by Andrew Dowling
The legend of Nyai Loro Kidul or Queen of the South Seas remains alive in Palabuhanratu. She has a special room (Room 308) in the Samudra Hotel which has been dedicated to her. The legend has it that Nyai Loro Kidul was a young princess named Kandita, the daughter of King Siliwangi and his first wife, Dewi Rembulan. Dewi Kandita and her mother were known for their beauty, kindness and friendliness and people loved them. However, her father's concubine known locally as Selir became green with envy and grew ambitions to become his wife. Through the assistance of a local witch, the Selir made Dewi Kandita and her mother suffer a strange disfiguring disease which also produced an unfortunate odour. The disease forced them into exile in the forest where Dewi Rembulan died.
Dewi Kandita wandered aimlessly for many days before she eventually arrived at a beach called Pantai Karang Hawu. In an exhausted state she sat on a rock and fell asleep. She had a dream whereby her disease was cured after she had jumped into the sea. Upon waking up she obeyed the dream and leapt into the waves. All of a sudden her dream became reality. Nowadays the beautiful Dewi Kandita prefers to stay in the sea (apart from the odd night at the Samudra) and is commonly referred to as the Queen of the South Seas . The beach where she jumped in is now Palabuhanratu or 'Queen's Harbour'.
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