Kawah Ijen Volcano: Blue Fire and Sunrise Hike
I first heard about the Kawah Ijen Volcano during an episode of Human Planet. The video clip featured a scene in which miners, undertaking one of the most hazardous jobs on Earth, hauled chunks of yellow sulphur out of the depths of an active volcano.
The video footage of their harrowing journey was captivating. And I was mesmerized by the scenes that unfolded in front of me on TV.
In the months and years that followed, images of Kawah Ijen’s blue fire, its sulphur miners and its turquoise lake remained imprinted on my mind.
So when I had the chance to visit the volcano in person during a trip to Indonesia, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
THE KAWAH IJEN VOLCANO
Kawah Ijen is an active volcano on the east side of Java. The mountain last erupted in 1999, but it still blows plumes of smoke and gas into the skies every day.
The Kawah Ijan Volcano is a top Southeast Asia bucket list destination and one of Indonesia’s most enticing natural attractions. Like nearby Mount Bromo and the craters of the Dieng Plateau, the billowing mountain puts Indonesia’s volcanic origins on bold display.
Within the rim of Kawah Ijen’s crater, you’ll find the biggest acid lake in the world, blue flames caused by the burning of the sulphur gasses and one of the last still-operational sulphur mines in the world.
It is an incredible place to visit.
KAWAH IJEN SUNRISE TOUR
Most tours of Kawah Ijen leave from nearby Banyuwangi, but you can also find volcano tour packages from Bali and Yogyakarta.
Our tour to Kawah Ijen was essentially part of a package that we purchased at our hostel near Borobudur. It included transportation from Yogyakarta, guided tours of both Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen, and onward travel to Bali.
In all honesty, I do not even know which company I traveled with. All of the operators seemed to offer similar package options for budget travelers.
Since the Kawah Ijen’s famous blue fire can only be seen in the dark, volcano tours begin in the wee hours of the morning. If you want to ensure views of the blue fire, double check the tour’s departure time. Booking the earliest possible tour will maximize your chances of seeing the sapphire flames before the sunrise conceals them from view.
Our van driver picked us up from our hotel at midnight and brought us directly to the trailhead. From there, a guide provided us each with gas masks and led us up a well-marked trail to the lip of the Ijen Crater.
THE IJEN VOLCANO’S BLUE FIRE
The Kawah Ijen Volcano is famous for its lakeside solfatara that emits sulfuric gases. The flames are difficult to see during the day, but they illuminate the landscape at night.
Though it is often mistaken for blue lava, Ijen’s electric blue fire is actually the result of sulphuric gases that ignite as they make contact with the air outside the volcano.
We only spent a few minutes by the fire before making our way out of the crater and away from the smothering smoke–coughing and gasping for air.
As my travel companions and I knelt down to take a few photos, winds blew the smoke in all directions and nearly suffocated us. Even with my gas mask, there were moments in which the toxic fumes enveloped me so intensely that I began to panic.
In moments when the smoke subsided, however, my fear gave way to amazement.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first caught a glimpse of Kawah Ijen’s blue flames.
THE KAWAH IJEN VOLCANO SUNRISE
Since guided hikes up the Ijen Volcano begin so early in the morning, sunrise-viewing is usually one of the last stops on tour agendas.
The hike to the lip of Ijen’s crater takes between 1-2 hours, depending on fitness level. We managed to complete the hike in around 60 minutes, which gave us plenty of time to admire the blue fire at our leisure before sunrise.
We witnessed the sun’s ascension from the lip of the Ijen crater. It illuminated our surroundings—revealing the stunning turquoise lake and shedding light on the sulphur miners going about their strenuous work.
If you don’t plan on hiking into the crater to see the blue fire, you can probably begin your hike up Kawah Ijen at around 3am.
KAWAH IJEN CRATER LAKE
The summit of Kawah Ijen showcases views of the crater and its large acid lake. The lake boasts a unique turquoise color that contrasts with the area’s sulphur-infused rocks.
Though most tourists visit the volcano in order to witness the blue fire and sulphur miners, Kawah Ijen’s milky turquoise lake makes for a photo-worthy backdrop.
Kawah Ijen’s crater lake is the world’s largest highly acidic lake. With a PH level of .5, its mineral-rich water is more acidic than battery acid.
SULFUR MINING IN THE IJEN VOLCANO
When the sulfuric steam rises out of the fumaroles and into the cold air, it condenses, falls to the ground in liquid form and eventually solidifies into mineral sulfur.
Each night, sulfur miners work in the dark, using metal poles to break large chunks of yellow sulfur off the crater floor. Few jobs in the world are more hazardous. The workers labor in complete darkness, surrounded by poisonous smoke that belches out of the crater.
And yet, the miners often descend into the volcano with little more than a rag over their mouths and noses. They carry up to 200 pounds on their backs and make the arduous trek in and out of the crater twice a day. It is a back-breaking journey. Literally. And all for roughly $13 per day.
KAWAH IJEN SAFETY TIPS
Visiting Ijen is perfectly safe, as long as you follow general precautions. Make sure you have a good headlamp, gas mask, and proper hiking shoes. Gas masks are available to rent at the start of the hike, though most tours include them as part of their fees.
All that being said, if you have asthma or any health problems that inhibit breathing or mobility, I suggest skipping the blue flames and enjoying the lake from above.
VISITING KAWAH IJEN WITHOUT A TOUR
It is possible to hike Kawah Ijen without a tour and I seriously debated going solo after the chaotic sunrise-viewing tour in Bromo.
But in the end, we decided to hike the mountain with a guide. Our guide helped us navigate the lamplit trail and ensured our safety as we entered the area of toxic gases.
While visiting Mount Bromo without a guide might mean you can avoid the crowds, I discourage you from trying to take the path less traveled at Kawah Ijen. The volcano is highly active and potentially dangerous. You’ll want to be around people who know what they’re doing. Plus, everyone in Ijen follows the same path, so you won’t necessarily escape the crowds by going solo.
If you choose to visit Kawah Ijen without a tour, I suggest you follow in the footsteps of other visitors and their guides.
WHERE TO STAY NEAR IJEN
There are a handful of different budget accommodation options in Banyuwangi. Our tour included basic rooms at a homestay, but it was certainly nothing to write home about. If you’re looking to book a cheap room near the volcano, the Snooze Ijen appears to be a fantastic option. It is clean, has stellar reviews, and boasts a garden and shared kitchen.
For a totally unique experience, consider staying at the Kunang Kunang Tent Resort. Though expensive for Indonesia, it is still quite reasonable by international standards. It offers free bikes and clean dome-shaped rooms with views of the surrounding jungle.
GETTING TO KAWAH IJEN
Banyuwangi is the closest city to Mount Ijen. The Javanese city lies about 1.5 hours away from the start of the Kawah Ijen trail. It is the most common place to stay when visiting the volcano.
To get to Banyuwangi from Bali you will need to take a ferry. The ferry to East Java departs from Gilimanuk—a small port town on the west side of Bali.
If you’re already elsewhere in Java, you can get to Banyuwangi by train or bus.
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Hiking the Kawah Ijen volcano was a highlight of my trip to Indonesia. It was an epic adventure that kept my eyes peeled open and my adrenaline pumping.
From observing one of the world’s most dangerous jobs to admiring a wall of blue flames, the hike into the depths of Kawah Ijen is an experience I’m unlikely to forget.
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