( Kawah Ijen review) or Ijen crater is one of the most acidic craters in the world with caldera walls as high as 300-500 meters and vast crater reached 5,466 hectares. The crater in the middle of the caldera is the largest on the island of Java with a size of 20km.The most acidic Crater Lake is the largest in the world located in Mount Ijen and an altitude of 2368 meters above sea level, where a peak is a series of volcanoes in East Java such as Bromo, Semeru and Merapi. This is one of the charms of natural beauty of Indonesia’s incredible and has wowed many tourists from different countries. Here you can see an amazing wide crater lake along the blue flame of sulfur at night. Ijen crater has a water temperature of 200ᴼC and has very high acid levels, even if there are clothes that fall here can be destroyed so quickly.
Ijen crater is a nature reserve and tourist park that is managed by the Baluran National Park Located between 3 District, namely Situbondo, Bondowoso and Banyuwangi, East Java. Ijen crater is the largest sulfur mining sites in East Java are still using traditional means. Because this area is actually a volcanic area of the volcano, then no imagination here we will often see the sulfur miners up and down the mountain while pure sulfur burden on their shoulders. Yes, this is one of the main livelihoods in this area. Ijen crater can produce about 36 million cubic meters of sulfur and hydrogen chloride with an area of approximately 5466 hectares. Sulfur is a basic ingredient of some products in the fields of industry and even in the medical world.
A view of the crater is so amazing to emit green sheen Tosca when exposed to the sun in the morning. Besides the content of sulfur and sulfur privilege here, Kawah Ijen offers phenomenon that may not exist elsewhere. Yup, ‘BLUE FIRE’. Yup, ‘blue fire’ or also known as ‘bluefame’ this can only be seen when the night, located at the bottom of the crater on the sidelines of sulfur rock. This phenomenon appears to result from the heat of the sulfur that appears on the surface of the earth. In Indonesia ‘blue fire’ just happening here, in the Ijen crater. What in the world? In addition to the Ijen crater, tourists can only see this phenomenon in other parts of the world, namely in Iceland. Yes, there are only two places that offer beautiful phenomenon of ‘blue fire.
Silhouette of tourists looking into the blue fire a flow of liquid sulfur which has caught fire and burns with an blue flame. Cater of the Kawah Ijen volcano, Java, Indonesia.
Ijen crater has a relatively active volcanology activity, sulfur here incessant increase the amount of volume. Because Ijen mountain is an active volcano, it is advisable if you want to visit here, you should wear a mask, because here very pungent sulfur content.
How to get to Ijen Crater?
You can reach the crater of Ijen through the city of Banyuwangi > (15 Km) Licin > (18 Km) Paltuding > (3 Km) Ijen. To reach the crater of Ijen, you are required towards the first post that is located in Paltuding, which is the point of the initial climb up the slopes of Mount Ijen. To arrive at this first post, visitors can use a motorcycle or a car. But the track that will be passed fairly difficult is quite winding and uphill. In Paltuding there is ample parking area, there are several rows of stalls and food vendors. For hotel accommodation, you can see it here
Tips in Ijen Crater
What about the right time to visit this place? Yup, the answer dry season. Besides tracks traversed is not as slick as the rainy season, sunny weather would be friendlier to offer a beautiful view from the top of the crater of Ijen. And if you want to see the phenomenon of ‘blue fire’ or ‘blue fame’ of the crater of Ijen, you can make the climb at night. Typically, the visitors chose the ascent time at 02 o’clock in the morning, due to the length of the first post (Paltuding) was within about 3 KM. In addition, there is also a slope of about 45 degrees, so at least it takes about 2 hours or more to be able to get on top. After enjoying the phenomenon of ‘blue fire’ or ‘bluefame’ from the top of the crater of Ijen we also can see the sunrise that appear in between the sea and the island of Bali, as well as panoramic Raung mountain standing proudly.
- The most appropriate time to see the beauty of Ijen is in the morning. Should do adequate preparation if it will travel at night, because the terrain is quite difficult.
- If you want to see the blue flame, the ascent should begin at 11 o’clock at night because of the blue flame visible until 3 o’clock in the morning.
- Do not use jeans pants, but select fabrics or cargo pants. Select sandals or shoes that are comfortable on the feet.
- Use cover head, ears and jacket and do not drink too much, just one or two sips every 15 minutes to prevent the process of slowing metabolism.
- Do not forget to bring a mask due to the Ijen crater you have to down a path on the cliffs of the caldera, sometimes sulfur fumes blowing in the wind passing through the lane.
Great! Thank you for the review!