Pelabuhan Ratu Beach
Formerly just a plain fishing village it has now grown into a lovely holiday resort, more and more visited by holiday makers from Jakarta and Bandung, a mere three-hour drive from either city through cool mountain villages with picturesque scenerie Gradually but surely this area will catch up with the pace of development as is the case with Carita on the extreme West coast of Java. 
Pelabuhan Ratu Cisolok is a 15 km stretch of breathtaking beauty with hills, mountains and very wide sandy beaches everywhere around you, set againts the deep blue Indian Ocean. Truly rare is the fact that thick tropical forests on rolling hills are found right next to stretches of white beaches. Taking walks uphilenables the visitor to look down on the horseshoe shape of the bay’s coastline, whereas at night hundreds of fishermen’s boatlamps are seemingly competing with the star-studded sky above, which is both enchanting and romantic. There is one four-star hotel, the Samudera beach, about 6 km from Pelabuhan Ratu, but several other smaller hotels and cottages are available at moderate rates.
At this virgin stage, this area represents unspoiled beauty in a typically tropical setting with hospitable inhabitants.
Because of its proximity to Jakarta this area is visited by more tourists from the capital than those from Bandung. Moreover, the highways to and from Pelabuhan Ratu have recently been greatly improved to assure you of a smooth ride to enjoy the sceneries you pass even better. Don’t forget to enjoy the fresh seafood at reasonable prices. (photo: marcantia.wordpress.com)
