So someone told you that you should go hiking in Indonesia. OK, so you love to hike but getting out of your comfort zone is something that others do, not you. That’s OK, we understand. But if you are still getting bugged about getting to Indonesia, and being told how awesome the hiking is, then we are here to help with the top 7 reasons to think twice about hiking in Indonesia!
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You Really Don’t Like Epic Sunrises
If sunrises are something that other people enjoy, then leave them to it right? The fact is, that if you decide to go hiking in Indonesia, then you are definitely in for more than one epic sunrise. In fact, most of the volcano’s in the region have hiking tours running every single day of the calendar year that have you summitting right on sunrise. And for good reason! The sunrises in Indonesia are some of the very best in the world, and what better place to see it from than the rim of an active (or semi active) volcano. Mt Batur in Bali is one of the shortest and still one of the best, while Mt Rinjani on Lombok is a two to three day hike allowing you to actually camp out at the rim.
Blue Fire Does Nothing For You
If you haven’t heard of Mt Ijen’s blue fire phenomenon then you must have been hiding under a rock. Within the hiking world, Ijen is one of the most talked about locations in Indonesia. Only a relatively short hike, it’s the blue fire within the crater itself that sets this place apart from anywhere else in the world. Caused by the temperature of the air coming off molten lava through fissures in the ground, then coming into contact with the high concentrations of sulpher in the air, the blue fire occurs every night. Beware, though, that it can only be seen at night. Therefore this is another night time trek, and you are bound to be in for another one of those pesky epic sunrises.
Natural Phenomena Aren’t Your Thing
The Kelimutu Lakes on the island of Flores are another Phenomenon that even science cannot explain. Each of these lakes is a different color, despite being located right next to each other. The colors are caused by the high concentrations of minerals in the lakes coming into contact with the volcanic gas activity. Definitely not a place you would want to go to if you are not remotely interested in Phenomenon that occurs no where else in the world. And the real kicker? The lakes change colors with no warning and total unpredictability. You never know what you’re going to get!
You’re Not Interested In Millions Of Years Of Evolution
Kakaban Island in East Kalimantan boasts a lake right in the middle that has literally millions of Jellyfish living in it. The amazing thing about this is that these particular Jellyfish are totally harmless. How, I hear you ask? Because due to the fact they have no natural predators, the jellyfish have spent millions of years evolving within their environment and no longer have a need for their stingers. So a hike to this Indonesian lake means you can freely swim, surrounded by jellyfish and even touch them as they are totally harmless.
Seeing Dragons Isn’t For You
That’s right. Dragons. On world heritage listed Komodo Island you can come face to face with the Komodo Dragon. These awesome lizards grow to a length of Ten feet and can weigh up to 300 pounds. Only found in the Komodo National Park where they have lived for millions of years, it’s definitely a once in a lifetime trip. As a plus, this national park has some of the most beautiful islands in Indonesia, with hikes, snorkeling and sun baking for even the most fussy. But beware, more of those annoying sunrises are sure to be just around the corner.
Standing On The Edge Of A Live Volcano? No Thanks!
If there is one thing you can do in Indonesia that you will struggle to do anywhere else in the world, it’s to stand on the edge of a live volcano. Although there are a few places you can do this, the most accessible one would have to be Mt Bromo in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Wake early and see the sunrise (another one) then venture down into the most amazing caldera you will ever see until you are at the foot of Mt Bromo, a peak within the caldera. There you can climb to the top and stand on the very rim, where you will experience mother nature at her most violent just a stones throw away. Nothing can prepare you for that!
There’s Too Many Waterfalls
If there is one thing that can be said for Indonesia, it’s that you don’t risk not seeing any waterfalls. There are literally dozens on any Island you might want to point a stick at. On Bali alone you can set off from your accommodation, no matter where you’re staying, and see at least half a dozen in a day. And we aren’t talking about your average waterfall here. These are epic waterfalls! But you don’t just have to go to Bali. Try Lombok for something different, or Java, where some of the best in the world can be easily located. And no, we are NOT biased.
So there you go. If that’s not enough reasons that you really don’t want to go hiking in Indonesia, then send us a message and we will give you some more!
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