As a tropical country, Indonesia tends to have humid soils and beach sands. For some people, desert is one remarkable view that is rarely encountered, but not for the residents in Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. There, outspread a so-called “Sahara Desert of Indonesia” along the outfall of Opak River until Parangtritis Beach. Instead of desert, this area is normally called as Gumuk Pasir, which means the sand dune. Gumuk in Javanese – one of the traditional language in Java Island, Indonesia – means mound or heap, while Pasir means sand.

The existence of this sand dune could not be separated from the relationship between Merapi as one of the most active volcano in the world, the Opak River and Parangtritis Beach. The sand was originated from the volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Merapi, which was carried by the flow of Opak River and eventually reaches the outflow in Parangtritis. Thereafter, those volcanic materials were tossed around by the waves until eroded and turned into a fine dust. Once dried, the dust would fly with the wind towards the beachside area. This process occurred continuously for hundreds of years, forming an extensive sand dune, which is known as Gumuk Pasir Parangkusumo.

ACTIVITIES:

Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

What can we learn:

• Natural phenomenon

• The Interconnection of nature

• Sandboarding

Learn to Travel:

• It is advisable to come here either early in the morning or before the sunset (around 4-6 pm) to avoid the schorching sun

• No littering

• Drink more water to prevent dehydration