kawah ijen: the blue flame, the sulfur miners and the search for sunrise

If you ever find yourself in Indonesia searching for something unique to see in the country, go hike to the crater of Ijen. Do this walk under the stars and you'll be rewarded with such a rare phenomenon.

In the eastern part of Java lies Kawah Ijen, a volcano which should be known for two things - its lake which contains a very acidic water and the display of blue flames. Gases constantly emitted by the volcano reacts with the water, forming hydrochloric acid. This gives the lake its green color and a pH close to 0. To top it off, a very strange event could be observed in the crater which is known as the blue flame. The blue flame, which looks like lava flowing out of volcanic fissures, are actually produced from sulfuric gases which ignite once they come in contact with air. (Read on.)

A few days before I went to see Ijen, I was at an office of a tour agency in Probolinggo waiting for our ride to Bali. A guy working for the agency asked me if I was interested in doing a tour to Ijen and I said of course, I was. He quoted me 500,000 IDR and although I was expecting the price to be that much, I still said that it was too expensive and I couldn't afford it.  He offered a 'special price' which was 100,000 IDR cheaper and maybe if I didn't feel like I was robbed by Bromo that day, I would have grabbed his offer.

There are two ways to get to Ijen. The more popular one is via Bondowoso but I find it more complicated with lots of vehicle transfers and thus more time consuming. Since I was coming from Bali, I took the more direct route from Banyuwangi. From there, it was less than an hour's drive by private vehicle to Pos Paltuding, the starting point of the trek to the crater.

Wondering how I got to Ijen on a tight budget? I got lucky.

I booked a room at the only accommodation listed in Hostelbookers. And although it wasn't something to write about and it was very much a little out of the way, a couple was also going to Ijen that day and we split the 450,000 IDR rent for a mini van. Some say that the road to Pos Paltuding is in a bad state and that a 4x4 is needed. This isn't true. Although the road gets really steep, it's completely paved.

At about 2 in the morning, we started walking to the crater. At first, it seemed like there were only the three of us. Later on, we caught up with a large group of tourists and men who turned out to be sulfur miners. A guide wasn't really necessary because the path was very obvious, even in the dark. And when confused, I just waited for the other people to pass me and then follow their track.

At some point during the hike, I could get a whiff of the sulfur when the wind blew to our direction. As we got nearer to the crater, the sulfuric gases lingered in the air causing discomfort. When the group of guys in front of me took out their industrial grade masks, I got envious. All I had was my headwear made of thin material to cover my nose and it was barely enough. The miners weren't using any. I guess you'll get used to it with time.

Upon reaching the rim of Ijen, we were greeted with a big signpost telling us that descending to the crater is strictly prohibited. Those ahead of me didn't seem to mind the warning and went on their way passing through a gate which I think never got locked. I overheard a few saying that they would only go down with their guides. I observed for a moment. Looking down, I saw the blue flames. It was the reason why I was there at that hour and I had to see them up close.

The trail to the bottom of the crater was harder to tackle than the path we took to get to the rim. The steps which are carved from the rocks on the slope are mostly uneven. But since it's used by the miners who carry a very heavy load, it can't be that difficult. In any case, some of the miners moonlight as guides for a fee. Sometimes the trail gets too narrow and we always gave way to the miners going up carrying sulfur. Once or twice, I got confused which path to take. I still acted as if I knew what I was doing to avoid the awkward situation where I'll be asked if I needed a guide and I still haven't learned how to gracefully say no. But the miners were just kind enough to show me the right path to take, even without me asking.

So what's so special about the blue flame aside from being a very rare occurrence? I'm not sure. Well, strange is beautiful. And the feeling of seeing something you haven't seen before and will probably never see again - that's special.

I tried to get as close as I could to the flames. And although the spot is practically covered with smoke, I lingered as long as I could to marvel at this rarity. Amidst the smoke, I saw a silhouette moving around. It turned out to be one of the miners gathering sulfur. I didn't know how he could stay there for long. I only hoped that he had the proper mask on.

The miners have been gathering sulfur from Ijen for decades now. It's hard to believe that they carry loads of up to 90 kilograms on foot, everyday, up to the rim and down to the station where they get paid. It is indeed a very taxing job. Backbreaking. Literally. I've only seen a few who are wearing the proper protective equipment. Their health are jeopardized because they are regularly exposed to dangerous gases every time they go down the crater. They might be getting more money mining sulfur rather than doing any other job available, but when the danger and the possible long-term effects inhaling those toxic gases are factored in, they are getting the short end of the stick.

Once I got my fix of the blue flame (and when I couldn't bear the smoke anymore) I started to make my way back up to be able to see the sunrise. When I got there, I came across several people who has just arrived and wondered if they were there primarily to see the blue flame. Going down, I heard the girl ahead of me asking her guide why the flames could only be seen at night. Self-explanatory. Dawn was already approaching. I just hoped they made it on time to be able to see the flames. As for me, I decided to walk along the crater rim to find a spot where I could watch the sunrise. I spotted a small group and was told that at that time of the year, the sun would be blocked by a portion of the volcano.

I didn't want to stop there though. I just didn't know where to go. I looked around, walked a little and found that there was a trail amidst the bush, going along the crater rim. I followed the trail, sidetracking to the edge a few times to catch a glimpse of the lake but most of the time, the view was concealed with smoke. I continued walking as the sky started to change its colors. I wasn't going to get the sunrise view I was hoping for but it was still beautiful.

I stopped by an abandoned remains of a building where there was an instrument set-up. I'm guessing it's being used to monitor the volcano's activity. (I may be wrong, though.) I had the place all to myself for quite some time, watching as dawn breaks and enjoying the stillness. Until a few people started coming. I felt a little selfish and I didn't want them to be there. But there was nothing I could do.

On the way down, I saw more and more people going up to the crater. They've missed the blue flame. They probably aren't aware of it or maybe just not as interested. Maybe the views are much clearer and as beautiful during the day? Maybe.