Off the radar, coral-fringed Indonesian islands are heaven for beach lovers, divers, and those who don’t need Wi-fi to have some fun

The Karimunjawa archipelago boasts pristine, near-deserted beaches and clear waters ideal for diving. They are reassuringly hard to reach, as well

Go beach and island hopping, or walk through mangrove forests, and wind down at the end of the day on the appropriately named Sunset Beach

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Karimunjawa, an Indonesian archipelago off Central Java, are still relatively undiscovered. Fishing is still the main source of income for islanders. Photo: Alamy

Published: 6:00pm, 12 Nov 2019Updated: 6:03pm, 12 Nov 2019

Gasps ripple through the cabin of the turboprop plane as a small group of tourists catch their first glimpse of the marine paradise we’re headed towards. Phones are pushed against windows as we fly over an abstract canvas of colour.

Below us, the navy blue sea is peppered with tufts of lush green. Stretches of blinding white sand fringe the turquoise waters that surround a sprinkling of islands, each protected by a jagged coral reef.

This is Karimunjawa, an Indonesian archipelago that, while crowds flock to Bali, Lombok and increasingly Komodo, has stayed off the tourist radar despite its natural beauty. Sitting off the coast of Central Java, the area is speckled with a chain of 27 coral-fringed islands, many of them deserted.

Among them is Karimunjawa Island, after which the archipelago is named; with a population of 9,000, it is a tranquil spot where visitors can enjoy its pristine nature, vibrant underwater world and warm hospitality.

Sunset at Omah Alchy Cottages, Karimunjawa, Indonesia. Photo: Josephine N. Msinda

Getting there isn’t easy. The island’s only airport, Dewadaru Airport, is tiny and only welcomes a small number of domestic flights each week. Accommodation is boutique, the food is mostly local, the drinking of alcohol is restricted to a handful of restaurants and bars, and, away from the main town, amenities are few and far between – the island only got 24-hour electricity two years ago.

Off the radar, coral-fringed Indonesian islands are heaven for beach lovers, divers, and those who don’t need Wi-fi to have some fun

The Karimunjawa archipelago boasts pristine, near-deserted beaches and clear waters ideal for diving. They are reassuringly hard to reach, as well Go beach and island hopping, or walk through mangrove forests, and wind down at the end of the day on the appropriately named Sunset Beach

The Karimunjawa archipelago boasts pristine, near-deserted beaches and clear waters ideal for diving. They are reassuringly hard to reach, as well

Go beach and island hopping, or walk through mangrove forests, and wind down at the end of the day on the appropriately named Sunset Beach