Tangkuban Perahu, stratovolcano in West Java, Indonesia
Tangkuban Perahu is a stratovolcano in West Java that rises about 30 kilometers north of Bandung and features several craters along its summit ridge. The main crater Kawah Ratu sits at roughly 2000 meters elevation and releases sulfuric vapors that drift across the rim throughout the day.
Records show the volcano became active multiple times during the 19th century and sent ash into surrounding villages. The most recent eruption occurred in 2019 and briefly closed the summit area to hikers.
The name means "upturned boat" in Sundanese, from the legend of Sangkuriang, who kicked over the boat he was building for his mother Dayang Sumbi. Guides recount this tale at the crater rim, where sulfur deposits tint the andesite yellow.
The access road runs close to the main crater which allows travelers with limited mobility to visit without long walks. Early morning hours often provide clearer views of the crater floors before clouds and mist roll in.
A depression on the mountainside collects poisonous gases rising from fissures and is known as Death Valley. Warning signs and barriers mark the zone to prevent visitors from entering the dangerous terrain.
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