Guide to visiting Mt. Ijen in 2022

Is it worth visiting Mount Ijen?

Definitely.

Mount Ijen is a great day trip destination from the city of Banyuwangi, located an hour drive away. The hike to the top begins early in the morning, with tour companies picking you up from your hotel or hostel around 12:30am, with the hike beginning at around 2am. The hike up is done in the dark, so make sure you have a small flashlight or a fully charged cellphone to use as a light. For the fit traveler, the hike will take roughly 45 minutes to an hour to get to the top of the crater, followed by 15 minutes or so to get down into the crater where you will have a chance to see the blue flame. The great thing about hiking this early in the morning is that the temperature will steadily decrease as you hike your way up the well worn path to the top, therefore a light jacket or sweater will be needed when reaching the summit. Booking with a tour will provide you with a guide who can help make sure you’re going down safely into the crater, since the path down into the crater is not always clear and the rocks are unstable in certain areas. Once you have reached the bottom of the crater you will need to put on a gas mask, since the air will be filled with sulfuric gas. This is where you will see the blue flames! After spending some time marveling at the blue flames and getting up close, you will hike back up out of the crater in order to enjoy the rest of the sunrise view from the top. Returning to your accommodations at around 9-10am

Where to stay in Banyuwangi

Realistically, you will only be spending a day or two maximum in Banyuwangi as it acts as the gateway to Mt. Ijen and to Bali via ferry. That being said, here are my top picks for where to stay in Banyuwangi and why.

#1 TOP PICK – Snooze Hostel Ijen – Low budget, great value $

If there is one hostel I can’t recommend enough it is Snooze Hostel. This newer hostel will impress you with the level of service you receive from its super friendly staff. It is pristine in terms of cleanliness, the shared showers (if you are staying in the dorm rooms) are great quality and once again always very clean. The hostel offers various seating areas to sit and relax or get work done and even has a kitchen that guests can use, which is rare to find in Indonesia. They will help you book your Mt. Ijen tour, price will vary on if you are there during the weekend and if you have multiple people going with you, and even help with booking your bus ticket to Bali if that is your next destination. The hostel itself is located a couple blocks away from the bus station, 10 minute walk, and various cafés. If you are arriving or departing by train, the station is a short Gojek ride away.

Prices:
Dorm room: $100K IDR (comfortable beds with a wall separating each one giving you privacy and cutting down on noise)
Private room with shared bathroom: $200K IDR
Private deluxe room: $400K IDR
BOOK HERE

#2 Banana Homestay – Good value, private rooms only, breakfast included $$

#3 Dialoog Banyuwangi Hotel – Oceanfront hotel with great views, breakfast included $$$

If you are planning on staying a few days in Banyuwangi and have more money to spend on accommodations, then Dialoog Banyuwangi hotel is the place for you. With stunning views overlooking the ocean and Bali across the water, this hotel offers you both the sun and pool, along with the possibility to hike up Mt. Ijen. Though more expensive than many hotels in the area, multiple guest reviews say that waking up with the ocean views is more than worth the price difference.
Prices:
Deluxe Double Room: $1.6M IDR
Deluxe Double Room Ocean View: $1.8M IDR
Suite Ocean View: $2.3M IDR
BOOK HERE