Ijen Resort has Much to Offer

By Otniel Tamindael Jakarta (Antara) - It is already dusk when a group of Jember's SMAK Santo Paulus Catholic High School alumni arrives at the Jampit lodging. The lodging is nestled on a sprawling coffee plantation of the Dutch colonial era in Sempol at the foot of Ijen mountain resort. After a four-hour ride from Jember, East Java, the group members, from Jakarta, Surabaya, Probolinggo, Jember and Bondowoso, finally arrive at their lodging on the mountainside. They gather there for a reunion and are supposed to trek up Mount Ijen to view the magnificent Ijen Crater, locally known as Kawah Ijen. Kawah Ijen natural tourism park is well known for a lake in the crater of Mount Ijen, which is the largest and most acidic crater lake in the world. Located 2,700 meters above sea level, Ijen Crater is the only place where sulfur is excavated manually by human beings. Situated between Banyuangi and Bondowoso districts in East Java, the Ijen mountain range has much to offer because it is one of the most famous of Indonesia's volcanoes and is a must-visit for tourists. Trekking up along a winding trail through the forest to the top of the mountain to view the sky-blue lake in the heart of Ijen crater, the group sees various plants that exist only in the highlands, such as flowers, pines and ferns. Each unfurling bud, the lovely birds making the air vibrate with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers perfuming the air in their perfection, and the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green are all there for them and other visitors to enjoy. At the top of the mountain, they can see the magnificent turquoise sulfur lake that exudes flames: blue fire at night and smoky white in the day. "With an open heart, we are impressed with the magnificent beauty of this mountain range, revealed through the handiwork of our heavenly Father," says one of the group members, Setiawati Kusumajaya. The turquoise sulfur lake, the meadows, the lofty trees, the buds and flowers and the bubbling brook at Ijen mountain invite visitors to become acquainted with Him who makes them all. "Ijen mountain range has many things to say about Nature, but it is those with spiritual sensitivity who can enjoy its beauty with the highest appreciation because they recognize the handiwork of the Almighty and perceive His love in the flowers and shrubs and the trees," Setiawati says. "No one can fully appreciate the significance of the hill, the valley, the lake, the river and the brook, who does not look upon these as an expression of God's love for man," says Sri Susilowati, another member of the group. Seeing the birds in the air as they warble their carols of praise, hearing the brook and feeling the gentle breeze while trekking up through the forest, Susilowati recalls the strong, worshipful song "How Great Thou Art" by Steward K Hine. Back at their lodging and impressed by the wonderful beauty of Ijen, they chant, "When through the woods and forest glades I wander, and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur, and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to Thee: How great Thou art; How great Thou art." "Trekking up to the Ijen Crater is extremely hard, but we are very excited, pleased and relieved that we have made it all the way to the peak and have got back safe and sound. We have learned from this trip that nothing is impossible if we set our minds to it," Susilowati remarks. Many domestic and foreign tourists have started to travel to Ijen to admire the beauty of the surrounding fertile hills and, most importantly, to witness first-hand the life of the Ijen sulfur miners. Local miners make two trips up and down the mountain each day to harvest the bright yellow residue by using only the most modest and basic of tools. Miners can only load up to 50 kilograms of sulfur each into their baskets, which they carry back down the mountain on their shoulders to a weighing station where they are paid by the kilogram. "Their work seems very dangerous because the highly acidic fumes from the lake and sulfuric clouds are hazardous to their respiratory systems, but they have nothing other than a dampened cloth tied over their mouth and nose to protect them from the poisonous smoke," says Sucipto, a visitor from Jakarta. When engulfed by this smoke, the miners cough, retch and can do nothing but wait until the acidic cloud passes them by. The work is tough, and the pay is only around Rp50 thousand per day. In addition, the sulfurous fumes the miners breathe apparently have serious consequences for their health and longevity. Authorities in Bondowoso District are looking to increase the number of tourist visits to Ijen Crater to boost the economic growth in the district. Bondowoso district administration spokesman Hidayat says a number of new facilities will be built at the Ijen mountain resort to attract more tourists. "To attract more tourists and get them to stay longer, we have to improve services and facilities at the site," Hidayat states, adding that the beautiful scenery at Ijen mountain resort and the rural life are major attractions for tourists. (*)