mygukguk: A Visit to Krakatoa Volcano

If you think you are an adventurer, this is a place that you should visit: Krakatoa Volcano, or in Indonesia it is called gunung Krakatau. It is a small volcano in the middle of the sea, Sunda strait, between Java Island and Sumatra Island, Indonesia.

Krakatoa Location

This volcano is famous due to its 1883 eruption on 26 August 1883, destroying much of the island and its surrounding archipelago. The dust and smoke of this eruption even said to reach Europe, causing red and dark sky in some parts of Europe. It was said that Edvard Munch created the painting "The Scream" between 1893 and 1910 based on the impression of the red sky in Europe during Krakatoa eruption.

The Scream by Edvard Munch

Nowadays, the volcano is active but the original Krakatoa has vanished due to eruption, and replaced by Anak Krakatoa. The Volcano is still active and dangerous, and it is reported to raise around 40 cm each year.

The Krakatoa is a unique place since it is rare that you can get a combination of secluded volcano surrounded by blue ocean. There are not many tourists in Krakatoa, so this is perfect if you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Krakatoa by yourselves.

Boat from Carita Beach to Krakatoa Volca

To go to Krakatoa, from Jakarta, you can drive to Carita beach, Anyer, and rent a speed boat there. The boat fee last time was IDR 3,500,000.- (around USD 375) per boat, including lunch and can fit 6 persons. Another way is to take a boat from Sumatra, since this volcano is actually between Java Island and Sumatra Island. It takes a few hours by boat to visit Anak Krakatoa. You also can visit a few islands surrounding.

One thing is it takes strong legs to hike the Krakatoa since the volcano slope is steep. The top of the volcano is still steaming and it is still dangerous as it was before.

Anak Krakatoa Volcano

Strange feeling will linger when you are on the secluded Krakatoa Island. The feeling that you are alone on a secluded volcano surrounded by the fast blue ocean below and blue sky above. Nothing can depict the feeling.

There are some grasses, bushes, and pine trees on this island. The only animal you can find may be monitoring lizard. The land you step on is darg grey as it used to be the lava of the eruption. You can find some dark porous rocks there, created when carbon-dioxide or carbon-monoxide coming out from the lava while it is cooling down to form the rocks.

Here are some pictures from Krakatoa.