around Carita that won't break the bank. Hotels, cottages and campgrounds are all available along with a good range of seafood restaurants.

Travel to Carita - Getting There

Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is the main gateway to West Java and to Indonesia, 4 hours east of Carita by road. The highway goes via Labuhan (south of Carita), via Serang, and is in good shape. Buses run from the capital and airport to Carita.

Carita Things to Do

Carita Attractions

Carita National Park

an area of lowland rainforest which contains a huge amount of birdlife.

Carita beaches

a set of lovely white beaches backed by coconut trees and having good swimming.

Side trips from Carita

Krakatau (Rakata): along with Anak Krakatau, these two fascinating volcanic islands are about an hour away by fast boat from Carita and are the main highlight in the region.