The Sunda Strait separates Java from Sumatra and connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean.
It lies in Indonesia between the large islands of Sumatra and Java. The strait is part of a major route through the Indonesian archipelago, although its shallow waters, reefs, islands, and strong currents can make navigation challenging for large vessels.
Krakatoa, one of the strait’s volcanic islands, erupted catastrophically in 1883. The eruption generated enormous explosions and tsunamis, destroyed much of the island, and was heard over vast distances. Anak Krakatau later emerged in the same volcanic region.
The Sunda Strait is distinct from the nearby Malacca Strait, which lies between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. The two waterways are often discussed together because both provide routes between the Indian Ocean and waters around Southeast Asia.