ID · East Java · 8.06°S 114.26°E

ijen

Night hike for blue fire and a turquoise acid lake inside the crater.

Best time
The dry season, roughly May to October, is best; in the wet months the trail is slippery and the crater often clouded. The blue fire only shows before dawn.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Surabaya, about 2.5 hours, then about 6–7 hours by train or road to Banyuwangi. Many people come from Bali instead: the ferry from Gilimanuk to Ketapang takes about an hour, and Bali operators run overnight Ijen trips.
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ID · East Javaijen8.06°S 114.26°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Night hike for blue fire and a turquoise acid lake inside the crater.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingIjenID, East Java
KLijen
≈ 1,869 km from KL, as the crow flies
The blue sulfur flames in the Ijen Caldera

Photo: Isderion · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A volcano near Java's eastern tip with a kilometre-wide turquoise acid lake in its crater. Hikers set off in the dark to see the blue flames of burning sulphur gas, then watch the sun come up over the lake while miners carry baskets of sulphur up from the crater floor.

Makan

  1. Nasi tempongRice with greens, fried sides and a sambal hot enough to 'slap' you, a Banyuwangi favourite.Map ↗
  2. Rujak sotoA Banyuwangi mash-up of vegetable rujak and beef soto in one bowl.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Blue fireHike up in the small hours and, when it's allowed, climb down into the crater to see the blue flames.Map ↗
  2. Sunrise over the crater lakeThe milky turquoise lake and the steaming vents look their best in the early light.Map ↗
  3. The sulphur minersWatch the miners haul heavy baskets up the crater path, and give them right of way.Map ↗
  4. Baluran National ParkOpen savanna with deer, wild cattle and peacocks, north of Banyuwangi.Map ↗
  5. Pulau MerahA surf beach south of Banyuwangi, named after the red-earth islet just offshore.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The sulphur gas is strong. Wear a proper gas mask (guides rent them out), and skip the crater floor if you have asthma or heart problems.
  • The trail and crater close when gas levels or volcanic activity rise. Check before you go.
  • It's cold at the rim before dawn. Bring a jacket and a headlamp.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.