Ijen Crater without a tour - on a budget

Vibrant blue lake, suffocating gas, brutally tough miners and a Famous blue flame are just a few of the reasons as to why Ijen Crater is a top attraction for visitors to Indonesia. Located in the far eastern reaches of Java, Ijen is easily accessible by train or bus on Java or a ferry from Bali, but once travellers arrive, they may find the tours to be too expensive for them ranging from 600 000 rp to over 1 000 000 rp per person. So here are some tips on how to see the amazing Ijen Crater in a much more budget friendly and much more adventurous way.

Getting there

The best place to visit Ijen from is the very friendly and clean city of Banyuwangi (though it also possible from …), For most travellers this will be on their normal route from Jakarta to Bali or vice versa and will stay for one to two nights. From Java Banyuwangi can be reached easily from any of the major cities or towns nearby, with a very reliable train network and a less so bus network. I personally travelled from Malang via train taking roughly 7 hours and costing less then 70 000 rp, a transfer would be upwards of 800 000 rp for comparison. There is also the option of the bus but I would not recommend as despite what people may say it takes closer to 12 hours in a rather hellish experience full of smoke, chickens and karaoke but that is another story. Coming from Bali there are many buses that will include the ferry in their price and service or if you really up for it then taking your own scooter will save on bus fares and the hassle of bike rental when you arrive.

Once in Banyuwangi the next step is getting to Ijen itself, whilst most information will have you believe the road up is treacherous and unscalable I would argue this is not the case. Whilst the road is rough and some sections are littered with rather large potholes, it is nothing an experienced rider couldn’t handle, though do also consider you will be riding in the dark and on little sleep. Due to my late arrival in Banyuwangi I was able to organise my scooter pre-arrival for 80 000 rp at my hostel (snooze ijen, would recommend) so that I could leave at 1 am on the night that I arrived. The ride up was trouble free with all traffic heading in the same direction and everyone (except the miners) taking it slow through the rough parts of the road, travelling at a reasonable pace it took me just over one hour to reach the base of ijen.

Ijen Crater

Once at the base of Ijen there is a myriad of warungs to grab a hot coffee or a very early breakfast, as well as many local guides offering their services and whilst you may not necessarily need a guide it is important to remember that the guides have not been able to work for 2 years and at the cost of 100 000 rp it might be worth getting some interesting information and the secrets to the best sunrise spots. The entrance to the park opens at 2am and the entrance fee is 100 000 rp which you pay at the base of the trail. Now the hiking begins, it is about an hour and a half slog straight uphill to the crater rim and after that a further 30 mins down towards the blue flame.

Make of the blue flame what you will, some people find it tantalizing beautiful others question whether it was worth the hike down, burning eyes and suffocating lungs. Though regardless of the flame experience it is very interesting to head down to see the sulphur miners working in the toxic conditions. The sulphur miners of Ijen is a very interesting case of worker exploitation, personal sacrifices to earn a living and the effects of tourism on photos. but I don’t believe I know enough about the complex situation to weigh in on this post, all I can see is talk to a guide, a miner and visit the sulphur factory (which is free) and learn about it for yourself.

Be aware that if you take a photo of a miner, they will ask for money in return which can be surprising but it helps compliment their dismal wages, many miners making more from photos then sulphur.

After viewing the blue flame and the miners till my lungs gave out, eyes melted or panicked one too many times as you are engulfed by sulfuric gas, heading up to the crater to watch sunrise and enjoying some fresh air is heaven. The crater rim is lined with spectacularly twisted dead trees that are very enjoyable to photograph, framing the beautiful lake or the numerous volcanoes around.

Most tours will begin to leave after but explore this incredible landscape as much as you can or try and talk to the miners to hear their story. The walk down is a frustrating and tiring trek and the lack of sleep sets in the legs give out but once down a nice cheap breakfast doesn’t go astray.

In total my adventure to Ijen cost me about 150 000 rp if you count entry, bike rental and fuel, plus the heightened sense of adventure and freedom to explore as long as you like.