Pantai Batu Bengkung is located at Southern Malang City. It is near with another shore which become the main beach tourism spot of Malang.
Traveling to the Southern Malang beach is not an easy task, we had to cross two or three mountains to get to the beach road.
In the late 2015, the road on Southern Dampit are all finished re-established. Before the construction, we had to going around the hills before get to the main road into Gua Cina, Bajul Mati, and Batu Bengkung beach, but now, as the hills are demolished right in the middle, the road can be construct and ease the tourist and locals to go to the beaches.
This is actually how Malang City government optimized the Malang tourism and attract many domestic even international tourist to go to Malang in their vacation.
Then, we head to Gajahrejo, the town where Batu Bengkung beach is, with the order as following: Malang to Pakisaji, then Bululawang and Turen, followed by Gondanglegi which will take you to Sumbermanjing and Gedangan later, finally Gajahrejo.
There is not so much to see in Malang to Turen, but when we got to Gondanglegi, the atmosphere of village with its people and rice fields pretty much freshen up my mood.
I like to see so many green fields with the clear blue sky contrasting with the brown and dark green hill below it. The road on Gedangan to Gajahrejo is filled with dark yet cool forest.
The majority of forest’s tree are pretty much a dry trees like pines and below them are wet vegetation and bush. The road are snaking and going up in the beginning of the hills and going all the way down when we are at the edge of the hills.
Then, we were out of the hill’s forest and get back to the main road with ocean in the side, and then we pass a very iconic bridge crossing the river which going straight to the beach. This bridge is huge, connecting the main road to the beach, on the side of the bridge, we can see a large group of mangrove, painting the scenery green and a clear blue sky at that time perfecting the view.
Not very far away from the bridge, we saw more of the yellow and brown hills, but this one’s different. They were all demolished right in the middle, we can see the heavy equipment used to crack open the hill in the middle still park near in the roadside. The main road of the hill are hideous and rocky at the beginning but flawless in the following until we got to the Batu Bengkung.
We can enjoy Batu Bengkung beach by paying 5000 rupiahs in the entrance to pay the parking guards and… the parking itself. It takes about 2 and half an hours to get to Batu Bengkung from Malang. We were told to park in the motorcycle parking lots near the beachside shops which actually pretty far from the shore, approximately 500 meters.
We walk from the parking lot to the beach by foot. It feels good to heating up the feet and feel the warmth of the sun transferred to us by sand. Before we get to the southern shore, there are a big reef to cross to, and we had to climb up to get there to go to the side shore where algae are so near to the land that it looks combined. The sky are so beautiful with its clear orange sky gradient with yellow sun circling the canopy. Wave are pretty much strong yet calm, rumbling to the shore which feels like it talks with the nature around them.
The shore was exquisite, the combination between rocky reef on the both side of the beach with big wave coming and splashing into the reef’s bottom creating a big space intended deeper into shore. The shore also filled with small sole reef with its gaunt and sharp pore, which is very dangerous to step to.
Aside from that, the shore’s footing is very unique. It is not a beach sand like usual beach but it is a sea biotas and sea creatures like corals and algae mainly green flora-like creatures but there are numerous colors enliven the shore’s hue making it more beautiful.
For whoever wants to swim, we can go to the main beach, not far from southern shore just about five minutes walk. In the main beach, there are pool-like spot in the seaside where we can swim and enjoy the seawater until our heart’s content.
Feeling rinse? Hungry? Wants something to ate? Don’t you worry, because the food stall are available near the parking spot so, whenever you feel you want to rinse your body and enjoy warm delicious bakso, they will serve it right away. For one time rinsing, you only have to pay 3000 rupiah. The rinse bathroom are not including soap and shampoo so you have to brought it from home or buy it from nearby shops. Bakso in the stall is also cheap, for only 10.000 rupiah, you can full your stomach with a big portion of bakso campur.
