Life's not just a beach at Pangandaran

Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Pangandaran, West Java

Pangandaran has been a favorite destination of mine since I discovered six years ago that the beach offers more than just sand -- there are rivers, caves and a wildlife conservation area -- and for its fresh yet inexpensive seafood.

I packed my bags with a light heart and my mind set on several missions this holiday: enjoying the sunset on the white beach, revisiting the cave at Citumang River, watching the river bend from behind its waterfall and daring myself to take the plunge from the six-meter-high rock in Green Canyon.

The black sand beach of Pangandaran appeared after a five-hour-drive from Bandung. Along the tourist area of the west beach are a variety of accommodation, from a modest double bedroom for Rp 75,000, to bungalows and a two-star hotel. To my liking, the beach was quiet and the hotels empty.

For my first mission, I found Opang, a boatkeeper who promised coral reefs and fish in many colors as well as a return trip to the white beach, located at the edge of the conservation area on a nearby cape, for Rp 50,000.

Spirits high, we boarded Opang's eight-meter-long boat, heading out to sea. That high quickly disappeared when the reef turned out to be light brownish under murky water. Not a Nemo in sight, nor any of his friends.

"You should've seen it in the morning," Opang said.

To make up for our disappointment, we took up his offer to see what he termed four "special places" after bargaining down from his original offer of Rp 250,000 to Rp 150,000.

After 10 more minutes in the boat, Opang said proudly, "That's the turtle beach". It was a stretch of ordinary looking white beach, where, he said, turtles lay their eggs. "We can't land there because the current is too strong." Fair enough.

"There is the swallow cave," he said a few minutes later, pointing to a hole in a rock with sea crashing onto the reef huddling in front of it.

"And that," he added, his finger crooked another way, "is the statue of the boy who was turned into stone for disobeying his mother."

I squinted my eyes to catch a glimpse of a rock shaped like a slashed cone. From where I was sitting, it was as big as the tip of my little finger.

This is ridiculous, I thought to myself.

To the right, a circle of reefs hundreds of meters away was the rocks where the legendary daughters of the sea bathe.

The journey took less than 30 minutes and at no time did our feet hit land. That was what our guide meant by "seeing" the places, I guess. I thought about screaming out my frustration, but held my tongue, as being cast away at sea was not my idea of a holiday.

Nevertheless, the beach was as good as I remembered it, with its trees and white sand, along with scattered pieces of coral reefs and seashells.

Monkeys sometimes lurk around, ready to snatch away any open food. Some, with a bit more initiative, dig away in the sand to find crabs.

As the sun went down and covered the beach with its golden reddish tinge and we got ready to leave, two deer came out of the trees, as if wanting to bid us goodbye. A perfect ending to an imperfect day.

The next morning, I was ready for some action. The narrow road to Citumang River lies five kilometers from the Pangandaran exit in the direction of Batu Karas. A blue road sign, almost totally hidden by overhanging trees, pointed us to the right.

The place had not changed at all since I last saw it two years ago. There was a changing room, toilets and only two other tourists.

Citumang flows from within a tall cave, out into the open air and down a waterfall. Swimming into the cave, I shivered at the thought of what might be slithering underneath me -- snakes, turtles, bigger snakes, crocodiles, dragons? But there were six of us and I felt safety in numbers, so I decided to ignore my overblown imagination.

The earth colored walls got darker and darker until there was no more light. After 40 meters or so, we touched the end wall, where the water forked into two tunnels.

"In the dry season, when water is low, we can swim in," said our guide, pointing to the right tunnel. "There are other caves inside."

We sat at the edge of the waterfall to get some warmth after the chilly cave water. Jumping down to the river, we swam under the waterfall, sat on a rock behind it and peered at the green river through a water curtain. It's a stunning sight that I dare say not many have seen.

Unfortunately, water filled the hole behind the waterfall and the current was rather strong from an incessant downpour the week before. We ditched the chance to swim there and took a half-hour walk to see the other mouth of the cave.

The following day -- a Thursday before a long weekend -- we went to the famous Green Canyon, 20 kilometers from Pangandaran beach. Tourists were already swarming at the gate, but we managed to get a boat to take us the three kilometers to the canyon.

The Green Canyon is a narrow valley between two steep stone walls. From its entrance, visitors can swim in, but once they reach the six-meter-high rock, the favorite jump site, they have to move forward by walking and climbing the big stones that stand in the way.

A word of caution: I had once stood on the top of the rock and found it completely unnerving. Just as I decided that it was not worth a heart attack, a bunch of tourists came and stayed to watch me -- a girl! -- jump. Either true bravado or shame will get you to take this leap of faith, and for me, it was the latter.

But the adrenaline shot was refreshing and the looks of admiration soothing, so I was ready for a repeat performance this time around.

To my disappointment, again, we could not do it because the water was too high. Luckily, the boatmen saw our frustration and took us to some rocks with a natural fountain just outside the entrance. We enjoyed ourselves, climbing the rocks, showering under the water, taking turns to jump into the river and being photographed by other tourists who passed by.

Before we went home, as I took a last look at the now busy beach, I felt quite satisfied, even with only two missions completed. It was nonetheless a splendid four-day vacation, and I can always come back in the dry season to do the rest.