Hawang Cave, an Underwater Devil's Cave Believed to Make Matches Easy

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Hawang Cave is one of the cultural tourist attractions, located on the island of Kei Kecil, precisely in Letvuan Village, Southeast Maluku Regency, Maluku Province. It is about 15 kilometers from Langgur City, the capital of Southeast Maluku. This cave is known as a very enchanting tourist destination with natural beauty and also the sound of birds that can hypnotize tourists, besides that Hawang cave has an interesting myth which will make your trip even more interesting. 

This tourist destination not only presents a beautiful view and spoils the eyes, but also has a mystical story. This mystical story developed among the community which made this tourist destination even more famous. Hawang Cave or Liang Hawang itself means the cave of demons.

Legend has it that the protruding rock or stalagmite in the center of the pool inside the cave used to be a hunter holding a spear, while the 2 lower and smaller rocks next to it were his 2 dogs. It is said that this hunter went hunting for wild boar accompanied by his 2 dogs. Then the pig suddenly disappeared when entering the cave. Because of fatigue and thirst, the hunter and his 2 dogs drank cave water which turned out to be very bitter. The hunter was angry and swearing came out of his mouth. The dirty words that came out of the hunter's mouth made the cave spirit angry, then cursed him into stone. 

Unlike the caves in general which have dirt floors, Hawang Cave has a floor that is completely water/pool, water that is so clear that we can directly see the bottom of the cave. The water in this cave comes from the Evu Spring, the largest spring in the Kei Islands. It is connected through an underground river, and connected to the ocean. The water depth in the cave is 1-3 m depending on the tidal conditions. Tourists usually choose to swim directly because the water is very cool.Hawang Cave, an Underwater Devil's Cave Believed to Make Matches Easy

The main attraction of this cave is its unique shape and different from other caves in general. This cave tends to be vertical with the bottom of the cave filled with water from the spring in the cave. The water in the bottom of the cave is very clear and has a bluish color so that the bedrock of this pool can be seen very clearly. Visitors who come can enter the pool in the cave and enjoy the fresh water.

Although safe, visitors who swim are strongly advised to be careful and not go too far into the cave passage. This natural pool is also a very beautiful photo spot. The resulting photo will have a clear pool background and a view of the stalactites and stalagmites on the cave wall.