Baluran Mountain

Address: Baluran National Park, Situbondo Regency, East Java, Indonesia

Website: https://balurannationalpark.com

Hours: Daily 6am-6pm

Admission: Entry fee: ~Rp 10,000 (~$0.60) for national park entrance; additional fees for safaris and vehicle permits

Baluran is a national park in East Java, Indonesia, that protects a mosaic of habitats including dry lowland forest, coastal mangroves and an extensive savanna plain. The park is noted for its open grassland known as Savana Bekol and for populations of several native species.

Visitors come to see the savanna plains, wildlife such as wild cattle and deer, and the park’s coastal wetlands. Roads and simple visitor facilities provide access to lookout points over the savanna and to beach areas on the eastern side of the park.

Baluran was established to protect the area’s distinctive dryland ecosystems and the species they support; management since establishment has balanced habitat protection with limited tourism and local land use. The park’s savanna and coastal habitats have been maintained while also facing pressures typical of lowland protected areas in Java.

The park occupies a coastal position on the northeastern tip of Java in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java province, with the savanna and forested slopes rising toward Mount Baluran inland from the coast.

• ‘Little Africa’ and best season: The park is sometimes called “Little Africa” because of its open savanna landscapes and visible grazing mammals, and is best visited in the dry season for wildlife sightings.

What to See#

• Savannah Bekol: The broad grassland known as Savana Bekol, a striking open plain within the park that is a prime spot for wildlife viewing and photography.
• Mount Baluran: Mount Baluran, the park’s highest feature, which rises above the surrounding lowlands and savanna areas.
• Coastal zones: Coastal sectors and beaches on the park’s eastern side that include mangrove and intertidal habitats.

Baluran is reached from the town of Situbondo (East Java). From Situbondo, local minibuses (angkot) or private transport head to Banyuputih and onward to the park entrance. The nearest larger transport hub is Banyuwangi (ferry+train connections); from Banyuwangi it’s roughly a 2-3 hour drive west.

• Hire a local guide for the Bekantan (forest) and savanna circuits - rangers know where the banteng and wild buffalo gather.
• Visit the savanna (Savana Bekol) at dawn or late afternoon for the best wildlife viewing and softer light for photography.
• Bring insect repellent and a long-sleeve shirt: mosquitoes are most active near water in the mornings and evenings.