TRAVEL TIPS

SAFETY
Warning: The following information is presented for educational purposes only. Always seek local expert advice when traveling to a volcano.
Safety Recommendations When Visiting an Active Volcano

Pre-Planning
1) Read about past eruptions.
Volcanic eruptions can repeat themselves. What the volcano has done in the past is what it is capable of doing in the future. While volcanoes are inherently unpredictable, studies of past eruptions at a particular volcano will give an indication of what is possible.
2) Read about past accidents.
Analyse what went wrong in past accidents. The Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network (Smithsonian Institute) has the best monthly volcanic activity reports including accident reports. Two accidents have happened on field trips associated with International Volcanology conferences (Galeras in 1993 and Semeru 2000). Many scientists are inexperienced when it comes to climbing volcanoes. Theoretical knowledge is no replacement for field experience.
3) Observe the volcano for before getting close to the danger zone.
Note the frequency and types or eruptions occurring at the volcano. Sometimes a two to three day observation period is required before approaching the summit area. Simply arriving at the volcano and climbing straight to the summit is asking for trouble!
4) Know the current volcano warning level.
How does this compare to the "normal" state of volcanic activity. Volcano warning levels may be expressed in different forms. Warning levels may mean different things on different volcanoes. Learn what the current activity level means for the particular volcano you are visiting. Remember, most volcanoes are not monitored by scientists so don't rely on the authorities knowing the danger level. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. If there is no current eruption warning, it does not necessarily mean the volcano is safe!

5) Be self sufficient.
Do not expect other people to come into the danger zone and rescue you. Heroic rescue efforts like Galeras in 1993 cannot be relied upon. Don't expect people to risk their life to get you out of danger. It is "cargo cult" mentality to think that rescue will come from the sky in the form of helicopter retrieval, such as the Ambrym 2004 rescue of a film crew. .

6) Take the correct equipment.
Helmet, maps, compass, GPS, food, water, suitable clothing, gloves. If camping out then make sure you have suitable shelter. Volcanoes can be very wet places. An expedition level tent is required. During the accident at Galeras volcano in 1993, incredibly only one scientist of the group who entered the active crater wore a helmet! That scientist survived, and more lives would have been spared if others had done the same. A major cause of death was head impacts caused by falling rocks. There is mobile phone reception on some volcanoes so it may be possible to ring out in an emergency. However do not rely on this method alone because it is very unreliable. Two way radios may help but reception can be affected by topography.

7) Travel with a guide/volcanologist experienced in the local conditions.
Make sure the guide is experienced on the volcano. Local knowledge should always be sought when visiting a volcano. On the spot activity reports are more accurate than remote sensing data. For example eruptions on Mt Etna in 2000 were predicted at the crater edge 1 hour before seismometers picked up an increase in activity. Gas and ash emissions may not always be picked up remotely. Local guides may have good advice on recent volcanic activity.An example of what can go wrong on a volcano trip was demonstrated in 2004 when a film crew went to Ambrym volcano in Vanuatu. The crew attempted to film the volcano, and failed to take a volcanologist. The crew had to be rescued from the volcano after one week, leaving behind thousands of dollars worth of equipment, a failed expedition, wasted filming budget, and lucky to escape with their lives. The small additional price of a volcanologist on the trip would have prevented this debacle.If you are inexperienced and travel without a qualified guide into the danger area, you will put rescuers at risk when they try to retrieve your body (such as happened on Stromboli volcano in 1986).

8) Leave travel details with a responsible person.
Details should state your destination and when you will return. It should also contain a copy of the emergency plan and how to activate it. Some volcanoes are so remote that a disaster plan can only be very basic. It is always best to be self-sufficient and not rely on other people to rescue you.
9) Take all precautions in PREVENTING an accident.
Be very conservative in your actions. Don't assume the volcano is safe if everything looks quiet. It may be the "calm before the storm". A blocked vent can be quiet but the pressure can be building to a large eruption.
10) Obey local authorities.
Don't enter any area on the volcano if the local authorities prohibit it. Don't try to escape paying the proper climbing fees, and charges imposed by the authorities. Payment and registration with the local authorities is there for your safety.

11) Safety cannot be guaranteed at a volcano.
Safety on an active volcano cannot be guaranteed. Volcanoes can produce large eruptions without warning. Visiting an active volcano is like lying down of a freeway. If you stay there long enough you will be killed.
Precautions in the Danger Zone
1) Wear the correct equipment at all times.
Wear a helmet and take a gas mask. If your helmet is not strapped on at all times it is useless. Even effusive volcanoes like Kilauea may send dangerous projectiles into the air from lava sea-water interactions and methane explosions. Unstable ground can result in falls and head injuries.
2) Beware of many sources of danger on a volcano.
Extreme heat, cold, windstorms, heavy rain/ acid rainfall, lightning, altitude sickness, blizzards, getting lost, volcanic activity, unstable terrain, dangerous plants, animals, and insects. Volcanoes generate their own weather which can be severe and different from that only a few km away. Localised wind storms may reach 150 km/hr without warning. Cooling lava flows may still be deadly, when rain falling on the hot surface may displace breathable air after it flashes to steam (people died from the effect at Nyiragongo eruption in 2002). Beware that some areas may be high risk areas for robbery, kidnap, personal injury, civil unrest etc. Traveling to new regions may put the traveler at risk of diseases such as malaria, typhoid, food poisoning etc. Take all necessary prophylactic medication and immunizations. Getting to the volcano may be as dangerous than the volcano itself!
3) Survey the ground on approach to the crater.
Look for evidence of recent ejecta. If you can see recent bombs on the ground then you can be hit. Limit your time in that area. It is preferable you relocate to a safer zone. Some vents eject projectiles in a particular direction. Don't stay in the firing line. Recent bombs are black and stand out from the brown colour of older lava.
4) Watch out for rock falls and avalanches when climbing the crater.
Falling rocks and unstable ground pose one of the most immediate hazards when climbing a volcano. Don't kick rocks down the slope and try to limit your impact on the unstable terrain. Watch out for other climbers above and below you. The crater edge may be overhanging. Know where you are walking at all times. Be careful of new ground slumping or cracking. This will pose a risk because the edge of the crater may fall into the volcano. Cooled lava flows may look stable to walk on, but the crust may be thin, which would expose the hiker to a falling into a lava tube. There may even be flowing lava under a thin crust of pahoehoe lava. Falling into an active lava tube will be instant death.
5) Beware of Hazardous Gases.
Hazardous gases emitted by volcanoes include carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, radon, hydrogen chloride, hydrofluoric acid, and sulfuric acid. Gases can be toxic directly or displace oxygen from the environment leading to anoxia. Never enter a depression near active fumaroles, especially on a day without wind. Toxic gases can pool in the depression leading to a dangerous situation.
6) Can you directly see the vent?
If you can directly see the vent then the projectiles have a direct line of sight to you. Rocks and lava can be ejected at 200 m per second, sometimes even supersonic. You might be hit before you even hear the explosion. Lateral projectiles are some of the most dangerous and can be lethal in even a minor eruption.
7) Beware of periods of low activity.
Quiet periods at a volcano may lure you into a false sense of security, and make you go closer than you would otherwise. Beware of a quiet volcano!
8) Limit your time in the danger zone.
The closer you go to the vent, the greater the risks. In zone 1 (see above) even a minor eruption can be fatal. The risks multiply exponentially in this zone. Spend only minutes in this zone, if you need to be there at all. There is really no reason to be in zone 1 of a volcano. The scientists at Galeras made the fatal error of staying 4 hours in this area! Remember you will be killed here if you stay long enough. It is like sleeping on a freeway. Eventually something will hit you if you stay long enough. Some scientists enter the danger zone immediately after a large eruption because they believe the magma column may be lowered for a while. It takes a brave person to follow this line of thinking. [The author does not discount this theory, but also does not recommend it.]
9) Exit the danger zone well before sunset.
Start the climb early and exit by midday. If something goes wrong then rescue will be almost impossible at night. If you survive the accident then you may die of exposure during the cold night at altitude. Volcano watchers are early risers. Some climbs are started at midnight in order to arrive at the summit by sunrise for the best views. By 9 am the summit can be covered in cloud and visibility reduced.
10) Observe from a safe location.
Stay up wind and away from the direction of travel of projectiles. Have an evacuation plan with 2 exits. Mentally rehearse your escape plan continuously while in the danger zone. Vent migration may make a previously safe area off limits. Take time to study the volcano topography before going too close.
1) If caught in an eruption near the crater take cover.
You have a 50% chance of survival if you are caught in an eruption. Hiding behind boulders or in a depression will shield you from lateral projectiles. Watch for vertical projectiles. Fall times from 1 km can be around 14 seconds so there is time to see the larger ones coming, but weather you can take evasive action is debatable. From experience is is very difficult, or even impossible, to calculate projectile trajectories, and fall times. Evacuate the area as soon as possible. Re-assess your knowledge of the volcano and its eruptive history. Wearing gloves will prevent severe burns to the hands while escaping over glowing lava rocks. Inhaling hot ash is a major cause of death in pyroclastic flows. The lethal period may only last a minute. Motor vehicles offer little safety. An air tight building increases survival. (Note: A pyroclastic flow through a town is one of volcanology's most feared scenarios. It happened at Mt Pelee and Vesuvius).
2) Visibility may suddenly reduce to almost zero without warning.
This can be due to fog, vog, cloud, rain, volcanic fumes or nightfall. Be sure you can deal with these situations. Most people would have severe problems walking out of an area under these conditions. A familiar location will become a nightmare under limited visibility. If you find yourself in very low visibility then you may just have to sit and wait until conditions improve. Don't walk off a cliff and fall into the volcano. A GPS may be a useful navigation aid, but it will not allow safety close to active vents at night. Some volcanic zones involve climbing along knife-edge ridges. A GPS will not allow sufficient accuracy to navigate along these areas in limited visibility. Some volcanic areas have few landmarks to use in navigating.
3) Leave the area if it becomes dangerous.
There is no point having a safety plan if it is ignored. Two scientists were killed on Guagua Pichincha Volcano in 1993 when they remained in the crater despite getting a radio warning of possible eruption 85 minutes earlier.
14) Do not approach lava flowing through vegetation.
Underground explosions occur in front of lava flowing over burning vegetation. Plants burn without oxygen as they are covered by lava, creating methane gas. The gas fills underground lava tubes. When the methane ignites, the ground explodes up to 100 meters in front of the advancing lava flow. Rocks and debris blast in all directions.
See more on methane explosions.
15) Look for warning signs of an eruption.
Explosive activity may be preceded by earthquakes or rock falls. You may only have 30 seconds warning but this may give you time to take cover or evasive action.
16) Watch out for Heavy Rain.
Heavy rain can cause flash flooding and lahars.
Weighing the Risks of Volcanology Compared to Other Pursuits.
People usually underestimate the risks of the familiar and over estimate the risk of the unfamiliar. Here are some examples.
Underestimation of Risk
Motor vehicle accident, Accident in the home, Saturated fat in the diet.
Overestimation of Risk
Injury on a volcano, Shark attack, Plane crash, Preservatives in the diet.
A decision to climb an erupting volcano should be based on a risk-benefit analysis. To see an eruption is one of the greatest sights in nature but the challenge must be accepted with common sense and knowledge of the risk

EQUIPMENT
1. What to bring:
light clothes like T-shirts and shorts (daytime)  long trousers and long sleeved shirts in bright colour (evening and night time)
1 small backpack and comfortable boots for jungle andf volcano treks (additional sandals for  for explorer & observation treks),    light and warm socks,   raincoat, plastic or waterproof bag for your personal belongings,    hut, sunglasses, sun lotion, insect repellent, toilet paper,   camera, mobilphone and cards,   mosquitonet and flashlight,   swimming suit and towel,    personal medical kit and recommended medicine like anti diarrhea medicine, dehydration salt, aspirin and antibiotic

2. Health / Risks:
You should take out comprehensive insurance with good medical cover in advance. Please note that travel insurance is within the personal responsibility of each traveler and should cover accidents, injury or loss of personal property!
Please consult your doctor in advance and discuss your individual medication (Tetanus and Hepatitis vaccination, anti-rabies inoculation) and get his advice on malaria prophylaxis. Basically you should use an insect repellent all day whilst in the jungle (Deet > 40%) and wear long sleeves/trousers during sunset when the mosquitoes are at their most active. There are mosquitoes around Krakatau Ujung Kulon but we have had no reports on malaria infection in recent years.
You need to be fit enough for strong exercise if you plan to do treks over a few days. A general health check with your doctor is an absolute necessity before travelling to the Java jungle and lies within the responsibility of each guest!
 Please note that in and around Ujung Kulon Krakatau National Park you will mostly be out in the wild and that the tours arranged by EcoTravel Ujung Kulon involve certain risks and dangers. These include: traveling in mountain terrain, trekking in dense rainforest and crossing rivers; unpredictable behavior of wildlife; accidents caused by the forces of nature; accidents or illness in remote regions with little or no medical facilities and without any means of rapid or free evacuation; accidents caused by Indonesian traffic.
You should inform the EcoTravel team about your personal health conditions like high blood pressure, allergies, operations, pregnancy and fear of special insects, heights or darkness in advance!    In order to keep you as safe as possible you have to abide by the rules and instructions given to you by the EcoTravel team at all times. Please note that the tour operator is not liable for any damages or injuries suffered in consequence of anything, however caused, in connection with services carried out by third parties and for death or personal injury.
3. Visa:
Tourists can get a 30-day visa on arrival at Jakarta airport and on any other Indonesian international airports for $25. If you want to stay longer you can get a 60-day tourist visa at the Indonesian Embassy. The exact process and documents required will vary depending on your nationality, the country you apply in and the kind of your stay in Indonesia. The validity of your passport should be 6 months from the date of arrival in Indonesia.
4. Money:
Make sure in advance to arrive with enough cash in the area of Krakatau Ujung Kulon National Park! There are  ATM machines in Labuan just 15 minute from Carita or you can find it on the way from Jakarta  and around but it is possible to change foreign money like Euro. Note: most guesthouses do not change US-Dollars! There are plenty of cash points in Jakarta where you can get money with credit cards or exchange foreign currencies into Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Note: The maximum amount you get from ATM machines is 2 Mio IDR, so you will have to make several transactions to get a higher amount! Due to frequent problems with ATM machines we recommend to take 2 -3 different credit cards with you! In Carita -Area around Carita you can pay with IDR only