Krakatau

For a unique trek , head to West Java to climb legendary Anak Krakatau and hike beautiful Ujong Kulon National Park.

You need a permit for both excursions, which you can get through the PHPA office in Labuan town.

You can also take a day trip by boat to Anak Krakatau, or ‘child of Krakatau’. It’s an island left over after Krakatau (an area the size of Manhattan) was hit by a massive volcanic eruption in 1883. The explosion’s force was equivalent to 10,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs.

The tsunamis caused most of the thousands of deaths in the area. Tremors were detected as far away as Sri Lanka, the English Channel and off the coast of Alaska.

It’s a 4 or 5 hour boat ride to the island and you can organize a boat from Labuan or Carita. Permits are obligatory and it is advised to have a good guide. The walk is short (30 mins) but steep, so wear good walking boots with thick soles. There are times when it is too dangerous to visit Krakatau and from October to March the sea may be too rough to cross. Ask at the permit office in Labuan.

It’s also possible to trek through Ujong Kulon Park, gliding in a dugout canoe on abundant rivers overhung with dense jungle. The elusive Javan Rhinoceros is the biggest draw for travellers to the area, although many guides have never even seen one themselves!

At Handelum Island, if you’re lucky , you’ll see snakes, turtles, birds and wild deer or take a boat to one of Ujong Kulon’s many glorious empty beaches.