Goa Gong

Goa Gong is in the Gunung Sewu karst near Punung in Pacitan and is generally rated the best show cave in Java: a system of around three hundred metres of walkable passage through a sequence of large chambers with stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstone in good condition, some formations several metres across. The name comes from a resonance - striking certain formations produces a sound compared to a gong, which the guides demonstrate. It was known locally for a long time and opened for visitors in 1995. The lighting is coloured, which divides opinion: it makes the chambers photograph vividly and is entirely unlike what the rock looks like. It is hot and humid inside despite fans, and the steps are steep. The Pacitan coast and Tabuhan cave are close.

What you actually see

• Large chambered passage - about three hundred metres of walkway through the system.
• Formations in good condition - columns and flowstone several metres across.
• The gong resonance - the sound the guides demonstrate on certain formations.
• Coloured lighting - vivid for photographs, nothing like the natural rock.

When to go

All year. Half a day.

Honest expectations

It is hot and humid inside, more than most caves, and the steps are steep and wet. The coloured lighting is not to everyone's taste. Weekends and holidays are crowded.

Nearby

Goa Tabuhan is close; the Pacitan beaches are south.