You are currently viewing A Complete Guide to Mount Ijen, Indonesia

A Complete Guide to Mount Ijen, Indonesia

Kawah Ijen (also known as Mount Ijen) was by far one of the most memorable places I visited in Indonesia. Hiking up Mount Ijen was challenging, but being able to look into the crater of an active volcano (and the dashing blue lake inside it) made it all worth it. That being said, there are things I wish I had known before – so I decided to create a complete guide to help you have a perfect trip to Kawah Ijen!

Why Should You Go To Mount Ijen?

First things first, why should you care? There’s no point in reading (or writing, for that matter) a complete guide on a place that’s just somewhat interesting. The answer in one sentence would be: the crater of the volcano. The lake inside the crater as well as the view from the rim is what I would call a “wow-moment”. The sheer size and beauty of the place takes your breath away for a short moment, when all you can do is admire what nature has created. It’s moments like these that made me want to start this blog!

The blue lake inside Kawah Ijen's crater
The blue lake inside Kawah Ijen’s crater

And there’s more:

The Blue Fire

Even more so than the views from the caldera rim, what Mount Ijen is really known for is a rare chemical reaction that makes blue flames rise from the crater!

Blue fire at Mount Ijen. Source: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Image credit: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How To Get To Kawah Ijen

The easiest way to see Mount Ijen is to stay in either the city of Banyuwangi, Java, or in Bali (staying in Bali adds a couple hours of travel time). You can take the train to Banyuwangi or fly to the nearby airport. The easiest way to get to Bali is to fly to Denpasar airport.

Once you’re in Bali or Banyuwangi, I recommend booking transport through your hotel / guesthouse. You don’t need to book a tour – those can be overpriced and you’ll lack freedom – just book transport to and from Mount Ijen. Most people choose to go very early, either to see the blue fire or the sunrise, so taking a Grab might not be an option. Moreover, if you book at your hotel they should lend you a gas mask and a flashlight (or at least tell you where you can get one).

These gas masks look really badass.

What to Do and See

Hiking up to The Crater and the Volcanic Lake

Mount Ijen is famous for its beautiful blue lake. The acidity gives it that vibrant color – the lake is actually the largest highly acidic lake in the world! The hike up is challenging but so, so worth it. The views from the caldera rim are unparalleled!

The hike up is about 3km (2 miles) and took us an hour and a half. The distance isn’t very long but the mountain can be very steep at times.

The Blue Fire

The acidic lake and the sulphur fumes create a unique phenomenon that only exists in Mount Ijen and Iceland. The chemicals mix and create a “blue fire”!

Kawah Ijen's blue fire. Image credit: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Image credit: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lots of people decide to see the blue fire, and if you want to see it too I urge you to do it with a guide. Going down the crater of an active volcano in total darkness without a qualified guide isn’t the best idea in my opinion.

While the blue fire is, no doubt, really effing cool, we chose not to go. Here are some of the reasons why so you can make an informed decision for yourself:

  • We visited Indonesia during the rainy season, and the blue fire is supposedly not as impressive as the rain “waters down” the lake.
  • We didn’t have hiking shoes, and we read that the path down the crater could be unsafe and slippery (even more so during the rainy season).
  • We had woken up at 2AM to see Mount Bromo 48 hours earlier and waking up at 1AM just didn’t seem appealing. We chose to wake up at 3 instead to see the sunrise. Those two hours were worth it.

When To Go

Mount Ijen is closed on the first Friday of the month for cleaning. As usual, you should also avoid, if possible: major Indonesian/ American/ European/ Australian holidays to avoid the hordes of tourists flocking to Java and Bali.

I would recommend going during the dry season from April to October because it’s generally speaking more convenient to climb up and down volcanoes when the ground isn’t super slippery. Going during the rainy season isn’t a dealbreaker either – just check the weather before you go.

If you intend to see the blue fire, make sure to leave early. You can’t see the fire after sunrise. There are lots of people there every morning but lots of people go as part of a group trip – this means that after the groups have left (around 7 or 8 o’clock in the morning) you can have the place all to yourself.

What to Pack to Mount Ijen

Clothes

If you’ve read my post about Mount Bromo, you’ll know that I’m a Finnish girl who finds it endearing when people from hot countries say that x place gets cold at night. You might also know that sometimes I get cocky and my attitude can backfire. Mount Ijen can get cold at night and very hot during the day, so it’s best to layer up and bring enough clothes. Here’s what I recommend wearing:

  • A breathable t-shirt
  • A thin long-sleeved shirt
  • A fleece jacket
  • Hiking pants (I wouldn’t recommend wearing shorts)
  • A hat

Shoes

If there’s any way you can fit hiking shoes in your bag, bring them. My boyfriend Christian and I wore regular sneakers because that’s all we had. The way up went smoothly, but since we visited during the rainy season the path back down was very slippery and we almost fell several times.

If you’re planning on seeing the blue fire, hiking shoes are essential in my opinion. The path down is narrow and can apparently be very slippery during the rainy season.

Others

  • A camera. You will want to capture the views!
  • A hat and sunglasses.
  • A flashlight and a gas mask – your hotel should provide these. If not you can probably rent them somewhere.
  • A water bottle
  • Snacks (we were there from 3AM to 10-ish AM)
The views when climbing Mount Ijen, Kawah ijen volcano
Even the hike up is beautiful!

The Sulphur Miners

I couldn’t write a guide to Mount Ijen without talking about the sulphur miners. Miners work long hours, bringing sulphur rocks from the crater all the way to the foot of the mountain. They’re paid very little money and often retire early : the sulphur fumes and heavy rocks (they usually carry around 70kgs, or 150lbs, in one trip) make their work very difficult. Here are a few simple things to consider:

  • No matter where you are, if a miner is coming your way – move. The loads are really heavy and I’m ready to bet that the last thing they want to do is dodge inconsiderate tourists.
  • Don’t take pictures of them. They’re working, they’re not circus animals.
  • If you want to support them you can buy small sulphur statues at the rim.

Last-Minute Tips to Mount Ijen

  • Pay attention to your surroundings during the hike: You might see some monkeys climbing in the trees!
  • The hike up can be challenging. If you’re not feeling well, remember to take breaks.
  • You don’t need to wear the gas mask all the time, but it’s a must when the wind blows the sulphur towards you or if you intend to go down the crater.

Are you planning a trip to Mount Ijen? Tell me in the comments!

You can find more posts on Indonesia here and more travel guides here!

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Oliwia

    Heyy, I’m curious about one thing. How to get a guide there in Ijen? Are they staying in front of entrance and they are trying to catch ppl or they should be find differently? And also are there a lot of guides that has overprices?

    1. Emma

      Hi! Sorry for answering so late but I think the best way would be to book through your hotel. From what I remember you don’t really need a guide, you just need someone to take you to the volcano and back.

Leave a Reply