Kalibaru is just southeast of Jember in East Java amid coffee, cocoa, and rubber plantations. It’s only a small village but the appeal is its positioning for treks and for visiting the nearby national parks.
To the north of Kalibaru is the 3,333-meter Gunung Raung volcano (Mount Raung), while northeast are four impressive national parks. They are all pretty well accessible from Kalibaru and feature an incredible range of flora and fauna. Baluran National Park is one of these, encompassing Baluran volcano and featuring buffalo, deer, boar, monkeys, eagles and peacocks.
The barren Ijen High Plains lie to the east of Kalibaru, and include the Kawah Ijen volcano, where there’s a working sulphur mine and refinery. Meru Betiri National park is south of Kalibaru and is a popular four wheel drive destination with tourists.
Getting There & Away
Kalibaru lies on the main Surabaya/Malang to Banyuwangi road, from where ferries run to Bali. Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar is the nearest main airport, while Malang to the west has a domestic airport. Flight time is around 90 minutes from Jakarta and buses take about 4 hours.
Things to Do
Kalibaru Attractions
- Gunung Raung volcano
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The main attraction in kalibaru is the looming raung mountain, a 3,333-meter behemoth.
Side trips from Kalibaru
- Baluran National Park
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One of several national parks in the region, which has some good walking and a vast amount of wildlife.