Gunungkidul – Tens of thousands of tourists flocked to the South Coast (Pansela) area of Gunungkidul Regency on the day following Eid (H+1). The Gunungkidul Tourism, Creative Economy, Youth, and Sports Agency (Disparekrafpora) noted that Drini Beach and Sepanjang Beach remain favorite destinations for tourists.
Lilis, a visitor to Sepanjang Beach, specifically chose the location after seeing it on social media. She was also curious because the beach has recently undergone redevelopment and improvements.
“I came here with my family from Sragen. We chose Sepanjang Beach because it is spacious, allowing the children to play freely in the water.”
“The entrance fee was Rp 15,000 per person; I consider that quite affordable since it grants access to several beaches,” she said.
Another tourist, Nina, said she traveled with her family from Semarang, Central Java. She also chose Sepanjang Beach out of curiosity.
“I was curious after seeing it on social media; the access road is good now, and there are no vendors right on the shoreline, so you get an unobstructed view of the beach. It really is beautiful here, especially in the late afternoon,” she remarked.
Meanwhile, Nanang Putranto, Head of the Destination Development Division at Disparekrafpora Gunungkidul, explained that tourist visits to Gunungkidul continue to rise. Last Friday (March 20), approximately 11,000 people visited Gunungkidul, specifically the beaches.
“Then yesterday, Saturday (March 21), there were 25,000 visitors, and the number is likely to increase again today; what is certain is that tens of thousands of people are visiting today,” he said.
Consequently, Nanang is optimistic that the tourism target for the Eid holiday will be met. This year, Disparekrafpora has set a target of 93,191 visitors to the region (known locally as Bumi Handayani) during the Eid period.
“As for the beaches, Drini and Sepanjang remain the favorites,” he stated.