Kawah Putih
Encyclopedia
Kawah Putih is a striking crater lake
and tourist spot in a volcanic crater about 50 km south of Bandung
in West Java
in Indonesia
.
Kawah Putih lake (7.10° S 107.24° E) is one of the two craters which make up Mount Patuha
, an andesitic stratovolcano
(a "composite" volcano). Mt Patuha is one of numerous volcanoes in Java. The Kawah Putih site was opened to visitors in 1987. The lake itself is 2,430 meters above sea level so the local climate is often quite chilly (temperatures are frequently around 10 degrees celsius). This makes a brisk change from the humidity of the north Java plain and the capital city of Jakarta
. Kawah Putih is a sizeable acid lake which changes colour from bluish to whitish green, or brown, depending on the concentration of sulfur and the temperature. The sand and rocks surrounding the lake have been also washed into whitish colours by the vapours from the lake.
, a German botanist who carried out a considerable amount of research in Indonesia until his death in Lembang
, just north of Bandung, in 1864. At the time, there were various local stories about the history of the area. Birds were said to be reluctant to fly near the region and villagers in the area tended to regard the forest around the lake as eerie and somewhat mysterious. These stories prompted Dr Junghuhn to investigate. He discovered Kawah Putih. There was formerly a sulfur mine at the crater although production has now ceased. A sulfur plant known as the Zwavel Ontgining Kawah Putih was first established near the lake during the period of Dutch rule in Java. The plant was later taken over during World War II by the Japanese military and operated under the name Kawah Putih Kenzanka Yokoya Ciwidey. Entry points to various tunnels which represent the remnants of these mining activities can be seen at several points around the current site.
Over a century after Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn first discovered the lake, in 1991 the Indonesian state-owned forestry firm Perhutani Unit III Jawa Barat dan Banten (Forestry Unit No III for West Java
and Banten
) began to develop the site as a tourist spot.
and Cantigy (Vaccinium
varingifolium). Animals and birds which may be spotted include eagles, owls, monkeys, mouse deer
, and forest pigs. Panthers, leopards and pythons have also sometimes been seen in the nearby forest.
A range of simple facilities exists near the lake. There is ample parking, public toilets, and entrepreneurial vendors selling trinkets and food. The site is well-signposted. Local farmers often take the opportunity to sell strawberries (widely grown in the area), steamed corn, and various other items such as pumpkin seeds (pepita).
Kawah Putih and the surrounding area (where there are resort facilities such as hot spas) is a popular spot for people from Bandung. On weekends and on holidays, quite large numbers of Indonesian tourists visit Kawah Putih. The site is so far less well-known to international tourists. According to Perhutani staff at the site, up to 10,000 people can visit on busy holidays and the total number of visitors is perhaps 300,000 per year.
The usual arrangement is for visitors to leave their vehicles in a main carpark at the entry to the site and catch one of the regular mini shuttlebuses (leaving every five minutes or so) for the 5 km to the crater. For Indonesian citizens, cost of entry to site (October 2011) is Rp 15,000 plus Rp 5,000 for the return minibus ride (total of Rp 20,000, around $US 2.20). Charges for foreign visitors are slightly higher. Visitors who prefer to drive in their own vehicles up to the crater must pay a significantly higher charge (Rp 150,000, or $US 17 per vehicle plus tickets for passengers). Tickets are issued by Perhutani staff and include insurance while at the location.
The main road is the busy road south from Bandung through the town of Soreang, the capital of the Bandung District
, continuing down through the crowded Pasir Jambu township. Minibuses ply the route southwards from Bandung and, depending on traffic, can take up to two hours to reach the entrance to the Kawah Putih area. There are many thousands of small market-crop farmers in the fertile valley to the south of Bandung which leads up towards the Kawah Putih area. Local food-crops grown include a wide range of fruits and vegetables. A strawberry industry is well-established in the area and many strawberry farms have fruit for sale along the side of the highway.
Accommodation is available at various hotels in the Patuha area close to the nearby town of Ciwidey and also in Soreang.
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
and tourist spot in a volcanic crater about 50 km south of Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
in West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Kawah Putih lake (7.10° S 107.24° E) is one of the two craters which make up Mount Patuha
Mount Patuha
Mount Patuha is a twin stratovolcano about 50 km to the southwest of Bandung in West Java, Indonesia. It is located in the Bandung District of West Java. It is one of numerous volcanoes in this area; others in the region include Mt Malabar, Mt Wayang, and Mount Papandayan .The summit of Mt Patuha...
, an andesitic stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
(a "composite" volcano). Mt Patuha is one of numerous volcanoes in Java. The Kawah Putih site was opened to visitors in 1987. The lake itself is 2,430 meters above sea level so the local climate is often quite chilly (temperatures are frequently around 10 degrees celsius). This makes a brisk change from the humidity of the north Java plain and the capital city of Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
. Kawah Putih is a sizeable acid lake which changes colour from bluish to whitish green, or brown, depending on the concentration of sulfur and the temperature. The sand and rocks surrounding the lake have been also washed into whitish colours by the vapours from the lake.
History
The lake is said to have been discovered in 1837 by Dr Franz Wilhelm JunghuhnFranz Wilhelm Junghuhn
Friedrich Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn , was a German botanist. His father, Friedrich Junghuhn was a barber and a surgeon. His mother was Christine Marie Schiele. Junghuhn studied medicine in Halle and in Berlin from 1827 to 1831, meanwhile publishing a seminal paper on mushrooms in Limnaea...
, a German botanist who carried out a considerable amount of research in Indonesia until his death in Lembang
Lembang
Lembang is a town in the province of West Java in Java, Indonesia. The population is 183,300.Lembang is situated between 1,312 and 2,084 above sea level. Its highest point is on top of Tangkuban Perahu Mt...
, just north of Bandung, in 1864. At the time, there were various local stories about the history of the area. Birds were said to be reluctant to fly near the region and villagers in the area tended to regard the forest around the lake as eerie and somewhat mysterious. These stories prompted Dr Junghuhn to investigate. He discovered Kawah Putih. There was formerly a sulfur mine at the crater although production has now ceased. A sulfur plant known as the Zwavel Ontgining Kawah Putih was first established near the lake during the period of Dutch rule in Java. The plant was later taken over during World War II by the Japanese military and operated under the name Kawah Putih Kenzanka Yokoya Ciwidey. Entry points to various tunnels which represent the remnants of these mining activities can be seen at several points around the current site.
Over a century after Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn first discovered the lake, in 1991 the Indonesian state-owned forestry firm Perhutani Unit III Jawa Barat dan Banten (Forestry Unit No III for West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
and Banten
Banten
Banten is a province of Indonesia in Java. Formerly part of the Province of West Java, it was made a separate province in 2000.The administrative center is Serang. Preliminary results from the 2010 census counted some 10.6 million people.-Geography:...
) began to develop the site as a tourist spot.
The site
The surrounding area is heavily forested. There is a pathway down to the lake which is surrounded by the high walls of the crater nestling into the side of Mt Patuha. The smell of sulfur is strong because there is a good deal of steam and sulfurous gas bubbling from the lake. There are tracks around the lake and through the nearby forest including to the peak of Mt Patuha. Visitors may walk around the crater area or sit in the various shelters. Local plants not widely available in lower altitudes in Java include javanese EdelweissAnaphalis javanica
Anaphalis javanica or Javanese Edelweiss is a flowering plant species endemic to Indonesia. They are found mostly in mountainous regions of Java, southern Sumatra, southern Sulawesi and Lombok. Although a mature plant can reach eight metres in height, most specimens are less than a metre tall. The...
and Cantigy (Vaccinium
Vaccinium
Vaccinium is a genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the plant Family Ericaceae. The fruit of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry or whortleberry, lingonberry or cowberry, and huckleberry...
varingifolium). Animals and birds which may be spotted include eagles, owls, monkeys, mouse deer
Java Mouse-deer
The Java Mouse-deer is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Tragulidae family. At maturity it is about the size of a rabbit, making it one of the smallest ungulates. It is found in forests in Java and perhaps Bali. It formerly included the more widespread T. kanchil and the poorly known T....
, and forest pigs. Panthers, leopards and pythons have also sometimes been seen in the nearby forest.
A range of simple facilities exists near the lake. There is ample parking, public toilets, and entrepreneurial vendors selling trinkets and food. The site is well-signposted. Local farmers often take the opportunity to sell strawberries (widely grown in the area), steamed corn, and various other items such as pumpkin seeds (pepita).
Kawah Putih and the surrounding area (where there are resort facilities such as hot spas) is a popular spot for people from Bandung. On weekends and on holidays, quite large numbers of Indonesian tourists visit Kawah Putih. The site is so far less well-known to international tourists. According to Perhutani staff at the site, up to 10,000 people can visit on busy holidays and the total number of visitors is perhaps 300,000 per year.
Access
Access is gained from the left of the main road travelling south by entering the park and proceeding along a 5 km access road. The turnoff from the main road is hard to miss: there is a large signboard to the left of the main road and a prominent entry gate. The entry facilities and the crater location are well-managed by staff from the state-owned forestry firm Perhutani.The usual arrangement is for visitors to leave their vehicles in a main carpark at the entry to the site and catch one of the regular mini shuttlebuses (leaving every five minutes or so) for the 5 km to the crater. For Indonesian citizens, cost of entry to site (October 2011) is Rp 15,000 plus Rp 5,000 for the return minibus ride (total of Rp 20,000, around $US 2.20). Charges for foreign visitors are slightly higher. Visitors who prefer to drive in their own vehicles up to the crater must pay a significantly higher charge (Rp 150,000, or $US 17 per vehicle plus tickets for passengers). Tickets are issued by Perhutani staff and include insurance while at the location.
The main road is the busy road south from Bandung through the town of Soreang, the capital of the Bandung District
Bandung Regency
Bandung Regency is an administrative district located to the south, southeast and east of the city of Bandung. Parts of the Bandung Regency are effectively part of the Bandung Metropolitan Area. The Regency is part of the Indonesian province of West Java, about 75 miles south of Jakarta...
, continuing down through the crowded Pasir Jambu township. Minibuses ply the route southwards from Bandung and, depending on traffic, can take up to two hours to reach the entrance to the Kawah Putih area. There are many thousands of small market-crop farmers in the fertile valley to the south of Bandung which leads up towards the Kawah Putih area. Local food-crops grown include a wide range of fruits and vegetables. A strawberry industry is well-established in the area and many strawberry farms have fruit for sale along the side of the highway.
Accommodation is available at various hotels in the Patuha area close to the nearby town of Ciwidey and also in Soreang.