Foto: The lake in the Ijen volcano (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Indonesia - At four in the morning, my alarm goes off. Today I will climb the Ijen volcano, an active volcano north of Ketapang. Jeeps are waiting in front of the hotel. I join a rather quiet driver. He drives out of Ketapang heading north, taking about two hours to reach the starting point. The final part of the road ascends steeply. The hairpin bends are taken at high speed, with cars following each other closely. Suddenly, our car slows down—on a steeper section. The cars ahead disappear, and the cars behind honk impatiently. The driver seems unfazed, even by the blinking red and green lights on his dashboard. I assume he switched to 4x4 mode and can’t go faster. We crawl up the mountain and arrive last at the parking area. Breakfast packs are handed out—I take a sandwich and stash the rest in my backpack. In the Ijen crater, miners still extract sulfur by hand, carrying the yellow blocks up to the parking lot. The heavier their load, the more they earn per trip—some carry over 70 kilograms. They’re okay with being photographed but expect something in return. Instead of money, I keep my breakfast pack and a bag of candies ready. The path to the crater is well-marked and climbs about 300 meters to 2,100 meters above sea level. Soon, porters with empty baskets pass me on their way up. They make two round trips daily and earn 1,000 rupiah per kilo (about €0.07). Midway is a weighing station where they check their loads on the way back down. One porter gestures for me to lift his baskets—they just weighed over 60 kilos. I manage to lift them but wouldn’t dare walk with them. The trail narrows and steepens. I step aside to let sulfur carriers pass. Before I realize it, I’m at the crater rim. The crater lake is hidden in clouds—unfortunate. At a viewpoint, I trade my sandwich and tangerine for a few portraits of the porters. Slowly, the clouds part, revealing the contours of the lake. Stunning. Just as I plan to leave, the clouds clear completely. I quickly snap photos.
At Borobudur
Indonesia - Today I’m going to visit the Borobudur temple, one of the seven new wonders of the world. It seems like one of the highlights of this trip. I leave Yogya by bus. It’s rush hour. Countless motorbikes weave through the city. I quickly understand why—a ...
Dolphins at Lovina
Indonesia - At six o’clock I meet Robert again on the beach. The sun has not yet risen, but a glow already hangs over the sea. I help Robert and the skipper push the fishing boat into the water. I step in to go dolphin watching. Fellow travelers who went yesterday ...
Face to Face with Orang Utans
Indonesia - I’m getting ready for a long trek through Gunung Leuser National Park. This is one of the last places where orangutans still live in the wild. Until a few years ago, the orangutans were fed twice a day, but efforts are now being made to phase this out ...
Mountain biking around Ubud
Indonesia - In front of the hotel, I meet Eddy, who will guide today’s cycling trip from Mount Batur back to Ubud. First, we take a bus northward. Even far outside the city, I see woodcarving workshops and stores—I can’t imagine many buyers still come here. ...
Sunrise at the Bromo volcano
Indonesia - Knock knock. “It’s three o’clock, Sir!” I’m woken for the sunrise at Mount Bromo. I quickly dress—Karin warned me it would be crowded today, as it’s Sunday and many locals come up for the sunrise. In the dark, I see a stream of headlights ...
The colorful lakes of the Kelimutu volcano
Indonesia - The Kelimutu volcano, located on the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia, is famous for one of the country's most fascinating natural phenomena: three crater lakes, each with a different, ever-changing color. These so-called “Lakes of Kelimutu” ...
The impressive Komodo dragon
Indonesia - The Komodo Islands, located in eastern Indonesia between Sumbawa and Flores, are among Southeast Asia’s most fascinating and rugged natural areas. They are part of Komodo National Park, established in 1980 to protect the unique flora and fauna, especially ...
The island of Gili Air
Indonesia - Gili Air is one of the three Gili Islands located off the northwest coast of Lombok, Indonesia. Together with Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno, it forms a tropical paradise in the Indonesian archipelago. Gili Air is the closest to Lombok and is known for ...
The Prambanan Temple near Yogyakarta
Indonesia - Today I leave Yogyakarta and head to the Hindu Prambanan temple, located 18 kilometers outside the city. This temple, from the same era as Borobudur, was severely damaged during the 2006 earthquake. The main temple, dedicated to Shiva, largely collapsed. ...
The Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls
Indonesia - The Rinjani Waterfall, often associated with the famous Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls, lies at the foot of majestic Mount Rinjani on Indonesia’s Lombok island. These are among the island’s most beautiful natural attractions, deeply connected ...
The traditional Bajawa villages on Flores
Indonesia - Deep in the mountainous interior of the Indonesian island of Flores lies Bajawa, a town known as the gateway to some of the most authentic and best-preserved traditional villages on the island. These villages, inhabited by the Ngada people, offer a rare ...
The view over Pulau Padar
Indonesia - The view over Pulau Padar – also known as Padar Island – is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and breathtaking panoramas in all of Indonesia. Located in Komodo National Park, between the larger islands of Komodo and Rinca, Padar is known for its ...
Washing elephants in Sumatra
Indonesia - My alarm wakes me just before seven. Today I’m going to wash elephants – an experience I’m really looking forward to. Suka greets me enthusiastically when I arrive at the restaurant. It’s about a half-hour walk to the elephant camp. The elephants ...