Category:Buniayu Cave

Buniayu is a tourist destination area famous for its caves adventure. Located on an area of approximately 10 hectares, Buniayu is located in the village of Kerta Angsana, in Purabaya District, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, Indonesia. Since 1992, this resort is operated by Perum Perhutani Unit III Jawa Barat (West Java) and Banten.^[1]

Previously, Buniayu cave was better known as Cipicung cave, because its location is within the area of Cipicung village. However, this cave is known as Goa Siluman or Demon's Cave by the spelunkers. Since the Perum Perhutani took over the management of this area, starting from February 26, 1992, the name of the cave was changed to Wana Wisata Buniayu Cave. Buniayu name itself is taken from the Sundanese language which consists of the word "Buni" which means "hidden" and "Ayu" which means "beautiful". Therefore, Buniayu means "hidden beauty".^[2]

There are two caves in this tourist destination area, namely Goa Angin (Wind cave) and Goa Kerek (Kerek cave). Goa Angin or Wind cave is used for general interest tourism, while Goa Kerek is used for special interest tourism.^[3]

Wind cave is a horizontal cave with the approximate distance around 300 meters or around 1.5 - 2 hours (backtrack). This cave is open to the general public. To enter this cave, visitors do not require special equipments. Whereas, the specifications of this cave are:^[4]

• Depth of vertical hole: Non vertical
• Area of chamber (room): Varies at some point
• Horizontal alley length: ± 300 m (travel time 2 hours round-trip)
• Hallway width: 1 - 20 meters
• Ceiling height: 2 - 25 meters on average from the cave floor

• River width: 1 - 2 meters
• River water level altitude: 0.5 - 3 meters (high intensity rainfall), 15 cm (dry)
• Diameter of the lake: None
• Depth of lake: None
• Waterfall height: None

• Stalactite, shaped like a spear
• Stalagmites, located always under the stalactites
• Drapery, shaped like a shark's fin
• Gourdam (baby gourdam, micro gourd), dome-shaped with a surface resembling a patch of rice fields
• Canopy, shaped like an umbrella
• Flow stone, shaped like a frozen waterfall
• Column, shaped like a pillar (originally from stalactite and stalagmite that have been fused)

• Crickets
• Bats (Megachiroptra)
• Spiders
• Fishes
• Shrimps
• Lizards
• Swallows (Collocalia)

• Wet with 60 - 70% humidity and temperature around 22-25° C
• Climb angle between 30-45°

To enter Kerek cave, visitors will need special equipments. Kerek cave is a cave with vertical entrance, around 30 meters tall. The distance from the entrance of the cave to the exit is around 2.5 kilometers or around 5 - 6 hours by foot. With the number of cave floors collapsed as a result of water erosion, this cave is categorized as a cave with medium adventure level with relatively high level of risk. Therefore, special equipments and professional guides are required. For that reason, this cave is only opened for visitors with special interest.^[5]

• Depth of vertical hole: ± 32 meters (entrance)
• Area of chamber (room): ± 1½ of soccer field
• Horizontal alley length: ± 2.5 km (travel time 5 - 7 hours to the horizontal exit hole)
• Hallway width: 1 - 20 meters
• Ceiling height: 2 - 35 meters on average from the cave floor

• River width: 1 - 2 meters
• Surface height: 50 - 90 cm (high intensity rainfall), 15 cm (dry)
• Diameter of the lake: ± 10 meters
• The depth of the lake: ± 5 - 7 meters
• The height of the waterfall: ± 15 meters

• Stalactite, shaped like a spear
• Stalagmites, located always under the stalactites
• Drapery, shaped like a shark's fin
• Gourdam (baby gourdam, micro gourd), dome-shaped with a surface resembling a patch of rice fields
• Canopy, shaped like an umbrella
• Flow stone, shaped like a frozen waterfall
• Column, shaped like a pillar (originally from stalactite and stalagmite that have been fused)

• Crickets
• Bats (megachiroptra)
• Spiders
• Fishes
• Shrimps
• Lizards
• Swallows (Collocalia)

• Wet with 60 - 70% humidity and temperature around 22-25° C
• Climb angle between 40-50°

In addition to Wind and Kerek Caves, there are also several other caves in this area:

1. Cipicung Cave (± 3300 m long)
2. Bibijilan Cave (± 717 m long)
3. Adni Cave (± 635 m long)
4. Nyangkut Cave (± 390 m long)
5. Kubang Lanang Cave (± 302 m long)
6. Goa Tanpa Nama (Unnamed Cave) (± 400 m long)
7. Karsim Cave
8. Bisoro Cave
9. Idin Cave
10. Gede Cave; and
11. Kole Cave

1. ↑ http://www.wisatajabar.com/2015/12/wisata-petualangan-seru-di-gua-buniayu.html
2. ↑ http://www.cumilebay.com/2012/01/nyaris-gagal-di-buniayu-cave.html
3. ↑ https://buniayucaving.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/wana-wisata-goa-buniayu/
4. ↑ https://buniayucaving.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/penelusuran-goa-minat-umum/
5. ↑ https://buniayucaving.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/penelusuran-goa-minat-khusus/