Beautiful Ijen Crater With Beautiful Lake And Caldera Above The Cloud View

East Java province holds many beautiful places you can visit. Those places offer one of the most unforgettable adventures that you can’t find elsewhere. Among many beautiful places in this province, one of the popular destinations for anyone who visits this area is Ijen Crater. 

You can find this fantasy-like place spread over the area of the two cities, Bondowoso and Banyuwangi. This area also has an official name, which is the Cagar Alam Taman Wisata Ijen (Nature Reserve Ijen Tourism Park).

Ijen Crater itself is part of Mount Ijen. It is located at 2,445 meters above sea level. On the top of this mountain, you can find a 5,466-hectare crater. You also can see the natural volcanic lake with a depth of 200 meters. This size makes the Ijen Crater one of the biggest Crater Lakes in the world.

Beautiful Scenery around the Crater

The scenery around the crater is one of the reasons many people visit this place. The beautiful green lake creates a dramatic and even romantic touch when you reach the crater and take a look deeply at its scenery. The cold weather on the summit also creates a special vibe that allows you to feel a different experience on top of the crater.

Furthermore, you also can find and see sulfur mines here. Thanks to the high content of sulfur, many locals use this spot to mine and sell them. It becomes a profession for the people who live in the area close to Mount Ijen. 

Other than that, the miner activity is also something that you can enjoy. They are practically doing a daredevil job. You won’t believe how they can carry that heavy rock manually on their shoulder and climb from the bottom crater to the top. That was one of the amazing scenes you can only see in Mount Ijen crater.

How to Get There

Regardless of your base camp’s location, you will need a vehicle to reach the foot of Mount Ijen where you start hiking to the crater at its summit. You can use public transportation or a private car from Bondowoso city to Mount Ijen. The infrastructure and road to the mountain area have been improved. It has a good quality road that will give you a comfortable trip there.

The starting point to climb Mount Ijen is the parking area in Paltuding. Many climbers gather in this spot to prepare for the climbing. So, you also can meet many people that have the same purpose here. Make some friends and have a great adventure together. Of course, if you use a travel agency service, you should follow your guide.

The hiking route you should take to get to the crater is not that long. It is only 3 km long. However, climbing that distance could be very challenging. It is different from walking on the flat surface of a city road. Therefore, prepare your body and condition. Make sure you have no health problems, so you can enjoy the climb.

The climbing will take around 1.5 to 2 hours. If you think that is quite long, you are right. However, we assure you that the climbing won’t be boring. The route to the crater of Mount Ijen is well-known for its beauty. The scenery and the trees around it will accompany you ascending to the top of Mount Ijen. 

Once you arrive at the rim of Ijen Crater, there is one thing you should do. Put on your mask. The sulfur mine at the bottom of the crater produces toxic fumes that can easily reach the rim because of wind.  

And, as mentioned earlier, you also can watch the sulfur miner here. You have to climb down the crater to the bottom part to see how these miners work. The paths to reach the area where you can see the miner are quite narrow and rocky. Therefore, be extra careful to prevent any accident, like slipping and such. Wear hiking boots that give you a better grip during this climbing. You need to be aware of the rock fall because of its geographical structure.

You also often pass the miner that climbs to the top of the rim carrying the sulfur rock. When you see them, let them through first, so they can climb without a problem. It is a manner for any tourist that visits the crater. Also, some of the miners sell a sculpture made of sulfur rock. Try to buy them because that will help their finances greatly.

At the bottom of the crater, the sulfur fume will have much stronger power than the top or rim of the crater. It is the most toxic area of the crater. So, wear a mask and follow your guide’s instructions. If the guide decides to return because of the danger, follow them for your safety.

Final Words

Ijen Crater is a beautiful place you should put on your must-visit list when you travel to East Java. It has beautiful scenery and a unique experience you can get from its sulfur mine. Do not forget about the beautiful sunrise scenery. Ijen Crater has one of the most beautiful and magical scenery of the morning sun you can find. And, if you visit this place at dawn or midnight before the sun shows its face on the East horizon, you can enjoy the eternal blue flame phenomena. So, visit now!