Batu Karas is famous for its surf, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and a very friendly vibe.  Whilst it is one of Java's most popular surfing spots for beginner or advanced surfer, it still hosts a lively fishing and rice farming community, giving you the opportunity to observe village life at close quarters, without feeling like you're visiting a tourist town.

Take a stroll along the beach in the mornings, and you can watch the farmers going out to their ricefields while the fishermen are just returning from a night at sea. Once the catch is in, the morning fish market comes alive, with buyers coming from around West Java to buy fresh tuna, octopus, sword fish, silver dory and prawns. In the late afternoons the farmers can be spotted on the beaches pulling in the massive nets. Their pay: whatever fish the fishermen won't sell.

Around Batu Karas you can also see villagers making the palm leaf roofing, called alang-alang which is used on traditional houses and shops throughout the village. Selling coconut juice, and making coconut palm sugar, known as gula merah, are also important traditional local industries. Young boys are highly practiced in the art of scaling coconut trees, and will tap as many as 60 coconut trees a day, for the sugar.

People in Batu Karas are friendly. But due to their limited English skills, will usually greet foreign tourists with a "hello mister", regardless of their sex.

And Villa Monyet, with its individual bungalows, enjoying fabulous beach view, is the perfect place to explore Batu Karas, Pangandaran the surrounding coast, and the culture of West Java.

Jan-June (mid July): offshore winds. The Point Break is the main surfing and swimming beach, it's ideal for learning to surf, as the gentle right-hand breaks over a sandy bottom that rolls up to 400 metres. It is one of the best surf spot for beginner to surf in Indonesia. More advanced surfer can take off right at the point, it has nice tubes when the wave is on. And 50 metres from the point the waves become more mellow, it's perfect for long boarder. It works most of the year, low tide and mid tide. It becomes really mellow when it's high tide, but it's perfect for beginner to practise. The Point Break is 10 minute walks from Villa Monyet.

July- September : cross-shore winds, but some inside section of the Point Break is protected by the hills. Otherwise it's consistent big swells.

October-December : offshore winds. The swell is relatively small, but otherwise it's still good small swell for beginner.

Feb-June (mid July): offshore winds. The Reef Break is good for advanced surfers. It has fast walls that roll up to 150 metres. Easy take off. It works best Mid to High tide. Low tide will be too shallow and you will see reef clearly. Some people wear booties, but locals never wear them. The Reef Break is just in front of Villa Monyet. Take your coffee from the kitchen and enjoy it at the beach garden while watching the surf.

West Java’s famous Wayang golek or wooden puppets are only performed for special events such as the annual fishermen’s festival, where an offering is made to the goddess of the sea – Nyai Roro Kidul, or wedding parties. If you’d like to see Wayang Golek in
action, our staff can take you to the wooden puppet makers, and you can learn how to manipulate the puppets. The puppet –maker is also a skilled performer and can adopt different voices, depending on which character he is maneuvering.