Kawah Ijen volcano

The Kawah Ijen volcano 2799 m high, is famous because of the acid crater lake and the sulphur pit. But not only that. The Ijen complex is also famous for coffee planting. The Ijen complex locates almost in the middle between the cities Bondowoso and Banyuwangi. This location is at the east end of Java island. The famous island of Bali is the next island following Java. Just separated by the Bali Strait.

Unlike the Bromo volcano, the Kawah Ijen volcano crater contains a lake. That is the world’s largest acidic volcanic crater lake. The lake is legendary for its turquoise colour. Kawah Ijen is an active volcano. The volcanic activity is obvious everywhere.

The sulphur pit with the blue flames of burning sulphur was an amazing experience. At the same time when the sunrise starts the blue fire disappear.

It takes around three hours hiking straight away uphill to reach the crater rim. From here thirty minutes more to climb down into the crater with its acid lake and sulphur pit. Sulphuric gases vent from cracks or crevices out of the crater’s bottom. Where the gases condense, pure Sulphur appears. Where the sulphur is still hot the colour is orange. But where the sulphur cools down enough, a bright shiny yellow colour appears.

Local workers collect the sulphur in baskets. A worker carries two baskets. One basket on each shoulder. All in all, a total of 70 kg sulphur on his back. All the way from the bottom of the crater downhill the sloops of the volcano.

On the halfway, there is a weighing station. where the baskets weighed on a scale. After all, the workers bring the baskets to a village at the foothill of the volcano. Finally, a small factory processed the sulphur for further use.