White Crater, The Magical Splendor and Hypnotizing Ambience of a Crater

Kawah Putih is located near the charming little market town of Ciwidey, approximately 50 Kilometers south of Bandung. The Crater Lake is one of two craters of Mount Patuha, with the dry Kawah Patuha or the Patuha Crater located 600 meters to its northwest, being the other. Stepping into Kawah Putih is like entering a different realm.

As the name suggests, the Crater Lake and its surroundings are dominated by a pale white color which radiates a rather hypnotizing ambience. The vast dormant volcanic crater is filled with surreal turquoise-colored water. The tree-clad cliffs surrounding the crater reach around 2,500 meters above sea level and make for a stunning backdrop, especially when the clouds start to roll in. The altitude here brings with it chilly temperatures, which in a way, will add to the magical splendor of Kawah Putih.

In World War II the plant was taken over by the Japanese military and was operated under the name Kawah Putih Kenzanka Yokoya Ciwidey. Today the plant no longer exists , however, entry points to its tunnels, remnants of these mining activities can still be seen at several points around the current site. First opened for visitors in 1987, nowadays Kawah Putih is a favorite destination for tourists and day trippers who are simply stunned by its mesmerizing ambience. On weekends and on holidays, quite large numbers of visitors frequently visit the area just to immerse themselves in the mystical beauty of nature.

Get There

Kawah Putih is located approximately 44 KM south from the center of Bandung City. Depending on the traffic in and around Bandung, the trip will take a little over 2 hours. The main road is the busy road south from Bandung through the town of Soreang, capital of the Bandung Regency, continuing down to the town of Ciwidey.

The turn from the main road to Kawah Putih is hard to miss: there is a large signboard to the left of the main road and a prominent entry gate. If you wish to use public transportation you must first find your way to the Leuwipanjang Bus Station and then take the bus in the direction of Ciwidey. From Ciwidey, you can take the angkot mini bus to the entrance of Kawah Putih.

Once at the Kawah Putih entrance, it is a long trek uphill to the crater but  you won’t see many attempting to walk this. The usual arrangement is for visitors to leave their vehicles in the main carpark at the entrygate  to the site and catch one of the regular mini shuttle buses (leaving every five minutes or so) for the 5 KM up to the crater.