Pangandaran

West Java's best kept secret, the beach resort of Pangandaran can be found poking its way out of the south coast of the island. Thanks to the regular influx of visitors from Jakarta, the place is endowed with row upon row of high-rise, cookie-cutter hotels, all shouldering their way atop the yellow sands of both East Beach and West Beach. This duo of seaside strips culminates at the protected reaches of the Pananjung Pangandaran Nature Reserve, which juts out into the Indian Ocean at the tip of a long, finger-like tendril of land. Pangandaran tour guides often lead expeditions in the chiseled canyons there, between the lizard-stalked rainforests and boulder-spattered coves. Alternatively, opt to stay in town for a session in surfing when the swells are high, backed up with a meal from the earthy seafood warungs (local Indonesian eateries) along the shore with piles of grilled fish cuts and a cold Bintang. Use the bamboo bridge crossing to explore the rolling swells of Batu Karas, stopping over at the stalagmites of the Green Canyon on the way.