Ijen blue fire — cost, mask and the 2 am start
Ijen entry is 150,000 IDR — the same price on weekdays and weekends — plus a 45,000 mask and a mandatory health certificate. The blue fire dies at dawn, so you start at 2 am.
The blue fire at Kawah Ijen only shows in the dark, since it fades after 6:00, so the whole trip is a logistics problem, not a view. Entry for a foreigner is 150,000 IDR (~9.40 USD), the same price on weekdays and weekends, the gas mask costs 45,000 IDR, and the gate at Paltuding opens at 2:00. Get the timing right and you see the flame. Run late and you get a yellow crater in daylight.
Ijen is the only place on Earth where sulphur burns blue. It's hydrogen sulphide gas that oxidises at high heat and ignites where it escapes the ground. You can only see it at night, before the sun comes up.
What it actually costs
The ticket is the start of it. You add a mask, a health certificate and — if you don't hike alone — a guided package. Here's the breakdown, prices for a foreigner:
| Item | Price | Converted |
|---|---|---|
| Park entry (same price weekday and weekend) | 150,000 IDR | ~9.40 USD |
| Gas mask (Paltuding) | 45,000 IDR | ~2.81 USD |
| Health certificate | 40,000–100,000 IDR | ~2.50–6.25 USD |
| Total — self-organized (transport + ticket + mask + certificate) | ~200,000–250,000 IDR/person | ~12.50–15.60 USD |
| Tour from Banyuwangi (transport + mask + certificate + guide) | 400,000–600,000 IDR/person | ~25–37.50 USD |
If you have your own motorbike or scooter, you go in cheapest. A full tour with pickup from Banyuwangi takes the whole organising off your plate, but you pay two to three times more for it.
The gas mask isn't a souvenir
The blue flame comes off smoke that is plainly toxic for your lungs. At the fire a mask is mandatory, and you rent it on site at Paltuding for 45,000 IDR (~2.81 USD). One tip from experience: take a black miner's mask with a filter, not a white tourist one. The black ones hold the gas back better. The sulphur miners you pass on the path carry baskets up that same way every day, and they know why they cover their faces.
Health certificate — no entry without it
Since January 2024 a health certificate is mandatory, and without it they won't let you through the gate. You get it at any clinic or hospital near Banyuwangi: they take your blood pressure and BMI, it costs 40,000–100,000 IDR (~2.50–6.25 USD) and it's valid for 3 days. Clinics in Banyuwangi stay open until 21:00, so sort it out in the afternoon before your night start — at 2 am there's nowhere to do it. If you take a full tour, the certificate is usually bundled into the package.
After the 2024 earthquake — one big change
After the earthquake in July 2024, access to the crater floor was restricted. The blue fire is now viewed from about 500 m away, meaning from the rim, not the bottom. The status for 2025 and 2026 is unclear, so check esdm.go.id (Kementerian ESDM) and bbksdajatim.org before you go. Ijen shuts a few times a year without warning, and the closures aren't announced ahead.
One calendar trap: the park is closed on the first Friday of each month for maintenance. Check it before you set a night start. And one more thing — weekends here are brutal. Reviews talk about "hundreds, maybe thousands" of people on a narrow cliff path. Go Monday to Thursday.
Getting there and the night timeline
The trailhead is Paltuding (Pos PHPA) at about 1,800 m. Two roads lead up there. From Banyuwangi it's 35–40 km on a steep, partly broken road, about 1–1.5 h — but closer to Bali, and hotels in Licin start at 150,000 IDR a night. From Bondowoso it's 65 km on a gentler, better road, about 2 h. You don't need any 4-hour bus.
The night runs like this:
- 22:00–23:00 — leave Banyuwangi or Bondowoso
- 1:00–1:30 — reach Paltuding
- 1:30–2:00 — pay, rent the mask, warm up
- 2:00 — start the hike (3.7 km, ~800 m of ascent)
- 3:30–4:00 — crater rim, blue fire visible
- 7:00–8:00 — descend to Paltuding
First time on Java? Before you head east, read the 5 mistakes that cost you money — a few of them catch people on exactly these night trips.
The full route is in the guide
Ijen is the last stop on the classic Bromo → Ijen → Bali overland line. The whole route, with times, connections and a daily budget in IDR and USD, lives in the guide — Tom 1. And if you're still planning a first trip to Java, start with the free 5-day plan: route, prices and where to sleep, laid out step by step.
FAQ
How much is the Kawah Ijen entrance fee?
Foreigners pay 150,000 IDR (~9.40 USD), the same price on weekdays and weekends. On top of that you have a 45,000 IDR gas mask and a mandatory health certificate. On weekdays the trail is quieter.
Is a gas mask mandatory at Kawah Ijen?
At the blue fire, yes — the sulphur is toxic and a scarf won't cut it. Rent a gas mask on site at Paltuding for 45,000 IDR (~2.81 USD). Take a black miner's mask with a filter, not a white tourist one.
What time do you start to see the Ijen blue fire?
The gate opens at 2:00 (first groups sometimes at 1:45) and the blue fire fades after 6:00. From Banyuwangi or Bondowoso you leave between 22:00 and 23:00, reach Paltuding around 1:00–1:30, and start the hike at 2:00 (3.7 km, ~800 m of ascent). You hit the rim around 3:30–4:00.
How do you get to Ijen from Banyuwangi?
Two roads to Paltuding: from Banyuwangi 35–40 km on a steep, partly broken road, ~1–1.5 h; from Bondowoso 65 km on a gentler, better road, ~2 h. The trailhead is Paltuding (Pos PHPA), ~1,800 m.