The Bantenese are a culturally distinct people. Banten town is on the coast 10 km north of Serang. The first haggard Dutchman set foot on Java at Banten in 1596 after a 14 month voyage in a fleet of 4 ships in which 250 men died. Along with the Mataram Empire, Banten was one of Java's two dominant states in the 17th Century. It was so continuously rebellious towards Dutch rule that it was known as 'The Aceh of Java'. There are many well-preserved 16th and 17th Century buildings in Old Banten. See Mesjid Agung in Pecinan village. Istana Surosowan is a heavily fortified compound with 4 m high crumbling walls and a museum of weapons, clay pipes, old bottles. Also visit the ruins of 17th Century Spellwijck Fortress. Kelenteng, a 200 year old Chinese temple on the west side of the fortress, has a sacred chair in a glass case. See the renowned Debus Players, ascetics who can control fear, pain, the heat of fire, the sharpness of weapons. They perform before tourists, undergoing torture, burned and buried alive, cut, slashed, etc. - surviving unharmed. Observe them slide down a rope from the Chinese-style minaret of Banten's Great Mosque. stay: Base yourself in Serang, Merak or Cilegon. Wisma Kasihsayang, JI. Tirtayasa, Serang, Rp500 single. from Banten: Pantai Suralaya (Florida Beach) has many good cafes. Visit the giant cave of Karang Bolong. Anyer Kidul is an old lighthouse with a good view over the Sunda Strait. Hire a fisherman to take you out to the deserted island of Sangiang: lonely coral beaches, mangrove swamps, abandoned Japanese shore batteries, brown monkeys, delectable fruit. Bird sanctuary islands off N.W. coast of Java are all within reach of Banten: Rambut, Bokor, Dua. Along with Peru's guano islands and the Norwegian Bird Cliffs, Pulau Dua is one of the world's chief bird islands. It is reachable by prahu one hour from Karanghantu harbor in Banten Bay. From a distance it looks like a green umbrella. From March-July each year its 20 acres are a favorite breeding ground for 40-50,000 migratory birds (even breeds of ice birds). Take care when walking under nesting places because birds will spew you with slimy vomit and jets of guano.