19th September 2022 – Goa Batu Cermin, or Stone Mirror Cave, in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), is planned to open for tourists. The West Manggarai Regent, Edistasius Endi, told the media crew on Wednesday (14/9) that he has confirmed with the minister of Tourism and Creative Economy regarding it.
He hopes that there will be a meeting with the ministers involved including the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Home Affairs in a few days.
Additionally, Goa Batu Cermin will be managed by Bidadari, a Municipally Owned Corporation (BUMD), in the near future.
“We will ensure this [Goa Batu Cermin] will be managed by professionals, including BUMD Bidadari,” he said.
He also clarified that he had met with the members of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission X who is in charge of Tourism. In that meeting, he informed the assets that have been made and are yet to be used, including the Goa Batu Cermin.
The Minister of Tourism has followed up on the temporary handover, it’s expected to go through in the next one or two days.
Goa Batu Cermin is one of the tourist spots specialties of Labuan Bajo that has been missed by the residents, and international and domestic tourists. Currently, the cave is still closed though the construction of facilities and infrastructure by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has been completed by the end of 2021.
According to history, the cave was first discovered by a Dutch missionary and archaeologist named Theodore Verhoven in the year 1951.
Located not too far from Komodo International Airport, Goa Batu Cermin offers various aquatic animals fossils and reliefs of the Virgin Mary on the walls of the cave. The cave has a length of about 200 metres and has many passages filled with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites that are still growing.
