A Guide For Ijen Crater Adventure

Indonesia is blessed with many places that fit in the world’s best destination category for satisfying your thirst for climbing adventure. And, among many locations, mountains, and hills you can find in Indonesia, one is considered the best and most memorable destination. It is called Ijen Crater. What is so unique about this destination? Let’s find out more about this magical crater below.

What is Ijen Crater?

Ijen Crater or Kawah Ijen in the Indonesian language is a huge crater of Mount Ijen. The most interesting part about this place is that this location is a sulfur mine. Moreover, the sulfur miner here is still using the traditional way to mine the sulfur. They manually crack the hardened sulfur rock and then carry those huge chunks of sulfur rock in a bucket on their shoulder out of the crater. Amazingly, they work days and nights, as long as the weather is good.

When you visit this place to see the mining activity, do not forget to wear a proper mask and goggles. The wind could carry the fumes from the sulfur rock that irritates your eyes. And, if you breathe in this fume, it also can make your throat feel burning. For safety, you must wear those two. 

Also, do not forget to buy the artwork made of sulfur rock by the miner. By buying it, at least you can help the miner to get extra income besides the one that they got from this dangerous mining job. Follow your guide instructions as well, so you won’t get any incidents here. The beauty of Ijen Crater has been known since 1871. At that time, people also found one of the most magical sceneries on Earth. It is the blue fire of Ijen Crater. Since then, this place has become not only a mining place for sulfur but also a destination for those who love climbing and want to see the beautiful and unique scenery of the largest high-acid crater lake in the world.

Blue Fire of Ijen Crater

As its name implies, it is the natural bluish fire that comes out from the crack of the Earth that you can only see in two locations in the world, which are Ijen Crater and Iceland. People call it the eternal fire because this fire never gets extinguished even though it has received a lot of rain through the years. To enjoy the blue fire in Ijen Crater, you should visit this place when the sun has set. Yes, you can only see it in the darkness. In the daylight, it doesn’t appear clearly because of the sunlight, also the fumes from the sulfur mining that covers it. However, at night or dawn, you will witness the blue fire dance beautifully like scenery from the fantasy world.

For that reason, many tour agencies provide the Ijen Crater tour that starts from midnight or dawn. You will hike the climbing route of Ijen Crater at dawn, around 2 a.m. Once you arrive at the top of the crater, you still need to descend into the inside of the crater to see the blue fire. Wear the equipment we mentioned before and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the blue fire of Ijen.

Enjoy the Ijen Crater Sunrise

What else can we see in Ijen Crater? Is it only sulfur mine and blue fire scenery? Of course, it is not. There is another thing that you can do here. It is enjoying the sunrise at the top of Ijen Crater. You might already know that Mount Bromo sunrise is said to be the most beautiful sunrise in the world. However, Ijen Crater’s sunrise is comparable to that. Therefore, if you visit Indonesia, you must enjoy the sunrise in those two places.

The beauty of the Ijen Crater sunrise lies in its color. Because of the environment and geographical structure, the sunlight from the sunrise is refracted into different colors. It changes gradually from orange, pink, purple, and aqua. Then, it will show the natural light of the sun. Moreover, you have many places in Ijen Crater where you can take a picture of this beautiful scenery. So, get ready to use your camera as much as you want.

Tour to Ijen Crater Tips

Now, you know what kind of beauty you can see in Ijen Crater. If you want to visit this place, here are a few things you need to know:

* Ijen Crater Tour

Take the two days tour that will take you to Mount Bromo and Ijen Crater. It will give you double excitement because you can enjoy two beautiful sunrise scenery in those two places. Yet, you must be physically prepared. It takes 1.5 hours to hike to the top of Ijen Crater. And, the route is very steep.

* The Weather and Temperature

Even though it is in a tropical country, the Ijen Crater location has a cold temperature and weather. In general, the temperature in this place is between 0-10 degrees Celsius during your hiking at dawn. Plus, there is a strong wind, which could add more risk to your trip here. So, be prepared!

* The Best Outfit for Hiking

Due to the extreme weather and temperature, we recommend a hiking outfit that keeps you warm. So, wear a jacket or multiple sweaters. Long trousers and proper hiking socks and shoes are also helpful during your hiking. Moreover, you will spend an hour hiking. So, you have d to conserve your energy by wearing that outfit.

You should carry a breathable shirt as well. When you descend after enjoying the sunrise, the temperature will increase. Therefore, you might need lighter clothes for a more comfortable trip back.

Conclusion

Those are several things that you need to know and prepare for your hiking trip to Ijen Crater. Now, you only need to find the best travel agency that provides the best tour package to Ijen Crater. Once you find that, you are ready to get one of the best adventures in your life.