Visitors pass by tree houses on Kalompek Hill near Dungkek village, Dungkek district, Sumenep regency, East Java, Monday (28/8). Kalompek Hill is an alternative tourist spot where visitors can see Gili Iyang Island and enjoy a breath of its high-oxygen air from atop its height.
A visit to Sumenep regency in East Java, one of the three easternmost regencies on Madura Island, will not be complete if you only travel around urban areas. The moment you set foot in front of Sumenep Palace, you will want to head out across the strait to Gili Iyang.
The journey across the strait to the island, famous for having the most oxygenated environment in the world, apart from Jordan, takes only between 45 minutes and 60 minutes, depending on the winds. The 10-hectare island with 9,185 residents in its two villages, Banca Mara and Banra’as, are now gaining fame among travelers.
The island was discovered in 1962 by Daeng Masalh from Mandar, South Sulawesi. The island’s main appeal is its high oxygen level, resulting in the island having many healthy centenarian residents.
Latest data shows that the island is home to 157 centenarians. One family on the island consists of five generations, with its eldest member aged 115 years old and its youngest, 10 years old.
In order to truly benefit from the high concentration of oxygen, visitors are required to stay overnight on the island, and no four-wheeled motor vehicles are allowed. “You can really feel it from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning. The air is really fresh, and you can feel it when you take a deep breath,” said Bambang, 50, a Sumenep resident who often visits Gili Iyang to enjoy the unpolluted air.
The oxygenated air can even be enjoyed on Kalompek Hill across the strait.
On Monday (28/8/2017) at 3:30 p.m., Kalompek Hill in Dungkek village, Dungkek district, was quiet. At 4 p.m., around a dozen people started to arrive at the village, and the hill became a little crowded. Dungkek is reachable by a 30-minute boat ride from the Gili Iyang pier.
Entering the 2-hectare tourism area, visitors are greeted by signs bearing humorous quotes: “Rather than coming here, you’d better get married soon,” says one of the wooden signs.
Other visitors were busily taking selfies at a spot that looks like a sailboat. Couple Rizky, 23, and Susi, 25, along with Nadia, 7, were posing while holding aloft a selfie stick in front of lines of coconut trees against the backdrop of Gili Iyang.
Satisfied with their pictures, they took a rest at one of the huts. While enjoying cold coconut water and cendol siwalan (green jelly served in iced coconut milk with palm sugar), they sat in awe of the stunning panorama.
“I really want to visit Gili Iyang with my daughter Nadia, but I haven’t had the chance to do it. For now, I am satisfied with gazing upon the island from a height and breathing the oxygen from here,” said Susi, who lives in Sumenep’s Gapura district.
The air around the hill is indeed fresher. The moment you descend the hill a little, the air is already warmer.
As 20-year-old Dungkek villager Gufron said, the tourist area located near his house is a perfect spot for a visit with friends. “The best way is to come here in the morning, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., or in the afternoon, between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The air is as fresh as on Gili Iyang, I think,” he said.
Incomplete
Despite its great view, the tourist area is still incomplete. A number of gathering spots are located by a cliff that has no fences. The area’s tourism management has put up warning signs for visitors as a start. The sailboat arena is another example.
In front of the path leading to the arena, there is a warning that only 10 people are allowed inside the arena at a single time.
Dungkek village head Jumahri said that the tourist area still left a lot to be desired. Proper tourism planning for the site only began in February 2017. However, during the Idul Fitri holiday in late June, the place was visited by thousands of tourists.
Based on the parking receipts collected, it was estimated that 1,000 people had visited the area during the holiday. The week after, more than 5,000 people had visited.
The huge enthusiasm of travelers to visit Katompek Hill has encouraged the Sumenep administration to promote the location as an alternative tourist site. Sumenep tourism, culture, youth and sports agency head Sofi Yanto said that the administration would include Katompek Hill in its 2018 tourism packages.
The package will include Gili Iyang, Katompek Hill, Lombang beach and Legung village, where travelers can try out its sand dunes. “The tourism package is hoped to boost the local economy around Dungkek village,” Sofi said.
Visiting Gili Iyang is easier now, as a speedboat serves the route between the island and Sumenep with a journey of 10-25 minutes.
