THE BEAUTY OF IJEN CRATER (KAWAH IJEN)

The volcanic cone of Ijen dominates the landscape at the eastern end of Java. Ijen Crater or Kawah Ijen is another volcanic tourism attraction in Indonesia. The place is located at Bondowoso Regency, East Java. On the elevation of 2,368 meters, the place is really giving beautiful natural panorama.

The crater itself is a lake with green water which has zero pH (acidity), capable to melt one’s finger. The temperature is about 200 Celcius degree. Kawah Ijen is the world's largest highly acidic lake and is the site of a labor-intensive sulphur mining operation in which sulphur-laden baskets are hand-carried from the crater floor. It is filled by a spectacular turquoise blue lake, its surface streaked in wind-blown patterns of yellow sulphur. Many other post-caldera cones and craters are located within the caldera or along its rim. The largest concentration of post-caldera cones forms an E-W-trending zone across the southern side of the caldera. Coffee plantations cover much of the Ijen caldera floor, and tourists are drawn to its waterfalls, hot springs, and dramatic volcanic scenery.

The crater can be reached from either the east or the west by any kinds of vehicles, but the second part of the trip covers distance 3 km on foot (jungle track). However, the latter is more popular approach, since the climb from the road's end to the edge of the lake is only one and a half hours. And a walk around the lake takes a full day. The temperature drops at night, near the crater rim it can fall to about 5° Celcius. The road ends at Jampit, where very basic shelter is available. It is also possible to sleep in the old vulcanology station further up the hill, now used by sulphur collectors, but permission must be obtained in advance.

The best time to enjoy the view is at morning, when the yellow sun light glows the yellow water and shines the surrounding mountain like mount Merapi, the sister of Mount Ijen. Morning haze is creating a tranquility that we don’t get at the metropolitan towns. At 2 pm, the crater is closed for the reason that the thick smoke from the crater that is poisonous.

Visiting Ijen crater is more interesting if we observe the local people doing their daily job as sulphur miners. Why is it interesting? Because the miners only use traditional tools and they should carry chunks of sulphur on their shoulder. Its weight is about 85 kilograms; they should walk up and down the caldera to deliver the sulphur to Pos Bundar, a place to weighting the chunks. The miners get wages IDR 300 for one kilogram. In a day they usually carry 85 kilograms. The sulphur is transported entirely on foot. In the past, horses were used but they were found to be less practical on the hazardous terrain. Today, the mine yields nine to twelve tons of sulphur per day.Individual loads of up to 70 kg are carried by men, often barefooted, up to the rim of crater and then 17 km down the mountainside to a factory near Banyuwangi. The porters are paid by weight. The most important advice if you are travelling to Ijen is: "If you lose your way, just look out for the sulphur trail". The meaning was clear, since a continuous flow of two way traffic, carrying the sulphur down the mountainside from the lake and trudging up again to re-load, had left a yellow trail on the well worn path.

Visiting from Bondowoso route, the tourist will travel across a coffee plantation. It has god view either. the green of arrabica coffee trees are really an exciting scene. And, how to stay?

It is suggested to stay at the closest hotel in order to catch the morning view of Ijen crater. If you like a place like plantation, Perhutani coffee plantation provides guest houses for rent or for further information you can visit http://www.agro-ptpn12.com and get there via online reservation.


HOW TO GET THERE:

Surabaya - Bondowoso :by bus (191 km)
Bondowoso - Sempol :by bus (165 km)
Sempol - Banyuapit :by bus (14 km)
Banyuapit - Paltuding :by minibus, or car (4 km)
Paltuding - Ijen Crater :on foot (4 km)

OR:

Denpasar, Bali - Banyuwangi :by bus and ferry (140 km)
Banyuwangi - Jambu :by minibus (18 km)
Jambu - Ijen Crater :on foot (21 km)

OR:

Just visit http://www.agro-ptpn12.com and get there via online reservation.