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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 APRIL 2016 42 Travel MARC CASOLANI THE Ijen volcano complex, a group of stratovolvanoes in the Banyuwangi Regency of East Ja- va in Indonesia has been on my bucket list for a while as it is rich in natural beauty with lots of ad- venture. As with many places with their peaks in the clouds (nearly 4,000m above sea level), the views from the summit are incredible, but what makes Volcano Ijen stand out from the crowd is the turquoise-coloured acid-filled crater lake and the famous blue flames, which result from ignition of sulphuric gas, which emerges from the cracks at temperatures of up to 600°C. Trekking up to the crater of the volcano is possible regardless of your level of fitness, however to witness the blue flames, you need to get there before 4:45am and be- cause there are guards preventing tourists from making the climb in the middle of the night (there is a safety element involved) only the fittest make it up the steep climb in time. Though the sight of the blue flames from the sulphuric gas provides a phenomenal sight, it does pose dangers and can cause damage to the lungs of trekkers and even death, which was the case for two unlucky hikers early in 2014. The trek up the volcano itself is a lovely experience since you walk upon a jungle terrain with vol- canic geological features. Wildlife does thrive in this environment and do not be surprised if you come across some Gibbons and other species. Once you get to the crater, which will take between one and three hours depending on your level of fitness, you're faced with a tough decision; go down in- to the crater to the sulphur source by the lake, or keep trekking along the volcano's summit. Both treks will take around an hour each and both offer stunning scenery. If you wish to have a close inspection of how the sulphur is exposed within the crater and view of the gas be- ing emitted from its source then climb down the crater. Otherwise trek to the highest summit to view some stunning landscape around the volcano as well as the crater itself. You will witness the view of a lake within a crater, a colourful landscape and the sea in one pic- ture. But Volcano Ijen isn't just a tourist destination. It is the live- lihood of sulphur miners who climb the cliff face twice a day in search of sulphur rocks, which they then have to carry three kilo- metres down the volcano to Pul- tuding Valley to get paid. What the volcano gives them in return is a meagre salary of €7.34 per day and a huge risk of respiratory ail- ments as well as death. Some 800 miners have been do- Majestic views and sulphur mining Volcano Ijen, East Java, Indonesia