Plengkung Beach, an Amazing Surfing Spot

 

Plengkung Beach or better known as G-Land, is a beautiful beach that is very famous for surfing lovers around the world, located in the Alas Purwo National Park area, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Plengkung Beach (G-Land) is recognized as one of the seven surfing spots with the best waves in the world (The Seven Giant Waves Wonder) after Hawaii.

In 2020 Plengkung Beach was chosen as the location for the 3rd series of the World Surf League (WSL). The big event is planned to be held on 4-14 June 2020. The series that will be held in Banyuwangi is a kind of grand slam, with only four events a year. G-Land was chosen as one of 11 series with funding of US$2.5 million (around Rp. 37 billion) from WSL. This beach was once used as the location for the international surfing competition Quicksilver Pro Surving Championship in 1995-1998 and Da Hui Pro Surfing World in 2003.

Plengkung Beach itself is nicknamed G-Land which refers to several things, one of which is the letter G which leads to Grajagan Bay, where Plengkung Beach is located. On the other hand, the letter G is taken from the word Green, which refers to the location of Plengkung Beach as a green forest. Apart from that, the letter G also comes from the word Great, thanks to the big, long and full waves of Plengkung Beach. Another version also states that the word G-Land comes from the curve of Plengkung Beach which is similar to the letter G.

The waves at Plengkung beach are divided into 3 levels, namely Kong waves with wave heights reaching 6-8 meters, spedis waves with wave heights reaching 5-6 meters and many tranck waves with wave heights reaching 3-4 meters which are usually used by beginner surfers.

Apart from enjoying the exoticism of Plengkung beach, which is famous abroad. We can also enjoy the natural beauty of Alas Purwo National Park with various kinds of habitats that live in it. We can also play on the beach with its fine white sand and on the edge of the coral rocks. Activities that are no less interesting for us to try are trekking by bicycle or walking stiffly, snorkeling, diving, fishing, or seeing a turtle hatchery. We can also enjoy the beauty of the sunset on this beach which is no less beautiful than other places.

From Banyuwangi city center, we can go straight to Alas Purwo National Park. Usually use a rented car or motorbike. Each visitor is charged a levy, for those of us from within the country IDR 15,000 per person and for us abroad IDR 150,000 per person. Arriving at the Pancur Guard Post, we continued our journey by renting a guard vehicle to go to Plengkung Beach. Private vehicles are not permitted to enter. The car rental fee is IDR 200 thousand for five to six people. The journey can take up to an hour, because the road in the middle of the Alas Purwo forest is not yet paved smoothly. For those coming from Bali, it is much easier. They used a fast boat from Kuta Reef Pier in the Kuta area. The journey takes 3.5 hours and docks at the resort pier.

Accommodation that you can rent on this beach includes Bobby surf camp, Joyo's Surf Camp and G-Land Surf and Resort. The three accommodations charge rates above one million rupiah. It is indeed expensive for our size, but the price is commensurate with the facilities offered.

Because it is in Alas Purwo National Park, Google Maps cannot measure distances, it only displays the position of the beach at the eastern tip of East Java Province