Dust was flying about on a narrow road as a herd of buffaloes passed Banyubiru village in Ngawi regency, East Java. It was late afternoon, time for the herdsman steers the buffaloes to soak in the river.

Another herd, emerging from rows of wooden barns along the riverbanks, followed to the water.

A young herdsman was sitting under a bamboo tree, keeping an eye on the buffaloes soaking in the river.

Ananta Prasetyo is still in elementary school. Every afternoon after school, he helps his grandfather herd the family's five buffaloes to the river running by a forest.

Getting the buffaloes into the river is important, especially during the dry season. Buffaloes cannot stand heat, which is why their natural habitat is typically rivers or swamps.

The buffalo herding tradition with the picturesque scenery of forests and villages as the backdrop has turned Banyubiru village into a tourist attraction now known as the Bulak Pepe buffalo tourism village.

Bulak Pepe is located near a teak forest some 40 kilometers from downtown Ngawi. To get there, one can take the Walikukun-Ngrambe route, which has a better road than the alternative route that passes by the renowned Gontor Islamic boarding school (pesantren).

Tourists visiting Bulak Pepe come not only from Ngawi but also from other cities, such as Sragen and Surakarta in Central Java as well as Yogyakarta.

It became popular when villagers utilized the buffalo farm as a tourist attraction for the late afternoon during Ramadan.

Aware that people often needed activities to kill the time before breaking their fast, residents of Bulak Pepe built dozens of buffalo barns, accommodating hundreds of buffaloes.

While supporting facilities are found wanting, Bulak Pepe has already become a popular destination for tourists, especially those in search of attractive photo subjects or those who appreciate alternative tourism, adventurous activities or authentic village atmosphere.

Local buffalo farmer Suraya said tourism in Banyubiru was an opportunity for extra income.

“More and more tourists are visiting Bulak Pepe day after day, but locals do not seem to fully realize the economic potential,” he said.

Animal welfare: Suraya, a buffalo herder from Banyubiru village, Ngawi regency, East Java (left photo), prepares grass to feed his livestock. A shepherd (right photo) leads her buffaloes to their barn in the late afternoon after grazing in a nearby meadow and drinking from a river.(JP/Stefanus Ajie)

He added that he was trying to encourage people in the village to produce souvenirs related to buffalo herding.

Among the accessories on offer are the traditional conical hats made of woven bamboo, whips and cowbells.

Tourism in Banyubiru began to develop some three years ago, when villagers started to breed buffaloes using a communal barn system. To keep the environment clean and ease waste management, a special location was prepared on the side of a forest for people to build buffalo barns.

For the village residents, breeding buffaloes is a tradition that has been passed on for generations. They also maintain the tradition of Gumbregan, a customary thanksgiving ritual to express gratitude to God for all the blessings given in the form of livestock. The procession has been conducted annually in the village for the past three years, with the most recent being held on Nov. 10.

Buffaloes are considered a precious investment as well. “Buffaloes are my savings. They are cheap and easy to breed,” said 55-year-old Ngatiyem.

Banyubiru buffaloes are popular among traders from around Central Java, with prices ranging between Rp 15 million (US$1,064) and Rp 25 million per head.

While the buffaloes in Banyubiru village are bred naturally, locals are expecting assistance from the government to improve breeding.