Mount Ciremai (Cirebon) Indonesia

Mount Ciremai, Cirebon Overview

Mount Ciremai, also known as Mount Cereme, is a type of stratovolcano mountain. Stratovolcanoes are explosive eruptions that occur due to the high gas concentration in the magma. It is located in West Java, Indonesia. The last eruption took place in this mountain was in 1951. It is the highest point in West Java with an altitude of 3078 meters. There are many tourist spots on the mountain including cafes and parks which attract the visitors.

Linggajati museum on the slopes of the mountain is a great attraction for tourists. The museum holds records of the historical event, that is, the Linggadjati Agreement. Tourists mostly visit Mt Ciremai for hiking. The climb takes roughly about 12 hours, which may differ based on your physical strength and fitness. Should you choose to hike this beautiful vista, there are also a couple of camping spots available at the peak of the mountain.

Geography

The eastern slope of Mt Cereme includes a lot of interesting places that attract tourists and visitors. At the foot of Mount Ciremai, there is a natural volcanic hot spring of Sangkanhurip. It takes about 1 hour from the mountain and 30 minutes from Cirebon to reach Sangkanhurip Hot Springs. It is a popular tourist spot for spa, relaxation, and playing in the pool. The clear spring water and ponds of Cigugur and Cibulan is a natural swimming pool. One can enjoy swimming in the cool water with fish swimming alongside. These ponds are also the habitat of rare Kangra bodas fish, which are considered as sacred among locals. Hence, these ponds are called God Fish Ponds. On the Southeastern slopes near the city of Kuningan, there is a Cipari megalithic site, an important archaeological site dated 1000 BCE. This site was first found in the year 1972. Located 661 meters above the sea level, this site consists of the remains of buildings, graves, and menhirs.

Tips

Carry a lot of water as there are no facilities available on the mountain.
If you’re thinking about camping, you will have to get your tents and other equipment.
Registration is required before hiking

How To Reach Mount Ciremai

One can reach Cirebon by bus or train. From the Jakarta Airport, take the bus ‘KA BANDARA’ and get down at the Bikasi Railway Station. Take the bus ‘Cirebon Express’ or ‘Argo Jati’ and get down at Cirebon Train Station, which is in the city centre.

There are three ways to climb the mountain:

The paths of this mountain are divided into many sections. Each of these sections has a small clearing which is called as “pos”.
From the east, the trail starts at the Linggajati village. The trailhead is about 2km west of the village at Pos Cibunar Linggajati.
The Southeast trail starts from the Palutungan village at Pos Palutungan which is situated near the town of Kuningan.