The Maron River and the Gong Cave: with Putri Meibawati

Putri Meibawati is a dear friend of ours. Born in 1997, she always loved nature and photography.

She began a new chapter in her life after graduating from the Frateran Catholic Senior High School in Malang, East Java. Today she is a travel consultant and preserves fond memories of her exploration in some of the most beautiful locations around Indonesia. Pacitan was one of her favourite destinations.

Let’s hear her talk about the Maron River and its wonderful surroundings!

Located in the southwest of the East Java province, Pacitan is known as the City of One Thousand and One Caves. Among the many wonders of nature that you will find here there is the Maron river, known as the Amazon of Indonesia. With crystal-clear water and an average depth of 20 metres, this river is the home of the red snapper fish.

The easy way to get there is to start your journey from Malang. You could reach Malang by airplane, arriving at Abdurahman Saleh, and then rent a car from there.

(Dela) I run a small car-rental business, so get in touch with me to arrange the trip! I offer a round trip Malang-Pacitan-Malang. For 1.500.000 rupiah (about 75 GBP) you will be able to afford an air-conditioned vehicle suitable for 5 people, including driver, highway fees, parking, snacks and mineral water.

As a general rule, avoid committing to this excursion during the wet season, as the river will be overflowing and its waters won’t be as clear and enjoyable.

If you start your trip early in the morning, don’t miss the sunrise while driving down to Pacitan. Look at the horizon when the sun peeks out and enjoy a beautiful scenery made of high cliffs, hills, rice fields and the river, all livened up by the morning’s sunlight.

As you arrive to the Maron river’s dock, you will see boats owned by the local people. I suggest you ask them for a susur sungai trip, which translates to “tracing the river”. There should be enough space for 6 people on a boat, and the cost is exceptionally low: just 100.000 to 150.000 rupiah.

The steerer of the boat is also its owner. In about an hour, he will take you through a guided exploration of the river, covering a length of 5km.

The Maron river flows into Ngiroboyo Beach. Before roads were built, navigating the river used to be the only way to reach the beach. Most residents living around the Maron river own boats, and they use them as a private means of transportation.

The river plays an important role in the area’s economy, as it allows to easily move the harvested plantation products from the villages, as transportation by land is not an easy task at all.

One of the main reasons to visit the Maron river are the large coconut trees and other varieties of large trees, an incredible spectacle of nature that offers something comparable to the Amazon forest. Walking along the river immersed in the tropical green is an empowering experience, something that can reconnect us to our primordial state of being.

Once you reach Ngiroboyo beach you will get off the boat. The guide will be happy to wait while you spend some time on the beach, allowing you to enjoy the sand and the sun, and the beautiful sight of the forest behind you, and the ocean before you.

Remember how Pacitan is known as the City of 1001 Caves? Let me put it this way: you should not come to Pacitan if you are not going to at least visit the Gong Cave!

Nature is indeed an unsurpassed artist, and everything we do is a pale imitation of what she can accomplish. On her canvas, a brush stroke might take eons before it’s complete, like the stalactites and stalagmites that decorate the Gong Cave: the result of tens of thousands of years of patient and constant dripping.

Its peculiar name originates from an old story. The tribes living in this area could sometimes hear the sound of a gong reverberating in the night, and it was said that a rock existed inside the cave that would release a gong-sound when struck.

The spectacle that will be offered to your eyes once you enter this enchanted den is nothing like you’ve ever seen. The Gong Cave has a reputation not just in Indonesia, but in the whole of Southeast Asia. It is 256 metres deep, and contains 5 pools:

• Rogo Pool,
• Panguripan Pool,
• Jiwo Pool,
• Kamulyan Pool,
• Ralung Nisto Pool.

This is an underground cave, and one of the reasons for its popularity in SE Asia is the massive dome that characterises it: 100 metres long and 30 metres tall!

It usually takes around 2 hours to enjoy this experience. You can get an English speaking local guide for 2 GBP.

I hope you enjoyed our exploration of this little corner of Indonesia. Keep following my friends Dela and Alex for more! And if you are interested in more of my adventures, you can follow me directly through my Instagram: @putrimeibawati

Putri