Gunung Kidul is an area in the south of the city of Yogyakarta which is famous for its rows of beautiful beaches. Along the rows of beaches there are limestone hills with caves that are so enchanting. One of them is the Maria Tritis Cave. Maria Tritis Cave is a cave that Catholics use for pilgrimages.

Overview of the Cave of Mary Tritis
The name "Tritis" comes from the Javanese term Tumaritis, which means "dripping water". Even now, there is still water dripping from the stalactites on the cave ceiling. The natural process of this stalactite adds to the feel of the beauty of the cave.

In the past, Tritis was known as a haunted location. It is said that it is said that the Princes of the Mataram Kingdom came to this place to practice meditation. Ahead of the 1974 Christmas celebration, there was a priest who heard about the natural beauty of this Tritis cave from a child in the local area. Then a desire arose to hold a Christmas celebration service in the cave.

In 1977 the Tritis cave officially became the Maria Tritis Cave. The statue of the Virgin Mary at that time was made of white stone. Later, the statue of the Virgin Mary was replaced with a smaller black stone statue. The distance to Maria Tritis Cave is about 53 km from the city of Yogyakarta and it takes approximately 1.5 hours to get there.

Journey to the Cave of Mary Tritis
Before reaching the Maria Tritis Cave, tourists will usually stop by the beaches around the Maria Tritis Cave. Along the way there are many vendors selling food and soft drinks. If you want to try a culinary delicacy that is a little extreme, many fried insect vendors offer their wares along the way. The crunchy sensation and the savory taste of the meat will add to the experience and impression when we visit there. Tips for those who have a food allergy, it is recommended to prepare anti-allergic drugs such as CTM.

Arriving at Tritis Cave, we will also find lots of food and drink sellers. Fresh young coconut traders who are ready to serve when we are thirsty. Here the coconut seller also provides green coconut as medicine, if we need it. There are also some modern snacks such as pentol meatballs, cilok and others

Even though the road is paved, the road to the cave is quite challenging and it is best when we take this road our physical condition must be fit because we will encounter quite steep descents and climbs. The good news is that there is special transportation for the elderly to take them to the Maria Tritis Cave. But For those of you who are young and strong, it's great to relax your legs after a 1.5 hour drive from the city while enjoying the surrounding panorama.

It's true, as people say, this stalactite cave is really beautiful. Catholics perform their services praying while lighting candles. If we do not pray, there is a place to sit to enjoy the coolness, silence, and beauty in the cave.

On the way home, there are many interesting places on the Gunung Kidul national road. One of them is the Amaryllis Flower Garden which is viral on social media. Many local tourists take pictures there. Tourists taking photos should be careful and make sure not to damage the flowers.