Gunung Ijen, A night trek to the blue flames of Ijen

Kawah Ijen Crater Lake, Blue Fire trek, Kalipuro, East Java, Indonesia

The smell of sulfur is particularly strong

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Introduction

Ijen is the easternmost volcano area on the island of Java. Compared to Bromo, which is just across the Bali Strait from the popular tourist destination of Bali, reaching the crater of Ijen requires a hike of at least an hour and a half. However, this is also the mysterious and captivating aspect of Ijen. If you want to see the famous blue fire, you need to descend the steep path down the mountain, but it is not difficult for fit and agile visitors. Along the way to the summit, visitors can enjoy excellent photo opportunities, but on the way back down, they will be surrounded by the smell of sulfur. Ijen's volcanic lake is a typical sulfuric acid lake, which means there are layers of faint sulfur near the lake surface. Ijen is not only a famous volcano spot but also an important sulfur mining area. Pipelines are installed in areas where volcanic gases are concentrated, and sulfur is separated from the gas through condensation. The extracted sulfur is initially in the form of dark red liquid, but as it slowly cools on the ground, it solidifies into a bright yellow powder. All the sulfur is carried down the mountain by miners using their own strength. They carry baskets weighing nearly 100 kilograms, climbing 200 meters to the outer edge of the crater, and then walking several kilometers to the foot of the mountain, creating a unique sight.