Mount Ijen, Before Sunrise

Why We Picked This

Mount Ijen is one of the last places on earth where sulphur is still mined by hand. It is also the site of the largest highly acidic crater lake in the world, whose turquoise water turns luminous at first light and holds it for the twenty minutes of proper sunrise. We picked Ijen because the pre-dawn climb, the sulphur miners crossing your path with baskets on their shoulders, and the lake catching that light are one of the last honest volcano experiences in Southeast Asia.

The experience

A 2am start. Headlamps, cold air, and a climb that begins steep and stays that way. The path up Ijen is shared with the miners. Most carry sulphur down on shoulder poles, two baskets balanced across the back of the neck, loads that look unreasonable until you see them moving past you in the dark. On their days off, some push wooden carts up the mountain to carry tourists who don't want to walk, charging by the kilometre. The carts overtake you in the dark, the miners breathing through their teeth. You are climbing for the view. They are climbing for fifty dollars. Above the cloudline, the mountain opens out. The moon and the stars do most of the work at this altitude. You walk in silence because there is no reason to talk. The crater floor is currently closed for pipeline maintenance and elevated volcanic activity, which means the blue fire many operators sell this hike on is not accessible. We will update this listing when the park authority reopens access. What is accessible is the crater lake at dawn, and it is the better reason to come anyway. Ijen holds the largest highly acidic lake in the world. From the rim, at first light, the water is a colour that takes a minute to register. Turquoise, unreal. As the sun rises the crater walls move through their own changes: pale yellow to ochre to rust. There are very few places on the planet where this happens. Wafa is your guide. He works in the Ijen sulphur mine six days a week and guides for Cavale on Fridays. He taught himself English. While you walk the rim, he is setting up breakfast at a flat spot overlooking the crater: a small table, hot tea and coffee from a flask, a sandwich. It is what lets the morning continue, after the climb, after the lake, before the descent. The descent is faster than the ascent and your legs will remember it the next day. The Ijen mine still operates in traditional conditions. Wafa is guiding because guiding pays more reliably than mining and is less likely to break his body. We have written separately about his life and his work.

Highlights

Practical Information

What to wear: Layers. The pre-dawn ascent is cold (single digits at altitude), the descent can be warm. Long trousers, a fleece or light jacket, a windproof outer layer if you have one. Hiking boots strongly recommended; trainers are workable but the path is loose in places.

Gas masks: Provided when the crater rim is open. Sulphur gas at the rim can be irritating to the eyes and throat. The masks are basic but functional.

The blue fire: Currently inaccessible due to crater floor closure for pipeline maintenance and elevated volcanic activity. We will update this listing when access changes.

Photos

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