Potential of Mangrove Ecotourism in Pangandaran, West Java Indonesia Case Study: Bulaksetra, Bojongsalawe, Batukaras

Pangandaran is a district in the province of West Java with great potential for tourism. The attractions are not limited to the coastal areas but also include other natural resources, one of which is the mangrove ecosystem. The objective of this research was to measure the suitability index for mangrove tourism in Bulaksetra, Bojong Salawe, and Batukaras. The research used a survey method with direct field observations and satellite imagery analysis of mangrove areas, followed by descriptive analysis. The potential of these areas is calculated using the tourism suitability index. The results show that the mangrove area at Station 1 (Bulaksetra) is 6.6 hectares, Station 2 (Bojong Salawe) has 3.4 hectares, and Station 3 (Batukaras) covers 16.7 hectares. The tourism suitability index analysis at the three stations reveals that Bulaksetra falls into the "very suitable" category (S1) with a suitability value of 76%; Bojong Salawe is classified as "suitable" (S2) with a value of 63.5%, and Batukaras is also in the "suitable" (S2) category with a value of 74%