Mount Ibu, Maluku Islands, Indonesia

4Sabine L 5:00 PM Sep 25, 2016

The ultimate camping experience
Ibu volcano is a very interesting and unique experience. The volcano exploded about every 20 minutes and we saw lava in the night. Read more about it on my blog youandmetraveling2

4trueindigo 5:00 PM Aug 18, 2015

Wonderful off-the-beaten path adventure
Mount Ibu is the landmark mountain for the lands of the Tabaru people. There aren't many English speakers in the area, so it would be best if you can speak Bahasa. There are no hotels, either, so you'd have to arrange a homestay with a local family in one of the Tabaru villages. Ask for Alex in Duono, or check in one of the other villages--the kepala desa or school headmaster could find someone who can speak English or someone who would help you hike up the mountain. When I was there in March 2015 there were daily tremors from the volcano, and it often smoked, but everyone just goes about their daily business in an unconcerned way. Evidently you can often see the fire on the mountain at night. I enjoyed seeing Lake Todoke. There were a bunch of bamboo rafts there, and the water was a wonderful temperature. (You can swim in lakes and rivers in this area, but go fully clothed--swimsuits are not appropriate.) The Tabaru alternate between cultivating parts of their land and letting it go back to forest. We saw some wonderful patches of rainforest with wild cockatoos and hornbills flying.