Ijen Crater is a bluish-green acid lake with a diameter of around 700 meters, an area of 5,466 hectares, a lake depth of about 200 meters. The volume of the Ijen crater lake reaches 36 million cubic meters, with a caldera wall as high as 300-500 meters, and the level of acidity (pH) of lake water near zero, which is able to dissolve clothes, even the skin and human body in an instant.
The natural beauty of Ijen crater is indeed amazing. From the top of Ijen, in addition to the panoramic view of the acidic lake of Ijen crater, we can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Ijen mountain complex. To the east, the summit of Mount Merapi is visible, and in the vicinity there are Mount Suket, Mount Rante, Mount Raung, and other magnificent landscapes.
Natural Blue Flame
The best time to visit Kawah Ijen is midnight, why midnight ? In order to see the blue flame we need to be at the crater base at the dark. The park will be open from 1 am, so that visitors need to start from Banyuwangi at least 12.00 am (midnight). Blue flame was resulted by very hot sulfur steam which came up from the bottom earth, the workers there installed very long pipe to extract the steam turned into liquid then hardened as a stone.
Surround Kawah Ijen area, there are some hidden places to be explored, most people miss them and only did a highlight tour for Kawah Ijen Blue Fire. Blawan Hot Spring is one of reachable places from Kawah Ijen, one hour drive from Paltuding Base. The hot spring has natural sulfur contained water which is good for the skin treatment. Nearby the area there is also acid waterfall, 10 minutes walk from the hot spring. |
Natural Blue Flame At Kawah Ijen |
Traditional Sulfur Carrier
Hardened sulfur stones will be carried by the workers on their bamboo basket then will be collected at the parking base to be transported by truck to the factory in Tamansari Village (about 18 kilometers from Kawah Ijen). They work as a low paid labor, only IDR 900/Kg and working at the worst conditioned ever without any safety requirement and health insurance.
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Traditional Sulfur Carrier At Kawah Ijen |
Hot Spring And Acid Waterfall
Sulfur Processing Unit
In 2008, the sulfur processing unit located right at Paltuding. Protested by the community as it was bad for the environment and forestry, the company moved it to somewhere remoted in the middle of coffee plantation away from local residence. It is not open for public but we could take you there for short visit. Visiting the sulfur processing unit will give you a complete idea how the sulfur processed till ready to be sold to the industries.
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