Ijen Crater / Kawah Ijen - Banyuwangi

Ijen Crater is the biggest crater lake in Java. The sulfur crater lake lies between a natural
dams of deeply etched rock. It is 200 meters deep and contains about 36million cubic meters
of steaming acid water, shrouded in a smelling swirling sulfur cloud. Inside the crater the
different color and size of stones are found. Indeed the crater of Ijen is beautiful garden of
stone as well.

The view of sulfur miners who climb and go down to the crater is also amazing. A man puts
about 10 kg of yellowish stone in to his basket, before he descends the mountain slope to sell
his load, carrying the same basket, going in the same direction, digging the same mineral. It is
the natural picture that can be seen everyday.

Ijen Plateau lies in the centre of Ijen-Merapi Malang Reserve, which extends over much of
the mountainous region directly west of Banyuwangi and borders on the Baluran National
Park in the northeast. As at Mt. Bromo, the caldera is best viewed from the air. Fortunately,
almost all commercial flights operating between Denpasar - Surabaya, Yogyakarta or Jakarta
usually fly, if not directly over, then close by Ijen plateau, where the seemingly luminous
blue/green crater lake forms an unmistakable landmark. It is beautiful scenery and located
about 32 km to the north west of Banyuwangi.

The principal attraction at Ijen is the large Crater Lake that has much sulfur, which lies
hidden between sheer walls of deeply furrowed rock at more than 200 meters. The Ijen crater
itself lies at approximately 2,300 meters above sea level. It forms a twin volcano with the
now extinct Mount Merapi. The enormous Crater Lake, which is 200 meters deep and covers
an area of more than meters, a million square meters, contains about 36 million cubic meters
of steaming, acid water.

Ijen crater shows a special type of volcanic feature common to Indonesia, about 1 kilometer
in diameter and 175 meters deep. The floor is covered completely by a warm lake, milky blue
green in colours held back by a dam built many years ago by the Dutch, in order to keep the
hot, mineral laden water from raining the crop lands below.

The crater can be reached from either the east or the west by any kinds of vehicles, but the
second part of the trip covers distance 3 km on foot (jungle track). However, the latter is
more popular approach, since the climb from the road's end to the edge of the lake is only one
and a half hours. And a walk around the lake takes a full day.
The temperature drops at night, near the crater rim it can fall to about 5 Celsius. The road
ends at Jampit, where very basic shelter is available. It is also possible to sleep in the old
vulcanology station further up the hill, now used by sulfur collectors, but permission must be
obtained in advance.

The sulfur is transported entirely on foot. In the past, horses were used but they were found to
be less practical on the hazardous terrain. Today, the mine yields nine to twelve tons of sulfur
per day.

Men carry individual loads of up to 70 kg, often barefooted, up to the rim of crater and then
17 km down the mountainside to a factory near Banyuwangi. The porters are paid by weight.
The most important advice if you are traveling to Ijen is: "If you lose your way, just look out
for the sulfur trail". The meaning was clear, since a continuous flow of two ways traffic,
carrying the sulfur down the mountainside from the lake and trudging up again to re-load, had
left a yellow trail on the well-worn path. The best time for seeing Ijen Crater is at 8 to 9 am.

Sukamade Beach Banyuwangi

Sukamade beach is about 97 km to southwest of Banyuwangi. It is natural and quiet,
beautiful place. Dutch discovered it in 1927. The 1200 hectare estate is an active plantation
that produces rubber, coffee and cacao. Sukamade is the east Java Natural Resource
Conservation which is in charge of the turtles perpetuation. A night adventure tour to
Sukamade is an unforgettable trip. You will be guided by a natural resource to find sea turtles
come to a shore to lay eggs. You can see a female turtle lays more than one hundred eggs on
the sandy beach. The female turtles usually start landing at 7:30 PM and return to the sea at
12:00PM. November to March is the peak season for laying eggs.

The ways to Sukamade is worth exploring. Along the way to visit this place the visitors can
stop at the beautiful place of Rajegwesi, Teluk Hijau a fantastic green bay with its beautiful
cliff around. A dawn excursion to see animals grassing on the savannah is also impressing.
They are virgin places you must know in the eastern tip of Java, banyuwangi, Indonesia

Plengkung Beach / G-Land

Plengkung is known as one of the best surfing beaches in the world. The word of G in G-
Land derives from Grajagan, the name of the bay where the huge waves were found at the
south of the Banyuwangi. It is surrounded by virgin tropical land forest. G lad offers the
worlds most demanding surfing sport, and recommended for professional surfers only. May
to October is the best time for surfing. No doubt it is a world of surfer paradise. Most surfers
start from Bali, take an overland to Banyuwangi and directly to National Park of Alas Purwo,
G-Land or cross the Grajagan Bay to Plengkung beach where the waves challenge invite the
surfers. However it is not recommended for novices

Accommodation
There are some simple cottages and a jungle camp available by the beach.
Recreational facilities
Plengkung is located on the south coast of Banyuwngi the eastest of Fast Java. The visitor
can visit Plengkung overland. To reach Plengkung can be taken in two ways:

* Overland. Banyuwangi-Kalipahit (59km)by bus Kalipahit Pasaranyar (3km) by ojek or rent

a car, Pasaranyar-Trianggulasi (12km), Trianggulasi-Pancur-Plengkung/G-Land.
* Overland-sea : Banyuwangi-Benculuk (35km) by bus, Benculuk Grajagan (18km) by bus or
public transportation, Grajagan-Plengkung by speedboat,
Both ways toPlengkung are OK, if the visitors choose the second way, they can spend the
night at Grajagan and enjoy the view before continue the journey to Plengkung.

Photo Gallery

Seblang Traditional Art

Banyuwangi has two kinds of Seblang ceremonies. They are Seblang Oleh Sari and Seblang
Bakungan. Seblang Ritual is one of public ritual of Using community that can found in two
villages in Glagah district, Banyuwangi, that is Bakungan and Olihsari. This ritual is held for
pray and wishfull to the God, in order to get the welfare and secure. This ritual is as same as
Sintren ritual in Cirebon area, Jaran Kepang and Sanghyang in Bali Island.

Seblang dance in both villages has different time, in Olihsari village usually held a week after
Id Fitr, while in Bakungan held a week after Id Adha. The dancers are chosen by a
supernatural man and usually, the dancers must come from the previous dancers. In Olihsari
village, the dancers must young girls, while in Bakungan the dancers must women in 50 years
old above who get menopause.

This Seblang dance actually is very old tradition, so it difficult to know about its history. But
based on a source, the first Seblang dancer is Semi, who is the beginner woman of Gandrung
dancer (die in 1973). After she got secure from her disease, then her mother promise (Mak
Midah or Mak Milah) must be done, Semi finally became Seblang in her childhood till
younger, she was Gandrung dancer.

Banyuwangi adalah salah satu kabupaten yang ada di ujung timur pulau Jawa. Kecantikan
Banyuwangi membuat kota ini dijadikan sebagai objek wisata favorit para pelancong.
Banyuwangi dikenal dangan keindahan alamnya yang luas dan menawan, alam pengunungan
dan pantai yang berkarakter membuat para wisatawan betah berlama-lama di pulau ini.

Banyuwangi juga ditunjang oleh faktor geografis yang berada di dekat pulau Bali. Sejumlah
tempat wisata Banyuwangi memiliki reputasi yang tidak hanya lokal saja tapi juga
Internasional, sehingga Banyuwangi dikenal dengan Triangle Diamond atau Segitiga
Berlian karena memiliki tiga wisata yang khas dan unik. Apa saja? yuk simak uraiannya
dibawah ini!

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Banyuwangi is one of the districts on the eastern tip of Java Island. Beauty Banyuwangi make
this city serve as a favorite tourist attraction of the travelers. Banyuwangi is known by its vast
natural beauty and captivating, the nature of the mountains and the characteristic beaches
make the tourists feel at home for a long time on the island.

Banyuwangi is also supported by geographical factors located near the island of Bali. A
number of Banyuwangi tourist attractions have a reputation that is not only local but also
International, so Banyuwangi is known as 'Triangle Diamond' or Triangle Diamond because
it has three unique and unique tours. Anything? let's see the description below!