Monomad Challenge – Mangrove Ecotourism Park

Friday, 2022-10-14

This is my entry for the #monomad challenge.

Last Tuesday afternoon, we decided to visit a mangrove ecotourism park my wife had been talking about for a while. The mangrove park occupies 99.8 hectares, located in the Kamal Muara sub-district adjacent to the Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), an elite residential area in North Jakarta. This area used to be cultivated by dozens of illegal fishermen. They destroyed the original forest environment when trees and mangroves turned into fish ponds. After 12 years of struggling to clear the area and replanting mangroves, finally, the park was inaugurated and opened to the public in 2010.

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THE ENTRANCE

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The ticketing office and the main entrance to the park. Admission ticket is $2 USD/person for locals, $10 for foreigners.

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THE SURROUNDING AREA & ACCOMMODATION

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Bringing your DSLR camera may need an additional permit, but I did not have problems when I took my Sony A6000. Maybe it was on a Tuesday afternoon when there were hardly any visitors. These days, I have seen a lot of public places imposing the new regulation about using DSLR cameras. Taking pictures is still allowed, only using your phone camera. Drones and DSLR cameras require a permit from the management.

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Paddle boats and motorized boats for rent at the pier.

An outdoor cafetaria.

Public toilet, surprisingly clean and well maintained.

Neglected and abandoned cottages.

Bungalows for rent.

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Besides walking around, you can indulge in different activities such as; boat rides, motorized or paddle boats, climbing the watchtower, birdwatching, and planting mangroves. The park also offers stay-in accommodations ranging from non-air-conditioned tents and wood cottages to fully air-conditioned 1 - 2 bedroom bungalows. It looked like all the non-air-conditioned tents and cottages were damaged, neglected, and abandoned.

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THE BAMBOO BRIDGES

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Be extra cautious when walking on bamboo bridges (paths) as they are uneven and wobbly. There're gaps here and there with visible nails protruding that can easily hurt and make you trip. Now and then, you will catch a glimpse of big monitor lizard swimming. Nice park, but unfortunately not well managed and lacks maintenance. Trashes and plastics are seen everywhere along the bamboo bridges.

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THE MANGROVES

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PRE-WED PHOTOSHOOTS

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On the way out we saw a pre-wed photoshoot. Apparently, this area is quite popular for photoshoots.

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That was our Tuesday afternoon adventure. We spent around 90 minutes there, and even though it was an overcast day, the weather was still hot and humid. In some areas, we could hear the buzzing of mosquitoes and other small insects following us. Will I go back there again? Nah! Once is enough!

_{Sony A6000, E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS.}

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Thank you for reading and for your support.

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A baby boomer who's trying to embrace and adapt to the new digital world. Worked for over 30 years in the IT industry before retiring and now run an online vegetable delivery and hydroponics equipment business. Enjoy traveling, cooking, writing, playing pool, and all IT-related stuff. You're always welcome to leave a comment or feedback, and an upvote or reblog is also greatly appreciated.