Discovering Java - Cave tubing at Pindul Cave
Small excerpt of Candi Prambanan, the biggest hindu temple in Indonesia.
The city of Yogyakarta on the Indonesian island Java is a great place for many different cultural, relaxing, creative or exciting activites. Yogyakarta can be very easily and comfortably reached by train. There are many things to see and do in and around Yogyakarta such as visiting Candi Prambanan or Borobudur Temple, going on a Jeep tour on Merapi volcano, spelunking at Goa Jomblang and Goa Grubug, silversmithing souvenirs in Kotagede, painting Batik at Seno Batik Jogja or cave tubing at Pindul Cave and Oyo River. I combined my visit to Pindul Cave and Oyo River with spelunking at Goa Jomblang and Goa Grubug in the morning.
What and where is Pindul Cave and Oyo River and what can you do there?
Sitting on a tire, a guide will pull you through Pindul Cave, a cave formed by carst with an underground river (Oyo River or Oya River) flowing through it.
Pindul Cave is cave formed by karst with an underground river (Oyo River or Oya River) flowing through it and located about 40 km outside of Yogyakarta and about 7 km from Wonosari. When arriving at the visitor center of Pindul Cave there are changing rooms where you can change into your swimwear and get hooked up with a life jacket. I do not recall if there were any lockers to let your valuables in. I just remember that my driver locked my backpack inside his car and waited for me with my towel when I came back all wet from tubing. It is allowed to wear a bikini but keep in mind that Java is mainly muslim and there will be mostly domestic tourists fully covered up, also the men. Consider wearing long swimming trunks and a shirt, not only for modesty but also for sun protection. While part of the the cave tubing happens inside the cave, tubing on Oyo River is in the open.
Cave tubing through Pindul Cave is a very relaxing and informative experience. My guide told our littel group a lot about the cave and the animals living inside.
You float through the cave sitting on a tire admiring big stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cave, enjoying the light beams shining through holes and observe the bats that live inside Goa Pindul. The tires are tied together with a rope and since the Oyo River flows very slowly, a guide will pull you through the cave and tell you some interesting facts about the cave and the animals that live inside. Tubing through Pindul Cave ends in a big basin where you can do some cliff jumping inside the basin from the rocks around it. Your guide will let you know where you safely can jump in the water.
The fun continues on Oyo River (with the Bridal Waterfall in the background).
After floating through Pindul Cave and walking a few meters, a micro-truck is waiting and brings you and the tires to another part of Oyo River where the relaxing river tubing continues. You may either sit on your tire and just enjoy the beautiful landscape or swim in the river, which is very shallow in the upper part. There is some more cliff jumping on the way, passing a waterfall called “bridal waterfall”. This part of Oyo river is very nice with beautifully shaped rocks, little waterfalls and swaying palm trees. Once the river gets wider, the journey ends. You will be picked up and driven back with the micro-truck to the visitor center where you can dry off and change back into your normal clothes.
Tubing through Pindul Cave and on Oyo River is very relaxing and a lot of fun! There are no crazy currents. I enjoyed it very much since I have never done anything coming close to that. I have seen many caves from the inside and I have been on many rivers but the combination of both was new to me. Also non-swimmers can enjoy the tubing wearing a life vest and a guide close by making sure everybody is safe. In fact, most domestic tourists cannot swim but stil enjoy a few hours of relaxing tubing.
What to bring?
The micro-truck drives through small villages and beautiful rice fields.
Obviously you should bring your swimwear or any other clothes that can get wet. As mentioned above, bikinis or swimming trunks are allowed but you might consider covering up to protect your skin from the tropical sun and for modesty. A rashguard with UV protection does a great job and there is no need to use sunscreen that potentially harms water organisms. Wear a hat and sunglasses. Put your phone in a waterproof pouch and hook it to your lifejacket. Unfortunately, I only managed to get very few nice photos because of the waterproof pouch. Most pictures turned out blurry. The river inside the cave gets as deep as 12 m and it is dark inside. Any item that you drop into the water is lost forever.
Wear water shoes for the little walking that you must do in between the cave and the open part of Oyo river (hot floor and little rocks!). I had my flip flops that I hooked onto my lifejacket while tubing. Bring a towel and a set of fresh clothes so that you do not have to sit in an airconditioned car in wet clothes. As for drinks and food, check with your tour operator what is included and what not.
Best time to visit, cost and how to book
The best time to visit Goa Pindul and Oyo River is from March to October. I am not even sure if the cave is open during the winter months. When it rains, the water turns brown and I guess it might get dangerous with heavy rainfalls during the windy season. Make sure to go there on weekdays because on weekends and Indonesian holidays, it gets very crowded with local tourists. I paid around 50’000 Indonesian Rupiah as entrance fee for Pindul Cave. However, it really depends on what package you book because entrance fees might be included in your package price. Check with your tour operator beforehand if your ticket to Pindul Cave is included in your package or not. How to find a tour operator? Find one directly in Yogykarta, ask at the reception of your hotel or hostel or just google the sites you would like to visit and the websites of tour operators will show up. Reach out by Whatsapp. This free messaging app is very popular in Indonesia and it is the easiest way to get in contact with business.
Looking for more adventure, fun and culture around Yogyakarta?
What about a Jeep Tour on Mount Merapi, the most active volcano of Indonesia?
Go spelunking at Goa Jomblang and Goa Grubug and see the heavenly lights!
Get creative silversmithing your own jewelery at Studio 76 in Kotagede or paint your own Batik at Batik Seno Jogja.