Ujung Kulon National Park seasonal timing guide for its Banten setting

Java's last lowland rainforest stronghold and the world's final refuge for the critically endangered Javan rhinoceros

Ujung Kulon National Park

Ujung Kulon National Park represents one of Indonesia's most significant protected areas, serving as both a biodiversity sanctuary and a living repository of Java's natural heritage. Located at the westernmost tip of Java island in Banten province, the park encompasses the Ujung Kulon peninsula, the Gunung Honje mountain range, and surrounding coastal waters. The region was first introduced to the scientific community by Dutch-German botanist Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn in 1846, though much of its documented conservation history began following the catastrophic eruption of Mount Krakatoa in 1883. The eruption, which generated a 15-meter tsunami, destroyed settlements across the peninsula and deposited an average 30 centimeters of volcanic ash across the area. Despite this devastation, the region recovered remarkably quickly, later serving as a crucial repository for Java's flora and fauna as the island's lowland forests were cleared for agriculture. The park was Indonesia's first national park to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, recognized specifically for containing the largest remaining area of lowland rainforests in Java and for possessing the most threatened species of rhino. It was also designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2005, further cementing its regional conservation significance.