On the Ground in Ujung Kulon: Ecotourism

Bringing tourists to the Park

At Taman Jaya village, on the western side of the Park, what is left of the road peters out and ends. Wary travellers climb off their motorbikes with a mixed feeling of relief, and apprehension of the unavoidable ride back the way they came.

But Taman Jaya is a good place to stop, a peaceful hamlet located right next to the jetty from which boats set off to the Park, across the bay. This is also the place where KAGUM, an ecotourism venture set-up by WWF, has based its modest headquarters.

Enter KAGUM
KAGUM, which means 'admire' in Indonesian, is a cooperative that was formed with assistance from WWF in 1999, and that is operated by people from Taman Jaya. Its members provide the range of ecotourism associated services including guides, homestay, water transport etc.

WWF helped with capacity building and provided financial support for transportation and communications. Today, training for management is ongoing.

The programme
A tour with KAGUM may involve trekking and wildlife watching (above and under water). The tours range from 2 to 5 days and provide opportunities for aficionados of canoeing, snorkelling and trekking to see the best of what nature can provide.

Tours are organized and executed by trained staff from local communities around the National Park. This provides additional income for local people, making it possible for them to avoid extracting natural resources from Ujung Kulon's forests to make a living.