This experience is part of my 2 day adventure in Yogyakarta, where I also visited Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the world and adventured around the super active Mount Merapi Volcano.

We booked this experience via JogjaTourPackage, which provided us a great experience and took great care of us throughout the tour.

Jomblang Cave

Jomblang Cave, or "Goa Jomblang", is a mesmerizing vertical sinkhole in Gunungkidul Regency, about two hours from Yogyakarta. This unique geological wonder is part of the extensive Gunung Sewu karst region, a UNESCO Global Geopark, and has earned its reputation as one of the most iconic caving experiences in Southeast Asia.

Brief History

Jomblang Cave was formed thousands of years ago by the collapse of a karst plateau, creating a massive vertical opening that plunges 60 meters into the earth. The cave is known for its jaw-dropping size, ancient stalactites and stalagmites, and an ethereal phenomenon called the “Heavenly Light.” This occurs when sunlight pierces through a smaller opening in the cave’s roof, illuminating its moss-covered walls and creating an almost spiritual glow that draws photographers and adventurers from around the globe.

At the bottom of the sinkhole lies an underground forest—a surreal, lush oasis of tropical vegetation that thrived after being isolated for centuries. The forest provides a striking contrast to the rugged terrain of the cave walls and offers a glimpse into a hidden ecosystem rarely seen by human eyes.

Cave Popularity

Jomblang caves are highly rated as a tourist destination for few main reasons below:

1. The “Heavenly Light” Experience
   The highlight of the Jomblang Cave adventure is witnessing the Heavenly Light. Around midday, sunlight streams through the roof opening, creating dramatic, almost celestial beams of light that illuminate the cave floor. This magical moment lasts for only a short window of time, making it a prized experience for visitors and photographers alike.
2. Thrilling Vertical Descent
   Jomblang Cave offers an adrenaline-pumping start with a vertical descent into the sinkhole. Using safety harnesses and ropes, participants rappel approximately 60 meters down into the cave. This adventure is made safe and accessible even for beginners, thanks to experienced guides who ensure all safety measures are followed.
3. Underground Exploration
   Beyond the descent, visitors are guided through a muddy yet rewarding path toward the light chamber, where they can marvel at the interplay of light and shadow, the forest, and the cave’s intricate rock formations. The trek provides an opportunity to connect with nature and appreciate the grandeur of Indonesia’s geological heritage.
4. Unique Cultural Significance
   Locally, Jomblang Cave holds spiritual importance. In the past, it was a sacred place for rituals and offerings to the spirits believed to inhabit the cave. This cultural connection adds a layer of mystique to the adventure.

Start of Tour

To kick off the trip, we were picked up from our hotel and embarked on a 1.5 hour drive to Jomblang Cave. Upon arrival, we were given a welcome drink and were provided cave boots to change into - The boots were essential to navigate the slippery and rocky terrain in the cave.

We were led on a quick 5 minute walk towards the cave, where guides equipped us with harness equipment and helmet needed for us to descend into the cave.

While waiting, we kept ourselves busy learning more about the caves from this infographic nearby:

The group was given a quick safety briefing by the guide, before we took turns to slowly descend into the cave.

Descending into Jomblang Cave

Guests are brought down 2 at a time - As there was only 1 pulley, it was around 30 minutes before everyone got lowered down into the cave.

Getting lowered into the cave was an adventure itself, considering that we were hanging 60 meters above the ground suspended by a pulley. Before being lowered, we had to stand extremely close to the edge of the cliff while being hooked up the pulley system. For some, this would be a real adrenaline rush!

Jomblang Cave

Looking up above after being lowered, we could barely see the pulley anymore. We were then led on a short walk through the vegetation, navigating through some muddy terrain. It was a short steep descent before we arrived at the entrance of Jomblang cave itself.

At first glance, the cave looks slightly intimidating with its extremely high roof and what seemed like perpetual darkness ahead:

We were led deeper into the cave by the cave guides. Since it was pitch black ahead, we were had to use our phone flashlights to illuminate the path ahead of us.

It was not long before we were greeted by a surreal sight - Sunlight streaming through a hole in the cave’s roof, creating what is famously called the "Heavenly Light."

This breathtaking natural spectacle is complemented by ancient stalactites and moss-covered walls, and provides a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity.

It was interesting to observe the entire photo taking process orchestrated by the tour guides themselves. It seems that the guides knew well enough that tourists will take forever snapping away to get the 'best' shots they possibly can, so the guides took crowd control into their own hands.

We were organized in a queue, with one guide managing the queue and the other responsible for taking photos and cueing different poses from those getting their photos taken. This made the entire process efficient, since the guides knew the best angles to get the pictures and got all photos taken within 30 minutes. My own wild guess is that this is done to minimize the time spent in the cave for safety reasons since oxygen levels are lower than usual while inside the cave.

Once we got our photos taken, we joined the rest just sitting around to admire the cave around us.

If you want more photos, it is still possible to get a decent shot with the "Heavenly Light" from another angle:

Back to Ground Level

Once everyone was done, we were led out the same way back out, climbing up the steep mossy stairs and waiting for our turn to be transported upwards back to ground level, where I got a shot of our guides making sure we return safely:

It is also interesting to see how guests are lifted back up since there is no electric motor powering the pulley.

A literal team of locals band together, acting as the source of the power lifting guests back up to ground level. We observed how they held onto the rope and pulled backwards as if in a game of tug of war until the guests are safely back up.

We were greeted with a nice local meal of carbs and some protein to refuel after the experience inside Jomblang caves.

And that concludes this experience - As my first caving experience ever, I would say this is safe for most individuals and is a great activity to add to your list if you're ever in Yogyakarta.

As part of our tour, up next comes the tubing experience in Pindul cave.