The Breathtaking Views of Ijen Crater Lake

Ijen Crater Tourism Area is situated in the middle area of Kawah Ijen ​​nature reserves that located in sub-district Klobang, Bondowoso regency and Sub-district Licin, Banyuwangi regency, East Java province.

Surrounded by a landscape of lush coffee plantations and dramatic volcanic surrounds, Ijen Plateau is a quiet but active volcano with a stunning natural beauty that draws in visitors from around the world. It is the spectacular turqouise sulphur lake which fills the crater of Ijen which is the main attraction. The magnificent lake is located 2148 meters above sea level and is surrounded by the volcano’s sheer crater walls. At the edge of the lake, smoke billows from the vent of the volcano and the water begins to bubble whenever the volcanic activity increases.

Kawah Ijen (Ijen crater) is the world’s largest highly acidic lake. The vent also produces sulphur so it is the site of a labor intensive sulphur mining operation. Workers climb the crater every day transporting the sulphur by hand. Sulphur collectors are paid by the weight of what they collect and can carry loads of up to 80kg.

To see the stunning lake, visitors are recommended to hike during the dry season between April and October. The starting point for the trek is Pos Paltuding. The 3 km hike is steep and will take around 1½ hours. 

The best time to enjoy the crater scenery is at morning, when the yellow sunlight glows the yellow water and shines the surrounding mountain like mount Merapi (not to be confused with Mount Merapi, in Central Java aka Gunung Merapi), the sister of Mount Ijen. Morning haze is creating a tranquility with breathtaking views of the sun emerging over magnificently dramatic scenery. At 2 pm, the crater is closed for the reason that the thick smoke from the crater that is poisonous. 

Nearby the volcano there are also coffee plantations, hot springs and waterfalls to explore.

Lake Toba, The Largest Volcanic Lake In The World

Lake Toba is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world. The lake is 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide, and 505 metres (1,666 ft) at its deepest point.

Lake Toba located in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra with a surface elevation of about 900 metres (2,953 ft). Lake Toba is the site of a supervolcanic eruption that occurred 69,000-77,000 years ago, and which was the most recent super volcano eruption.

Lake Toba has an island in the middle, named Pulau Samosir, was joined to the caldera wall by a narrow isthmus, which was cut through to enable boats to pass; a road bridge crosses the cutting. Samosir island is the cultural centre of Batak tribe who are mostly Christians in the modern days.

There are three megalithic sites on Samosir island bear witness to the glory - and horror - of Batak history. The three consist of 300 year old stone seats and benches arrayed in a circle. The first set of ruins was used as a conference area for Batak kings. At the second site, the king would sit in judgment of a criminal or enemy prisoner. If the accused were found guilty, the assembly would move to the third set, which features the ghastly addition of a central stone execution block.

The Air Panas (hot springs) is on the other side of the island to Tuk-Tuk. The hot springs are not on Samosir Island but it's no need to take a ferry off the island to see them. On the opposite side of the island from where Tuk-Tuk is there is a town called Pangururan. There is a small isthmus that connects the island to the mainland. On the other side of this isthmus the hot springs is located. It takes about 1 hour to ride the local bus to Pangururan from Tuk Tuk or shorter by a motorbike that can hire from the rentals around the island.

Kick back and relax after the frenetic atmosphere of Indonesia. Swim in the volcanically warmed waters of the lake or arrange an overnight 'party' boat out on the lake. A beautiful place to do nothing at all.