VISIT IJEN CRATER,IJEN TRANPORT,INFORMATION ABOUT IJEN CRATER: Ijen Plateu / Crater Tour

Ijen Plateu / Crater Tour

The Ijen Crater (Kawah Ijen) can be approached from Bondowoso in the west or Banyuwangi in the east. The Bondowoso route is recommended as the road is relatively better (although that is not saying much) and the 90 minute foot climb much easier. From Bondowoso you are best off finding a guide with a car (preferably a 4x4) who will drive you through the village of Wonosari and eastwards up a very basic potholled road which winds its way up the mountain. You will pass through native casuarina forest and extensive coffee plantations before the road ends at the village of Jampit where there is some shelter available (Pos Paltuding). If you are travelling late in the day, you could actually bed down with a sleeping bag or camp here as you could in the disused vulcanology station huts slightly further up the mountain. The crater lake is a 90 minute hike further on from here. When you arrive the colour of the water in the lake is scarcely believable being an extraordinary vivid aqua blue. Evidence of volcanic activity is everywhere with steaming water and brilliant yellow crystaline sulphur deposits. Collecting the latter is an industry here and one with extremely harsh working conditions. You will see many workers trudging up and down the mountain carrying sacks of sulphur.

To the crater there are two roads: one from Banyuwangi and the other from Bondowoso. Both come together at the parking, from where you can go up to the crater. Neither road is good, but the Bondowoso route is easier.
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 Ijen Crater is certainly one of the great natural wonders of Indonesia.

ITINERARY:

04.30 a.m.	:	- leaving Ketapang Indah hotel
05.45 a.m.	:	- arrived at Paltuding - breakfast - start the hiking trip for 3 km
07.00 a.m.	:	- arrived at the top of the crater - walking down to the lake or - free time for taking photographs
09.00 a.m.	:	- snack time - walking back to Paltuding
12.00 p.m.	:	- arriving back to Ketapang Indah hotel

MORE INFORMATION :

email :

ijeninfo@gmail.com

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Get There

The Ijen Plateau can be reached through Bondowoso from either the northern or the southern coast. It is closer to Banyuwangi, but the road is very steep and badly deteriorated. A 4 WD is essential, although difficult to hire in Banyuwangi and outrageously expensive. Most people walk the last 8 km (from about 64 km)Â along the road to Pos Paltuding (the PHPA Post, the starting point or the trek to the crater) from Bondowoso.

To Stay

You can choose your places of stay at Bondowoso or Banyuwangi. There are a few types of accommodation with varying prices and facilities.

To Buy

The sulphur diggers will approach you for playing a guide and sell some nice sulphur statues for Rp5,000 to Rp10,000.

Get Around

You can take a walk for about 1 to 1.5 hour to the crater rim.

To Do

At the rim itself you have a nice view on the lake. You can walk around the rim or approach the lake (about a 40-minute walk).

Tips

The walk starts at Pal Tuding. Its a basic camp where you can stay overnight. There is a block with showers and toilets
At night it can be pretty cold up there,(it is suggested that you carry a sleeping bag). Take your own picnic, since the food you can buy at the parking lot isn't up to much.
The walk up to the crater rim takes 60-90 minutes. It's pretty steep. Halfway is a small post where the sulphurworkers take a break. A cup of tea is available here.
The path is just one-way so there is no need for any guidance.
An absolute must is a handkerchief to put in front of your mouth and nose to avoid inhalation of the sulphur gases.
If you buy some souvenirs like statues, they are very breakable so tape them in with toilet paper and take precious care of it.

Ijen Plateu / Crater Tour

To Buy

To Do

Tips

Place of interest around mount Ijen

Places of interest at the plantation

Ijen is certainly a highlight, but it is undeniable that other spots in East Java are worth visiting. Are you looking for adventurous posibilities, check the Baluran National Park, Alas Purwo National Park with it's worldwide famous surfspot Plengkung, the protected Sukamade turtle beach in Meru Betiri National Park, the plantations in Kalibaru and the volcano in the spectecular landscape of the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park.

	Baluran National Park Java has a number of national parks and reserves that are Java's best kept secret. One of them is Baluran National Park. more...	Alas Purwo NP and surfspot Plengkung This park has fine beaches and good opportunities for wildlife spotting. The waves at Plengkung at the peninsula are legendary among surfers more...

	Sukamade turtle beach in Meru Betiri NP The major attraction are the turtles, and with magnificent coastal rainforest, wildlife, beaches and superb coastal scenery, it is one of Java's finest parks.more...	Mt Bromo in Bromo-Tengger-Semeru NP Mt Bromo is not one of the great volcanoes, but it is the whole landscape that is breathtaking; one of the most impressive sights in Indonesia. more..

	The plantations at Kalibaru	Map of 'places of interest' Click on the map to found out where all these interesting places are situated near mount Ijen in East Java. more...

If you realy want to visit the Ijen Plateau and are interested in what it has to offer, environmentally and historicaly, you need to spent more than one night. Browse through this website and find out what Ijen Plateau offers you.

	Waterfall When the sulphurous murky brown water meets cool clear water, the colour difference is striking, making the waterfall truly unique.	H0t spring with sulphur Hear the famous river Bunyuputih babbling in the background, while enjoying the sulphuric hot spring; inhale and relax.

	Nose out the coffee plantation Views are terribly dramatic and colours are bright and fresh in the morning. Experience the coffee plantation life and pick some coffee yourself...	Discover Ijen's strawberries Strawberries are not that common in Java. One very simple reasons is that the average Javanese fruitvendor does not have a fridge at his disposal.

	Coffee factory There are two coffee factories at the Ijen Plateau; one near Sempol and one in Blawan. The factory at Blawan runs already when the harvest is still small.	Looking luwak Luwak coffee is coffee that has passed the intestines of the mongoose or palm civet. Civet coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world.

	Coffee breeding center The coffee seedling centre in Blawan raises seedlings in nurseries that are then planted outside at six to twelve months...