Stand on the harbour wall in Karimunjawa town and the two islands in front of you are Menjangan Besar (“big”) and Menjangan Kecil (“small”). They are the closest of all the small islands — a few minutes by boat — and the first stop on many island-hopping days.
They are also where you will meet Karimunjawa’s most awkward attraction: the pools where captive sharks are kept so that visitors can get in the water with them. We think you should give it a miss. The honest background is below.
What to do: Menjangan Besar & Menjangan Kecil
Snorkel off Menjangan Kecil
The reef off Menjangan Kecil is one of the park’s best-known snorkelling spots: shallow hard-coral gardens with anemones, clownfish and plenty of reef fish. Because it is so close to town it gets busy mid-morning; a private boat can be there before the shared boats arrive.
Walk the beach on Menjangan Kecil
The island has a pretty shoreline of white sand, a sand spit and coconut palms, with a swing or two set up for photographs. It is a pleasant place to dry off between snorkels.
Why we advise against the shark pool
On Menjangan Besar, blacktip and other reef sharks are held in shallow fenced pens, and visitors pay to wade or pose among them. The facility was shut in June 2018 after a visitor was bitten; in March 2019 more than a hundred captive sharks died there in a single incident that the authorities investigated; and a petition signed by around 25,000 people has called the pools exploitation. Whatever its current status when you visit, the animals are confined in warm, shallow water and handled for photographs — and there is a real risk to you. Sharks belong on the reef, not in a pen.
What to do instead
Tell your boat crew at the start of the day that you do not want to stop at the shark pool — on a shared boat you can simply stay aboard or on the beach. Use the time for a longer snorkel. With luck you will see a wild juvenile blacktip cruising the shallows of a sandbar, which is the encounter worth having.
Getting there: Menjangan Besar & Menjangan Kecil
- Both islands are a few minutes by boat from the harbour in Karimunjawa town and are included in the western island-hopping route.
- Local boatmen at the harbour will also run you across for a short visit; agree the price and the pick-up time before you go.
- There is accommodation on Menjangan Kecil for those who want a small-island stay; transfers are arranged by the property.
Insider tips
- If the shark pool matters to you — either way — ask before you book whether your tour stops there. Itineraries differ between operators and change over time.
- On a private boat it is easy to leave it out; say so when booking.
- Never feed fish or sharks, in pens or in the wild.
- Snorkel Menjangan Kecil early: by late morning the boats are several deep.
Tours & transfers: Menjangan Besar & Menjangan Kecil
These bookable experiences are the easiest way to fit Menjangan Besar & Menjangan Kecil into a Karimunjawa trip:
Snorkelling & island hopping from $24 Snorkelling & Island-Hopping Tour Karimunjawa (Sharing Tour)
The best-reviewed Karimunjawa product on GetYourGuide and the classic island day: a shared wooden boat to snorkelling spots and sandy islets, grilled fish for lunch on a beach and the sunset on the way home. It is priced per person, so it works for solo travellers and couples.
- A full day on a shared boat around the small islands
- Snorkelling stops over coral gardens, gear included
- Barbecue lunch on an island and a sunset stop
Snorkelling & island hopping from $126 per group Snorkelling & Island-Hopping Tour Karimunjawa (Private Tour)
The same full-day route as the shared boat, but the boat is yours. That means you can leave earlier, linger where the coral is best, skip a stop you do not want — the shark pool, for instance — and keep children or nervous swimmers close. Priced per group rather than per person.
- Your own boat and crew for the day
- Set the pace: longer snorkels, quieter islets
- Barbecue lunch on an island and a sunset stop
