Karimun Jawa

Overview Compare via Jepara via Semarang Flight

Karimun Jawa is a small tropical offshore archipelago of 27 islands situated about 90 km off Java’s northern coast. Only five out of the 27 islands of the Karimun Jawa National Park are inhabited. If you like to go off the beaten track, this is the perfect trip to add to your Java itinerary.

Expect pristine, coral-fringed beaches and colourful reefs around the islands. Apart from lounging in a hammock by the beach admiring the ocean scenery, snorkelling, diving and fishing are the main pursuits.

Karimunjawa Island is arguably the best island getaway destination off the coast of Java. It has an authentic atmosphere as the island is a popular weekend getaway destination for Indonesians, but not as well-known yet to western travellers.

How to get to Karimun Jawa

When travelling to Karimun Jawa, you have 2 main options: you can take a 2 to 5-hour ferry ride from Jepara or a 7 to 9-hour ferry ride from Semarang. Rates for the ferry options start at 110,000 IDR ($7.00).

Transport Mode	Duration	Costs		Availability
Ferry via Jepara	2-5 hours	125,000 IDR ($8.00)		Read article for more info
Ferry via Semarang	7-9 hours	110,000 IDR ($7.00)		Check Ferry Tickets
Flight*	30 minutes	400,000 IDR ($25.50)		Check Flights

The main gateway for ferries to Karimun Jawa is Jepara. You can take a 2-hour fast ferry or a 5-hour slow ferry with rates starting from 125,000 IDR ($8.00). Both ferries operate at least four times a week.

Slow ferries from Semarang to Karimun Jawa are cheaper at just 110,000 IDR ($7.00). However, these slow ferries are available only every other week and they take 7-9 hours to reach Karimun Jawa.

There also used to be flights from Semarang to Karimun Jawa. With airfares from 400,000 IDR ($25.50), you can get to the island in just 30 minutes. The last time we checked (January 2023) though, this option was unavailable.

Upon arrival at Karimun Jawa National Park, you have to pay an entrance fee. Foreign tourists are charged 150,000 IDR ($9.50) on weekdays and 225,000 IDR ($14.50) on weekends.

We’ll first explain how to reach Karimunjawa from Jepara and Semarang. Then at the end of the article, we also share how to get to Karimun Jawa from other destinations in Java like Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta.

Jepara to Karimun Jawa by Ferry

Duration: 2-5 hours

Cost: 125,000 IDR ($8.00)

Duration: 2-5 hours

Cost: 125,000 IDR ($8.00)

Jepara is the main gateway for people travelling to Karimun Jawa. From Jepara, you can reach Karimun Jawa by either fast or slow ferry. Both ferries on this route operate multiple days a week.

The fast boat is operated by Bahari Express and takes 2 hours from Jepara to Karimun Jawa. Tickets cost 200,000 IDR ($12.50) for the executive class and 230,000 IDR ($14.50) for the VIP class when you buy them at the port.

The KMP Siginjai slow ferry costs only 125,000 IDR ($8.00) per person. It’s a bigger ferry that takes 3 hours longer than the fast boat. If you easily get seasick, this slow ferry is a better choice for you as it’s more stable. You can also bring your motorcycle or car from Jepara to Karimun Jawa with this ferry.

Departure and arrival port

Both the fast boat and slow ferry depart from Jepara Kartini Ferry Terminal. This terminal is 10 minutes away from Jepara City Square.

In Karimun Jawa, the ferry terminal is located on the south coast. Outside the port, you’ll find several motorcycle rental shops. You can rent a motorcycle as soon as you arrive to get to your accommodation.

Ferry schedule from Jepara to Karimun Jawa

Ferry company	Schedule	Duration	Costs
Bahari Express	09:00-11:00 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 10:00-12:00 Sat	2 hours	300,000 IDR ($19.00) Check Ferry Tickets
KMP Siginjai	07:00-12:00 Sat, Mon, Wed, Fri	5 hours	125,000 IDR ($8.00)

Bahari Express is available for online booking on Direct Ferries, but tickets cost 400,000 IDR ($25.50) online. This is about 100,000 IDR ($6.00) more expensive than when you buy them at the port. Tickets for KMP Siginjai can only be bought at the port.

In case you will buy the tickets at the port, arrive about an hour before the scheduled departure time to ensure you get a ticket for this slow ferry. However, during holidays and high season (April to June) tickets usually sell out fast. If you travel during this season, we recommend booking your tickets in advance or asking your accommodation on the island to buy your ferry tickets for you.

Semarang to Karimun Jawa by Ferry

Duration: 7-9 hours

Cost: 110,000 IDR ($7.00)

Duration: 7-9 hours

Cost: 110,000 IDR ($7.00)

An alternative option is to take a ferry from Semarang to Karimun Jawa. While Semarang is a bigger city than Jepara and has a bigger port, the ferries from Semarang Ferry Terminal are available only every other week.

KM Kelimutu and KM Lawit are ferries operated by Pelni, the national cargo and passenger shipping company of Indonesia. These ferries travel to five different ports per trip: Kumai, Semarang, Karimun Jawa, Sampit, and Surabaya.

Travel time from Semarang to Karimun Jawa takes 7-9 hours, which is about twice as long as the slow ferry from Jepara. The ferries depart Semarang every other Friday or Saturday at 22:00. In Karimun Jawa, the ferries arrive between 06:00 and 07:00 the day after.

Ferry tickets start from 110,000 IDR ($7.00). For the schedule and online booking, you can click the button below:

Check Ferry Tickets

Departure and arrival port

The ferries depart from Tanjung Emas Semarang, located about 3-4.5 km from Poncol and Tawang train stations in the city centre. From Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport, it’s a 20-minute taxi ride to the port.

Unlike the ferries from Jepara, the ferries from Semarang arrive at the Port of Legon Bajak on the north side of the island. From here, it takes approximately 45 minutes to the town centre.

Semarang to Karimun Jawa by Flight

Duration: 30 minutes

Cost: 400,000 IDR ($25.50)

Duration: 30 minutes

Cost: 400,000 IDR ($25.50)

*COVID UPDATE: The last time we checked (June 2023), the flight option from Semarang to Karimun Jawa was unavailable. We suggest taking a ferry from Jepara or Semarang instead.

The plane used to be a quick way to reach Karimun Jawa from Semarang because the flight took only 30 minutes.

Karimunjawa Dewadaru Airport (KWB) is basically a small airfield with limited flights. Only Wings Air used to offer flights from Semarang to Karimun Jawa every Monday, Friday and Sunday. The flight departed at 11:20 and the fare was around 400,000 IDR ($25.50).

Aircraft were small turboprops with limited seats so they used to get booked up fast in the summer and on popular holiday long weekends.

We rather recommend taking a ferry on this route because short-haul flights like this produce high carbon emissions that negatively affect the environment.

Check Flights on Skyscanner

Coming from other destinations in Indonesia?

There are no direct routes to Karimun Jawa from other cities. From Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta, you need to travel to either Jepara or Semarang to take the ferry to Karimun Jawa.

Make sure to check the ferry schedules above so you can plan ahead for your trip. See below for a more detailed guide.

From Surabaya to Karimun Jawa

Your best option when travelling from Surabaya to Karimun Jawa is by train via Semarang. You can then take the ferry from Semarang or head to Jepara, where ferries have more departures in a week.

It’s also possible to take a flight from Surabaya to Semarang, but all flights on this route make a stopover in Jakarta, making for a longer trip.

By Train

In Surabaya, you can take the train from Pasar Turi Station to Semarang’s Tawang Station or Poncol Station. Trains to both stations are available almost every hour.

Travel time is 3-4.5 hours with train tickets starting from 100,000 IDR ($6.00).

Check Train Tickets

If you’re travelling on the day the Pelni ferries are available from Semarang to Karimun Jawa, you can directly take a taxi from the train station to the ferry terminal.

Otherwise, you’ll need to go to Jepara and take the ferry there. From the train station, take a short taxi ride to Kencana Travel Terminal. Kencana offers hourly bus trips from Semarang to Jepara. The bus ride takes about 3 hours and costs around 95,000 IDR ($6.00).

Check Bus Tickets

The Kencana Travel Terminal in Jepara is a 10-minute taxi ride to Jepara’s Kartini Terminal, where ferries for Karimun Jawa depart from.

From Yogyakarta to Karimun Jawa

When travelling from Yogyakarta to Karimun Jawa, you can also travel overland to Jepara or Semarang and take a ferry from one of these ports.

Yogyakarta to Jepara

There are local buses from Yogyakarta to Jepara daily. One of the buses that you can book online in advance is Day Trans, which departs from Gading. This bus company offers air-conditioned minibuses for 130,000 IDR ($8.00) per person.

The bus ride takes 7 hours and the minibus parks at the Day Trans terminal in Jepara, which is just a 10-minute taxi ride to the ferry terminal.

Bus schedule from Yogyakarta to Jepara

Minibus Company	Schedule	Costs
Day Trans	06:00-13:00 08:00-15:00 17:00-24:00 23:00-06:00	130,000 IDR ($8.00) Check Bus Tickets

With the schedule, we suggest taking the 23:00 bus trip to Jepara. This way, you’ll arrive at around 06:00 with enough time before the 09:00 ferry from Jepara to Karimun Jawa.

Yogyakarta to Semarang

More bus companies operate from Yogyakarta to Semarang, but keep in mind that the ferries from Semarang to Karimun Jawa are available only every other week.

The buses on this route depart every hour from 04:00 to 22:15 with rates from 100,000 IDR ($6.00). Travel time is about 3-4 hours.

Check Bus Tickets

From Jakarta to Karimun Jawa via Semarang

There are two ways you can reach Semarang from Jakarta: by train and by flight. In Semarang, both the airport and train station are a short taxi ride away from the ferry terminal.

You can also head to Jepara by bus to take the ferry to Karimun Jawa.

By Train

The train journey takes between 5 and 7 hours from Gambir Station in Jakarta to Semarang Tawang Station. Train tickets on this route range from 360,000 IDR ($23.00) to 1,200,000 IDR ($77.00), depending on the class seat.

Trains are available from 07:15 to 20:35 and travel time from Jakarta to Semarang takes 5-5.5 hours.

Check Train Tickets

By Flight

The flight from Jakarta to Semarang takes only an hour. You can fly out of Soekarno-Hatta or Halim Perdanakusuma airports to Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport in Semarang.

There are flights from 06:55 to 17:30 on this route with airfares starting from 430,000 IDR ($27.50).

Check Flights on Skyscanner

Due to Jakarta’s heavy road congestion, taking the train is by far the fastest and easiest way to get from the city centre to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

The train journey to the airport takes about 50 minutes and a ticket costs 70,000 IDR ($4.50). You can board the train at Sudirman Baru Station in the city centre and alight at Jakarta Airport Station. Then you can connect with the free sky train light rail system to whichever terminal your flight takes off from.