Mangrove Tour at Jungutbatu Village

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Since the year 2000 Jungutbatu village community on the Island of Nusa Lembongan, Klungkung offers a mangrove tour to travelers. Foreign and domestic travelers are taken around to mangrove forest by riding a sampan. This destination can be reached from Sanur and Benoa Harbor by a cruise ship or fast boat. Nowadays, at this Jungutbatu village has even been formed a group that provide services for mangrove boat tour. Like a public transport, 34 members coalesced into the group also have a queue number when being in operation. “We recruit all the seaweed farmers because they have a sampan. Initially we did not use a queue, but we then try to negotiate about our future. From the idea, we establish a well-organized group,” said the Mangrove Tour Management Assistant, Gede Adnyana. Currently, each community has the initiative to promote mangrove tour to travelers.
Now, the mangrove tours continue to grow in line with the rapid development of tourism at Lembongan. At this moment more travelers are escorted by freelance tour guides than supplied by dive cruise dropping in on the island. “Every day at least 10 to 25 sampans take mangrove tour. During high season, we are definitely overwhelmed,” said Adnyana. He said that during June-July, this featured object is much visited by domestic travelers, while in August is dominated by foreign travelers. Rates are subject to a minimum of IDR 100,000 per sampan with a maximum of four passengers.
“We take side the revenue of IDR 10,000 to the group’s cash. A total of 25 percent goes to village authority, 25 percent to group organization and 50 percent of the cash to the group because each month we also make conservation here, or doing environmental cleanup,” said Adnyana.

Conservation activities in the mangrove area of Jungutbatu are done seriously. Each group members is routinely required to clean up the mangrove area and make the area look like ever before. On the other hand, the groups or surrounding communities also never cleared the mangrove to make the tour path. In other words, these routes are still natural because it looks like ever before. “If they do not join the cleanup, they will be imposed with a fine of IDR 5,000,” said Adnyana.
Group members seem to have understood about the mangrove conservation. Nyoman Sudiaya, for example, clearly mentions some benefits of the mangrove forests. Actually, the owner of the line number 31 has now been half a century old. “It functions to prevent tsunami and high waves because high waves once occurred here. Besides, it also becomes the native home to fish and crabs,” said Sudiaya doubling as a seaweed farmer. Considering the vital function of the mangrove, Sudiaya and local residents finally comply with the government rules that prohibit the clearing of mangroves for firewood. “Now, people are not allowed to take firewood here, to prevent waves. Anybody taking the firewood here can be imposed with a fine of IDR 100 million,” he continued. (BTN/kmb)www.bali-travelnews.com
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