White Sand at Empu Rancak Beach, Karanggondang, Jepara
After being satisfied with Pailus Beach, I continued my journey to the next beach. I asked some locals for directions and got a clear picture of my route this time. The name of the beach is Empu Rancak. Just like Pailus Beach, it’s still not widely known, and the two are located close to each other.
Still in the Karanggondang area, the route I took was back toward Bondo Road, then at the Tawar Market intersection, I turned left. There was a gate similar to the one at Pailus Beach, but unfortunately I didn’t take a photo because it was right in the middle of the market.
The journey continued to Empu Rancak Beach. The distance from the main road to the beach is about 2 km. As I approached, there was a gate/portal. According to my friend, the gate is currently temporarily closed. I rode my bicycle along the small road until it ended right on the beach sand.
Empu Rancak Beach is quite spacious. There are clusters of pandan trees that provide a bit of shade. What’s clear is that the sand is as white as the beaches in Karimunjawa. According to my friend, this beach gets quite crowded on weekends.
From Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, Empu Rancak Beach is visited by many tourists. I tried to explore and capture some of the spots on the beach. There was a boat heading toward a small pier that juts out into the sea.
On the right side, white sand stretches out — perfect for playing with family. By the way, I highly recommend enjoying Jepara’s signature dishes like Ikan Pindang Serani right here on this beach.
Empu Rancak Beach looks even more exotic at sunset. The sunset at Empu Rancak Beach is definitely one of its main attractions. However, don’t feel disappointed if you come in the morning, because the morning atmosphere is just as beautiful.
There are several food stalls on the beach, one of which belongs to my friend. According to him, Empu Rancak Beach is perfect for families who want to spend quality time together. That’s true — besides not being too crowded, the beach is also quite clean.
As usual, I took some photos of myself with my bicycle on this beach while enjoying the sea breeze of Empu Rancak. Here, I also waited for the Ikan Pindang Serani dish, specially made by my friend and his wife.
At a glance, it feels similar to Depok Beach in Yogyakarta. There are many stalls here serving seafood. It’s really appealing — playing at the beach and then having lunch right by the shore with Jepara’s signature menu.
Even though this beach is still less famous than the other beaches in Jepara, I’m sure you won’t regret visiting Empu Rancak Beach. Of course, every beach has its strengths and weaknesses. Around Empu Rancak and nearby beaches, there are still not enough public toilets and washing facilities.
Aside from that, I think this beach is a must-visit if you’re in Jepara. It’s not far from Pailus Beach — only about 5 km away. After a satisfying breakfast and light chat, I asked for permission to continue cycling.
My final destination was Pantai Ombak Mati Bondo. Oh, and from my friend, I also learned that before Pailus Beach (coming from Jepara), there’s another beach called Blebak Beach. He said it’s beautiful too.
I can’t wait to visit those two remaining beaches. There are so many beaches in Jepara whose beauty hasn’t been fully showcased yet. Hopefully, Empu Rancak Beach can become an icon of Jepara, just like the beaches that became famous earlier.
Potential of Empu Rancak Beach
Empu Rancak Beach is one of the flagship tourism destinations located in Karanggondang Village, Mlonggo District, Jepara Regency. It has great potential to become one of the favorite tourist destinations in Jepara. To maximize this potential, a feasibility analysis of the physical aspects and the area’s carrying capacity is needed. This is to optimize its potential and determine whether the beach is physically suitable or unsuitable for beach recreation.
According to a 2024 research study by Undip (Diponegoro University) students, Empu Rancak Beach has reached the “feasible” category for infrastructure, with notes for improvement in several facilities such as toilets, prayer rooms (mushola), and food stalls. This shows that Empu Rancak Beach remains highly potential for further infrastructure development.
In general, Empu Rancak Beach has several key potentials: white sandy beaches with relatively gentle topography, and calm waters with waves that are not too strong — characteristics that make Jepara Regency rich in potential beach tourism destinations. Based on direct visual observation, Empu Rancak Beach is still relatively quiet with few visitors. This is closely related to the surrounding environment and inadequate infrastructure.
A clean and well-maintained environment is the main supporting factor for tourism and directly affects the water quality of the area. The development of Empu Rancak Beach has not been matched by public awareness in maintaining beach cleanliness. This is evident from the large amount of household waste and debris brought in by the waves around the beach. In addition, the lack of good management has resulted in suboptimal conditions for the surrounding environment and supporting facilities in the tourism area.
