There Are 13 Landslide Prone Points On The Ijen Crater Climbing Line

Ijen/DOK Crater BETWEEN

BANYUWANGI - Management of the Ijen Crater Nature Tourism Park (TWA) noted that there were 13 landslide-prone points along the hiking trail to the top of the crater and starting this year, they will gradually build a plengsengan or retaining wall (TPT).

Head of the Ijen Crater Nature Tourism Park (KSDA) Resort Sigit Ariwibowo could not confirm that 11 to 13 landslide-prone points were safe (for visitors) due to natural factors.

"If I say it's safe (hipping route) 100 percent can't convey that, because this is nature. But we have a program to improve the hiking trail (to the top of the Ijen Crater), namely building a plengsengan at a landslide-prone point," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 4.

He explained, from the results of a survey along the hiking trail of the Ijen Crater Nature Tourism Park, there were 11 to 13 landslide-prone points, starting from the entrance to the climber's path to the crater peak.

According to Sigit, about 200-300 meters from the entrance to the hiking trail, there has been the construction of a plengsengan or retaining wall that is considered prone to landslides, including the construction of a fence on the route approaching the crater peak.

"From the results of our survey, gradually the landslide points will be built in a plengsengan, maybe this year one point, gradually," he said.

From observations on Tuesday (2/1), there are several points of the hiking trail approaching the top of the crater which is starting to narrow and must be a concern for managers for the safety of tourists.

Although on the hiking trail approaching the top, a concrete fence has been installed, there are still a number of meters at some points where a concrete fence has not been built, including a concrete fence on the crater's lips which has also been damaged and needs improvements for the safety of tourists.

Data obtained, the number of domestic and foreign tourist visits to natural tourism known for its blue fire, during the 2023 Christmas and 2024 New Year holidays (24 December 2023 to 2 January 2024) reached around 15,000 people.

The increase in the number of tourist visits to Ijen Crater during the Christmas and New Year 2024 holidays on average per day increased 100 percent to 800 percent.

Compared to normal holidays (weekends), there can be up to 200-400 tourists visiting Ijen Crater, but during full working days, schools are only around 100-200 visitors.

Since Wednesday, January 3, 2024, the Ijen Crater Nature Tourism Park (TWA) has been temporarily closed for tourist visits in the context of an annual evaluation according to the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA) Circular.

The latest information is that the Ijen Crater TWA will reopen for tourists on Saturday, January 6.