Seblang is one of rituals in Osing societies, Banyuwangi regency. This ritual can be found in two villages, which is. Bakungan village and Olihsari village. Olihsari society will held this ceremony in a week after the Idul Fitri. While, Bakungan society will held the ceremony in a week after the Idul Adha.

This ritual is having purpose to be the reinforcement from bad situations that might happened within the society. This kind of ritual can also be found in some area in Indonesia, like Sintren ritual in Cirebon, Jaran Kepang and Sanghyang in Bali.

The dancers that allowed to perform Seblang dance are chosen by the shaman from each village. Moreover, it will be better if the chosen dancers are the descendants of the earlier dancers.

At Olihsari village, the chosen dancers are taken from the girls that have not puberty yet. While, in Bakungan, the dancers are taken from the elder lady in 50 years old above that already get menopause.

 Seblang dance is  a very old tradition, so it is difficult to trace the origin of the commencement. However, historical records show that the first known Seblang was a woman named Semi, which also became the first woman Gandrung dance pioneer (died 1973).

After recovering from her illness, then her mother’s vow (Mak Midah or Mak Milah ) must be revealed, Semi  finally became the first seblang dancer in the age of her childhood until her teenage age, the she started to become a  Gandrung dancer.

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Kebo-Keboan Ceremony - Banyuwangi, East Java

Kebo-Keboan Cultural Feast

Banyuwangi people, which are mostly farmers, have a sacred ritual to ask the blessings of salvation. The tradition known as kebo-keboan. Kebo in Java language means buffalo, the people in village are mostly use buffalo to do their rice field. And yes, this ritual use the buffalo as the meaning of its term. However, the buffaloes here are those who perform and act like buffalo in the field.

The ritual of Kebo-keboan is held once a year in the month of Muharram or Suro (in Javanese calendar). This month is believed to have magical powers. That said, this ritual emerged since the 18th century. In Banyuwangi, kebo-keboan is conserved in two places, which is in Alasmalang Village, Singojuruh District, and Aliyan Village, Rogojampi District.

The emergence of ritual kebo-keboan in Alasmalang Village begun during the epidemic season that happened to the village. At that time, all the citizens had disease attacked. The Pests are also attack plants. Many people starve and die from mysterious illness. In a precarious condition, the village elder named Mbah Karti meditating on the hill. During the meditation, he had vision. It contained, the residents were told to hold a ritual of kebo-keboan and glorify Dewi Sri or goddess of Sri, as a symbol of prosperity and rice keeper.

The magic comes when people hold the ritual. The residents who suffered any sudden illness were cured. The pests that attack rice plants were disappear. Since then, the ritual of kebo-keboan were conserved. The villagers are afraid, if it does not carry, then the village will once again being attacked by disease and curse.

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Plengkung Beach - Banyuwangi

Plengkung Beach

Plengkung is known as one of the best surfing beaches in the world. The word of “G” in “G-Land” derives from Grajagan, the name of the bay where the huge waves were found at the south of the Banyuwangi. It is surrounded by virgin tropical land forest. G lad offers the worlds most demanding surfing sport, and recommended for professional surfers only. May to October is the best time for surfing. No doubt it is a world of surfer paradise. Most surfers start from Bali, take an overland to Banyuwangi and directly to National Park of Alas Purwo, G-Land or cross the Grajagan Bay to Plengkung beach where the waves challenge invite the surfers.

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Ngagelan Beach - Banyuwangi

Ngagelan Beach

Ngagelan beach is a breeding area. It is located 7 km to the west of Trianggulasi Bay. It is also the hachery for the baby turtles. Some biology students do the research here.

Ngagelan beach has much kind of turtle, such as Lepidochelys olivaceae, Eretmochelys imbricata, Dermochelys coreacea, Chelonia mydas, etc. Lepidochelys olivaceae is the most available here. Ngagelan beach can reach by any vehicle from Rowobendo post through west direction or it can be reach by foot through the beach that about 8 km.

More info visit
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Ijen Resort And Villas - Banyuwangi

Ijen Resort

Ijen Resort and Villas is the new and first luxury hotel in this spectacular scenic area. Perched at the edge of the rainforest of Ijen National Pak and overlooking terraced rice fields to a row of volcanoes, each of Ijen Resorst’s 30 room boasts superb views from their spacious bed rooms and balconies. Bungalows with standard superior and suite accommodations are equipped with all facilities for modern comfort. Four hectares of beautiful garden and 360 degrees panoramic vistas of volcanoes,rainforest, terraced rice fields and view of Bali Strait afar make Ijen Resort and Villas itself a tourist destination.

Ijen Resort and Villas is located at 643 meters above sea level, in the remote village of Randu Agung, Licin Banyuwangi. The closest village is a group of dozen of houses 700 meters downhill, or another one 900 meter across the valley. The nearest real village is located at about 6 kilometers away. The hotel offers a comfortable base for travellers to enjoy unspoiled beauty if the rural East Java and resort staff organizes tours to mount Ijen to see its eerie sulfuric crater and other inspirational natural attractions.

More info visit: www.eastjava.com

Kemiren Village - Banyuwangi

Kemiren Village

Time can change, Culture still remain. Kemiren Countryside, Glagah District, Banyuwangi Sub-Province is the one that still exist by its tradition until present time.

Banyuwangi cultural heritage still remain by the existing of Kemiren Village as one of tourism object nowadays. The people and the government are together maintaining the tourism as a genuinely tourism object to show the particular things which arose from the old Banyuwangi till present time.

The culture itself is stand still with its genuine parts, like the everlasting history which still remain by the time changes. For instance, the houses around Kemiren village are charmingly stand with its unique architecture of Gebyuk and the tradition inside the house.

Nevertheless, between the tradition and modernization is also being particularly unite as shows in farming method. The farmers nowadays are effectively using the modern ways to to their lands, in order to practice the result and also to get the quality of the harvest.

Another custom which still remain is the way of Wedding Ceremony. Banyuwangi people is still face into traditional marriage with serial of actions to do before the day of the bride and the groom is meet and being legalize as husband and wife. For example, the first step from wedding day is start by doing Lamaran Manten or marriage proposal. On Lamaran Manten, the groom and the family attending the bride’s house to propose the women while bringing the Seserahan or kind of Gift to bride’s family. After the Seserahan has taken by the bride’s family, those are choosing the right date to go to the wedding day.

American have their own Thanksgiving Day, but on Kemiren Village is also has its own Thanksgiving day to say grateful to God for the harvest and peace. On the day, the inhabitant are gathering on one place by bringing Tumpeng. Tumpeng is one of Indonesian traditional food which made of yellow rice inside and it has conical form on it. The inhabitant made thousand of Tumpeng or it calls as Tumpeng Sewu. Hence, Banyuwangi’s Thanksgiving is being called as Tumpeng Sewu ceremony.

More info visit: www.eastjava.com

Cottage In Plenkung Beach - Banyuwangi

Plengkung Beach

Plengkung is known as one of the best surfing beaches in the world. The word of “G” in “G-Land” derives from Grajagan, the name of the bay where the huge waves were found at the south of the Banyuwangi. It is surrounded by virgin tropical land forest. G lad offers the worlds most demanding surfing sport, and recommended for professional surfers only. May to
October is the best time for surfing. No doubt it is a world of surfer paradise. Most surfers start from Bali, take an overland to Banyuwangi and directly to National Park of Alas Purwo, G-Land or cross the Grajagan Bay to Plengkung beach where the waves challenge invite the surfers. However it is not recommended for novices

Accomodation
There are some simple cottages and a jungle camp available by the beach.
Recreational facilities
Plengkung is located on the south coast of Banyuwngi the eastest of Fast Java. The visitor can visit Plengkung overland. To reach Plengkung can be taken in two ways:

* Overland. Banyuwangi-Kalipahit (59km)by bus Kalipahit Pasaranyar (3km) by ojek or rent a car, Pasaranyar-Trianggulasi (12km), Trianggulasi-Pancur-Plengkung/G-Land.
* Overland-sea : Banyuwangi-Benculuk (35km) by bus, Benculuk Grajagan (18km) by bus or public transportation, Grajagan-Plengkung by speedboat,
Both ways toPlengkung are OK, if the visitors choose the second way, they can spend the night at Grajagan and enjoy the view before continue the journey to Plengkung.

More info visit: www.eastjava.com

Banyuwangi Batik

Batik Banyuwangi

Batik is an Indonesian traditional clothes, which popular since the ancient time of Javanese people made it. Hence, the particular mode, design, art and history from each regions are different with other regions. That is why Banyuwangi has the term for their Batik clothes. Batik which came from East Java commonly has bright colors than Batik from Mid Java. For instance, for Maduranes, the motif of their Batik clothes are commonly brighter than other batik from East Java. Instead of the brightness, the motives also has particular meaning and symbols of something which is accurately connected with the history of those provinces.

for details visit:
www.eastjava.com

The Mansion Guard - Banyuwangi

Baluran National Park

This park is a forest preservation area that extends about 25.000 ha on the north coast of East Java. The location is in Sumberwaru village, Banyuwangi district, Situbondo (on the east border of Java Island). You can enjoy the panorama of savannah and mount Baluran (inactive volcano) in the center of area that becomes habitat of many exotic animals such as wild pigs, deer, peacocks, wild chicken, some species of monkeys and also bulls as the protected animals in the area.

You can enjoy the amazing scenery of the forest and do the safari activities in the wild life and feel the magic of the forest. This park is so unique because 15 km from the main entrance, you can find a beautiful white beach called Bama Beach, here in the habiat of coral reef, fish and mangrove.

You also can observe hundreds species of birds such as hornbills, peacocks and bulbuls. If you like to observe the tropical forest vegetation, the park is a heaven for many species of trees, plants and flowers such as pecan nut trees, Maja, Gadung, Java tamarind trees and mount Widara.

There are several activities that you can do in this park such as: – Safari Forest – forest adventure – Diving and snorkeling – Mountain hiking and mount climbing – Hill walking – Beach adventure to watch the fishermen’s daily activities and seed seekers – Canoeing, rowing or boating until you the Fresh Water Gulf, Sejile Gulf and Bilik Beach.

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Conducting some scientific researching (with prior permission).
Facillities
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If you prefer to safari to Baluran National Park, there are some cottage designed in Madurese style and operated by Environmental Education Center. There is also a main lodge that will serve you European and Indonesia cuisine.
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Villas and lodges, you can rent them with your group members (about 20 persons capacity) and the also provide a praying room and a canteen.
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There are two guesthouses by the beach, but you should have prior reservation.
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Baluran Information Centre and a small museum that has several preserved animals by the main entrance operated by The Forestry Conservation Region Office.
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The visitor can do many activities, such as; Diving, Swimming, boating, snorkeling
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Playground
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A beautiful camping area that is located in Sumberwaru village (outside of the forest preservation area)
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Watching Towers that are usually used by rangers to watch or to observe the animals’ behaviors and the region surrounding (you can bring a pair of binoculars or telescope to have a better look at the beautiful panorama)

Try to consider the wide ranges of this area, you will be better visit Baluran by your car or rent a car from Denpasar or Surabaya. You can also rent a car at Pasir Putih tourist resort or Situbondo. There is also motorbike public transportation called “ojek” in the main entrance that will take you to Bama Beach (with Negotiated cost)

The Route
o If you take a car, it takes 5 hours from Surabaya and 4 hours from Denpasar, Bali.
o For tourists who stay in Pasir Putih, it takes 1.5 hours and only 1 hours from Situbondo.

For more details:
www.banyuwangi.eastjava.com

Kemiren Village Tourism - Banyuwangi

Kemiren Village

Time can change, Culture still remain. Kemiren Countryside, Glagah District, Banyuwangi Sub-Province is the one that still exist by its tradition until present time.

Banyuwangi cultural heritage still remain by the existing of Kemiren Village as one of tourism object nowadays. The people and the government are together maintaining the tourism as a genuinely tourism object to show the particular things which arose from the old Banyuwangi till present time.

The culture itself is stand still with its genuine parts, like the everlasting history which still remain by the time changes. For instance, the houses around Kemiren village are charmingly stand with its unique architecture of Gebyuk and the tradition inside the house.

Nevertheless, between the tradition and modernization is also being particularly unite as shows in farming method. The farmers nowadays are effectively using the modern ways to to their lands, in order to practice the result and also to get the quality of the harvest.

Another custom which still remain is the way of Wedding Ceremony. Banyuwangi people is still face into traditional marriage with serial of actions to do before the day of the bride and the groom is meet and being legalize as husband and wife. For example, the first step from wedding day is start by doing Lamaran Manten or marriage proposal. On Lamaran Manten, the groom and the family attending the bride’s house to propose the women while bringing the Seserahan or kind of Gift to bride’s family. After the Seserahan has taken by the bride’s family, those are choosing the right date to go to the wedding day.

American have their own Thanksgiving Day, but on Kemiren Village is also has its own Thanksgiving day to say grateful to God for the harvest and peace. On the day, the inhabitant are gathering on one place by bringing Tumpeng. Tumpeng is one of Indonesian traditional food which made of yellow rice inside and it has conical form on it. The inhabitant made thousand of Tumpeng or it calls as Tumpeng Sewu. Hence, Banyuwangi’s Thanksgiving is being called as Tumpeng Sewu ceremony.

More info visit: www.banyuwangi.eastjava.com