The Charm of Nature of Mount Anak Krakatau

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As an active volcano, Mount Anak Krakatau has a charm that attracts tourists. The beautiful mountain scenery with red and golden-yellow clouds of lava that bursting from the crater, the amazing underwater view for diving into it, the beauty of a tropical island with trees and birds chirping, the beauty of jet black sandy beaches and the awesome view from the top of Anak Krakatau has strong appeal that invite people to visit this mountain.

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Some nearby islands can also be visited just to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of these islands. There is Sebuku Kecil Island, a very beautiful small island, its white sandy beaches with the surrounding expanse of blue sea. The island is uninhabited. The whole island is still natural forest, and is really beautiful.

There is Sebesi, a closest inhabited island to Mount Anak Krakatau, and has a natural beauty under the sea.

Not far from Sebesi, there is island of Umang-Umang that measures just 50 × 50 square meters, but has a cluster of beautiful coral and white sand beaches that are unspoiled. You can enjoy snorkeling here and enjoy lunch while enjoying the scenery of Sebesi Island and the island of Mount Anak Krakatau which is already in sight.

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There is also the island of Rakata that already so close to Mount Anak Krakatau. Here you can also do snorkeling in the Lagoon Chili, where the unspoiled coral reefs and colorful fish looks so beautiful when viewed directly in their habitat. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to see the habitat Dolphine, Green Turtle, Blue Merlin (a rare fish in the world), and other rare fishes such as sea horses, Napoleon fish and Hawksbill.

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Enjoying the Krakatoa while active is very beautiful at night, far more beautiful than during the day. You can enjoy dinner while looking at the red and golden yellow lava burst from the crater. There's more value offered here, since the Krakatoa does not offer only to dive into the beauty of marine parks, but more than that, the Krakatoa _in particular_ explores the historical value of the evolutionary process of the underwater volcano.

Of course there are certain times you need to consider if you want to visit Mount Anak Krakatau by using fishing vessels. When the west wind came about November to January, fishermen did not dare to bring tourists.

The Deadliest Volcano – Mount Krakatau (Krakatoa)

The Enormity of Mount Krakatau Eruption

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The explosion was very powerful and accompanied by hot clouds and tsunami that killed around 36,000 people. The voices of the eruptions were sounded up to Alice Springs, Australia and the island of Rodrigues near Africa (about 4,653 miles from the center of the eruption). Some sources mentioned that the explosive power is estimated at 30,000 times the atomic bomb that ever dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War. While other source said that it was equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT.

That is Mount Krakatoa which erupted on 26-27 August 1883 in the past. Krakatau eruption caused global climate change at that time. The world was dark for two and a half days due to volcanic ash that covered the Earth's atmosphere. The expanses of dust in the sky were seen up to Norway and New York.

It was noted that the eruption of Mount Krakatau is the first world's major disaster that claimed many lives. Simon Winchester, a geologist who graduated from Oxford University of Britain and also the author of National Geographic, said that the blast was the biggest, with the loudest voice and was the most devastating volcanic event in modern human history. The voice of the eruption was sounded until 4,600 miles from the center of the eruption and can even be heard by one eighth of the population of the earth at that time.

According to researchers at the University of North Dakota, Krakatoa explosion _along with the explosion of Tambora (1815)_ recorded a largest score of Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) in modern history. The Guinness Book of Records recorded the explosion of Krakatoa as the most powerful explosion in history.

The explosion of Krakatoa had been throwing pumice stones and volcanic ash with a volume of 18 cubic miles. Its bursts of volcanic dust reach 80 km. Hard objects which flew into the air fell on the plains of Java and Sumatra, even to Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand.

The eruption destroyed Mount Danan, Mount Perbuwatan and part of Mount Rakata where a half cone was missing, create a basin of 7 km width and 250 meters depth. Waves reached as high as 40 meters, destroying villages and whatever is on the coast.

The tsunami was caused not only because of the eruption but also underwater avalanches.
The recorded death reached 36,417 people from 295 coastal villages from Merak (Serang) up to Cimalaya in Karawang, from west coast of Banten up to Cape Layar on the island of Panaitan (Ujung Kulon and southern Sumatra. In Ujungkulon, flood entered 15 km to the west.

The next day until a few days later, residents of Jakarta and Lampung hinterlands were no longer see the sun. The tsunami waves generated was even creeping up to the Hawaiian coast, west coast of Central America and the Arabian Peninsula seven thousand kilometers away.

The birth of Anak Krakatau

In 1927 or approximately 40 years after the eruption of Mount Krakatau (used to call in Spanish as Krakatoa), a volcano emerged from the caldera of the ancient region. Its high-speed of growth was about 20 inches per month and every year it became about 20 feet higher and 40 feet wider.

Picture from: ntguide.info

Another note mentioned the additional of approximately 4 cm in height per year and if calculated, then within 25 years the additional height will achieve 7500 inches or 500 feet higher. The high-growth was due to the material that comes out from the belly of this new mountain. Currently, the height of Anak Krakatau reached around 230 meters above sea level. While the height of previous Mount Krakatau was 813 meters above sea level.

According to Simon Winchester, despite what had happened in the lives of Krakatoa was very scary, the strange realities of geology, seismic and tectonic in Java and Sumatra ensures that what had happened in the past at some point will happen again. No one knows exactly when the Son of Krakatoa will erupt. Some geologists predict that the eruption will occur in between 2015-2083. But the influence of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean base at December 26, 2004 also can not be ignored.

According to Professor Ueda Nakayama one an expert on Japanese volcano, Anak Krakatau is still relatively safe although there are active and frequent small eruptions, there are only certain times when the tourists are prohibited from approaching the area because of danger of lava that spewed out of this volcano. Other experts claim there is no plausible theory that the Son of Krakatau will erupt again. Even if there is, it will at least takes three or more centuries or after 2325 AD before it erupt again. But clearly, the number of casualties incurred will be more devastating than the previous eruption. Anak Krakatau is currently also known as "Mount Krakatau", though in fact it is a new mountain that grew after the previous eruption.

Knowing How We Evolve Into What We Are Today

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Sangiran Museum is one of the most attractive historical site which is very interesting to visit it. It is an archaeological site located in Central Java, Indonesia. The area of 48 km2, is located 15 kilometers north of Solo and situated in the valley of the Solo River in the foothills Lawu Mountain.

When entering this area, along the way you will be presented by the residential that also serves as a unique gift shops primeval relic. The museum of 1.6 hectares wide was built against a hill and turning around into its peak. You need to walk around the hillside to get to the first exhibition space. The first exhibition space is located inside a huge natural cave which is plastered with concrete walls and contains pictures of how the Earth was formed, teeth and skeletons of ancient fossils, the bones of ancient animals, as well as diorama examples of human evolution and ancient human activity.

Coming out from the first exhibition room, you still need to climb dozens of stairs to reach the second exhibition space which is located on a hilltop. In this second exhibition space you can see various types of early human skulls from various times and places, mammoth’s femur, ancient buffalo skulls, various types of weapons, rocks fossils, and so forth.

In 1996, this site was listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. And in this area you can find many remnants of the past life and history of early human life with everything that was around them at that time; starting from his residence, pattern of life, animals that live with them, until the occurrence of the landscape in the period of not less than 2 million years ago.

 Picture from: whc.unesco.org

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In 1934, an anthropologist named Guustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald started his research in this area and found the fossils of early humans. The discovery of fossils during his studies and excavations had reinforced the theory of human evolution from ape to human as it is today. At least five different types of early human fossils were found that time. And this amazing discovery was very surprising and became a key element in the development of the theory of human evolution.

In subsequent years, the results of excavations found the fossils of the first human ancestor, Pithecanthropus erectus ("The Java Man"). Additionally, there were about 60 more fossils found in the area, which include Meganthropus Palaeojavanicus.

Sangiran become a site that contributed nearly 50% discoveries of pre-human fossil in world history.

Not only humans and prehistoric life, fossils of underwater creatures were also found, giving rise to the theory that the island of Java was lifted from the seabed millions of years ago.

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Even in the 1980s, scientists were still shocked by the discovery of intact fossil of a mammoth with 4 meters high. These fossils are now stored at the Museum of Geology of Bandung.

It is because of its contribution to the world of archeology, anthropology, geology and science are so great that UNESCO finally declared Sangiran as the 593rd World Cultural Heritage on December 5, 1996 in Merida, Mexico. Then Human Archeological Museum was built to store and display those fossils.

Sangiran Museum describes the history of early humans from about 2 million years ago until 200,000 years ago, namely from the end of Piliosen age to the middle Piliosen age. There are 13,086 ancient human fossils collection and it constitute as the most complete early human sites in Asia. It can also be found vertebrate fossils, underwater animal fossils, rocks, fossils of marine plants, and equipments made from stone.

Circling around the museum area of 1.6 acres is a pretty exhausting trip. Sangiran, indeed, was originally a hill known as the "Sangiran Dome". The dome was then experiencing erosion at the top to form the layers of soil. This is where the experts finally get very complete information about life in the past.

But your fatigue will be paid off when you have a chance to rest and relax at the top of the view tower, where you can enjoy the beauty of the upper Sangiran site. From that place you will see a green and charming area, which will give you a freshness feeling.

 Picture from: whc.unesco.org

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In addition, there are dozens of stalls lined up at the front of the museum, where the locals sell gifts and souvenirs typical of prehistoric relics, ranging from objects that are claimed as ancient human’s or animal’s bones and teeth, statues made from deposits soil with fibers from ancient plant’s leafs, up to various necklaces, bracelets and jewelry made from stone and wood fossils. So, when you visit this site, do not miss the opportunity to buy gifts and souvenirs for your family at home.

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