lady Michaels

one BEST thing on Ijen is, you can see so many shooting stars and if you bring your perfect gear you can capture milky way which is awesome.

How did i reach there?

There are ways and modes to get to the Ijen. It s located in 3 regions in the almost south of Java (Bondowoso and Banyuwangi), i mean east java. As it s found there are small poles that mentioned the boundary are of the region on the trekking path. well back to how did i get there.. You can join in the open trip like what i did. They ll go with that mostly at least 5 minimum, for around $40 (1x lunch grabbing down the street, driver fee, van renting cost, trekking ticket, a bottle of water mineral,.. so it s with worth it as long as your pick up van not comes late or you ll miss the blue fire and redo it for the next time). How you pick one? there are some in instagram. Some are Malang based, Surabaya based, and then the banyuwangi based. Pick one that where you were at. I was from Surabaya so i picked one from Surabaya.

Here are some reviews of something i know, or something i thought you can google yourself to find out what s the proper. So, some people will go there using bus. But most preferable besides having bus is going by train. Start from Gubeng st. Then get the ticket to the Karang Asem st of Banyuwangi. Karang Asem st. is considered as the nearest spot to continue the journey to the Ijen area. The ceiling price for the train ticket is $13. Don't forget to do your bathroom rituals before you get on the train. The Journey will take more/less 3 hours long. The train bathroom?... well i never tried it (i not recommend the public toilet on a train). Banyuwangi is almost at the end of east Java, quite far from Surabaya so make sure you re comfortable enough during your trip. Arriving at Karang Asem, try to get a car rent to bring to the place called Paltuding, haggle it as much as you can but the floor price is $40 and that s for round trip. And of course, if you re speaking english people, there ll be a different rate. But shouldn't be a lot expensive. Hmm... good if you see "ojek", that s a motorbike transporter. But at that time i didnt see anything there. so yeah You arrive at Paltuding get the ticket and go up. There are some "pit stop" with portals. I asked the guide why stopping and getting off the van, he said he just wanted to say hi .. huh. Each car just gave $1 (there are about 4 or 5 i don't remember).

Some people choose to go from Bali. But of course for whom have the vacation in Bali. I heard that the travel agent in Bali is a lot and they are kind of pro since they bring mostly foreign visitors (0h btw, the ticket is always different in price between locals and foreigners. If i m not wrong the ticket was $1 plus $1 for commercial camera for locals and could be doubled, tripled for foreigners). I heard one of Philippines lady i knew, she paid $10.

How about the trek?

The normal trek up there will cost you 2h without stopping in some steps up or 2.5h if you re strong enough with at least some stops that you can make, plus a sore knees. If you re a beginner tracker (maybe your most done work out are squat, lunges, or static bike, you will need 3 hours to get the crater). Again, make sure you go up at 1am the latest time. so you could catch up the phenomenal blue fire at 3 or 4. Hiking up to the mountain crater is spending a day without sleeping.

....And Poorly me, i was late because of the malfunctioning travel agent crews in handling some error.

Blue fire itself is depend on the volcanic activity. The mountain guard won't allow the visitors to go up when the weather is bad, like shower storm with big wind, or when the volcano activity is too dangerous. When it s raining, the trek will be so easy for ones to get slide. Bring stick to make you easier to hike. There s dark too so don't forget to get headlamp or flash light. i went there at the long weekend time. So it s more like a marching up everyone brought their light so i sometimes didn't have to turn mine on hehe...

Mountainous Vegetation

The vegetation over there are kind of bushes. I saw mostly are plantations with tiny leaves, some with wider leaves like elephant ear. Arrive at the certain spot of the hill, i looked down and i saw that there were some plants with long hair or something... i thought that was a mountain moss. I also saw some trees bark and trunk were burnt out. i guess, that was the rest from the last drought season. I think wow can't imagine if the hill are filled with the smoke from the burn.

How did i feel?

Hungry. Thirsty. So i brought water with me. And bringing water was so helpful. Just bring it i don't think you want to know the reason when you feel so thirsty and want to wet your throat. It s mountain so they don't sell foods and water up there. I think It s good so there won't be so many waste on the crater area. I brought my fruit bars. One thing, i was kind of regret to bring only 5 instead of a dozen. Then i arrived at the crater. It s incredible. I saw hillie wall far away, with big poisonous sulphuric smoke was roaming around the crater on the water surface. The water coloured tosca! God painted a watercolour on the hill. ... at some moment, i forgot i was so tired, no sleep at all, hungry, and thirsty. oh btw you know that you need to bring mask right?

Warning! or I mean Attention !

The trek is far from EASY,

yet not too inclined.

I don't thing getting up to the hill is kind of fashion. It s about safety and getting comfortable enough. You can go with style even though wearing a mountain shoes which is bulky. Wrong picking shoes will make you easy slide. Pick one with thicker sole it prevents your toes, soles from worn out or massive feeling of fatigue. I was using my jawpaw shoes and it was a torture. I thought caterpillar would be good. Oh yeah, bring portable hiking stick it will make you easier since it becomes kind of a "ramp" for you.

Be careful in making picture. You don't want go back too far and slide down to the woods down the hill that i call it as valley? cliff?... Also, Don't block the path, as i saw many 4L4y visitors (poorly mostly are locals) making pictures in group and made other people to wait, and of course some gave eagle eyes.

You will start the chill at Paltuding before you go up around 00 -1 am. But as soon as you trek up, you won't feel it too cold. If you re coming from a place that has 4 seasons the coldness won't hit you so bad. trust me. I saw some didn't want to be so hassle with thick outfit then getting sweat later, so they removed the jacket. I was so shivered anyway. I m a tropical blood. But then when i trekked up the cold feeling was decreased.

Becareful when you go back to the Paltuding (sorry, i haven't mentioned it earlier yet. Paltuding is base camp down the mountain. like where everyone makes a preparation before they go up and where the car parked and where the ticket booth is at). It was kind of hmmm... be careful if you re not wide awake, ...be on the crater when the day is still dark and when you go down will be day light then you will start to feel sleepy, not being alert with the step. So be careful. I saw people running when they went down. i thought that was stupid.. they could bump people that struggle with stepping down too.

It will take all your energy. Good thing is you coming up earlier so you can sleep some and eat. Bring fruit bars.

Don't visit on holiday season. The toilet line is gonna be so long. Only at Paltuding that provides proper toilet.

Please be generous by supporting the local souvenir. Not so expensive, yellow, tiny, crafted sulphur, and only a dollar for one sulphur souvenir. You know how struggle the miner is. They have to load so many in kilos to earn more which is a kilo will be only 10 cent. :( in the middle of the night down to the base. Most of them were elders.

last but not least, Make a good picture and don't waste.

What to do?

Just sight seeing will be great thing to do. Having a dollar of coconut water and the $1 food, and $2 is perfect gateway for you that don't want to spend more yet still be counted as vacation. Keep walking ahead to find the dock and go under the dock and pretend it s like Santa Monica pier would be good enough. Go on top spend 30 cent wouldn't be bad (as long as not many people around the dock).
Drawing won't be so ok because no landmark so far i could find or something which is cool or else to capture on my sketchbook. But if you want to make quick sketch of the beach kids activity that would be another thing. I did some photographs only. Many people will come over to offer a boat sailing. unfortunately i don't know how much was that since i wasn't interested, since the time was given from the tour guide was short enough.

Cleanliness?

So ok. Not too clean but Ok. But in here you can't wear bikini. You don't want to offend them who aren't allowed to show off a bit of skin by their belief law or something. So far i wore shorts i got attention but just at glance, no worry.