G-Land, The Ultimate Surf Destination

The Ultimate Surf, Photo by Harry Pieters

G-Land terdengar asing, semua yang saya beritahu destinasi saya yang satu ini pasti bertanya dimana dan apa itu G-Land. Namun jika anda berbicara tentang G-Land kepada para surfer, mereka tahu persis karena lokasi ini adalah ultimate destination bagi para surfer, saya menyebut bisa membandingkan sensasi G-Land sebagai sensasi Raja Ampat bagi para divers, mengapa? Just see

G-Land might sounds unfamiliar, everyone I told about this destination always ask what and where is G-Land. But if you ask about G-Land to the surfers, they know exactly because this location is the ultimate destination for surfers, I could compare the sensation from G-Land as Raja Ampat sensation for divers, why? Just see
 

Saya memang tidak familiar dengan surfing. Pernah mencoba sekali di Sumbawa dan seperti layaknya yang terjadi setiap belajar surfing, saya terjatuh berulang ulang dari papan surf hingga akhirnya bisa berdiri beberapa detik saja. Meski sulit, surfing memang menyenangkan, ada sensasi tersendiri saat bisa berdiri di atas ombak.

 
I wasn't familiar with surfing. Tried once in Sumbawa and like everybody else during learning process, I fell over and over again from the surf board until I can stand for few seconds. Although it is difficult, surfing is fun, there are such sensation when you can stand on the surf board.

Our "camp", its better than camp actually. Taken by Samsung NX2000

Nice place in the middle of the jungle. Taken by Samsung NX2000

Setelah perjalanan darat yang cukup lama saya tiba di Joyo's Surf Camp. Ini adalah satu dari tiga penginapan yang ada di G-Land, semuanya penuh dengan surfer dari negara lain. Saya dan teman teman adalah satu satunya turis domestik saat itu, rupanya memang G-Land belum banyak dikenal turis lokal, padahal turis asing dari berbagai negara semua bercampur disini untuk menikmati ombak luar biasa yang ditawarkan G-Land.

After a long road trip I arrived at Joyo's Surf Camp. One from three hotels which exist in G-Land. All of them during peak season is filled with surfers from a lot of countries. Me and my friends at that moment are the only local tourist there. It seems that G-Land is unknown by locals, despite the waves here are totally famous among surfers globally.

Arrived at the surfer's paradise, taken by Samsung NX2000

It's easy to find deers around the beach, taken by Samsung NX2000

Terletak di area Taman Nasional Alas Purwo, Jawa Timur, menikmati G-Land juga berarti menikmati hutan dan kekayaan ragam taman nasional. Saat tiba di depan papan petunjuk saya langsung disambut rusa yang menghampiri pantai di sore hari. Rusa sering ditemui di area Taman Nasional Alas Purwo, di perjalanan sering kami melihat rusa menyeberangi jalanan. Meski biasanya tidak langsung kabur namun rusa ini tetap menjaga jarak dengan kami, manusia.

Located in the area of ​​the Alas Purwo National Park, East Java, enjoying G-Land also means enjoying the rich diversity of forests and national park. When we arrived, I was immediately got a nice greet by a deer that milling about the coast in the afternoon. Deers are often found in this areas, during road trip to the Joyo's Camp, we often saw deer crossing the road. Although they don't immediately run away but the deer remains aloof with us, human.

Nice waves! Taken by Samsung NX2000

Sliding, Taken by Samsung NX2000

Pantai Plengkung adalah nama asli G-Land, nama ini berawal dari nama teluk Grajagan yang merupakan posisi Pantai Plengkung yaitu di cerukan ujung Jawa Timur dengan Laut Hindia di area selatan. Nama Grajagan rupanya cukup sulit diingat dan dilafalkan oleh surfer asing sehingga mereka lebih sering menyebut G-Land, the land of G, Grajagan. Nama inilah yang kemudian mendunia karena ombak fantastis yang dapat mencapai tinggi 5 meter bahkan lebih.

Plengkung Beach was the original name of G-Land, this came up from the name of the bay which is Grajagan Bay located in the overdraft of  East Java with the Indian Ocean in the south area . Grajagan name apparently quite difficult to remember and pronounce by foreign surfers so they called it G-Land, which is the land of G, Grajagan. Then this name became a worldwide name known for a place with fantastic waves which can reach height of 5 meters and even more .

  

The beach around G-Land is also nice, Taken by Samsung NX2000

Yang menarik, ombak di G-Land tidak hanya satu tipe. Ombak biasa yang dapat dicoba oleh surfer amatir hingga ombak bermeter meter dimana perlu tingkat keahlian yang tinggi untuk menaklukkannya ada disini. Susuri Plengkung dari area Kacangan hingga Bebekan, titik titik ombak berderet menyajikan pilihan tipe ombak bagi surfer manapun yang datang.

The waves at G-Land is various. Regular waves which can be attempted by an amateur surfer until an ultimate waves which require a high level of expertise to conquer are here in G-Land. There area a lots of surf spots from Kacangan area until Bebekan in the northern area with different kind of difficulties which provide various waves for any surfers.

The surf map!

Jika dalam dunia diving setiap lokasi punya spot diving dengan nama masing masing, begitu pula G-Land. Titik dari Tanjung Purwo bagian selatan dimulai dari "Kongs," "Keyhole," "Fan Palm," "The Ledge," "Money Trees," "Launching Pad," "Speedies," "Chickens," hingga "20-20s" dan "The Bombie" yang lebih terletak di area menjauhi pesisir.

In diving world, each diving location have dive spots with each particular name, so does in G-Land. These surf spots starts from southern of Purwo Cape which is "Kongs," "Keyhole, " "Fan Palm, " "The Ledge, " "Money Trees, " "Launching Pad," "Speedies," "Chickens," up to "20-20s" and "the Bombie " which is located in areas away from the coast.

Setiap titik punya karakteristik masing masing seperti "Speedies" yang dijuluki demikian karena kecepatan ombaknya, hingga "20-20s" yang dinamakan dari jarak tempuh yaitu 20 menit berjalan kaki dari area utama Plengkung.

Every surf spots has each characteristic. For example the "Speedies" name derived from the speed of the waves, or "20-20s" which called from the distance, 20 minutes walk from the main area of Plengkung.

Taking photos of the surfers, Taken by Samsung NX2000

Mungkin jika anda bukan surfer tidak akan terlalu tertarik mendengar penjelasan ini, sayapun bukan namun saat saya punya kesempatan untuk melihat langsung aksi surfer dari dekat ini sungguh merupakan pengalaman yang seru. Saya diantar naik perahu mendekati area "Money Trees" dan mengamati surfer dari jarak aman. 

Maybe if you aren't surfer you will not interested that much, but I'm not a surfer myself but when I got a chance to see the action directly from the boat near the waves, it is really exciting. We took a boat to approach "Money Trees" and watch the surfers from a safe distance.

Its really fun to see the surfers, Taken by Samsung NX2000

Melihat manusia manusia tangguh yang mengayuh hingga ke titik ombak dan mengambil momen yang tepat hingga saat ombak bermeter meter naik dan mereka dengan indahnya meluncur bersama ombak adalah sensasi visual yang luar biasa. Kami tidak sadar berseru menyemangati setiap ada surfer yang berusaha masuk saat ombak datang dan sedikit mengaduh saat melihat mereka terjatuh kemudian tergulung ombak di saat detik beradu ini kurang tepat.

Looking at those tough surfers pedaling to the waves and took the right moment when a high waves came and then they are gracefully sliding with the waves is a great visual sensation, even just by watching them. Spontaneously we cheered every time a surfer tried to get into the waves, or moan a little when we saw them fell and rolled by the waves when the collision time wasn't precise.
 

Can't stop looking at them, Taken by Samsung NX2000

The wave hunters, Taken by Samsung NX2000

Surfing memang olah raga yang memerlukan keahlian dan latihan yang terus menerus, namun saya yakin sensasi saat meluncur bersama ombak, apalagi ombak sempurna yang dinamakan barrel karena bentuknya yang silinder adalah candu bagi siapapun.

Surfing is a sport which requires skills and constant practice. But I 'm sure the sensation when gliding along the waves, and maybe even the perfect waves called barrel because of the cylinder shape is opium for everyone.

As a non-surfer, I can enjoy G-Land as well. Taken by Samsung NX2000

Saya mungkin tidak akan menaklukkan ombak di G-Land karena surfing maybe is not my thing, tapi ingin sekali rasanya mengundang surfer surfer Indonesia untuk menikmati ombak disini. Saat ini saya belum punya lensa tele di kamera saya sehingga hasil foto surfing bagi saya kurang maksimal, namun jika saya datang lagi suatu saat, lengkap dengan lensa tele, saya ingin mendapatkan momen surfer lokal yang sedang menaklukkan barrel. Because the ultimate is here, right on our own backyard..

I probably will not conquer the waves at G-Land because simply maybe surfing is not my thing, but deep in my heart I really wants to invite Indonesian surfers to enjoy the waves here. Right now I haven't got the right telephoto lens to capture the moment perfectly, but when I came again someday, complete with a right tools, I want to capture a moment, when local surfers conquered the barrel. Because the ultimate is here, right on our backyard..

@marischkaprue - can't stop the wave from coming but she can choose which one to surf

NOTES:

• G-Land terletak di Taman Nasional Alas Purwo, Banyuwangi, Jawa Timur (lihat peta)
• G-Land located in Alas Purwo National Park, Banyuwangi, East Java (look at the map) 

• Ada tiga penginapan di G-Land yaitu Joyo's Surf Camp, G-Land Surf Camp dan Bobby Surf Camp. Rekomendasi saya di Joyo's Surf Camp karena lokasi yang paling dekat dengan entry Pantai Plengkung, wifi internet gratis dan free yoga setiap hari.
• There are three hotels in G-Land which are Joyo's Surf Camp, G-Land Surf Camp and Bobby's Surf Camp. I recommend Joyo's Surf Camp since its location is the closest to the Plengkung Beach entry, free wifi for internet access and free yoga every day.
• Untuk rate harga silahkan cek langsung ke Joyo's Surf Camp di 031-5314752-53 atau email ke surabaya_piw@yahoo.com karena harga setiap season berbeda namun untuk rate lokal ada harga khusus.
• For prices please check directly to Joyo's Surf Camp in +6231-5314752-53 or email to surabaya_piw@yahoo.com because prices may vary each season but there is a special price for local tourist.
• Raja Wisata juga menawarkan paket wisata ke G-Land dengan berbagai pilihan wisata lainnya di seputar Taman Nasional Alas Purwo, jika ingin mudah maka lebih direkomendasikan untuk ikut tour dari Raja Wisata, hubungi 08569806685 untuk paket wisata ke G-Land, bahkan Raja Wisata mengeluarkan paket dengan harga di bawah 1,5 juta per orang untuk paket 3D/ 2N.
• Raja Wisata also offers tour packages to G-Land with a wide choice of other destination around the Alas Purwo National Park, if you want comfort of tour service then I recommend joining the tour from Raja Wisata, please call 08569806685 for tour packages to G-Land, there are special package at a price below 1.5 million rupiahs per person for 3D / 2N in G-Land.
• Thanks to Harry Pieters who gave me one of his incredible photos. He is a surf photographer at G-Land. His works are amazing, you can see on his instagram here

  

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I travel around G-Land with this small camera, Samsung NX2000. It's a mirrorless camera I can't go without now :)