Gumuk Pasir Parangkusumo

Gumuk Pasir Parangkusumo is a coastal sand dune field located in Parangkusumo, Kretek, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, near Parangtritis Beach. It is notable as one of the few barchan-type dunes in Southeast Asia, formed from volcanic sand from Mount Merapi carried by the Opak and Progo rivers to the south coast. The expansive desert-like landscape is a distinctive natural attraction for sightseeing, photography and sandboarding.

Visitors can expect an open, desert-like landscape of rolling sand dunes stretching along the southern coast near Parangtritis. The area features fine volcanic sand shaped by wind into barchan dunes, with sparse vegetation and wide open views. Visitors can walk across the dunes, climb gentle slopes, try sandboarding on designated slopes, take photographs, and view sunset over the dunes and nearby coastline. The site is open-air with sandy terrain and coastal winds.

The dunes were formed over a long period from volcanic sand and material from Mount Merapi transported by the Opak and Progo rivers to the southern coast of Java, then shaped by persistent coastal winds into barchan dunes. It is studied as a rare example of coastal dunes in a humid tropical environment and is part of the Parangtritis coastal dune system.

Located adjacent to Parangkusumo Beach, an area associated with Javanese folklore and the legend of Panembahan Senopati and Nyai Roro Kidul, the Queen of the Southern Sea. The broader Parangtritis coastal landscape holds cultural importance for local communities and is a well-known recreational and cultural destination in Yogyakarta.