Clean river near the city!

I deliberately made a detour to an area in Ciamis, West Java, after hearing about a river where you can swim or play in the water—not far from the city or main road. At first, I didn’t really believe it, because natural spots like this are usually located far away—at least 1.5 hours from town! But this one only takes about 30 minutes to reach! And you’ve got to believe me, the name of this place is LUBANG TIMAH. This spot is located at an elevation of 835 meters above sea level. Just follow the route on the map — it’s that simple. Only the last 1–2 km of the road is still gravel, but it’s still passable by motorbike, even with a passenger. Here’s what it looks like.

Once you arrive at the destination on the map, you’ll see a small shelter (saung) like this. Motorbikes can be parked inside, and cars can go a bit further up to find a parking spot. We arrived here at around 11:30 AM.

Cars can be parked a little further up the road.

At this small food stall, there’s a husband and wife who run the place — both of them are farmers. You can order food like nasi liwet, fried snacks (gorengan), coffee, and more. My team and I ordered some gorengan and coffee, which were freshly prepared and served hot. The gorengan cost $0.06 each, and the coffee was $0.25

We took a short break here while enjoying the fried snacks. Right next to the food stall, there’s a wide open field that’s usually used for camping. If you’d like to stay overnight, you can — the couple who runs the stall will also stay around. The weather is fresh and cool, but not too cold — though it might get a bit chilly at night. The view is absolutely stunning, seriously! There was even some leftover warmth from a campfire, left by a group who stayed here the night before.

In front of the parking area, there’s a grey building — this is the prayer room (mushola) and toilet. You’re welcome to use it for showering as well, if needed. The prayer room is already equipped with prayer mats and other essentials, so no need to worry!

Around 12:30 PM, we finally headed to the river. The location is very close — just a short walk uphill, about 100–150 meters. There’s also a sacred grave (makam keramat) nearby, so you might see a few people coming to pay their respects as well.

Just follow this path — it’s super easy! And don’t forget, if you bring food, drinks, or snacks, please throw your trash in the bins provided. There was some scattered trash around the bin area, but it seemed like it might’ve been the work of the local dogs (maybe, haha).

So, they say Lubang Timah isn’t a natural waterfall like most others. The name “Lubang Timah” actually comes from the tin mining activity that used to take place here. After the mining stopped, the abandoned pit gradually filled with water and became surrounded by natural vegetation — eventually turning into a beautiful pond and waterfall.

To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations at first. I thought it would just be an old, abandoned mining hole and nothing more.

DON’T BE SURPRISED!! The water is CRYSTAL CLEAR and SUPER CLEAN! I couldn’t wait to jump in and feel the freshness!

There’s also a small shelter (saung) here in case you just want to sit and relax by the riverside.

So, we went a bit further down from the saung. We changed clothes and placed them safely on the riverbank to keep them from getting wet.

Actually, you can jump from that big rock into the current — but I didn’t dare to try, since it was pretty quiet and I was worried that if something happened, no one would be around to help. I also wasn’t sure how strong the current was underneath.

Turns out the water was soooo cold and super refreshing — no joke!! The current was strong, but still safe, so you can totally just float and lie back in it if you want.

But you still need to be careful, because some of the rocks here are slippery — I slipped a few times myself. Even though the river rocks are mostly rounded, they can still hurt when you step on them… feels like one of those reflexology paths for the elderly, haha!

I played in the water here for about 60 to 70 minutes — it was cold, but in a really refreshing and comfortable way. Not the kind of cold that makes you shiver!

Turns out, wearing white pants here was a big mistake! The back got dirty from sitting on the rocks. I tried scrubbing it a bit so the dust and sand stains wouldn’t stick too much, haha!

If you’re feeling bored, you can try stacking stones like this — there are plenty of rocks around!

Even though the water and weather are refreshing, if you’re out here in the middle of the day, you’ll still end up getting sunburned!

And around 2:00 PM, we headed back to the food stall to change clothes and take a shower (if needed). After that, we went straight home! We only spent IDR 14,000 total — for 10 fried snacks and a cup of coffee. There’s no entrance fee at all, and even parking is free!!! HAHAHA what a fun trip, right?

If you’re planning to visit, don’t forget to bring your own food and drinks — and please don’t litter! This place is way too cool and refreshing to be spoiled.

Thanks for reading this blog, and see you on my next adventure!

Bye!