Unbelievable Ijen Crater Views: Ijen Kingdom Guesthouse, Banyuwangi
Unbelievable Ijen Crater Views: Ijen Kingdom Guesthouse, Banyuwangi
Unbelievable Ijen Crater Views: Ijen Kingdom Guesthouse - My Banyuwangi Rhapsody (and a Few Glitches!)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this is not your average, cookie-cutter hotel review. This is about the Ijen Kingdom Guesthouse in Banyuwangi, and let me tell you, my experience was… well, let's just say it was a journey. A bumpy, exhilarating, sometimes slightly frustrating journey, but a journey nonetheless! And the views? Unbelievable doesn't even begin to cover it.
First things first: The "Unbelievable Ijen Crater Views" – Did they deliver? OH. MY. GOD. YES. Forget everything you think you know about pre-dawn climbs and sulfur fumes. Waking up and seeing the Ijen Crater from your window? That's a checkmark on the "life-altering experiences" list. I'm talking postcard-worthy, jaw-dropping, "I could stay here forever" kind of views. Seriously, the guesthouse earns its name.
Accessibility and Getting There:
- Accessibility: Now, this is where things get a little… challenging. While they tout "Facilities for disabled guests," I'm going to be honest: it's not the Hilton. This place is built into the hillside, and while there's an elevator, navigating the property might be tricky for anyone with severe mobility issues. Rambling Anecdote Time: I was hiking a lot while I was there trying to find the best view with my camera, and I saw a lot of steep hills and stairs.
- Getting There: We booked a taxi, because let's face it, after a red eye, you're done. The journey from the airport wasn't too bad, maybe an hour or so.
- Airport Transfer: Yes, they offer it. Would recommend if you are tired from a long flight.
On-site Oasis or Just a Regular Lounge?
- Accessibility to Restaurants/Lounges: I'd say this place is a good fit for most people. Nothing is too far away, but you may encounter stairs from time to time.
- Restaurants: They have an on-site restaurant. I’ll talk about it in the "Dining" section down below because that deserves its own rant.
The Room: My Sanctuary (Mostly)…
- Available in all rooms: Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens.
My room? Okay, it was pretty damn nice. The bed? Cloud-like. The blackout curtains were a godsend after those 3 AM wake-up calls for the hike. Wi-Fi was surprisingly consistent (a huge plus for a digital nomad like me!), and having free bottled water was a lifesaver in the Banyuwangi heat.
But here’s a little anecdote: there was this one morning when the hot water decided to take an extended vacation. I'm talking ice-cold shower with no explanation. I tried complaining, and let me tell you, the communication was a bit of a hurdle. Let's just say my limited Bahasa Indonesian didn't quite get my point across. But hey, it's part of the adventure, right?
Internet & All That Techy Stuff:
- Internet: Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Praise the tech gods!
- Internet [LAN]: Yes, they have it.
- Internet services: They had everything I needed, including strong wifi and LAN access so you can catch up on all of your streaming services.
- Wi-Fi in public areas: The lobby and other public areas also had Wi-Fi.
Things to Do (Besides Staring at the Crater):
- Things to do: You came for the Ijen! And you're already there, you're so close!
- Ways to relax: Let's be real: the best way to relax here is with a cup of coffee on your balcony and that view. It's like a free therapy session. The guesthouse also offers a spa, which I found myself at more than once.
- Body scrub/Body wrap: Available
- Fitness Center: Nope. But honestly, the hike up to the crater is your workout.
- Pool with view: Yes, with a beautiful view.
- Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]: all available. Okay, this is where they really shine. The outdoor pool is a stunner, and the Pool with view is where I spent a solid afternoon, just floating and letting all my worries melt away. There is also a sauna and a spa/sauna available.
Cleanliness and Safety (Post-COVID):
- Cleanliness and safety: They take cleanliness seriously.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: They used them.
- Doctor/nurse on call: Available.
- First aid kit: Yes.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Yup.
- Hygiene certification: They had it.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Yes, for breakfast.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: They're trying.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: They use them.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Not that I saw.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Definitely.
- Safe dining setup: Seems pretty safe to me.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Yes.
- Shared stationery removed: Good.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Seemed like it.
- Sterilizing equipment: Yup.
Safety and Security:
- Access: The guesthouse has access to a private road.
- CCTV in common areas: Yes.
- CCTV outside property: Yup.
- Exterior corridor: Yup.
- Fire extinguisher: Yes.
- Safety/security feature: The guesthouse has a lot of security measures.
- Security [24-hour]: Yup.
- Smoke alarms: They have them.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (This is Where Things Get Interesting):
- A la carte in restaurant: Yes.
- Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
- Bar, Bottle of water: Yes.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, mostly.
- Breakfast service: Yes.
- Buffet in restaurant: Usually.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Yes.
- Desserts in restaurant: Yes.
- Happy hour: Yes.
- International cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
- Poolside bar: Yes.
- Restaurants: They have their own restaurant.
- Room service [24-hour]: Yes.
- Salad in restaurant, Soup in restaurant: Yes.
- Vegetarian restaurant: Yes.
- Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
Okay, the restaurant is a bit of a mixed bag. The breakfast buffet was generally good, with a decent range of Indonesian and Western options. I'm talking nasi goreng, pancakes, coffee, and more coffee. But, the dinner menu? It's got its moments of brilliance, and then… well, sometimes it was just okay. The staff were genuinely lovely, though, which always helps to make up for any culinary shortcomings. One night, I ordered the Pad Thai, and it was amazing.
Services, Conveniences, and All the Bits and Bobs:
This is where the Ijen Kingdom really shines. They had everything you'd expect, and then some.
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: Seems like it, but I didn't use it.
- Business facilities: They had them.
- Cash withdrawal, Concierge: Yes.
- Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange: Available.
- Daily housekeeping, Doorman: Yes.
- Dry cleaning, Elevator: Yes.
- Essential condiments: Yes.
- Facilities for disabled guests: They had "Facilities for disabled guests,"
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your pristine, Instagram-filtered travel guide. This is ME, raw and unfiltered, after a slightly chaotic, and utterly unforgettable, stay at the Ijen Kingdom Guest House in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. Let's dive in, shall we?
Ijen Kingdom & Banyuwangi: A Messy, Wonderful Adventure
Day 1: Arrival – Jet Lag, Jitters, and a Seriously Good Breakfast
- Morning (Actually, Mid-Afternoon): LANDED. Jakarta airport was hellish – crowded, noisy, and somehow hotter than the surface of the sun. Finally, after a flight that felt like an eternity, touched down in Banyuwangi. The air… well, it’s different. Cleaner? Maybe. Less smoggy, for sure. Grabbed a pre-booked car – a beat-up thing that smelled faintly of durian (a love-it-or-hate-it fruit, and I, shockingly, was starting to lean towards the “tolerating” side). The drive to the Ijen Kingdom Guest House was… scenic. Lush green rice paddies, cute little villages, the occasional cow staring blankly at the car. Gorgeous, if you can ignore the fact that my stomach was doing somersaults thanks to jet lag.
- Afternoon (The Great Breakfast Rescue): Arrived at the Guest House. Oh. My. God. This place is stunning! Nestled amongst lush greenery, tiny stone paths, and a pool that looked utterly inviting. The check-in? Slightly confusing, involving a lot of smiling, pointing, and a phrasebook that didn't cover "where is the bathroom?" Eventually sorted. The room (a bamboo bungalow with a mosquito net that looked like a delicate lace dream) was charming, and I was desperate for a nap, but the lure of food proved too strong. And THANK GOD. The breakfast! Forget any fancy hotel buffets, this was a riot of Indonesian flavors: spicy fried rice, sweet sticky rice, fresh fruit overflowing, coffee so strong it could probably power a small country. I ate until I could barely move. This was the moment the trip went from "oh dear god I should have stayed home" to "okay, this might actually be amazing."
- Evening: Poolside Paranoia and Sunset Serenity: The beautiful weather was a treat, so I decided to go for a swim in the pool, but that's when the reality hits. I'm not great with bugs. They make me itch just thinking about them. Then I get freaked out by everything. And then I go in anyway! The pool was fantastic, though. I relaxed, stared at the sky, and felt myself slowly unwinding. The sunset? A masterpiece. Orange, pink, purple hues painting the sky. It was, in a word, magical. Dinner was at the guesthouse restaurant. More delicious food, more cultural immersion (attempting to use chopsticks, which resulted in me flinging a noodle across the table). Then, bed. Exhausted. Happy. And praying the mosquito net would live up to its promise.
Day 2: Volcano Fever – Ijen Crater and a Lesson in Perseverance (and Possibly, Terrible Timing)
- Midnight (Yes, Midnight): Alarm. The Ijen Crater hike. The whole reason I was here. This is where the imperfections really began. I was NOT a morning person. Especially not a "middle-of-the-night-morning" person. This was the moment the trip went from "okay, this might actually be amazing" to "what the hell am I doing?". Dragged myself from bed, bundled into a parka that felt ridiculously heavy (apparently, the summit is cold!), and joined a group of bleary-eyed travelers. There was a local guide leading the way and that was reassuring, but he spoke little English. The jeep ride to the trailhead was bone-rattling.
- 2 AM - 5 AM (The Climb of My Life? More Like "The Climb of My Tears"): The climb started. Steep. And uphill. And did I mention, uphill? The air was thin. The sulfur smell hit you like a brick. The guide, bless his heart, kept saying “Pelan-pelan” (slowly, slowly) in a cheerful voice. I wanted to strangle him. I struggled, whined, and took more breaks than a toddler on a cross-country road trip. Thought I was going to die. The other hikers were a bit too energetic for me, and the pressure was on. But when I finally made it to the summit (legs screaming in protest, lungs burning), and looked down into the electric blue of the crater lake, it all melted away. It was… breathtaking. Unbelievable. Worth every single drop of sweat and tear. The blue fire! The sulfur miners! It was a scene from another planet.
- Morning (Post-Hike Coma and Coffee): Back to the guesthouse. Showered. Slept. Then, breakfast. Thank GOD for this guesthouse's breakfast. Ate enough to fuel a small army. The rest of the day was spent in a blissful haze of post-hike exhaustion, sipping copious amounts of strong, black coffee, and reliving the hike every five minutes.
- Afternoon: Found a massage and got it. It was so worth it.
- Evening: Dinner and a bit of a cultural experience: Ate dinner at a small market (it might have been a bit sketchy).
Day 3: More Messy Glory - Relax, Repeat, and Reflect
- Morning: Took a slow stroll around the local village. The people were lovely, and the local markets were chaotic, colorful, and overwhelming. Had coffee with a local (I didn't speak the language, but we managed to connect in ways that transcended the need for words).
- Afternoon (Poolside Again, but with a Different Frame of Mind): Back to the pool. This time, enjoying it. The bugs still kinda weirded me out, but I had a new appreciation for the beauty of this place. Read, relaxed, and journaled. Reflecting on the trip so far. It's been a whirlwind, one of the best types.
- Evening: Farewell dinner at the guesthouse. Tried to be less clumsy with the chopsticks this time. (Success! Kinda!) Felt a pang of sadness knowing my time here was nearly up. This place was special, even with all its imperfections.
Day 4: Departure – A Farewell to Beauty
- Morning: One last amazing breakfast. Said goodbye to the staff, who had become like family. The Ijen Kingdom Guest House and Banyuwangi in general – a place that had challenged me, made me laugh, made me cry, and ultimately, made me fall in love with the messy, beautiful chaos of life. The transfer back to the airport was bittersweet.
- Afternoon: Flight. Headed for the next adventure. Excited. Exhausted. And already planning my return.
Final Thoughts:
The Ijen Kingdom Guest House wasn't just a place to stay. It was an experience. It was the heart of my Banyuwangi adventure. It was a beautiful mess, full of surprises, challenges, moments of pure joy, and the occasional mosquito bite. If you're looking for perfection, go somewhere else. But if you're looking for something real, something unforgettable, and something that will leave you with a heart fuller than a plate of the guesthouse's fried rice… book your ticket. You won’t regret it. Just… bring bug spray. Seriously.
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Ijen Kingdom Guesthouse & The Crater: Let's Get Real. FAQs. Mostly.
1. Okay, Seriously, Is the View *Really* That Amazing from Ijen Kingdom? I'm Talking Jaw-Dropping, Life-Changing Amazing?
Alright, buckle up. The view? Yeah, it's... *pretty* good. Actually, scratch that. It's INSANE. Look, I’ve seen pictures, you’ve seen pictures, everyone's seen the photos of that electric blue fire and the turquoise lake. But the photos? They don’t even *begin* to capture it. It's more than just visual. It's the *smell* (sulfur – you'll get used to it, maybe), the cold, the sheer *altitude*. And the scale! You're standing on the edge of something… *epic*. Remember that time you almost tripped down the stairs because you were texting? Multiply that feeling of impending doom by about a thousand and you’re getting close.
One time, I went up there. The wind was howling, I swear I saw a small child (probably hallucinating from the altitude) trying to sell me a miniature carved elephant, and I almost choked on my scarf. But when the sun finally hit that lake? I just… stopped. For a good five minutes. I forgot about the child, the sulfur, the fact I hadn't had coffee. It was just… wow. Life-changing? Maybe. Definitely wallet-emptying for the souvenirs I bought. Worth it? Absolutely. (But seriously, bring a good scarf.)
2. The Guesthouse: Is it as Rough & Ready as the Reviews Say? Will I Survive? (And Is the Coffee Worth the Hike?)
Okay, let's be honest. Ijen Kingdom isn't the Ritz. It's more like... a perfectly acceptable, slightly quirky, and very friendly place to crash after you’ve been hiking up a mountain. The beds? Basic, but clean. The bathrooms? Let's just say they have character. Remember that leaking tap in your student dorm? Yeah, think of that… but with better mountain views.
But the people! The staff are genuinely lovely. They're used to dealing with grumpy, sleep-deprived tourists who’ve just inhaled a lungful of sulfur, so they're saints. They'll help you with your trek, sort out transport, and generally make you feel like you're not completely alone in the wilderness.
And the coffee? *That* is the important question. It is strong. Very strong. They know what you need after a 3am wake-up call. One morning I was so tired and the sulfur smell gave me headache so I ordered a coffee and the next thing I knew, I was laughing so hard about the tiny, local chickens running around the guesthouse that I almost choked on my coffee. So, yes. The coffee is worth the hike. Trust me, you'll need it. And bring earplugs. (There are chickens.)
3. The Blue Fire: Should I Risk My Lungs For It? (Seriously... is it dangerous?)
The blue fire. That's the main event, right? The reason you're even *considering* waking up before the sun thinks about rising. And yes, it's spectacular. Truly. But... it's also dangerous. Very dangerous. The sulfur fumes are no joke. You'll need a gas mask (which the guesthouse can usually provide, but double-check), and you need to be prepared to get close and personal with some serious fumes. My eyes were watering so heavily for an hour, and I thought I’d lost my sense of smell permanently (it returned, thankfully).
Here's the deal: You'll descend into the crater, often in the dark, with what feels like a million other people wanting the same Instagram shot. It's hot, it's smoky, and it’s a bit of a free-for-all. Consider your fitness level. If you're a couch potato, maybe skip the climb down. If you're reasonably fit, and have a decent mask, go for it, but don’t push it. Don’t be a hero. Listen to your guide. Seriously. I saw one guy get carried back up; it wasn't pretty. And remember, it’s OK to turn back. Your lungs will thank you.
4. What Should I Pack? I'm Terrified of Being Unprepared.
Okay, so you're worried about being unprepared? Good. Because it's easy to be. Here’s the *essential*, non-negotiable list:
- Warm Layers: It gets *COLD* up there, especially before dawn. Think thermal underwear, a fleece, a windproof jacket. And possibly a scarf or two – I’ve already mentioned that.
- Sturdy Hiking Boots: Not your fashion sneakers. Proper hiking boots. Your ankles will thank you.
- Headlamp/Torch: Essential for the pre-dawn trek. Unless you want to become one with the rocks.
- Gas Mask: Seriously, get a good one. And make sure it fits your face!
- Water & Snacks: Lots of water and high-energy snacks. You'll be burning calories like crazy. Bring some candy for the journey.
- Cash: Not a huge amount, enough to cover the entrance fee and tips. Not everywhere accepts cards.
- Wet Wipes: Trust me.
- A Sense of Adventure: And a good sense of humor. You’ll need them both.
Also, if you have sensitive eyes (like me), bring eye drops. The sulfur can be irritating. And earplugs. Did I mention the chickens? Ok, I think I did.
5. What's the Best Time to Go? (And Will I Be Swarmed by Tourists?)
The best time to go is… early. Very, very early. You want to be at the crater rim before sunrise to catch the blue fire and the first rays of light hitting the lake. This means waking up in the middle of the night. Be prepared for that.
And yes, there will be tourists. Lots of them. Ijen is popular. But it’s still worth it. The crowds tend to thin out a bit after sunrise, and once you're gazing at that view, you'll probably forget everyone is even there. (Though you might be jostled a bit for the best photo spot, so be prepared to elbow your way in, politely of course!) Try going during the shoulder season (April-May or September-October) for fewer crowds. Honestly, though, no matter when you go, expect some people. It's part of the experience. Embrace the chaos. Embrace the sulfur. Embrace the fact that you'll be a little bit smelly for the rest of the day.
6. Transportation: How Do I Get There, and Once I'm There, How Do I Get *Around*?
Getting to Ijen Kingdom and BanyWhere To Stay Now
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