Ijen Crater Tour From Bali 1 Day

Extremely Disappointed – Tour Should Have Been Fully Refunded

This trip was something we were genuinely excited about, and the main reason we booked it was for the volcano climb. However, just two hours before departure, the tour operator messaged us claiming that a pipe had burst at the volcano and that “geological conditions were unsafe for tourists.” Despite clearly stating the conditions were unsafe, they still insisted on running the tour—just without the actual volcano climb. At that point, the entire purpose of the tour was gone. Watching a sunrise is not what we paid for. We booked and paid $375 specifically for a volcano trekking experience. The operator refused to cancel the tour and hid behind their 24-hour policy, even though the change was entirely on their end and communicated to us last-minute. Now they’re offering only $202 back, which is completely unacceptable. This is not fair, and it’s not professional. If a tour cannot deliver its core experience due to safety or operational issues, customers deserve a full refund, no exceptions. I would strongly caution anyone from booking with this operator unless you’re willing to gamble your money on last-minute changes with minimal compensation. I want a full refund of $375. Anything less is inappropriate given the circumstances.

Response from the operator: Dear Leanne, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We truly understand the disappointment caused when a tour cannot proceed exactly as planned, especially when it involves an experience you were looking forward to. However, we would like to clarify several important points regarding this situation. First, the change to the itinerary was due to unforeseen geological conditions at the volcano site. The pipe damage and resulting safety assessment were outside of our control and constitute a natural and safety-related event, not an operational failure or negligence by our team. Guest safety must always take priority, and access down to the crater was restricted by local authorities shortly before departure. Second, while the volcano climb was not possible, the tour itself was not canceled and continued with all other included services (transportation, guide and supporting logistics). Guests were informed as soon as the safety update was received. Third, we must respectfully correct the pricing stated in the complaint. The total amount must $260 for two people, not $375. Any refund calculations are based on the actual amount charged, not an incorrect figure. In line with our clearly stated cancellation and refund policy—which applies to all bookings—the partial refund offered reflects the portion of the tour that could not be delivered, while accounting for services that were already arranged and provided. The refund amount of $202 is consistent with these terms. We understand that this outcome may not be what you had hoped for, but full refunds are not applicable when a tour operates and last-minute changes occur due to safety or natural conditions beyond the operator’s control. We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding that such decisions are made solely in the interest of guest safety. Should you have further questions, we are happy to assist. Kind regards, East Java Paradise Travel

via Viator

Phenomenal and Personable!

WOW! This was truly an exceptional experience. We unknowingly booked this tour during a Hindu national holiday. Tony went above and beyond to ensure our safe and efficient transport and kept in constant communication the entire time! Tony also speaks incredibly good English. Do not worry about language barriers! He was humorous, fun and memorable. Our driver, Tain, was friendly and accommodating. During our hike with Tony he waited patiently for our return. We did not have to wait for transit at any time. The hike was memorable and felicitous! I feel we have made a friend for life with Tony and if we return I will definitely be getting in touch with him. So not hesitate, book the tour and you will not be disappointed, 100,000 stars ✨ !

Response from the operator: Dear our beloved customer, Nicholas! On behalf of East Java Paradise Travel team, we are really thankful for your trust to have a trip with us to East Java. Our team tried their best to deliver a good service to you and we are also very happy that your trip was great. We do really appreciate your kindness to write a review about your trip experience with us. Thank you for choosing us. If you feel happy with our service, would you please recommend us to your family, friend or colleagues for those who want to have experience trip in East Java. We appreciate and thanks to you so much with that. We are looking forward to have another adventure with you next time. Best regards, Yoga

via Tripadvisor

THIS is the best ijen tour (Seriously)…

Tony was the best guide ever!!! Smooth rides. The people were friendly. We were literally the first people to the blue flames. These guys know what they are doing. We were leaving by the time it got unbearably crowded. Awesome experience.

via Viator

A must do in Bali

A must do if you are in Bali!! This is one of the only tours that I could find that provided hotel pickup/drop off and attending to the crater all in one day. We got picked up from our hotel around 2000hrs, drove 3.5 hours from Ubud to the port. Following this, we got on a boat, sailed over to East Java and got met by our next driver and guide (Dika and Nido). Both the drivers and tour guide were extremely nice and the whole day was very well organized. Hiking up the crater took around 1.5-2 hours, we started at 2am when the gates opened. The sunrise and view was incredible and the guide did an amazing job at taking photos and making the day good. We headed back down and returned to our hotel around 4pm in ubud. In total trip was around 16 hours. I strongly recommend this experience, it was one of the best that I think Bali has to offer.

Response from the operator: Dear our beloved customer, Connor! On behalf of East Java Paradise Travel team, we are really thankful for your trust to have a trip with us to Ijen Crater tour from Bali within 1 Days tour. Our team tried their best to deliver a good service to you and we are also very happy that your trip was great. We do really appreciate your kindness to write a review about your trip experience with us. Thank you for choosing us. If you feel happy with our service, would you please recommend us to your family, friend or colleagues for those who want to have experience trip in East Java. We appreciate and thanks to you so much with that. We are looking forward to have another adventure with you next time. Best regards, Yoga & team

via Viator

Best volcano experience!

I can only recommend this team to everyone! We made the Ijen crater tour, and we came from Ubud, so it was a really long drive, but both our drivers: Han in Bali and Helmi in Java;were very nice, patience and understanding if we needed anything – rest stops, photo stops, lunch/dinner break in their recommended restaurant etc. They arranged our ferry tickets, accommodation check-in and check-out. Helmi told us everything in detail about the program and how it will go. They both kept in touch with us constantly on WhatsApp and helped us to find them and also they were always on time (they got every pick-up point at least 15 minutes earlier, just to make sure we won’t have to wait for them). So on Java the pick-up was at 00.30 from our accommodation from where they took us to the Ijen Geopark and introduced us to our tour guide, Sukron. He was absolutely fantastic! ❤️ I like to joke around and he totally got me, we laughed all day! 🙃 But most importantly, he was very professional and informative (everything about life in Java, about the volcano and the wildlife). We had a lot of questions and he was really happy to share everything with us. Also he was very helpful, always made sure that we are safe (either giving me a hand on the difficult rocky part or showed me how should I climb, or asked if we need a short break to catch our breaths). The Volcano is absolutely stunning! Also the whole Geopark is gorgeous! We made really beautiful memories and also very nice pictures and videos (Sukron was a good photographer too). We would like to thank the whole team for this experience! On the picture you can see our wonderful guide, Sukron! 😊🙏

via Tripadvisor