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Dark clouds hung low over the mountains as our battered pick-up plowed uphill along the jagged stony path that crosses Bantar Selang, a small village on the outskirts of Sukabumi, West Java. To our right and left, women and young children stood smiling and waving at us — a bunch of city slickers from Jakarta, setting out to test the rapids of Citarik River.

The Citarik spans 30 kilometers from the pristine wooded slopes of Mount Halimun National Park to the southern coast of Pelabuhan Ratu and is a main destination for whitewater rafting in West Java. At an altitude ranging between 55o meters and 1,850 meters above sea level, the Class-III river flows deep through dense tropical forests, villages, vast paddy fields and plantation areas. The verdant landscapes and friendly local people add to the thrill of the rafting.

“Rafting is getting very popular these days,” said Mohammad Jusuf, one of the operational staff of PT Caldera Indonesia, the oldest tour operator on the Citarik River. “In former days, this sport was considered only for professionals. Nowadays, even women and children, with no previous experience, want to go rafting.”

“It’s so much fun,” said Meidy Naomi,a 27-year-old hotel executive from Jakarta. “We can enjoy the natural environment and get a sense of adventure.”

As we arrived at Parakan Telu village, we were escorted into a bamboo hut, where our guide explained the safety procedures and distributed our safety gear, which consisted of perforated high-density helmets designed to keep the head safe during the multi-impact water sport, and life vests.

“The life jackets are special,” said Fallah, our boat captain. “With a special cushion extending from the back of the neck, the vest will keep your head up in the water should our boat capsize.” A few nervous glances were exchanged between us.

Fallah taught us how to row before we set out. “Just follow my instructions and don’t panic if you fall overboard. Keep your body horizontal, and you’ll definitely stay afloat. And try to keep your feet in front of you when floating, it’ll help you see where you’re going and prevent you from getting your head knocked on a rock or wood.”

We started rowing lazily following our captain’s order, then our newfound skills were tested at the relatively gentle Ayu Rapids. “It’s named Ayu [beautiful] because in the morning and in the afternoon we can usually see beautiful young women washing and bathing on the embankment,” Fallah said. The guys in our group started scouring the horizon to catch a glimpse. True to his word, a young girl dressed in red kemben (a piece of cloth wrapped around the body) was washing on the rocks to our left. To our delight, she waved and smiled at us.

Our delight was short-lived, however, as our captain shouted for us to prepare for the Pinball Rapids. And just like a giant pinball machine, the frothy white currents spun and tossed our rubber boat from side to side against the rocks, before spiralling downstream. Our paddles went flailing and two of us were thrown overboard. Some of the group who are heavier-built sat on the sides of the boat to prevent it from capsizing. Apart from bruised egos, our friends overboard seemed to be fine and were laughing when our captain pulled them back into the boat.

“Getting wet is part of the fun,” Nyoman Ernawati said, after she was safely back aboard. Friendly water splash wars between the boats also contributed to the crazy fun element of the sport.

A quieter but equally enjoyable part of the day was when we arrived at a gentle stream, on which we paddled along quietly admiring the natural beauty that surrounded us. Gnarled branches of old banyan trees and exotic ferns reached out over the river. Tall bamboo shoots and palm trees swayed gently in the cool mountain breeze. From atop a moss-covered rock by the riverside, a large goanna silently monitored our progress.

Located on the outskirts of Mount Halimun National Park, the area is a botanically rich and diverse ecosystem, home to various endangered species, including falcons (Spizaetus bartelsi) and the Brahminy kite (Haliastur Indus).

“I just love being in the outdoors and feeling connected to nature,” said Jason Leung, a sales and marketing executive.

Although whitewater rafting is considered quite safe, one should always take precautions. “Always listen to your captain and follow his every instruction,” said Sulastri, one of the Caldera guides. “And no matter what happens, don’t panic. You’re already wearing safety equipment and we have safety guards positioned along the river to take care of you.”

Sulastri recalled getting sucked into an eddy once when she went rafting. “Fortunately, I stayed calm and didn’t get hysterical. I held my breath, curled into a ball and just let the strong currents wash me away. Eventually, I emerged on the other side of the river. It was quite an experience,” she said.

Caldera has operated rafting tours since 1998 and boasts that it has never had an accident. However, as a precaution, all guests are insured against death or injury that might be incurred during the trip. “Usually, all they come out with are a few bruises and a good laugh,” Sulastri said.

After rafting, we rested at Caldera’s Lombok-styled villas and enjoyed the snacks and refreshing coconut drinks that had been prepared for us. Caldera also operates outbound activities, including flying-foxes, jungle trekking and paintball.