Krakatoa

The eruption of Krakatoa in August 1883 destroyed most of the island, generated tsunamis that killed tens of thousands around the Sunda Strait, and produced a sound heard thousands of kilometres away - among the loudest events in recorded history, with atmospheric pressure waves that circled the globe several times. What remains are three fragments of the old island and, in the middle, Anak Krakatau - child of Krakatoa - a new cone that broke the surface in 1927 and has been growing since. In December 2018 a flank of that cone collapsed into the sea and generated a tsunami that killed over four hundred people on the Sunda Strait coasts with no seismic warning, and the cone lost most of its height. It is closely monitored and landing is often prohibited.

History

One of the earliest mentions of the name is in the Old Sundanese text Bujangga Manik of the late 15th century, as "the island of Rakata, a mountain in the middle of the sea", and the name most likely comes from the Sanskrit karkata, "crab". The eruption of 1883 left only Rakata of the old island, in 1927 Anak Krakatau, "child of Krakatoa", emerged from the caldera, and a large collapse in 2018 caused the Sunda Strait tsunami (Wikipedia, Krakatoa).

What you'll find

• The 1883 caldera remnants - Rakata and the fragments of the destroyed island.
• Anak Krakatau - the new cone, surfaced in 1927 and much reduced since 2018.
• A recent collapse scar - the flank that failed and caused the 2018 tsunami.
• Black volcanic beaches - the ash and lava shore of the young island.

When to go

April to September; check the current alert level first. Two days.

Before you go

Landing is restricted or banned depending on alert status - operators sometimes ignore this, and you should not. The crossing is open sea and rough at times. This volcano has killed recently.

Nearby

Kalianda and Carita are the mainland ports; Ujung Kulon is south-west.

Key facts