Why An Ijen Crater Is A Must To Participate On Your Next Trip From Bali
Are you thinking of making a trip to Bali? Bali is a beautiful island that has much to offer. Many great things about it make it hard to list everything out. One of the most well-known points of interest is its active volcano hikes. Among the famous mountains are Mount Batur, Mount Bratan, and Mount Agung – which have caused a few problems over the past few years.
But if you are looking for an interesting one, we recommend taking a private Mount Ijen tour, also known as the Kawah Ijen Crater. It is one of the most popular tourist locations for a great reason too. It features many fascinating points, such as having the largest acid lake in the world and having the only natural “blue fire” on earth. Before you go on your trip to Bali, here are the essentials you need to know before you go on your tour.
How to get to Mount Ijen and Where You Should Go
Mount Ijen is actually located in East Java, which is far away from the loud place of central Bali. The nearest airport to the area of Mount Ijen is Surabaya, so you may wish to fly there and stay in the area for a few days before and after completing your trip.
However, taking an airplane to Ijen is a surprisingly rare choice for people to make. Most of the time, people drive straight to North Bali. Once you have reached the dock, you take a 45-minute boat ride to Java, and then you will only be about an hour’s drive from Mount Ijen. On a private Mount Ijen Tour, they provide all types of transportation, so you do not need to worry about things like planning, tickets, or anything else. The total travel time for this method takes around 5-8 hours, depending on your location in Bali.
One thing you need to know about Java is that it is different from Bali. There are fewer tourists in Java and there is not much public transport. Most Javanese people do not speak English well, and several things like facilities and restaurants are much more limited here, so you need to keep this in mind while planning a trip to Mount Ijen.
If you are thinking about the best time to go on a trip to Bali, the dry season there is sometime between April to October. While this is probably the best time of the year to travel, it is also the busiest, if you want to travel without any disturbance, you may consider going outside during these months. After all, it is all right to visit any time of the year. The only thing you need to worry about is the slightly higher chance of a shower if you go during the wet season in Bali.
Kawah Ijen Crater
One of the things Kawah Ijen is most famous for is its one-of-a-kind blue fire and also for owning the world’s largest known acid lake. But that’s not all Kawah Ijen is also home to many other sorts of volcanoes and hills that have a wonderful view. However, climbing the mountains is not for the faint- hearted. It usually takes around 1 hour to reach the Kawah Ijen base camp, and from there, it takes another 2 hours at a moderate pace to reach the top of the mountain.
You do not have to be extremely fit to challenge the hike, however, you need to know that it is a steep climb to the top. Once you have reached the peak, you will have to put on your gas masks to protect your lungs from sulfuric gas. Once you have reached the top, you can go inside the crater, however, do keep in mind that it is still steep.
If you want to witness the natural show of the blue fire, then around 4 a.m. is the best time to reach acid lake to see it. If you stay until 5:30 a.m., you can find a viewing spot to witness the beautiful sun starting to rise.
Kawah Ijen Blue Fire
The crater of Ijen is a well-known sulfur mining site. During your tour, you may see miners carrying heavy loads, usually between 75 to 90 kg, all the way up to the crater. The natural blue fire comes from the mining activity and the ignited sulfuric gas, which emerges from the cracks from the mining. The height and intensity of the blue flame depend on various conditions and are not something that is easy to predict. The highest the flames have been known to reach is more than 5 meters in height, even then, it does not happen every time. Which is why it is always a unique experience every time a blue flame occurs.
Acid Lake
While this lake may seem beautiful and pristine, this acid lake is the deadliest of its kind. If a human body makes contact with the lake, it will start to decompose its skin after 15 seconds, so it is not encouraged that anyone swims in there. The most you can do is put your hand in the lake for a few seconds under supervision but be careful not to touch your eyes as they may irritate you.
The Best Mount Ijen Tour Itinerary
There is a specific schedule for your Mount Ijen tour that has all you need to know about the tour that is listed below:
10:00 AM – Pick up at your hotel (Time will vary depending on your location)
3:00 PM – Arrive at your hotel to rest
6:00 PM – Have dinner
12:30 AM – Begin the tour to Mount Ijen
2:00 AM – Arrive at Mount Ijen and start climbing to the top of the volcano
4:00 AM – Witness the view of the world’s largest acidic crater lake
4:30 AM – Witness the unique and breathtaking electric blue fire
5:30 AM – Witness the beautiful sunlight from the top of the volcano on Mount Ijen
9:00 AM – Have breakfast
10:00 AM – Begin the return back to your hotel
12:00 PM – Have lunch
4:30 PM – Arrive back at your hotel (Time will vary depending on your location)
Times and attractions can be customized to fit most requests you give but remember that these can change due to current conditions. This tour requires you to wake up very early, however, do not worry as you will not regret witnessing the most beautiful sunrise you’ve ever seen.