Lighthouses of Indonesia: North West Java

The Republic of Indonesia has been independent since 1945 after having been the Dutch East Indies for more than 350 years. It is a huge country, stretching along both sides of the Equator for more than 46 degrees of longitude (roughly 5100 km or 3200 miles). Comprised of some 17,000 islands (more than 6000 inhabited islands), it has hundreds of major aids to navigation.

The island of Java (Jawa in Indonesian) is the heart of the country and home to 57% of the population. In fact, with more than 150 million residents it is the world's most populous island. The national capital, Jakarta, is on the northwestern coast of Java. The island is about 1000 km (620 mi) long and up to 210 km (130 mi) wide, with a mountainous spine that includes about three dozen historically active volcanos.

Indonesia is divided into 38 provinces (provinsi) and the provinces are subdivided into county units called regencies (kabupaten). This page includes lighthouses of the well-populated northwestern coast of Java, including the Jakarta Special Capital Region and the north coast of West Java Province. West Java Province has two coasts: a north coast facing the Java Sea and a south coast facing the Indian Ocean. Lighthouses of the southern coast are listed on the Southwestern Java page.

More than 700 languages are spoken in Indonesia. The official national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), was standardized from a form of Malay that served as a lingua franca across the archipelago. In Indonesian a lighthouse is a mercusuar or a menara suar. Tanjung is a cape, ujung is a headland or point of land, bukit is a hill, sungai is a river, kuala or muara is an estuary or river mouth, pulau is an island, karang is a reef, batu is a rock, laut is a sea, selat is a strait, teluk is a bay, pelabuhan is a harbor, and labuhan is a port.

The original Dutch names of historic lighthouses, if known, are shown in curly brackets {}.

Aids to navigation in Indonesia are operated and maintained by the Directorate of Marine Navigation within the Directorate General of Sea Transportation

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume Q of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Leuchttürme in Indonesien
Photos posted by Andreas Köhler.
Lighthouses in Indonesia
Wikimedia photos, including a collection of historic photos from the collection of the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam.
World of Lighthouses - Indonesia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Indonesia
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. The Semarang photos are by Jim Smith.
Indonesian Lighthouses
Historic postcard views from the collection of Michel Forand.
Leuchttürme Asiens, Australiens, und Ozeaniens auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Java.

Edam (Pulau Damar)
Light, Jakarta, July 2023
Google Maps photo by Jejak Voc

Jakarta Special Capital Region Lighthouses

Kepulauan Seribu (Seribu Islands) Regency Lighthouses
The Seribu Islands (or Thousand Islands) are a chain of small islands extending north from near Jakarta into the Java Sea. There are in fact 342 islands but only about a dozen are fully developed with a permanent population. Others have resort developments, are protected within a marine national park, or are privateely owned.
Jaga Utara (Pulau Sebira, North Watcher) {Noord Wachter}
1869. Active; focal plane 48.5 m (159 ft); two white flashes every 11 s. 48 m (157 ft) 16-sided cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, central cylinder, and a 1-story keeper's house enclosed in the base. Lighthouse painted white. Staffed coast guard station with several buildings. A closeup photo is at right, another closeup is available, Tommy Bernardus has a photo, Cecep Suryadi has a photo, a 2023 photo and a historic photo are available, and Bing has a satellite view of the station. This is the oldest surviving Dutch lighthouse in Indonesia. The Indonesian jaga utara and the Dutch noord wachter both mean "north watcher" or "guardian of the north." Located on an isolated but inhabited island north of the main Seribu chain, about 65 km (40 mi) east of the Sumatran coast and 130 km (80 mi) north northwest of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS IDO-062; Admiralty Q1042; NGA 23376.
Beting Raja ("King Shoal")
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) tower, form unknown, painted black with a red horizontal band, on a platform supported by piles. No photo available and the light is not shown in Bing's satellite view. Located on a dangerous shoal about 55 km (34 mi) east of Jaga Utara. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1040; NGA 23388.
Beting Eka
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) tower, form unknown, painted black with a red horizontal band, on a platform supported by piles. No photo available and the light is not shown in Bing's satellite view. Located on a dangerous shoal about 96 km (60 mi) east southeast of Jaga Utara. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1038; NGA 23392.
Pulau Payung Besar (Big Umbrella Island) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is available, Beta Hapsari has a distant view, Rafi Fikri has a second distant view, and Google has a good satellite view. The original lighthouse was similar but not identical to the present light. Located on a small island about 32 km (20 mi) east of Pulau Tunda and 90 km (55 mi) northwest of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-236; Admiralty Q1058; NGA 23364.

Jaga Utara Light, Java Sea, October 2017
Google Maps photo by Wawan Wan
Pulau Peniki (South Watcher) {Zuid Wachter}
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 5 s. 35 m (115 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Staffed coast guard station with several buildings. Ririn Ambar has a photo, a blogger has photos, and Google has a satellite view. This light greets vessels bound for Jakarta from Singapore. Located on a small island in the Java Sea about 90 km (55 mi) north northwest of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-238; Admiralty Q1060.5; NGA 23372.
Karang Jong
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); three green flashes every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a reef off the east end of Pulau Pari, near the southern end of the Seribu Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1060; NGA 23368.
Gosong Dapur
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 15 m (49 ft) square white skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a reef on the approach to Jakarta, about 15 km (9 mi) west northwest of the Edam lighthouse (next entry). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1061; NGA 23370.
Pulau Damar Besar {Edam}
1881. Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 50 m (164 ft) 12-sided cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Staffed coast guard station with several buildings. Jejak Voc's 2023 photo is at the top of this page, Datuk Kalu has a 2023 closeup, Deni Adam Malik has a photo, Rodang Loren has a view from the sea, Wikipedia has a distant aerial photo (identified as Pulau Seribu), Trabas has Rainer Arndt's distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Staffed by a crew of five. This famous lighthouse traditionally welcomes travelers to Jakarta. It was prefabricated in the Netherlands by Nering Bögel, Deventer. Located on Pulau Damar Besar in the center of the entrance to the bay of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat, but apparently boats can be chartered in Jakarta. ARLHS IDO-061; Admiralty Q1062; NGA 23404.

Jakarta City: Sunda Kelapa Lighthouses
Sunda Kelapa is the original harbor of Jakarta, adjoining the downtown area. Today it is used mostly by small craft.

Muara Karang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 3 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower. R. Halim has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to an industrial canal on the west side of Jakarta's harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q1070; NGA 23416.1.

Pulau Peniki Light, Java Sea, October 2013
Google Maps photo by Ririn Ambar
Muara Karang West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round green tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view of the breakwater lights is available. Located at the end of a long breakwater at Muara Karang. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1070.3; NGA 23416.2.
Muara Karang East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round red tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view of the breakwater lights is available. Located at the end of a long breakwater at Muara Karang. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1070.4; NGA 23416.3.
Sunda Kelapa Harbor West (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 17 m (56 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower, painted green. Bill Strong has a photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This light replaced a much shorter light listed by NGA. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1069.4; NGA 23412.
Sunda Kelapa Harbor East (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 17 m (56 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower, painted red. Suharwan has a photo, Augusto Sunga has a photo of the lighthouse in silhouette, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This light replaced a much shorter light listed by NGA. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1069; NGA 23408.
Jakarta {Batavia} West Mole (Sunda Kelapa)
1862. Active (?); focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) round stone tower with gallery, painted white. Original lantern removed. A photo is at right, another photo is available, a page for the lighthouse has recent and historic photos, the Tropenmusuem has historic photos, Forand has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Several sources describe the lighthouse as inactive but it remains on the international light lists. The lighthouse is now immediately adjacent to the Jakarta Fish Port. As part of the redevelopment of this harbor, the lighthouse was to be refurbished; however, we do not know the status of this planned restoration. Located on the east side of the mole, about 1200 m (3/4 mi) south of Kelapa Harbor lights. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-063; Admiralty Q1068.5; NGA 23416.

Sunda Kelapa Light, Jakarta, December 2016
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Rochelimit
Sunda Kelapa Entrance North
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower painted green. Terry Allen has a photo of the two entrance lighthouses, Chris Brown has a second photo, Kolda Maska has a 2019 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located off the east side of the Sunda Kelapa quay. Accessible only by boat but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. . Admiralty Q1072.7; NGA 23417.
Sunda Kelapa Entrance South
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower painted red. Kolda Maska's closeup is at right, Terry Allen has a photo of the two entrance lighthouses, Chris Brown has a second photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located off the east side of the Sunda Kelapa quay. Accessible only by boat but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1072.8; NGA 23417.1.
** Jakarta Harbor (Batavia Marina) (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. Approx. 22 m (72 ft) octagonal light tower atop a square cylindrical glass-enclosed tower attached to the side of a 5-story building. Google has a street view and a satellite view. This appears to be a historic building recently converted to an upscale marina and restauarant. Located just east of the Sunda Kelapa quays. Site open; it appears that visitors can climb to the gallery. Site manager: Batavia Marina. Admiralty Q1068; NGA 23420.

Jakarta City: Tanjung Priok Lighthouses
The Port of Tanjung Priok is the modern harbor of Jakarta, located east of the downtown area. It is by far Indonesia's busiest port.

Karang Pasir
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 4 s. 12 m round white fiberglass tower on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. This light and several similar lights nearby are important guides for ships arriving in Jakarta. Located on a reef about 6 km (4 mi) north northeast of Sunda Kelapa. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1066; NGA 23407.5.
Karang Nirwana
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 5 s. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped green fiberglass tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. NGA lists it as Pulau Nirwana but there is no island. Located on a reef about 10 km (6 mi) off the Jakarta waterfront, northeast of the traditional harbor and northwest of Tanjung Priok. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1064; NGA 23406.

Sunda Kelapa Entrance South Light, Jakarta, November 2019
Google Maps photo by Kolda Maska
Pondok Dayung Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 18 m (59 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 18 m (59 ft) square white skeletal tower on a square pier. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. This is the entrance range for the Indonesian Navy's Pondok Dayung base on the west side of the commercial Tanjung Priok port. Located just off the south breakwater of the port. Site and tower closed. Admralty Q1073.66.
Pondok Dayung Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 24 m (79 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 24 m (79 ft) square white skeletal tower on a square pier. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located about 50 m (165 ft) south of the front light.. Site and tower closed. Admralty Q1073.665.
Tanjung Priok West Mole (2)
Around 2015. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); green flash every 4 s. 20 m (66 ft) round fiberglass tower with an octagonal base and a flared top, surrounded recently by a sculpture of a human figure. Entire lighthouse is green. Kevin Natanael has a photo, Syaman Kawanan has a photo, Rahul Bayan has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Tanjung Priok, at Tipar in east Jakarta, is a modern containership port and ferry terminal. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Tanjung Priok harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1073.8; NGA 23436.5.
Tanjung Priok Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white and carrying a triangular daymark, point up. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a quay of the the Tanjung Priok harbor waterfront at Tipar, in east Jakarta. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1073.3.
Tanjung Priok Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 4 s. 41 m (131 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white and carrying a triangular daymark, point down. Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the Tanjung Priok harbor waterfront at Tipar, in east Jakarta. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1073.31.
Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok (Tarusan Entreport) Leading
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); continuous light, white, red or green depending on direction. Approx. 35 m (115 ft) square white skeletal tower. Google has a satellite view. Located on the Tanjung Priok harbor waterfront at Tipar, in east Jakarta. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1073.4; NGA 23429.
Tanjung Priok (Tipar) Inner Harbor
Date unknown (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); white flash every 10 s. 40 m (131 ft) square white skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Tanjung Priok harbor waterfront at Tipar, in east Jakarta. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1073.5; NGA 23428.
Tanjung Priok East Mole
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); red flash every 4 s. 20 m (66 ft) round fiberglass tower with an octagonal base and a flared top, surrounded recently by a sculpture of a human figure. Entire lighthouse is red. A photo by Kevin Natanael is at right, Raden Kuncoro has a 2023 photo, a drone view is available, Lightphotos.net has a distant view of the two breakwater lights, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Tanjung Priok harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1076; NGA 23436.

Tanjung Priok East Mole Light, Jakarta, July 2019
Google Maps photo by Kevin Natanael
Tanjung Priok Rader Tower
2020. Active; focal plane about 25 m (82 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 23 m (75 ft) square white skeletal radar tower rising from a concrete equipment building. It's not clear if the light is at the top or if it is a passing light lower on the tower. Syafrizal Muin has a December 2020 photo, a drone view is available,and Google has a satellite view. Located just inside the end of the East Mole. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q1076.3.

Jawa Barat (West Java) Province North Coast Lighthouses

Bekasi Regency Lighthouse
Tanjung Kerawang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 8 s. 14 m (46 ft) concrete tower, painted red. No photo available and the tower is not seen in Bing's satellite view. Located on a reef about 2 km (1.2 mi) off the cape, marking the eastern entrance to the bay of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1078; NGA 23396.

Indramayu Regency Lighthouses
Indramayu is a city of about 115,000 residents located 225 km (140 mi) east of Jakarta. An important oil field lies just off the coast of the Indramayu Regency.
Indramayu
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round white concrete tower. A photo is available and Google has a satellite view. Located on the waterfront of a large electric power plant about 50 km ( 30 mi) west of Indramayu. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q1083.3.
Indramayu West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round barbell-shaped tower. Entire lighthouse is green. A closeup photo and a distant photo are available and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west breakwater of the Indramayu power plant. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q1083.32.
Indramayu East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round barbell-shaped tower. Entire lighthouse is red. A distant photo is available (this light is at the extreme right edge) and Google has a satellite view. Located on the east breakwater of the Indramayu power plant. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q1083.33.
Pulau Biawak (Pulau Rakit) {Boompjes Eiland}
1872. Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); white flash every 15 s. 50 m (164 ft) 16-sided cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and central cylinder. Although listed by NGA as black and white, the lighthouse is now painted all white. A photo is at right, a 2020 photo and another photo are available, Bernadeta Shintawati has a 2021 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was prefabricated by Grofsmederij Leiden in the Netherlands. The present lantern was added in 1911. Located on a small island about 65 km (40 mi) northeast of Kandanghaur in the Java Sea. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-074; Admiralty Q1084; NGA 23460.
* Pelabuhan Balongan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 45 m (148 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 40 m (131 ft) square skeletal communications tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. This is a landfall light for the large Pertamina oil terminal at Balongan, the port for Indramayu. Jaka Kelana has a distant view and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located beside a main street in Balongan. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1087.
Pelabuhan Balongan Range Rear
Date unknown. Removed in 2018 or 2019. This was an approx. 20 m (66 ft) skeletal tower carrying a large red slatted daymark. Google has a 2015 street view but Google's satellite view confirms the removal of the light. Located in the harbor area. Site and tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty.
Pulau Biawak Light
Pulau Biawak Light, Java Sea, July 2007
ex-Panoramio photo copyright bstwan
permission requested

Cirebon Regency and City Lighthouses
Cirebon is a major city near the eastern border of West Java Province. The metropolitan population is estimated at nearly 2.5 million.
Karang Tanah (Cirebon Approach)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) "white beacon," according to NGA; this is probably a round fiberglass tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a reef about 25 km (15 mi) north northeast of Cirebon. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1090; NGA 23472.
Cirebon Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square skeletal tower painted white and mounted on a platform supported by piles. This is the approach range for Cirebon. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located just off the waterfront on the north side of Cirebon harbor. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1092.5; NGA 23480.
Cirebon Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); nine quick white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Sidik Sobarudin has a closeup, Agung Fitrianto has a distant view and Google has a distant street view and a satellite view. Located on the north side of Cirebon harbor, 600 m (3/8 mi) southwest of the front light. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1092.51; NGA 23484.
* Cirebon (2)
Date unknown (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is at right, Sidik Sobarudin has a 2020 photo, Tjetjep Rustandi has a 2012 photo, Nancy Kie Sheng has a good photo, a closeup of the lighthouse in action is available, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. Located on the mole on the east side of inner harbor at Cirebon. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-123; Admiralty Q1092; NGA 23476.

Cirebon Light, Cirebon, March 2015
Google Maps photo
Tanjung Sanggarung
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) square white skeletal tower. No photo available and the light has not been found in Bing's satellite view. Located on a swampy point at the eastern border of West Java Province. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1099; NGA 23500.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Kalimantan (Borneo) | East: North Central Java | West: Southwestern Java

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Posted April 13, 2006. Checked and revised August 3, 2023. Lighthouses: 40. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.