On Saturday, we began our trip to Kawah Ijen, a volcano located on the island of Java in Indonesia. The blue fire of Kawah Ijen is a unique and spectacular phenomenon that is caused by the combustion of sulfuric gas. The gas is released from the volcano and burns with a blue flame when it comes into contact with the air. The blue fire can only be seen at night and is best viewed from the crater of the volcano. It's a rare natural phenomenon, and only two volcanoes in the world have this kind of blue fire. To get there from Canggu - our neighborhood in Bali - we took a shuttle and a ferry to Java. We arrived to our hotel in Java at about 6:00 pm and immediately ordered room service dinner. Because the blue fire can only be seen at night, Alex and I prepared for an early summit by heading to bed early for our midnight departure to the mountain.
We began our hike at around 2:15 am at the base of the volcano. The trail was well-marked and relatively easy to navigate, and like hiking any mountain, it was steep and rocky in some sections. The first part of the hike is through the lush rainforest. As we ascended, the vegetation became sparser and we could begin to see signs of volcanic activity, such as steam vents and sulfur deposits. We began our descent into the crater, which was challenging at night. In addition to navigating the unfamiliar terrain in the dark, we needed to wear gas masks to protect ourselves from the sulfuric gases that are emitted from the volcano. The sulfur mines are also locat
ed on the volcano, and we needed to pass by miners and tourists alike. What's more, the blue fire is surrounded by an acidic crater lake which is one of the most acidic lakes in the world, with a pH level of around 0.5. The lake is situated at the bottom of the volcano's crater and has a stunning turquoise color, caused by the high sulfur content. The lake is a popular spot for the striking contrast between the bright blue water and the dark volcanic rocks surrounding it. Unfortunately, there was rain and mist when we emerged from the crater so we could not see this view.
We slept on our bus back to the hotel, where we could shower and rest for a while before departure. Alex nd I had another volcano adventure planned, so we stayed in an area called Melaya at the Blue Gecko Villa. This full-service villa was truly incredible, with home-cooked meals and a beautiful sunset.
In the morning, we headed to Mount Batur. Our guide led us up to the summit of Batur, which only took about 2 hours. The hike offers a stunning view of the surrounding landscape and the sunrise from the summit is truly breathtaking. The view from the top of the volcano, including the caldera lake and the neighboring volcano, and the beautiful scenery of Bali island. The campground on the summit is privately operated by our tour guide's family, and they provided camping equipment, such as a tent, and sleeping bag, and even cooked our meals.
It was a wild experience to be on the volcano at night. We had the crater to ourselves and enjoyed the thick clouds and steam that rolled through the campground. We cooked eggs in a steam vent and enjoyed hot cocoa under the stars. I especially enjoyed playing shadow puppets with the guide's kids, who joined us for the hike while they were on break from school.
The most popular thing to do at Mount Batur is actually a sunrise hike. So, Alex and I were kindly woken up at the crack of dawn by a steady stream of tourists there for sunrise. Since we had the evening and sunset to ourselves, we did not really feel the need to be competitive for space or views, like many people were. We enjoyed coffee and I got to watercolor at the top. Our hike down was like hiking on snow but with gravel, so we slid our way to the bottom.
On the way back to Canggu, we stopped at hot springs and a coffee plantation - two things that are much needed after a few days of hiking and camping.
Later that week, we went to a silver-making jewelry class in Batuan. We learned about the traditional process of silver making, with pumped fire, glue made of leaves, and the unique Balinese art that is integrated into their jewelry. We got to make our own piece of jewelry with the help of a staff person. I chose to make a necklace with some Balinese flair, that doubles as a ring holder. Continuing my week of crafts, I went to a pottery class at a local shop and made a few items on the wheel. It was nice to continue the creative flow and do something different... even if my pieces would not be fired by the time I left.
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