The Ijen Plateau lies in the centre of the Ijen - Merapi - Malang Reserve, which extends over much of the mountainous region to the west of Banyuwangi, bordering or, the Baluran National Park. A luminous blue/green crater lake lies at the far eastern end of the plateau and is without doubt one of the most impressive of East Java's natural wonders.
The lake can be reached from either the east or the west. The latter is the more popular approach, since it takes just an hour and a half to hike up the mountainside from the road's end.
Kawah IJen is 2,380 metres above sea-level. The enormous lake, which is 200 metres deep, contains approximately 36,000,000 cubic metres of steaming, acid water. A walk around the crater takes a full day.
Sulphur is mined at the lake's edge and the average yield is nine to twelve tons per day. Experienced sulphur collectors, who are paid by weight, are able to transport loads of up to 120 kg to the top of the crater and then 3 kilometers down the mountainside to the road. After arrival at the factory, the sulphur is treated for use in the production of medicines as well as for processing sugar.
