Jurnalpatrolinews – Bondowowso : Continuing to struggle with work routines is certainly a torturous thing, especially since this activity causes relationships with family and friends to become tenuous. One of the most effective ways to reclaim a familiarity that was stretched away is to do outdoor tourism activities. Moreover, going on an adventure while watching the beauty of nature is also believed to be able to relax stiff muscles as a result of a busy work routine.
One of the interesting options for nature tourism in Indonesia is to explore the beauty of Ijen Crater in East Java. This natural crater that was formed due to a volcanic eruption is the most beautiful crater that Indonesia has because it has the blue fire phenomenon . It is not surprising that every weekend, the Ijen Crater area is often filled with tourists, both local and foreign.
Geographically, the Ijen Crater area is included in three regencies in East Java, namely Situbondo, Bondowoso, and Banyuwangi. However, the main door to enter the location of Ijen Crater is in Paltuding, Banyuwangi. For tourists who don’t want to spend the night on the mountain but want to witness the blue fire phenomenon , the Kalipuro area is another option for overnight.
From Kalipuro to Paltuding it takes about an hour to travel, or a distance of about 35 km. With the estimated time that the trekking trip from Paltuding to Ijen Crater takes about 2 hours, so to be able to witness the blue fire phenomenon , tourists must start the journey from Kalipuro around 01.30 in the morning.
After passing a winding forest road on the slopes of Mount Ijen, visitors will arrive at Paltuding. From Paltuding, with the notoriously cold air, climbers who want to start their journey are seen getting ready and thickening their clothes. Meanwhile several people approached would-be climbers, offering delivery services. For those who don’t know the ins and outs of Ijen Crater, it is advisable to hire a guide service.
From Paltuding to the location of Ijen Crater is about 3 km. For beginner hikers, this distance can take around 2.5 hours of travel. The first two kilometers, the track to the crater location is dominated by a dusty dirt road. Meanwhile, in the last kilometer, the track is dominated by steep and narrow cobbled roads. It takes sufficient lighting when climbing at night.
In the last three kilometers, the smell of sulfur is getting stronger, it indicates that the location of Ijen Crater is near. From the top of the cliffs of Mount Ijen, the charm of blue fire can be seen. Blue fire is a process of evaporation of sulfur which appears bright blue at night. This beautiful scenery is what invites many tourists to come and admire this phenomenon that only exists in Indonesia.
After it got light, the blue fire color faded, but that didn’t mean Ijen’s charm had disappeared. In another part you will see the charming Ijen crater with turquoise green color. Ijen Crater is acidic and has a lake depth of up to 200 meters. Ijen Crater has an area of 5,466 hectares and is a natural crater due to the eruption of Mount Ijen, and is believed to be one of the most active volcanoes.
According to records reported by the manager of the Ijen Crater Nature Park, Mount Ijen has a history of erupting 4 times, namely in 1796, 1817, 1913, and most recently in 1936.This mountain has also been a source of income for local residents for a long time, because it is able to produce sulfur. millions of cubic meters annually.
However, the Kawah Ijen workers, who carry heavy sulfur rocks every day, are only valued at IDR 900 / kg and IDR 1,000 / kg for the second round. One of the transport workers said that every day, on average, they can carry up to 60 kg of sulfur rock in two rounds. To cover the insufficient living needs of working as sulfur transporting laborers, some of them also serve as guides for climbers who want to experience the beauty of Ijen Crater. (Indonesia Kaya)
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