Jomblang Cave
Jomblang Cave
4.5
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
About
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
574 reviews
Excellent
356
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160
Average
37
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10
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11
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Explorer
Klang, Malaysia106 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
Requires some gut as you will be going down a rope about 60 meters down into a cave. They provide shoes but be prepared with suitable clothing as you will need to do some kind of short hike. Lunch is provided in the package
The view of the light is amazing. But it has to be a sunny day or else you can't see the effect. Can take a lot of photographs.
Coming back up is also being pulled up the rope. Do not worry about safety as you will be provided with all the climbing harnesses and equipment.
The view of the light is amazing. But it has to be a sunny day or else you can't see the effect. Can take a lot of photographs.
Coming back up is also being pulled up the rope. Do not worry about safety as you will be provided with all the climbing harnesses and equipment.
Written August 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arnav G
Jakarta, Indonesia37 contributions
Dec 2020 • Family
My trip to jomblang Cave was outstanding, it think the cave is underrated. The 280m long trekking through the dark and slippery jungle cave was a life time experience. And dont forget the zip line from which we get down and up the 50m tell cave!
The price of the cave is.... I will not say anything but it is complete worth it!
I never thought that I will see something like this in johns.
The price of the cave is.... I will not say anything but it is complete worth it!
I never thought that I will see something like this in johns.
Written December 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
laurence g
Gironville-sur-Essonne, France475 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Very nice place and perfect organization if you are the first to arrive and without too many Chinese tourists. Bring a headlamp and clothing that is not afraid of mud. Boots provided by the organization.
Abseiling for two in complete safety in a 60m chasm. Discovery of a cave with magnificent light effects. Too bad we don't go down to the river.
Safe ascent towed by 28 porters.
Top traditional lunch
Abseiling for two in complete safety in a 60m chasm. Discovery of a cave with magnificent light effects. Too bad we don't go down to the river.
Safe ascent towed by 28 porters.
Top traditional lunch
Written August 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teo Chin Hin@SEU338E
Penang Island, Malaysia113 contributions
Jun 2019
The cost of going into the cave is quite expensive at first i thought. But after I walk over to the cliff to go down (which I thought we need to abseiling down ourselves) turns out not that case. There are ten to twenty people there getting ready to support you down into the cave and now the price makes sense as the locals need to be fed too!
The walk down there is muddy and adventurous. Miss your step, and you will fell down and injured yourselves. So make sure you be very cautious.
Into the main attractions parts aka Jesus Light, we get to see the mesmerizing lights for a short while and that's considered lucky for us on a cloudy day!
Make sure you plan your time properly before coming here so that you get to make the most out of it!
The walk down there is muddy and adventurous. Miss your step, and you will fell down and injured yourselves. So make sure you be very cautious.
Into the main attractions parts aka Jesus Light, we get to see the mesmerizing lights for a short while and that's considered lucky for us on a cloudy day!
Make sure you plan your time properly before coming here so that you get to make the most out of it!
Written April 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
backpackingjetsetter
London194 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
Having arranged to visit with the owner the night before, we had a driver come to collect us at 7.30am from our hotel. The ride from Yogya to Semanu took around 2 hours and was made a lot more bearable from the AC in the car alongside Aris' chit chat and ability to point out certain things en route to Jomblang. Just as a pointer for the ladies, choose a sensible bra for this activity because the last ten minutes of the journey is down the most bumpiest un-even road and I cannot put into words just how uncomfortable it was (this is no exaggeration, I promise). Definitely an experience in itself that's for sure haha!
When we arrived we were greeted by many people who appear to reside here (maybe as maintenance for the grounds) and were also invited to sample some Javanese tea in the smallest teacup known to man, combined with a lump of sugar literally as big as the cup itself, so, very sweet! We had to hang around for a little while to wait for another couple to arrive as well as waiting for the right time to descend into the cave as you need to be in there between 10am-12pm for the light to shine through properly.
I booked Jomblang cave after reading reviews on tripadvisor and reading a review on the official Yogya tourism website and knew it would involve single rope technique. But that's all I knew. I wouldn't have been able to tell you what single rope technique is and what it meant and boy was I in for a treat! You gear up in a helmet, overalls, boots and then are basically harnessed to ONE rope by loads of men laughing (not malicious) at how petrified you are!! You then have to navigate yourself over scaffolding and tree trunks to the edge of the cliff and hold on to a metal pole whilst another guy un clips you from the first harness and attaches you to two more. You then have to shuffle over to make room for your friend/partner whilst still clinging on and then you are asked to go into the sitting position and they slowly lower you down 50m off the cliff (you spin slowly the whole way down so you get to see all the fallen forest). That in itself is an amazing experience. When you get to the bottom, Spiderman is waiting for you (can't remember his name, that's his nickname and he accompanies you into the cave) and unclips you and everyone else that comes down.
After the 6 of us were down, we started to make our descent into the cave. It is a natural wonder that is amazing to walk through and a couple of stops were made so that spiderman could turn on some lights so we would be able to find our way back out! After numerous slips in mud, tumbling over rocks and listening to the whisper silence there was finally a great big gasp from those at the front as the light shone in front of us. We had around 40 mins to an hour of climbing rocks and taking pictures in the cave, to which spiderman helped a lot with and we tipped him because of how many incredible pictures he got of us. It's his job to take us into the cave, but he isn't a personal photographer so bear this in mind as he was so appreciative of the tip. Once you get back out of the cave, you have to be harnessed in again and are hoisted up (no joke) by all the guys at the top who literally yank you up from the bottom and you have to dangle mid air for a while while they get their breath back (or tie a knot in the rope, you choose which sounds more exciting). We were also given a home cooked meal each once we got back to the top which was a lovely (very spicy) chicken curry with a piece of tofu for vegetarians as well as a bottle of mineral water.
It was an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone to make time for whilst in Yogya. For the two of us to cave and the transport from Yogya to Semanu and back cost 1.350.000 idr; which at almost £70 I felt was a good price for two people. I did feel sorry for our driver Aris as he would have left at 5.30 to pick us up and whilst we got back to yogya by 14.30 that means that he wouldn't have got back until 16.30! 8 hours of driving for £20! However I would not recommend trying to drive here yourself unless you are familiar with the chaotic drivers as this is literally in the middle of nowhere!
All in all it was an amazing experience that was only topped off by the people working there and their compassion for the cave and their knowledge and expertise. There is a limit of 25 people allowed to enter the cave on a daily basis for preservation and conservation reasons which makes it even more worthwhile to do.
When we arrived we were greeted by many people who appear to reside here (maybe as maintenance for the grounds) and were also invited to sample some Javanese tea in the smallest teacup known to man, combined with a lump of sugar literally as big as the cup itself, so, very sweet! We had to hang around for a little while to wait for another couple to arrive as well as waiting for the right time to descend into the cave as you need to be in there between 10am-12pm for the light to shine through properly.
I booked Jomblang cave after reading reviews on tripadvisor and reading a review on the official Yogya tourism website and knew it would involve single rope technique. But that's all I knew. I wouldn't have been able to tell you what single rope technique is and what it meant and boy was I in for a treat! You gear up in a helmet, overalls, boots and then are basically harnessed to ONE rope by loads of men laughing (not malicious) at how petrified you are!! You then have to navigate yourself over scaffolding and tree trunks to the edge of the cliff and hold on to a metal pole whilst another guy un clips you from the first harness and attaches you to two more. You then have to shuffle over to make room for your friend/partner whilst still clinging on and then you are asked to go into the sitting position and they slowly lower you down 50m off the cliff (you spin slowly the whole way down so you get to see all the fallen forest). That in itself is an amazing experience. When you get to the bottom, Spiderman is waiting for you (can't remember his name, that's his nickname and he accompanies you into the cave) and unclips you and everyone else that comes down.
After the 6 of us were down, we started to make our descent into the cave. It is a natural wonder that is amazing to walk through and a couple of stops were made so that spiderman could turn on some lights so we would be able to find our way back out! After numerous slips in mud, tumbling over rocks and listening to the whisper silence there was finally a great big gasp from those at the front as the light shone in front of us. We had around 40 mins to an hour of climbing rocks and taking pictures in the cave, to which spiderman helped a lot with and we tipped him because of how many incredible pictures he got of us. It's his job to take us into the cave, but he isn't a personal photographer so bear this in mind as he was so appreciative of the tip. Once you get back out of the cave, you have to be harnessed in again and are hoisted up (no joke) by all the guys at the top who literally yank you up from the bottom and you have to dangle mid air for a while while they get their breath back (or tie a knot in the rope, you choose which sounds more exciting). We were also given a home cooked meal each once we got back to the top which was a lovely (very spicy) chicken curry with a piece of tofu for vegetarians as well as a bottle of mineral water.
It was an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone to make time for whilst in Yogya. For the two of us to cave and the transport from Yogya to Semanu and back cost 1.350.000 idr; which at almost £70 I felt was a good price for two people. I did feel sorry for our driver Aris as he would have left at 5.30 to pick us up and whilst we got back to yogya by 14.30 that means that he wouldn't have got back until 16.30! 8 hours of driving for £20! However I would not recommend trying to drive here yourself unless you are familiar with the chaotic drivers as this is literally in the middle of nowhere!
All in all it was an amazing experience that was only topped off by the people working there and their compassion for the cave and their knowledge and expertise. There is a limit of 25 people allowed to enter the cave on a daily basis for preservation and conservation reasons which makes it even more worthwhile to do.
Written August 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CaitlynFuku
Jakarta, Indonesia61 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
I went there on Feb (raining season) which is not a good time to go because this attraction kinda depends on the weather.. it need the sun light to get the view of the sun ray inside the cave..
Me and Hubby went there by car. We booked the tour from one of reliable travel agent in Yogya. They arranged our car rental and trip into the cave. It was 2 hours driving from Yogya city to the site.
You gonna find bumpy road when entering the location. There's no sign board or so, that's why booked this trip from travel agent is recommended.
There are shower and changing rooms in the location. It was a well-managed place. You gonna find the shower all clean and neat. Bring your own soap shampoo towel etc. You gotta need socks for wearing the sharing boots they provided. Be ready to get dirty, muddy, wet, tired and happy! :)
The depth of the cave is about 60 m take or give. They will descent you down and lift you up using rope. They're capable and I felt safe. Totally. Just don't look down if you are afraid of height. No climbing skill needed, just need to be in a fit condition.
The trip into and outta cave took about 90 mins, it depends on how many people are in your groups. You gotta experience this trip into the cave and see yourself the sun ray the light of heaven. You can hear underground river flowing so hard. Amazing.
If you aren't really an active person (never hike or climb before), your thighs might trembling. Lots of steep trail. There is a certain spot that completely pitch black so you need to bring your own flashlight otherwise you should wait the guide to come to you.
They also provide you lunch box. Local food but taste good enough. Booked the tour in advance and make sure the travel agent is reliable. If you wanna know the one I booked, DM me I'll reply. :)
Me and Hubby went there by car. We booked the tour from one of reliable travel agent in Yogya. They arranged our car rental and trip into the cave. It was 2 hours driving from Yogya city to the site.
You gonna find bumpy road when entering the location. There's no sign board or so, that's why booked this trip from travel agent is recommended.
There are shower and changing rooms in the location. It was a well-managed place. You gonna find the shower all clean and neat. Bring your own soap shampoo towel etc. You gotta need socks for wearing the sharing boots they provided. Be ready to get dirty, muddy, wet, tired and happy! :)
The depth of the cave is about 60 m take or give. They will descent you down and lift you up using rope. They're capable and I felt safe. Totally. Just don't look down if you are afraid of height. No climbing skill needed, just need to be in a fit condition.
The trip into and outta cave took about 90 mins, it depends on how many people are in your groups. You gotta experience this trip into the cave and see yourself the sun ray the light of heaven. You can hear underground river flowing so hard. Amazing.
If you aren't really an active person (never hike or climb before), your thighs might trembling. Lots of steep trail. There is a certain spot that completely pitch black so you need to bring your own flashlight otherwise you should wait the guide to come to you.
They also provide you lunch box. Local food but taste good enough. Booked the tour in advance and make sure the travel agent is reliable. If you wanna know the one I booked, DM me I'll reply. :)
Written March 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
drjohnkenworthy
Singapore, Singapore533 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
Key to enjoying this to the full is to be prepared. (And there is one group going down a day - around 10am and back out between 12 and 2pm.)
Recommended clothing
Some people cam prepared, most did not.
I'd recommend wearing slippers/thongs/flip flops (according to your accent) taking a pair of hiking socks. They provide boots, limited choice of size (25 is the smallest, 30 the largest. Roughly size 5 to 10 UK) if not bring your own wellies. It is seriously muddy down there.
Long pants, long sleeve shirt, bandana or something (like a shower cap) for your hair in the luscious safety helmets.
Bring a torch. Don't believe anyone who tells you that you don't need one. Sure camera phone is good but remember the mud I mentioned?
Bring clothes to change into afterwards if you don't want to stink the car up.
There are showers available (no towels that I saw).
You want a strap for your camera around your neck (or on either of those fancy sports cameras better still) and leave your bags with your driver.
Ready?
Jomblang cave is a good 1.5 to 2-hour journey from the city. The last 2km is a bumpy dirt road.
We arrived first at 9am and had full choice of the boots available. Apparently, there can be 80 people some busy mornings. And there ain't 80 pairs of boots for sure. Sign in and pay (450k) each.
We left at 10am after waiting in a covered area (plenty of mosies at the waiting area to give you the real jungle feel).
You descend in pairs by arrival order. Safety and checks are excellent. And the equipment is well rinsed off (but I can't say 'clean' hence long sleeves and trousers!)
The drop looks frightening and letting go is not for the faint-hearted but once off the edge, it's a comfortable and easy descent and really not at all bad. 60m down two guides will ask you to sit, they release your harness and you can stand on shaking legs.
You'll wait for the rest of the group (we only had 24 ppl in the group, so how they do it with 80 I don't know)
It's hot and humid but you will be grateful for the long pants and long sleeves again soon.
Then off to the cave led by a guide. The first 'steps' down are slippery and steep, take your time.
At the cave mouth, there are steps atop the mud. Sometimes, they disappear under water and you gingerly seek the firm footing and you soon need a torch to see the next step and least slippery footing.
It's a slow and steady trek 300m to the heavens lights at the end. Hearing the roar of the river some 40m below. You'll stand awhile waiting for the group to catch up and take photos.
Then it's an easier walk out and back up to the rope elevator (rappel is misleading cos you do no work at all just sit while 20 villagers do all the work).
Whilst waiting for your turn back up you can admire the mud caking everything and be glad that you were better prepared than others.
At the top you can collect your photos (50k) taken just after you set off down, collect your very tasty local lunch box with water and either hang around to eat or set off back down that bumpy dirt road and your next adventure.
This is a must do. Though be prepared with the right clothing and a torch.
Recommended clothing
Some people cam prepared, most did not.
I'd recommend wearing slippers/thongs/flip flops (according to your accent) taking a pair of hiking socks. They provide boots, limited choice of size (25 is the smallest, 30 the largest. Roughly size 5 to 10 UK) if not bring your own wellies. It is seriously muddy down there.
Long pants, long sleeve shirt, bandana or something (like a shower cap) for your hair in the luscious safety helmets.
Bring a torch. Don't believe anyone who tells you that you don't need one. Sure camera phone is good but remember the mud I mentioned?
Bring clothes to change into afterwards if you don't want to stink the car up.
There are showers available (no towels that I saw).
You want a strap for your camera around your neck (or on either of those fancy sports cameras better still) and leave your bags with your driver.
Ready?
Jomblang cave is a good 1.5 to 2-hour journey from the city. The last 2km is a bumpy dirt road.
We arrived first at 9am and had full choice of the boots available. Apparently, there can be 80 people some busy mornings. And there ain't 80 pairs of boots for sure. Sign in and pay (450k) each.
We left at 10am after waiting in a covered area (plenty of mosies at the waiting area to give you the real jungle feel).
You descend in pairs by arrival order. Safety and checks are excellent. And the equipment is well rinsed off (but I can't say 'clean' hence long sleeves and trousers!)
The drop looks frightening and letting go is not for the faint-hearted but once off the edge, it's a comfortable and easy descent and really not at all bad. 60m down two guides will ask you to sit, they release your harness and you can stand on shaking legs.
You'll wait for the rest of the group (we only had 24 ppl in the group, so how they do it with 80 I don't know)
It's hot and humid but you will be grateful for the long pants and long sleeves again soon.
Then off to the cave led by a guide. The first 'steps' down are slippery and steep, take your time.
At the cave mouth, there are steps atop the mud. Sometimes, they disappear under water and you gingerly seek the firm footing and you soon need a torch to see the next step and least slippery footing.
It's a slow and steady trek 300m to the heavens lights at the end. Hearing the roar of the river some 40m below. You'll stand awhile waiting for the group to catch up and take photos.
Then it's an easier walk out and back up to the rope elevator (rappel is misleading cos you do no work at all just sit while 20 villagers do all the work).
Whilst waiting for your turn back up you can admire the mud caking everything and be glad that you were better prepared than others.
At the top you can collect your photos (50k) taken just after you set off down, collect your very tasty local lunch box with water and either hang around to eat or set off back down that bumpy dirt road and your next adventure.
This is a must do. Though be prepared with the right clothing and a torch.
Written March 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DarkPsyche
Singapore, Singapore67 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
I guess it was a rather overcast morning when we were there so we didn't get to see much of the beautiful rays of sunlight streaming into the caves.
In any case, let me get to the details of the review. I was there with my family which included 3 children aged 8 through 13.
1) Journey there: 2 hour ride from Jogja with the last 30 minutes on a very bumpy off-road trek, passing by villagers carrying stacks of grass for their cows
2) Payment: Once u get there, you'll have to sign in and make payment. It's IDR450,000 per person, regardless of age.
3) Booting up: Next, you go boots-hunting for a pair that fits you. This was quite a challenge for my children as they didn't have much children-sized boots. My 8-year old girl had to squeeze into the only child-sized boots which was slightly small for her and they gave her blisters halfway through the trek. The boots were rather slimy and damp inside which was rather unpleasant. Wear a pair of socks if you are squeamish. Wearing too large a pair will also give you problems later as they tend to get stuck in the mud. I had some difficulties trying to get through the mud without the boots coming off.
4) Gearing up: Select your helmet and get a harness. The helmets smelt rather bad but I can understand why. My helmet was all soaked through after the whole activity and I doubt the helmets were washed and dried after each climb. Select the helmets that still have the foam padding on. (There was a family in our group who wore shower caps below their helmets)
4) Get in line: If you want to be the first few to get down, make sure you wait near the coconut tree. You'll see it when you get there. Else, it could be a long while before you get down if there is a crowd.
5) Getting down: this is the most exciting/scary part. You will be paired with someone for the journey down. As your feet leaves the stone ledge, a photographer will take a pic of you and your partner as you dangle and hang on for a dear life. (The pic will cost you IDR45,000 if you want to purchase it later). Its an amazing 40 seconds glide down to the bowels of the cave.
6) The Trek towards the Sinkhole: this is one muddy slippery trek. I don't recommend it for any child younger than 8 as I don't feel that it was very safe. The ropes that were lined along the steep trek down did not provide any support at all as the stakes that were supposed to be driven into the ground were mostly coming out of the ground. My youngest daughter couldn't manage the steep climb but one of the guide carried her down (and later up again) with such ease although I had my heart in my mouth watching him leap down with such nimble footing.
7) Into the darkness: Huge cavern leading into a dark tunnel. There appears to be some rock fall and it's completely pitch dark inside the tunnel. Bring your own torches.
8) And into the light: Grubug cave. We waited for about 30 minutes for the rays of light to filter down. Like I mentioned earlier, it wasn't a very bright sunny day, so the rays were kind of muted. Was rather disappointed. We just hung around, taking some pics but there wasn't very much to do in the gloom of the cave. We wanted to make our way back earlier but the guides didn't allow us to as the other group had arrived not too long ago. Finally, someone just upped and started hiking back and we followed.
9) Through the darkness and back into the light: I'm glad we were one of the first few to reach the bottom of the cave. It would have been a very long wait down below as each of us had to be harnessed and pulled up.
10) Surprised: Once we got back up to the top, I was taken aback to see that we were manually pulled up by 20 or so men. For some reason, I imagined we would be winched up through some mechanical means.
11) Washing up: The toilets are clean for washing up and each of us were given a packet of food comprising of rice, tempe, a small piece of fried chicken, tofu and some veg. It was a good meal. Maybe we were all starving. Bottles of water were also provided.
Would I recommend someone to Jomblang?
Perhaps but if you were tied for time and on a budget, I would probably give this a miss. The distance and the cost do not justify the trip there. And leave the kids at home.
Oh, and remember your mosquito repellent too.
On a positive note, I'm hoping that we are contributing somewhat to the local villagers with employment opportunities, given that they were labouring hard to pull us up.
In any case, let me get to the details of the review. I was there with my family which included 3 children aged 8 through 13.
1) Journey there: 2 hour ride from Jogja with the last 30 minutes on a very bumpy off-road trek, passing by villagers carrying stacks of grass for their cows
2) Payment: Once u get there, you'll have to sign in and make payment. It's IDR450,000 per person, regardless of age.
3) Booting up: Next, you go boots-hunting for a pair that fits you. This was quite a challenge for my children as they didn't have much children-sized boots. My 8-year old girl had to squeeze into the only child-sized boots which was slightly small for her and they gave her blisters halfway through the trek. The boots were rather slimy and damp inside which was rather unpleasant. Wear a pair of socks if you are squeamish. Wearing too large a pair will also give you problems later as they tend to get stuck in the mud. I had some difficulties trying to get through the mud without the boots coming off.
4) Gearing up: Select your helmet and get a harness. The helmets smelt rather bad but I can understand why. My helmet was all soaked through after the whole activity and I doubt the helmets were washed and dried after each climb. Select the helmets that still have the foam padding on. (There was a family in our group who wore shower caps below their helmets)
4) Get in line: If you want to be the first few to get down, make sure you wait near the coconut tree. You'll see it when you get there. Else, it could be a long while before you get down if there is a crowd.
5) Getting down: this is the most exciting/scary part. You will be paired with someone for the journey down. As your feet leaves the stone ledge, a photographer will take a pic of you and your partner as you dangle and hang on for a dear life. (The pic will cost you IDR45,000 if you want to purchase it later). Its an amazing 40 seconds glide down to the bowels of the cave.
6) The Trek towards the Sinkhole: this is one muddy slippery trek. I don't recommend it for any child younger than 8 as I don't feel that it was very safe. The ropes that were lined along the steep trek down did not provide any support at all as the stakes that were supposed to be driven into the ground were mostly coming out of the ground. My youngest daughter couldn't manage the steep climb but one of the guide carried her down (and later up again) with such ease although I had my heart in my mouth watching him leap down with such nimble footing.
7) Into the darkness: Huge cavern leading into a dark tunnel. There appears to be some rock fall and it's completely pitch dark inside the tunnel. Bring your own torches.
8) And into the light: Grubug cave. We waited for about 30 minutes for the rays of light to filter down. Like I mentioned earlier, it wasn't a very bright sunny day, so the rays were kind of muted. Was rather disappointed. We just hung around, taking some pics but there wasn't very much to do in the gloom of the cave. We wanted to make our way back earlier but the guides didn't allow us to as the other group had arrived not too long ago. Finally, someone just upped and started hiking back and we followed.
9) Through the darkness and back into the light: I'm glad we were one of the first few to reach the bottom of the cave. It would have been a very long wait down below as each of us had to be harnessed and pulled up.
10) Surprised: Once we got back up to the top, I was taken aback to see that we were manually pulled up by 20 or so men. For some reason, I imagined we would be winched up through some mechanical means.
11) Washing up: The toilets are clean for washing up and each of us were given a packet of food comprising of rice, tempe, a small piece of fried chicken, tofu and some veg. It was a good meal. Maybe we were all starving. Bottles of water were also provided.
Would I recommend someone to Jomblang?
Perhaps but if you were tied for time and on a budget, I would probably give this a miss. The distance and the cost do not justify the trip there. And leave the kids at home.
Oh, and remember your mosquito repellent too.
On a positive note, I'm hoping that we are contributing somewhat to the local villagers with employment opportunities, given that they were labouring hard to pull us up.
Written June 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aldia S
Jakarta, Indonesia26 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
i share other reviews' sentiment: get a knowledgable driver and proper car because no roadsigns leading to the location, and it's a very bumpy ride. i heard the owner does that intentionally to preserve the natural atmosphere. well the good thing is, it'll keep it from being too touristy.
bring an extra pair of thick socks that you're willing to throw away after, unless you're ok lugging a smelly lump of dirt home.
also beware if you're afraid of height. it's a long way down with your life depends only on a harness and piece of rope.
but i promise you, you won't regret the journey. although i've seen the photos before i went, i was still dumbstruck when i saw the light from the second cave. the view was just nothing i've ever seen and experience before. nothing short of magical. all the slipping in the mud, groping in the pitch black cave, all forgotten.
you won't regret it.
bring an extra pair of thick socks that you're willing to throw away after, unless you're ok lugging a smelly lump of dirt home.
also beware if you're afraid of height. it's a long way down with your life depends only on a harness and piece of rope.
but i promise you, you won't regret the journey. although i've seen the photos before i went, i was still dumbstruck when i saw the light from the second cave. the view was just nothing i've ever seen and experience before. nothing short of magical. all the slipping in the mud, groping in the pitch black cave, all forgotten.
you won't regret it.
Written March 18, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle_T011
Zurich, Switzerland22 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
We started in Yogyakarta and had to do some research on how to arrange the excursion to the cave as not everyone in Jogja (including the hotel staff at the reception of our 4 star hotel) knows about this stunning place. After some rearch we manged to arrange the trip directly with the owner Mr Cahyo Alkantana (+62 81111 7010). His driver Gito picked us up at the hotel early in the morning. Aleady during the drive there we enjoyed seeing Jogja's scenery and Gito turned out not only to be super friendly and fun but also told us many things about the region on the way (including fresh harvested Cashwews from the tree). The total cost for two pax was 1,350k IDR (450 entrance/pax plus 450k for the transport).
Upon arrival we were offered tea and after we had chosen our rubber boots and helmet we were brought to the entry of the cave. There is a maximum number of 25 people allowed in the cave each day (entrance time is around 10am-11pm as the light is best then for stunning pics) and we were extremly lucky to have the cave (and the guide) just for the two of us.
The crew helped us into a harness and a few moments later we were ready for the adventure. The view while the rope put us down (we going down together) already was great. I recommend to bring mosquito repellent as there are many at the entrance of the cave.
After walking about 250m inside the cave we reached the second entrance and underwater river - time for a spectacular look upwards and around and certainly stunning pics!
After walking back to the entrance we could not wait to get back on the rope as it was so much fun! Gito was waiting above with a lunchbox with yummy local food. After lunch he drove us back to the hotel and even stopped for us to buy a fresh coconut on the way home. We had a perfect trip - thanks again to all of the crew - you were amazing!
Upon arrival we were offered tea and after we had chosen our rubber boots and helmet we were brought to the entry of the cave. There is a maximum number of 25 people allowed in the cave each day (entrance time is around 10am-11pm as the light is best then for stunning pics) and we were extremly lucky to have the cave (and the guide) just for the two of us.
The crew helped us into a harness and a few moments later we were ready for the adventure. The view while the rope put us down (we going down together) already was great. I recommend to bring mosquito repellent as there are many at the entrance of the cave.
After walking about 250m inside the cave we reached the second entrance and underwater river - time for a spectacular look upwards and around and certainly stunning pics!
After walking back to the entrance we could not wait to get back on the rope as it was so much fun! Gito was waiting above with a lunchbox with yummy local food. After lunch he drove us back to the hotel and even stopped for us to buy a fresh coconut on the way home. We had a perfect trip - thanks again to all of the crew - you were amazing!
Written November 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does anyone know any information on how to rappel down the Grubug cave entrance? Where the "Heaven Light" enters. All the tours I have found enter through a different opening and then travel through the caves to Grubug cave to see the Heaven light. I read from one person that you can do it yourself with your own equipment, but I much rather hire someone to help us along the way. Are there people you can hire to take you down that specific entrance, or is it not allowed?
Thank you for any/all help!
Written February 19, 2020
You can call/whatsapp the jomblang cave operator to get the service information at +62811117010.
Thank you
Written March 6, 2020
Will we be able to take pictures while standing on the rock in the light coming down as per the picture advertised ?
Written February 3, 2020
Our guide said that the early groups have the best chances to see the light coming into the cave. We went with the first group on a sunny day and had the perfect picture op.
Written February 4, 2020
Will the tour operator provide pick-up transportation to n from the hotel ?
Written February 3, 2020
Yeah, but not free of course.
Written February 3, 2020
You need to book a day tour package from Yogyakarta. There are plenty of tour operators choose any. They will pick you at 6 AM and the cab driver will be there with you for the whole time. At Jomblang cave site, like you there will be many people. There are guides who will then give you all safety instructions and take you along as a common group. They will drop you to the cave by rope then they will take you inside the cave...you just have to follow them and the same way back. Tour package will be easy as they will take care of everything. I paid 800K IDR including everything. That involves lunch as well (Okish..i skipped it).
Written May 30, 2019
Hi, do you think i can abseil down & 'baby-wearing' my 3yo here at jomblang cave? Can you recommend adventure activities for a 3yo in Jogja & surrounding? TIA
Written March 30, 2019
5 years minimum
Written June 26, 2019
Hi, Which companies offer transport to the cave?
Written January 3, 2019
Hi, sorry if my answer is late, but hopefully useful for all traveler, several times I visited Java, I always recommended by my embassy to use Mr.Edu crew from Java Private Tour, you can check on google, very honest, no hidden fees and even your ticket can pay yourself on the spot, flexible time & flexible route, and guaranteed security, and make sure you come early if you come to this beautiful cave.
Written December 5, 2019
Can I hire my own driver and drive me to Jomblang Cave without engaging a tour agent? Would it be possible to purchase the entrance on the day itself? I made some enquirer and they charge really high for the trip.
Also if I do go there on my own how early should I reach Jomblang Cave?
Written August 19, 2018
1. I went there with a taxi driver turned private driver for a day.
2. Perhaps a tour agent have connections to guarantee you a ticket.
3. I arrived at 9am and it’s already sold out.
4. I suggest ask a tour agent for guaranteed admission ticket rather repeating what I went through.
Written August 20, 2018
Hey Travellers!
Is it possible to rent a scooter from Yogya and ride all the way to Jomblang Caves?
And if its possible, how much it could possibly cost and maybe where to rent. Thanks in advance!
Written June 17, 2018
We are renting scooters from Yogya for 120 k for two days
Written July 26, 2018
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