Volcano Ijen
Volcano Ijen in Indonesia is quite different from its counterparts – in its heart there is no lava bubbling, but only a quietly spread turquoise lake. However, this place in the east of Java island is the most dangerous on Earth and like a magnet attracts tourists. Ijen is an active volcano. Strictly speaking, it is a complex of stratovolcanoes, craters and cones located within a radius of 20 km around the caldera with a unique acid lake Kawah-Ijen. The active volcano constantly spews clouds of sulfuric smoke, and the lake is filled with a concentrated mixture of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. If you dip a sheet of aluminum into it for just 20 minutes, the metal will dissolve and become no thicker than a transparent cloth!
Video: Vulcan Ijen
ContentsHighlights
‘
History of the origin of the Idzhen volcano
Over the course of its existence, scientists have recorded various eruptions of the Ijen volcano, each of which is majestic and unique in its own way. The most catastrophic was the eruption of 1817, which lasted more than 33 days and caused the lake liquid to leave the banks and flooding of nearby villages. Then the situation was aggravated by mudslides, which destroyed more than 90 houses and took the lives of many local residents. Activity of such magnitude has never been recorded again.
.
Sulfur Mining
The extraction of the hazardous natural resource at the Ijen volcano is done by hand. Many people who do this work on a daily basis do not even realize how dangerous such an occupation is. They simply protect themselves from the stench with constant smoking and wet cloths that are bitten between their teeth, forming a kind of respirator. Most locals are unable to survive past the age of 45-47, and young people who have already spent a few years in the foothills look like sickly, infirm old men. There is virtually no elderly population among the locals.
.
Travel Tips
- The best time to organize a trip: the dry, warm season, which runs from April to October.
- Entry fee: IDR 15,000 (approximately 67 rubles). Travelers will need money for travel, overnight stay, and food.
- A one-day hike to the vent of the Ijen volcano is quite physically demanding. Experienced tourists try to take care of the overnight stay in advance, because many are exhausted by the road alone, and the hike to the destination simply has no energy left. Not far from the volcanoes there is the town of Licin, where there are hotels with cozy rooms. There is another option: on the way to the vent there are tea and coffee plantations, where tired travelers are offered not only tasting aromatic tonic drinks, but also exciting excursions, as well as overnight accommodation.
- From the foot of the mountain to the crater is only 3 kilometers of ascent, but this road is difficult and exhausting. Trails everywhere are hard and gentle, so traveling here can be not only young active people, but also children and the elderly. The main thing is to look at the weather forecast in advance, because with rain and strong winds, the journey can be marred by limited visibility and consequences in the form of colds. .
- Many tourists mistakenly believe that the high temperature of Lake Kawah Ijen implies a mild climate all the way up and down to the volcano vent. It isn’t. The mountain is so high that already from the middle of the trail many people need warm clothes, and at the highest point from a jacket and warm socks will not refuse even the most resistant traveler. .
- Sulfur vapors have a stinky odor, causing tearfulness and an acute reaction of the bronchopulmonary system. To ensure that the excursion to the volcano Ijen was not marred by asthmatic attacks, it is necessary to take care of quality respirators or gas masks, which will protect not only the mucous membranes of the face, but also the eyes from unpleasant and dangerous to health vapor. The higher the protective properties of the device, the safer it will be. Among tourists are known cases of poisoning by sulfur vapors.
- Those travelers who wish to do a good deed for the natives, can stock up on cotton-gauze bandages and respirators for sulfur miners who can not afford to buy even the simplest mask. .
- Equipment for the excursion should include comfortable shoes, gloves, and insulated clothing.
How to get there
https://trevaladvisor.com/img%img/Vulkan-Idzhenreterte/Doroga-k-vershine.jpg” alt=””/>‘ Java, Indonesia..A trip to the Ijen Plateau is easiest to start from the capital Jakarta. After reaching Surabaya by air, take a bus to Bondowoso, which leaves daily at 11:00 from the central bus station. After five hours of travel it is necessary to change to another shuttle bus to the city of Pos Paltudinga (it is about three more hours on the road). From the terminus, the vent of the Ijen volcano can be reached by foot, pony ride, motorcycles with a driver or a four-wheel drive jeep rented from the locals.
.
Another travel option is to book a day tour to Ijen from anywhere on the islands of Java or Bali. In the second case, the trip will start with a ferry crossing, after which you will have to take a bus to the town of Bonyuwangi. From here, the plateau is reached by shuttle or private cab. Climbing the mountain will take only 1.5-2 hours, and if after that there is a desire to descend into the crater of the volcano Ijen, the guides can be workers mining sulfur. They will guide travelers along established routes to make the walk safe. A small fee is usually charged (by arrangement).
.
