Cilacap - former administrative city, capital of Cilacap Regency

Cilacap is a town in the southwest of Central Java, Indonesia.

Understand

Cilacap is on Central Java's south (Indian Ocean) coast. The island of Nusa Kambangan, known for its high-security prison, is off the coast, and is part of the regency.

Get in

By car

Cilacap is about 25 km south of the main Southern Java Route trunk road, halfway between Bandung (225 km to the west) and Jogja (180 km to the east).

Although Cilacap is just 40 km east of the well-known beach town of Pangandaran as the crow flies, there is no road along the coast, and the 120 km trip is about 4 hours.

By train

Cilacap railway station 📍 is served by one executive class train a day from Jakarta Gambir station, via Cirebon, Purwokerto, and Kroya. The train leaves Jakarta at 22:15, and arrives in Cilacap at 05:15. The return journey departs at 14:30 and arrives in Jakarta at 21:23.

The nearest major railway station is Kroya railway station 📍, about 40 km to the northeast. It serves a wide range of economy, business, and executive class trains to Jakarta, Jogja, Bandung, Surabaya and others.

By plane

• Tunggul Wulung Airport (IATA: CXP), -7.642688°, 109.034688°. small, with daily flights on small Cessna planes operated by Susi Air, to and from East Jakarta's Halim Airport.

Get around

By ride-hailing app

There are some online ride-hailing apps such as Gojek. You may choose to go by motorcycle or car.

See

• Benteng Pendem (Buried Fort), -7.74921°, 109.017°. An abandoned Dutch fortress. Built between 1861 and 1879, the fortress originally served to defend the important port of Cilacap, though after a series of changes in ownership it fell into disrepair in the 1960s. In 1987 it was opened to the public. The pentagon-shaped site covers 6.5 hectares (16 acres), and consists of both original buildings – including barracks, a clinic, and a prison – as well as several later additions. 2022-05-04

Do

• Pantai Teluk Penyu (Teluk Penyu Beach), -7.74226°, 109.021°. A brown sand beach. Along the beach are numerous restaurants many serving grilled fish. Souvenirs and hotels are also available. Fishing is a popular pastime at the beach, which is crowded with local residents on the weekends. Boats are available for rent, as are water activities such as banana boats. Every Satu Suro (the first day of the Javanese calendar) the local residents perform a ritual known as Sedekah Laut (Alms to the Sea) in order to thank God for protecting them while fishing. During this ritual, a procession leaves the office of the regent of Cilacap, heading to Teluk Penyu. At sea, water buffalo heads and other offerings are thrown into the sea by fishermen; according to local tradition, this must be completed by noon. Afterwards, cultural activities such as wayang (shadow puppet) shows, kuda lumping dances, and musical performances are held. 2022-05-04
• Pantai Karang Bolong (Karang Bolong Beach), -7.76036°, 109.042°. A white sand beach located on Nusa Kambangan Island. The island of Nusa Kambangan was first used as a prison during the Dutch colonial period. In 1905 it was declared a restricted area and closed to the public. The island remained restricted, under the Dutch colonial and, later, the independent Indonesian government, until 1996, when the governor of Central Java and the Minister of Law signed a memorandum which opened the eastern end of the island to the public. This included many beaches, such as Karang Bolong. Its lack of visitors due to proximity with the prison makes Karang Bolong Beach to be relatively unspoiled. 2022-05-04

Buy

Food souvenirs

• Rempeyek yutuk, mole crabs cracker.
• Sale pisang, sweet flattened banana snack.

Eat

The town's pleasure beach at Teluk Penyu has a strip of seafood restaurants. Also, you may try Cilacap specialty cuisine.

• Rumah Makan Brekecek Pathak Jahan Bu Widi, Jl. Slamet No.5, Cilacap, Sidanegara, Cilacap Tengah, -7.725062°, 109.015062°, +62 857 287 88810. 10:00-19:00. Local Cilacap cuisine, brekecek (spicy steamed fish). From Rp17,000 2022-08-27
• Sate Ayam Martawi, Jl. S. Parman, Damalang, Sidanegara, Cilacap Tengah, -7.721188°, 109.013188°, +62 282 5253194. 09:00-22:30. Cilacap's specialty of two skewers of chicken satay. Rp25,000 2022-08-27
• Mie Ayam Pego Ciwiru, Jl. Tongkol, Adipala, Karanganyar, Adipala, -7.664687°, 109.151313°. 10AM-9PM. Serves mie ayam (chicken noodle) with a tripe. In Cilacap, mie ayam is often added with peanuts. Rp10,000-30,000 2022-08-27

Drink

As a coastline city, the whole coconut drink is very common. The price is in the range of Rp10,000-20,000.

Sleep

• @HOM Premiere by Horison, Jl Perintis Kemerdekaan, -7.691023°, 109.03453°, +62 282 525-9888. Double rooms from Rp310,000 2016-11-22

Connect

The telephone area code of Cilacap is 0282.

Go next

• Banjar — the nearest city in West Java province.
• Pangandaran — if you are feeling adventurous, it is possible to get to the resort town of Pangandaran to the west by hiring a small boat to take you through the mangrove forests of Segara Anakan bay and dropping you at Kalipucang, from where you can jump on the next passing bus down into Pangandaran. Allow plenty of time, ideally starting in the early morning from Cilacap - just wander down to the harbour and talk to the boatmen. Crossing the bay takes about three hours. In Kalipucang ask someone where to wait for the buses, and stick out your hand when one passes.
• Kebumen — a regency famous for its beaches and natural limestone caves. Also for lanthing and satay ambal. There is the town of Gombong with colonial, military, and tourism. There is also an ancient geological national geopark site Karangsambung-Karangbolong.