A long weekend, reasonably priced ticket and friends in Surabaya was all the reason I  needed to go to Indonesia.My initial plan was to chill out in Surabaya and enjoy some local delicacy that eventually turned into a memorable road trip to an offbeat location in East Java.

 Formed out of numerous islands, Indonesia might give you an image of white sand and water activities, but you will be surprised to know that it has just as many magnificent mountains and volcanoes as there are alluring beaches.

Geographically located on the convergence of the tectonic plates – Asian, Australian, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, Indonesia holds as many as 130 Volcanoes, making a ring  known as “Indonesia Ring of Fire”. These magnanimous natures’ creation adds a striking backdrop to lush green outfields of Indonesia. One of these entities just happened to be my destination, locally known as Kawah Ijen.

How it happened

Three musketeers (Me and my two Indonesian Buddies) and a rented car was all it took to brave the Surabaya traffic, and drive all the way. Being an Indian, I must admit, it feels like home!!  Ijen Volcano is located near Banyu Wangi town (East Java), which also serves as a famous port between Java and Bali.

With 300km to cover, we decided to hit the road by noon and reach Banyuwangi by early evening. The plan did go a bit haywire with constant traffic, though my driving strategy “when in doubt, create a lane” did work well  and we checked into a hotel by evening 5.

Mt Ijen is at a distance of 35km, from Banyuwangi Town, out of which the last 3kms is a steep trek.  Ijen has an approximate 1 km wide turquoise colored acidic lake, which is also a site for labor intensive Sulphur mining. Baskets of sulphur are carried from the base of crater all the way to Pos Paltuding (The Starting Point of trek), but that’s not what made Ijen famous! It’s the burning sulfur, producing blue flames!! The blue glow is created by combustion of sulphuric gases that emerge from the cracks of the rocks at high pressure and temperature – 600 degree Celsius. On coming in contact with air, these hot gases lash out Blue Flames up to 16 feet high!! Some of it condenses into liquid sulphur and flows down, giving the feel of lava.

The phenomenon is best visualized in dark and hence it is advisable to start your trek as early as possible, but there is a catch!!. The starting point is barricaded and does not open before 2 am, so unless you want to enjoy the coffee plantation near Mt Ijen ,with limited stay options , I would highly suggest you to stay in Banyuwangi (with range of hotels ),enjoy the street food and leave late night.

We left the hotel around 12 midnight and after winding through long stretch of coffee plantation, we reached the starting point by 1 am. The road is considerably fine and can be done on an average MUV with fair ground clearance. Most websites specify the need of a 4WD, which probably is the best choice, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry – I was able to do the stretch on a Toyota Avanza with 1.2 L engine and front wheel drive (Sedans and low rider is a BIG NO!!).

As a foreign national, I had to pay an entry fee (don’t remember the amount, but I guess it was some $10). The initial 1 km is pretty steep as well as slippery – good quality hiking shoes are highly recommended. Do carry a protective waterproof gear for your camera equipment’s and yourself (short bursts of shower are common in this area). The overall trek was bit exhausting but absolutely rewarding with whole valley lit under moon light and parts of it submerged in blanket of fog. It takes around 1.5 – 2 hours to reach the rim of the crater, before you start descending into the heart of it!  Descend is very steep and becomes considerably uncomfortable as you approach towards the blue burners (remember those high school chemistry experiments with irritating smell of sulphur gas??).

Staying long near these blue flames is not advisable- A single gush of wind can sway loads of sulphur smoke all over the face. After taking some shots of this formidable creation, we headed back to the crater’s rim and saw the lake coming to its full glory at the break of dawn. The whole view is completely mesmerizing as the clouds floats majestically over the turquoise lake.

On the way back,I met a large chunk of tourist trekking up after 7 am, completely missing on the blue flames. DO NOT make this mistake. It is totally worth the time to trek all the way up, before dawn, and then treating your taste buds to local delicacies in Banyuwangi town (Especially Ayam Lalapan with Sambal .. my favorite!!)

Things to remember

1. Carry a good pair of hiking shoes
2. It will be cold, and if you are unlucky it might just rain as well . Pack yourself accordingly
3. Do carry a flashlight (Can be really handy on your way down the crater)
4. A gas mask or a basic surgical mask is a must, unless you want to brave gallons of sulphuric gas
5. Reach the starting point before 2 am (Please confirm the change in timing, If any, at the hotel)

Check out http://jasjitbajwaphotography.com/indonesia for more pics!!

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