At Java's far eastern tip, a night-time hike leads to the Ijen crater, where electric-blue flames burn, and the days that follow can go to ancient forest, red-hill beaches and savanna.
Climb before dawn to the rim of a volcano holding a huge turquoise acid lake, then descend to see blue flames from burning sulphur gas while miners carry heavy loads out of the crater.
Best time: Start around 1-2 am, on a clear night
Tip: A real night hike: cold, steep and loose underfoot. Use a proper gas mask and a local guide, and turn back if the gas is strong or you have breathing problems.
Open savanna, acacia trees and Mount Baluran on the horizon give this park its nickname 'Africa van Java', with banteng wild cattle, deer, peafowl and monkeys around the Bekol grasslands.
Best time: Early morning or late afternoon
Tip: Stay near your vehicle around wildlife, keep your distance from banteng and guard your food from monkeys. The savanna is golden in the dry season and greener after rain.
A long sandy beach with a small hill island of reddish soil just offshore, which you can walk to at low tide. Gentle waves suit beginner surfers, and sunsets draw the crowds.
Best time: Late afternoon, for sunset
Tip: Swim only where locals say it is safe, as waves and currents can be strong. Check tide times before walking out to the island.
In Meru Betiri National Park, sea turtles come ashore at night to lay eggs on a remote beach backed by forest, with rangers guiding visitors. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Best time: At night, when turtles come ashore
Tip: A park permit is needed and the last stretch is rough, so a 4x4 is usual. In heavy rain river crossings can be impassable. Never use flash or bright lights near turtles.
A quiet forest park at the south-eastern tip of Java, with the Sadengan grassland where banteng graze, a Hindu temple and wild beaches such as Trianggulasi. The G-Land surf break lies on its edge.
Best time: Morning, for wildlife at Sadengan
Tip: Parts of the park are sacred to local communities, so dress modestly and follow the rules. Roads inside are rough, so a driver or guide who knows the park helps.
Its name means 'failed crater': there is no lake here, just a wide bowl of green hills below the Ijen range, open and cool. A calm contrast to the night at Ijen.
Best time: Morning
Tip: Part of the road is narrow and bumpy, so travel in daylight and ask about conditions. There is little shade, so bring a hat and water.
A small white-sand island in the Bali Strait with clear shallow water for swimming and snorkelling, and views across to Bali. Boats leave from the coast just north of Banyuwangi.
Best time: Morning
Tip: Agree the return time and boat arrangements before you leave, wear a life jacket and skip the crossing in rough weather. Take your rubbish back with you.
A grove of old trembesi (rain) trees, said to be around a century old, draped in ferns and moss. Visitors often compare the misty, shaded paths to a forest from a fantasy film.
Best time: Early morning
Tip: Go early before the crowds. Paths turn muddy after rain and mosquitoes can be a nuisance. Opening times can change, so check them for your date.
Kemiren is a village of the Osing, Banyuwangi's own people, with traditional houses, music and dance. Pair it with local dishes: sego tempong with its fiery sambal, rujak soto and pecel pitik.
Best time: Morning or evening
Tip: Sego tempong is very spicy, so ask for less chilli. Ceremonies and dance shows happen on set dates, so check the calendar for your stay.
It is about 10 km in a straight line from Banyuwangi & Ijen.
It is about 74 km in a straight line from Banyuwangi & Ijen.
It is about 105 km in a straight line from Banyuwangi & Ijen.
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Indonesia page
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Dec.
Prices here are about 29% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Banyuwangi Airport (BWX) is about 12 km from the town centre, with domestic flights that change over time. Long-distance trains and buses arrive from Surabaya and other Java cities after many hours. Ferries from Ketapang to Gilimanuk in Bali run day and night, about 45 minutes at sea, but queues can be long and the crossing closes on Nyepi.
April to October is drier and clearer for Ijen, Baluran and the beaches, and the savanna turns golden. In the wet season (roughly December to March) paths are muddy, the Sukamade road can be impassable and Ijen may be clouded in.
Ijen is an active volcano: the crater can be closed when gas levels rise, and entry rules such as a health check can change, so check the current rules for your date. Banyuwangi is mostly Muslim with Hindu communities; halal food is widespread, so plan prayer times around the pre-dawn start. Dress modestly in villages and at temples.
The sights are far apart, so a car with driver is the easiest option. Ijen tours usually collect guests from hotels around midnight. Ride-hailing apps work in the city but are limited out in the parks and on the coast.
112 - general emergency (free, works from any phone where the service is live). 110 - police. 118 / 119 - ambulance and medical emergency. 113 - fire. 115 - search and rescue (BASARNAS). English is understood in the main tourist areas; elsewhere ask your hotel to call for you.
Report a lost passport to the nearest police station (get the police report), then contact your embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of your passport in your e-mail or phone - it speeds everything up. The official embassy list linked here shows where to find your country's embassy or consulate.
Big cities and Bali have international-standard private hospitals (e.g. Siloam, BIMC in Bali, Mayapada, RS Pondok Indah in Jakarta). Public referral hospitals are cheaper but busier. Ask your hotel or travel insurer for the nearest suitable hospital.
local government
Helps with: Indonesia's national tourism ministry. Its contact page lists a call centre, a WhatsApp contact centre, an email address and its office in Jakarta for tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Indonesia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 021-3838000
Email: [email protected]
Address: Gedung Sapta Pesona, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.17, Gambir, Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta 10110
un agency
Helps with: The UN migration agency, operating in Indonesia since 1979. It works with governments and partners on migration management and crisis response.
Who qualifies: Migrants, governments and partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +62 21 57951275
Email: [email protected]
Address: Sampoerna Strategic Square North Tower 10th Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 45-46, Jakarta 12930
ngo
Helps with: The ICRC says it works with the society on training first responders in pre-hospital care, reuniting separated families and emergency preparedness. No contact details are given, so use the society's website.
Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. It names the society as the ICRC's partner in Indonesia.