Kawah Ratu (Gunung Salak)
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Written on May 2021
Kawah Ratu Gunung Salak (Queen Crater) is a crater on a southern slope of Mount Salak, created during eruptions (last one in 1938) which still emits water, hot steam, and sulfur gas. It is a great hiking destination for anyone who is fit to walk 4 hours. Hiking entrance is only 2 hours drive from Jakarta. The place itself, the Kawah Ratu, is really amazing. But it is a little challenging to get there. It seems to be a bit forgotten place, hotels around (e.g. Javana Spa) are closed and the path is not well maintained (if you want a nice well maintained hike, go to neighbourhood Sukabumi Lembah Purba Expedition). There were few tourists during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, so the path got a bit bushy. If you can, better hire with a local guide at the entrance of the National Park. With a guide, you can relax and enjoy the nature around you. It'sbeautiful. It is possible to make it without a guide, but we preferred to have one. |
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Why should you go to Kawah Ratu
1. Observe the volcanic active area
Kawah Ratu has an area of about 2ha (3 soccer fields) extra-terrestrial place with steam everywhere and in the middle are 2 turquoise rivers with yellow stones covered with sulfur mud. You can take a bath in the river, which has a pleasantly warm temperature. If you have a guide, he will tell you where is it safe to go. Careful, it is a volcanic active area.
2. Get out of Jakarta, be in nature and do a bit of exercise
There are more options for how to reach Kawah Ratu but each required around 4 hours walking in total.
Kawah Ratu has an area of about 2ha (3 soccer fields) extra-terrestrial place with steam everywhere and in the middle are 2 turquoise rivers with yellow stones covered with sulfur mud. You can take a bath in the river, which has a pleasantly warm temperature. If you have a guide, he will tell you where is it safe to go. Careful, it is a volcanic active area.
2. Get out of Jakarta, be in nature and do a bit of exercise
There are more options for how to reach Kawah Ratu but each required around 4 hours walking in total.
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How to get there
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There are at least 2 entrances:
1. Cidahu Camping Ground (Sukabumi) – this is the one that we took and that I will describe below. When arriving by car from Jakarta (or another place), just type in Google Maps “Cidahu Camping Ground” and it will bring you right to the entrance. There is a parking area. From Cidahu Camping Ground to Kawah Ratu is 2 hours there and 2 hours back of quick walk so in total 4 hours hike. 2. Pasir Reungit (Bogor) – Our friend used this entrance with her 6 yo children in 2019. This path is steeper and your shoes will get wetter right at the beginning. They had a guide. My friend stayed for a weekend in the beautiful The Michael’s Resort, which is close to the Pasir Reungit entrance. Around The Michael’s Resort are many beautiful waterfalls, so it is a nice place to stay with your family for a long weekend. From Pasir Reungit to Kawah Ratu is 3 hours there and 2 hours back of quick walk so in total 5 hours hike. You can find more info about the hike from Pasir Reungit here. The path from Cidahu used to be marked every 100m by signs HM1, HM2,...HM45 (Kawah Ratu)...HM89 (Pasir Reungit) unfortunately, most of these signs are not there anymore. We saw about 4-5 signs only out of 45. Please don’t count with them. If you have a driver or you use public transport you can venture to go from one entrance to the another. At the time of writing (May 2021), you might need 2 guides to do that (one from Cidahu to Kawah Ratu and another one from Kawah Ratu to Pasir Reungit). That is what we were told at the Cidahu entrance, but I am sure that local tourists usually do it without a guide. |
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How we did it
We have been there in May 2021, so during Covid and Ramadan. Hike to Gunung Salak was closed (already 1 year closed), but the hike to Kawah Ratu is open. We were told by the person that sold us the tickets that we could enter only with a guide (maybe a rule for bules only). In the end, we were happy that we had a guide as the path is not used a lot now and sometimes it was not clear where we should go. We were the only tourist on that day (weekday).
We left Jakarta at 5:30 am and arrived at Cidahu Camping Ground at 7:50 am. The entrance opens at 8 am. We parked our car at the parking area of Cidahu Camping Ground, but if you want you can go by car for another 1km on a paved road up to the permanently closed Javana Spa.
We bought National Park tickets at the entrance and paid for a local guide and started to hike at 8:20 am.
We have reached Kawah Ratu around 11:20 am and we stayed there for about 1 hour. At 2:20 pm we were back at Cidahu Camping Ground.
We left Jakarta at 5:30 am and arrived at Cidahu Camping Ground at 7:50 am. The entrance opens at 8 am. We parked our car at the parking area of Cidahu Camping Ground, but if you want you can go by car for another 1km on a paved road up to the permanently closed Javana Spa.
We bought National Park tickets at the entrance and paid for a local guide and started to hike at 8:20 am.
We have reached Kawah Ratu around 11:20 am and we stayed there for about 1 hour. At 2:20 pm we were back at Cidahu Camping Ground.
From Jakarta take highway direction Bogor. Insert in Google maps Cidahu Camping Ground and follow the navidgation. Last 10km is road like this.
Entrance to Salak National Park and to Cidahu Camping Ground. We parked our car here and walked from here, but you can go by car another 1 km, unitl Javana Spa
Road from Cidahu Camping Ground entrance up to Javana Spa (permanently closed hotel). Some parts are very steep.
Pass the Camping Ground
Here you have 2 option: go to the left via forest (old way, muddy and not well maintained, in past marked HM1, HM2...HM89. At this entrance used to be HM1, Kawah Ratu HM45, Pasir Reungit HM89) or continue on paved road direction Javana Spa (new path). We made a loop, there via forest, back via paved road
Option 1: Path via forest
Option 1 used to be marked every 100m by HM1, HM2...HM45 (Kawah Ratu)...HM89 (Pasir Reungit), but they are gone with the time. We saw only about 5 signs.
Option 2: Paved path up to Javana spa. Cross the fence from the left and continue on the paved path up
In you choose option 2, then at the end of the paved road turn to the left.
Both roads will join at this place.
Kawah Ratu left, Mt Salak right
Leeches - Better have a long trousers and repellent
Leeches - Protect yourself, but don't worry if leech bite you. If doesn't hurt, nor itches. It might blood a bit and you will have a dot for 2 days. I believe few centuries ago they were used for medical purposes, so they should not be as bad as they look.
Have a waterproof shoes
Helipad Kawah Ratu - yes, you can come with your helicopter! :)
Kawah Ratu
Kawah Ratu
River in Kawah Ratu. Take a bath or at least wet your feet.
When to go: Anytime, but we would recommend going during the dry season, April – October
Duration: the loop took us 6h in total with taking pictures and soaking our feet in the Kawah Ratu river, 8:20 am-2:20 pm. Clear waking time was 4 hours.
Distance: 10 km hike in total from Cidahu Camping Ground entrance, but only 7-8km in total if you start to hike at Javana Spa.
Elevation: 500m (900m – 1400m), but only 300m if you start to hike at Javana Spa (1100m – 1400m)
Open: 8am - 4pm, Cidahu Camping Ground
Age: The walk in the forest is for anyone who can hike, children age of 6yo and adults 65yo have been here. However, the crater emits a lot of sulfur. You don’t feel it a lot on the rim, but I wouldn’t descend to the crater with small kids or older people because the sulfur content can be very high.
What to bring: waterproof trekking shoes, raincoat, hut, sunscreen, long trousers, food, drink, trekking pole (Optional. Terrain is rocky covered with moss and the ground is slippery), Kitas, leave a change of cloth and shoes in the car
Costs:
Entrance fee to Halimun Salak National Park:
- Foreigners: Rp 150 000/pax (Kitas holders pay same as foreigners, but we got discount buy 2 get 1 free)
- Locals Rp 12 000 – 15 000/pax,
Parking: around Rp 10 000/car
Local guide: Rp 300 000 (Cidahu - Kawah Ratu - Cidahu)
Contacts:
Cidahu Camping Ground WA +62 838 1810 3360
Cidahu entance, pak Jamal: WA +62 838 0500 8922
Pasir Reungit entrance : WA +62 813 2302 6143
Duration: the loop took us 6h in total with taking pictures and soaking our feet in the Kawah Ratu river, 8:20 am-2:20 pm. Clear waking time was 4 hours.
Distance: 10 km hike in total from Cidahu Camping Ground entrance, but only 7-8km in total if you start to hike at Javana Spa.
Elevation: 500m (900m – 1400m), but only 300m if you start to hike at Javana Spa (1100m – 1400m)
Open: 8am - 4pm, Cidahu Camping Ground
Age: The walk in the forest is for anyone who can hike, children age of 6yo and adults 65yo have been here. However, the crater emits a lot of sulfur. You don’t feel it a lot on the rim, but I wouldn’t descend to the crater with small kids or older people because the sulfur content can be very high.
What to bring: waterproof trekking shoes, raincoat, hut, sunscreen, long trousers, food, drink, trekking pole (Optional. Terrain is rocky covered with moss and the ground is slippery), Kitas, leave a change of cloth and shoes in the car
Costs:
Entrance fee to Halimun Salak National Park:
- Foreigners: Rp 150 000/pax (Kitas holders pay same as foreigners, but we got discount buy 2 get 1 free)
- Locals Rp 12 000 – 15 000/pax,
Parking: around Rp 10 000/car
Local guide: Rp 300 000 (Cidahu - Kawah Ratu - Cidahu)
Contacts:
Cidahu Camping Ground WA +62 838 1810 3360
Cidahu entance, pak Jamal: WA +62 838 0500 8922
Pasir Reungit entrance : WA +62 813 2302 6143
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Where to Stay
Pasir Reungit
The Michael’s Resort
If you use Pasir Reungit entrance, you can stay in a beautiful The Michael’s Resort. Around the resort are many (at least 7) beautiful waterfalls, so it is a nice place to stay with your family for a long weekend and enjoy the greenery. You are in nature, so count with that (geckos, ants, …). At the time of our stay we thought that the Basic rooms would need a bit of renovations. Luxury rooms were nice, but expensive and facing a road.
Phone / WA: +6281807100632
Website: http://themichaelresorts.com/gunungsalak/
Patribi Farm
Another hotel in the area recommended by our expat's friends is Patribi Farm
Website: http://portibi.com/
The Michael's Resort pictures:
The Michael’s Resort
If you use Pasir Reungit entrance, you can stay in a beautiful The Michael’s Resort. Around the resort are many (at least 7) beautiful waterfalls, so it is a nice place to stay with your family for a long weekend and enjoy the greenery. You are in nature, so count with that (geckos, ants, …). At the time of our stay we thought that the Basic rooms would need a bit of renovations. Luxury rooms were nice, but expensive and facing a road.
Phone / WA: +6281807100632
Website: http://themichaelresorts.com/gunungsalak/
Patribi Farm
Another hotel in the area recommended by our expat's friends is Patribi Farm
Website: http://portibi.com/
The Michael's Resort pictures:
Cidahu
We have no really good recommendation for you. Here use to be a nice hotel Javana Spa, but unfortunately, it is permanently closed.
Cidahu Camping Ground is a huge camping ground with basic toilet facilities and warung. From the Camping ground you can watch the sunrise over Mount Gede and visit 5 waterfalls. This location is popular on weekends and holidays. It can accommodate 500 people. I guess you need to bring your own tent. We didn’t try it.
Cidahu Camping Ground pictures:
We have no really good recommendation for you. Here use to be a nice hotel Javana Spa, but unfortunately, it is permanently closed.
Cidahu Camping Ground is a huge camping ground with basic toilet facilities and warung. From the Camping ground you can watch the sunrise over Mount Gede and visit 5 waterfalls. This location is popular on weekends and holidays. It can accommodate 500 people. I guess you need to bring your own tent. We didn’t try it.
Cidahu Camping Ground pictures:
Can you hike Mt Salak when you go to Kawah Ratu?
Yes you can, but Mt Salak is usually 2 days hike.
As of May 2021 the Mt Salak hike was closed, only its crater Kawah Ratu was open.
We recommend to read this web page, that has a very good description if you want to trek Mt Salak, once it reopens: https://www.gunungbagging.com/salak/
RELATED POSTS
As of May 2021 the Mt Salak hike was closed, only its crater Kawah Ratu was open.
We recommend to read this web page, that has a very good description if you want to trek Mt Salak, once it reopens: https://www.gunungbagging.com/salak/
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