Ijen Crater
📍 Banyuwangi, East Java, ID
★ 4.0 (1)About This Destination
Ijen is home to one of only two places on Earth where you can see blue fire — a genuinely otherworldly phenomenon caused by burning sulfuric gas. Pair that with a turquoise crater lake (the largest highly acidic lake in the world) and you've got a destination that looks almost too surreal to be real.
What We Do There?
Set off in the dead of night for a headlamp-lit trek to the crater rim, timed so you catch the blue flames while they're still glowing bright in the dark. Along the way, you'll pass local sulfur miners hauling loads that would make your shoulders ache just looking at them — a humbling reminder of how hard this beauty is earned.
Unique / Point of Interest
The electric-blue flames flickering along the crater walls, the strikingly turquoise (and highly acidic) lake below, and the sulfur miners who make this dangerous trek their daily job.
Travel Tips
- ✓The hike starts in the middle of the night (around 1 to 2 AM) so you reach the crater rim while the blue fire is still visible in the dark. Allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours for the climb.
- ✓Climbing equipment such as a headlamp, a trekking stick, and a gas mask is provided, so you only need to bring warm clothing, trekking shoes, and a beanie.
- ✓The sulfur fumes can be strong, so wear the gas mask we provide whenever your guide tells you to.
- ✓When the wind blows the fumes your way, follow your guide's instructions and stay away from the crater edge.
- ✓Come in good health: the trail is steep and gravelly and the summit is around 2,400 m. If you have asthma or heart problems, take it slowly and tell your guide.
🗓️ Best Time to Visit
Best months
- •Dry season, April to October, gives the best chance of clear skies and a visible blue fire.
- •In the rainy season the trail is slippery and mist can hide the fire; the crater can also close for safety.
- •The hike starts around 1 to 2 AM all year, so the blue fire is only visible in the dark.
🎒 What to Bring
- ✓Warm jacket, gloves and a beanie: it is cold at the summit
- ✓Trekking shoes with good grip for the steep gravel trail
- ✓Water and a light snack
- ✓Power bank and a spare layer for the wait at the rim
- ✓A waterproof bag for your camera if the weather turns
🤝 What We Provide
Included on our trips, no need to bring or rent.
- ✓Headlamp
- ✓Trekking stick
- ✓Gas mask
⚠️ Safety Notes
- !Wear the gas mask we provide whenever your guide tells you to; the sulfur fumes can be very strong
- !When the wind blows fumes toward you, follow your guide and stay away from the crater edge
- !Never go down toward the blue fire without your guide: the path is steep, rocky and the gas is concentrated there
- !If you have asthma or heart problems, tell your guide before you start and take it slowly
- !Stay on the trail and keep your headlamp on in the dark
Activity
Blue Fire Trekking
A demanding but unforgettable pre-dawn hike, rewarded with a sight so blue and so strange you'll question if it's really fire.
Sunrise at the Crater Rim
After the blue fire fades, stay on the rim while the sky turns orange and pink over the mountains: a calm, golden reward for the early start.
Crater Lake Walk
Walk along the rim in daylight to see the turquoise crater lake up close, wrapped in drifting sulfur clouds, and meet the miners carrying their loads along the trail.
Traveler Reviews
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Ijen's blue fire gave me chills, worth it even with the night trek.