Pacitan Regency


Pacitan Regency is a regency located in the southwestern corner of East Java Province, with Central Java Province on its western border. Located between 7.55° - 8.17°S and 110.55° - 111.25°E. The borders of Pacitan Regency are with Wonogiri Regency in the west and north, Ponorogo Regency and Trenggalek Regency in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south. It covers an area of 1,389.87 km2 and had a population of 540,881 at the 2010 census and 586,110 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as of mid 2024 was 588,718. The capital of Pacitan Regency is the town of the same name. The majority of citizens in Pacitan speak Javanese as their first language, while speaking Indonesian as a second language.

Geography

Pacitan Regency covers an area about 1,389.90 km2. Approximately 88 percent of the regency consists of mountainous and rocky terrain, including several rocky canyons, as it lies within the Thousand Mountains region. The highest peaks in Pacitan Regency include Mount Lima in Kebonagung District and Mount Gembes in Bandar District, the latter forming the source of the Grindulu River.
Comparison of land types:
  • Flat = 53.7 km2
  • Bumpy = 134.24 km2
  • Wavy = 322.18 km2
  • Hilly = 698.06 km2
  • Mountainous = 134.24 km2
Generally, the land in Pacitan can be divided into two categories, calcium-rich in the south, and fertile land in the north. The land consists of lithosol association, red mediterranean lithosol, tuff and volcanic compound, reddish lithosol complex, and grey alluvial, clay sediments containing many potential minerals. The minerals are feldspar, ball clay, bentonite, pyrophyllite, calcite, gypsum, phosphate rock, quartz, coal, dolomite, gemstone, tin ore, and manganite.
Pacitan Regency includes 130.87 km2 of rice fields and 1,211.55 km2 of dry land. According to irrigation types, the rice fields can be grouped into: technical irrigation rice field, half technical irrigation rice field, simple irrigation rice field, and rain-dependent rice field.

Administrative districts

Pacitan Regency is divided into twelve districts, tabulated below with their areas and population totals at the 2010 census and the 2020 census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2024. The table also includes the locations of the district headquarters, the number of administrative villages in each district, and its postal codes.
Kode
Wilayah		Name of
District
Area
in km2		Pop'n
census
2010		Pop'n
census
2020		Pop'n
estimate
mid 2024		Admin
centre		No.
of
villages		Post
codes
35.01.01Donorojo109.0934,98637,66937,416Donorojo1263554
35.01.03Punung108.8133,91937,09436,637Punung1363553
35.01.02Pringkuku132.9329,69432,61632,347Ngadirejan1363552
35.01.04Pacitan
77.1173,08678,16177,694Sidoharjo25 63511
- 63518
35.01.05Kebonagung124.8542,66746,45946,297Kebonagung1963561
35.01.06Arjosari117.0638,64641,69341,504Arjosari1763581
35.01.07Nawangan124.0646,08451,24051,801Nawangan963584
35.01.08Bandar117.3441,78944,49344,625Bandar863583
35.01.09Tegalombo149.2648,04951,62651,795Tegalombo1163582
35.01.10Tulakan161.6277,26683,90486,394Tulakan1663571
35.01.11Ngadirojo99.9144,70747,30647,791Ngadirojo1863572
35.01.12Sudimoro71.8629,98833,84934,417Sukorejo1063573
Totals1,389.90540,881586,110588,718Pacitan171

Note: comprises 5 urban kelurahan and 20 desa.

Beaches

Pacitan Regency has 17 beaches; to the west of Pacitan town are: Banyu Tibo, Buyutan, Karang Bolong, Srau, Klayar, and Watu Karung; near Pacitan town are: Pantai Teleng Ria, Tamperan Gung, Kali Uluh, and Wawaran; to the east of Pacitan town are: Pidakan, Soge, Tawang, Taman, and Kunir. All beaches are near to the 70 kilometers of South Coast Road from Wonogiri Regency to Trenggalek Regency. Soge Beach can be accessed in 30 minutes drive or by bus public transport from Pacitan town, but all beaches are relatively far from big cities such as Surabaya and Surakarta, but it is closer from Yogyakarta.

Pacitan town

Pacitan town forms an administrative district in the centre of the regency, and constitutes an urban area on Pacitan Bay. It is composed of 5 urban villages and 20 rural villages, listed below with their populations as at mid 2023:
  • Sidoharjo
  • Ploso
  • Kembang
  • Sukoharjo
  • Kayen
  • Sirnoboyo
  • Arjowinangun
  • Baleharjo
  • Bangunsari
  • Sedeng
  • Sumberharjo
  • Pucangsewu
  • Pacitan
  • Tanjungsari
  • Menadi
  • Mentoro
  • Purworejo
  • Nanggungan
  • Widoro
  • Semanten
  • Banjarsari
  • Bolosingo
  • Sambong
  • Ponggok
  • Tambakrejo

    Tourism

Pacitan, often referred to as the "City of Tourism" or "City of a Thousand Caves", is noted for its ecological diversity and natural attractions. Tourist attractions in Pacitan include cave explorations, surfing, hiking, visits to historical places, and bathing in natural springs. A multi-purpose sports arena is under construction.
Several limestone caves are notable. Gua Gong is frequently cited as a major tourist attraction. Gua Kalak is traditionally believed to have been a meditation site of former president Soeharto, and Gua Tabuhan is associated with Alibasyha Sentot Prawirodirjo. Gua Luweng Jaran contains stalactites and stalagmites said to produce sounds resembling gamelan music.
Pacitan's coastline features a variety of beaches. Watu Karung Beach, Klayar Beach, Srau Beach, and Kasap Beach are known for white sand and coral formations. Teleng Ria Beach is located near the city center. Soge Beach is notable for a prominent bridge. Taman Beach hosts a turtle-conservation program, and Sidomulyo Beach offers Indonesia's longest zip line attraction. Banyu Tibo beach contains a small waterfall that flows directly into the sea. Other beaches are less documented.

Notable people

Pacitan is the birthplace of the former army general and the former president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono