Mount Krakatau, The legendary and deadly volcano
The legendary Mount Krakatau and its range of volcanoes are situated at Sunda Strait at least 50 km from the coast of West Java and 40 km from Sumatra. Its eruption in 1883 was one of the worst in record history, even affecting the rest of the world far across the Sunda Strait and caused devastating and lasting destruction.
Krakatau’s set of volcanoes consists of the islands of Rakata, Sertung, Panjang and Anak Krakatau. The first three island are the remnants of an earlier caldera-forming explosion. Rakata Island itself is a volcano that emerged alongside the Danan and Perbuatan cones prior to the massive eruption in1883.
Arising from the ashes of its ‘parent’ volcano, Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) surfaced from beneath the sea in 1982 and has grown at a consistent rate. History and science combined have brought forth interesting accounts of Anak Krakatau, and the cluster of islands is preserved as part of the Ujung Kulon National Park.
Key Takeaways
Accommodation In Krakatau :
Most visitors to Krakatau come from Carita Beach or other tourist spots along the western coast of Java Island. From Carita you can opt for arranged trips to Krakatau where you may have to charter a boat. The price depends on the quality of the vessel. The Lampung provincial tourism office can arrange for speedboat rentals that can accommodate more than 6 passengers. The trip will take at least 1,5 hours. For certain mountain trails, the local guide will normally request for a second guide or porter to ensure their safety and yours.
Fees can be negotiated and are typically charges on a daily basis starting from the morning of departure until returning to base. A local guide will cost you around US$ 6-7 per day and US$ 5-6 for a porter/assistant guide. An English speaking guide will normally charge a higher rate. Hikers should negotiate the fees and confirm about the agreed price prior to departure and duration of services (whether it would be for a day or a week). Expenses for the hiking trip will be the responsibility of the client and usually include a daily pack of cigarettes for the guide (and porter). Hikers must also prepare food for all group members.
How to get to Mount Krakatau
The Krakatau Islands are accessible both from Sumatra and Java. From Sumatra the main entry point is from Bandar Lampung. While from Java, Mount Krakatau is accessible from the country’s capital Jakarta, through the province of Banten.
How to get to Krakatau From Bandar Lampung :
From Bandar Lampung you can take a bus from Rajabasa or Panjang terminal in the direction of Kalianda, South Lampung districts for approximately 45 minutes.
From There you can continue your trip by public transportation mini buses (they called angkutan kota) taking about 10 minutes to Canti Village. Once you are in Canti village, heads to its pier where you can rent a fast boat or regular motor boats.
If you use a fast boat, the journey will take approximately 90 minutes to get to Krakatau Islands Nature Reserve, while using regular motor boats, the trip will last approximately 150 minutes.
How to get to Krakatau From Jakarta :
The fastest way to get to the islands from Jakarta is by chartered fast boats or alternately cruise ships from Tanjung Priok Bay straight to the Krakatau Islands. If you are adventurous enough, you can take the public transportation route.
Start by taking a bus at the Kalideres Terminal in direction of Merak Harbor in Banten Province which will take roughly about 1.5 hours. From the Merak Harbor you will need to take a ferry across the Sunda Straits that will take you to Bakauheni Harbor on Sumatra.
Depending on the weather and traffic conditions, the ferry ride will take about 1 to 2 hours. From The Bakauheni Harbor you can charter public transport that will take you to Port Tanjung Bom. From Tanjung Bom you can find many rented boats that can take you to Sabesi Island as a transit point before heading to Krakatau Island. From Sabesi Island to Krakatau Islands is about a 2 hour boat ride.