Bawean is an island in East Java. Its natural tural attractions include the Lake Kastoba, hot springs Kebundaya and Taubat, waterfalls Lachchar and Patar Selamat, the caves in the central part of the island, sandy beaches and coral reefs on the coast.

Understand

Bawean means "sunlight exists" in Sanskrit, which 14th-century shipwrecked sailors are said to have exclaimed upon seeing clear skies here after days of stormy seas.

Bawean lies 150 km (93 mi) north of Surabaya in the Java Sea, off the coast of Java.

Most of the island is hilly, except for the narrow coast and a plain in the southwestern part; it is therefore also called locally as "island of 99 hills". Bawean is dominated by an extinct volcano at its center that rises to 655 m (2,149 ft) above sea level.

In 2022, it had a population of 83,000 people in 2022, but a large share of the male population lives off the island temporarily, resulting in a female-dominated resident population, and the nickname, "Island of Women".

The rainy season lasts from December to March.

Talk

The most population speaks Baweanese, a creole language of Madurese. Nonetheless, they understand Indonesian.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Bawean Airport (Harun Thohir Airport BXW  ^IATA). Airfast Indonesia from Surabaya  

By boat

There is a daily express ferry from Gresik operated by the Express Bahari company. You can either buy tickets for the ferry at the ticket office right at the port, or buy them beforehand online through the Express Bahari application. As of 2024, the ferry from Gresik departs at 09:00 AM and takes four hours to reach Bawean. Ticket prices range from Rp. 200.000 for Executive class, up to Rp. 250.000 for VIP class. The express ferry arrives in Bawean at the Express Ferry Terminal.

• 2 Ferry Port Gresik (Express Ferry), Jalan Martadinata, Pulopancikan, Kebungson, Kec. Gresik, ☏ +62 81350679771. (updated Jul 2024)
• 3 Ferry Port Bawean (Express Ferry), Pelabuhan Bawean, Sungai Tlk. (on the western part of Sangkapura town), ☏ +62 81350679772. Sa - Th, 6AM to 9:30AM. (updated Jul 2024)

Alternatively there is a slower, vehicle ferry departing from the town of Paciran, about 55 km (34 mi) northwest of Gresik. The slow ferry departs in the evening at 10:00PM and takes 9 hours to reach Bawean. The same ship, the KMP Gili Iyang, sometimes also departs from the Gresik port. The seasonal schedule of the slow ferry can be seen on the official website of the Gresik Regency Government. The slow ferry arrives in Bawean at the vehicle ferry port.

• 4 Ferry Port Paciran (Slow / Vehicle Ferry), Jalan Raya Daendles No.111, Paciran, Tunggul, Kec. Paciran, ☏ +62 81288875524. 7AM to 6PM. (updated Jul 2024)
• 5 Ferry Port Bawean (Slow / Vehicle Ferry), Jalan Pedoman No.2, Bawean (center of Sangkapura). (updated Jul 2024)

Get around

You may get around the island by rented motorcycle or using ojek (motorcycle taxi).

See

The critically endangered Bawean deer

Nature

• 1 Lake Kastoba (Danau Kastoba). Located in the middle of the island with a height of 400 m (1,300 ft) above sea level. 
• 2 Grojogan Candi Waterfall (Air Terjun Candi), Balikterus. 
• 3 Lachchar (Laccar) Waterfall. 
• Murtalaya Waterfall. 
• 4 Patar Selamat Waterfall (Air Terjun Lalake Kuduk-Kuduk). 

Wildlife

• 5 Deer Reserve (Penangkaran Rusa Bawean), Suwari. Bawean deer (Axis kuhlii), also known as Kuhl's hog deer or Bawean hog deer, is a highly threatened species of deer found only on the island. 

Do

Nearby islands

Noko Island

Boating to the islands around Bawean, you may do snorkeling or just stroll around the islands.

• 1 Gili Island. 
• 2 Noko Island. 
• 3 Lalajer Island. 
• 4 Noko Selayar Island. (updated Dec 2022)

Hot springs

You may take a hot bath at some natural hot pools.

• Air Panas Kebun Daya. 
• Air Panas Taubat. 
• 5 Air Panas Kepuhlegundi (Mandi Terapi Air Belirang), Tambak. 

Beaches

• 6 Labuhan Beach, Tanjungori, Tambak. 
• 7 Selayar Beach, Sungairujing, Sangkapura. 
• 8 Mayangkara Beach, Diponggo, Tambak. 
• 9 Nyimas Beach, Tambak. One of the best places to enjoy the sunset. (updated Dec 2022)
• 10 Tajhung Ge'en Beach, Kumalasa, Sangkapura. (updated Dec 2022)

Buy

ATM

Even though Bawean is an island, you can still withdraw cash from several ATMs served by the national bank, BRI as well as the provincial bank, Bank Jatim.

Eat

The food in Bawean is dominated by seafood.

• 1 One Family - Malaysian Restaurant (at the main road in Sangkapura (Jalan Hang Tuah), walk into the small alleyway left of the 1950 House Coffee Shop for about 30 meters.), ☏ +60196885899. (updated Jul 2024)
• 2 Warung Nasi Bu Nor'a, Jl. Umar Mas'ud, Sawahmulya, Sangkapura. Open 05:00. Serves nasi campur (rice with veggies and protein side dishes) also fish crackers including posot-posot. (updated Dec 2022)
• 3 PPI Bawean, Kotakusuma, Sangkapura. Traditional market with various local dishes such as nasek ghulung and koncok-koncok. (updated Dec 2022)
• 4 Cafe Lestari, Gili Island, ☏ +62 821 107 37357. Serves grilled fish, lobster, koncok-koncok, and bakso ikan (fishball soup). (updated Dec 2022)
• 5 Warung Pojok Merak City, Tanjungori, Tambak, ☏ +62 852 567 02610. Serves grilled fish. They have a prayer room. (updated Dec 2022)

Drink

Try local drink wedang jaguar (jahe gula aren) made from ginger and aren palm sugar.

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Miranda Bawean, Jl. Umar Mas'ud, Sawahmulya, Sangkapura, ☏ +62 812 174 06743. From Rp250,000. (updated Dec 2022)
• 2 Homestay Kembang Kenanga, Diponggo, Tambak, ☏ +62 822 605 76699, +62 813 585 69749. A homestay with a sea view and close to the beach. There is a kitchen and a stove. (updated Dec 2022)

Connect

The telephone area code of Bawean is 0325.

Go next

Back to Gresik or Surabaya