The Queen of the Southern Sea
On Java's south coast, a hotel keeps a room reserved for the Queen of the Southern Sea, and visitors are warned not to wear green on the beach.
What was reported
In Javanese tradition, Nyai Roro Kidul is the Queen of the Southern Sea, a powerful spirit who rules the waters of the Indian Ocean off Java's south coast. She is associated with the colour green, and the kings of Central Java's royal courts are traditionally said to be her spiritual consorts.
Along the coast, people still warn against wearing green on the beach. At the Samudra Beach Hotel in Pelabuhan Ratu, room 308 is kept decorated in green and reserved for her, with a painting of the queen.
Explanations offered
Nyai Roro Kidul is a figure of folklore and belief. The warnings along the coast have a practical side: the south coast of Java has strong waves and dangerous rip currents, and the legend encourages people to treat the sea with caution.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java, Indonesia
- Witnesses
- Javanese tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.