Long Read
10 Surprising Facts About Cilacap You Probably Didn’t Know (And Why I Regret Moving Here Anyway)
if you’re thinking of living in cilacap without overpaying for a view or pretending to care about coconut water trends, listen up. located on java’s southern coast, this sleepy port town is the kind of place where locals squint at you like you’ve just landed a rocket on the beach. i moved here to save money and ended up learning things that no google search would spit out in a clean paragraph. here’s what i discovered:
| - *rent is cheaper than a warung but hotter than a rotten egg in the sun. i paid $150/month for a 10x12m concrete bungalow with a door that opens directly to a flooded rice field. according to a guy at the minimarket, this is normal. according to my bank account, this is why i have no money. data table: cost of living in cilacap | item | cost per month |
|---|---|---|
| rent (1BR) | $100-200 | |
| street food meals | $1-2/day | |
| public transport | $5-8/day | |
| (don’t cry about it) |
- the port here could export your entire life if you let it. the harbor moves more than just cement. it’s where fishermen hawk fresh scallops next to guys shouting about shipping dead livestock to australia. shows up in the census stats: cilacap’s economy is 80% port-related, 15% fishing, and 5% people like me who refuse to work. even vending machine snacks here say "thank you to port workers" on the box. weirdly romantic.
- overheard gossip: "the military base on the hill? that’s where the foreign diplomats stay. don’t wander up there after dark. i once saw a vietnam veteran napalm his own bucket hat just because he was too tipsy." - some local in a bunga bunga bar.
- beaches here are like: ‘excuse me, do you have raft or bear claws?’. pemarican beach looks like a resort ad, but the water’s darker than your ex’s soul when you’re hitting the bottle. locals swear it’s great for snorkeling, but who’s got the gear cash? pro tip: bring a snorkel from home. it’s cleaner than the pools at the hostel.
- the job market is a lie. you’ll see ads for "social media assistant". they mean someone to scroll through tiktok videos and yell "iseng iseng" at chatgpt users. most jobs are factory shifts or dock work. if you want artisanal coffee jobs, bring your own espresso roast. seriously.
- weather? imagine being inside a microwave. 90% humidity, 90% of the year. it’s the kind of heat that makes your brain fluid. even the dogs are sweating.
- neighbors are just a short drive/flight from chaos. yogyakarta’s 5 hours away. semarang’s 4. if you need more people, take a ferry to bali. or a bus. or a existential crisis.
- ingredient of the month: kerupuk. the gods forgot the noodles. your diet becomes rice, fried tempeh, and round crackers made in a mill powered by your own existential dread. it’s actually nutritious. somehow.
- safety is… context-dependent. pickpockets target tourists near the station. cats, however, are 500% more likely to steal your heart and knock your phone into a well. don’t panic. they’re just practicing.
- local rebellion is free. join a spontaneous beach volleyball match at midnight or watch vendors dump unsold fruit into the street. no need to buy a ticket. just show up and throw a coconut.
- why you’ll forget everything: the cicadas here sound like they’re shouting in indonesian about cargo ships. listen closely, and maybe you’ll understand why humans chose to live here. data table: local exodus stats |
| who’s leaving | reason |
|---|---|
| college kids | got a visa for australia |
| the old folks | got a visa for australia |
| strangers like me | got a visa for australia |
so there you have it. cilacap’s a dumpster fire of charm. if you’re wondering why i’m still here, it’s either for the cheap rent or the fact that i’ve already filled out 3 visa applications. don’t ask about my career plans.
sources:
- cilacap local subreddit
- tripadvisor beer garden reviews
- overheard at the minimarket
ps: the last thing i regret is not including a table in this post. maybe next week’s post: ‘10 spreadsheets i stole from cilacap bureaucrats’.*
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/cacuaco-chaos-a-chefs-burnt-notes-on-university-grind-greasy-spoons
- https://topiclo.com/post/kyotos-got-a-grip-and-maybe-a-ghost-2
- https://topiclo.com/post/healthcare-quality-in-antananarivo-top-hospitals-medical-centers-and-why-im-still-kinda-stressed
- https://topiclo.com/post/cheap-coffee-bad-wifi-and-a-few-good-bites-my-messy-cairo-adventure
- https://topiclo.com/post/remote-work-in-vientiane-is-it-a-digital-nomad-paradise