Page 155 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

132 Asia

Figure 8.1 Location of Sibayak volcano and tourism access

Tourism at Sibayak volcano holidays and festivals when groups of visitors from
Volcano tourism in Indonesia involves free Medan hike in the park.
Sibayak is a stratovolcano that last erupted in
independent travellers, who sometimes use local 1881. Fumeroles occur in the vicinity of the crater
guides, and organized tour trekking. Some and are constantly discharging steam, and sulphur
volcanoes are easier to access than others and deposits have accumulated around their vents. The
organized tours (treks range from 5 to 12 days) crater is 900m wide and is backed by a rock wall
focus on the higher and less accessible volcanoes (see Figures 8.3 and 8.4). The floor of the crater is
like Semuru (3676m) in Java. Sibayak (2212m) is stable allowing visitor access. Hot springs are also
probably one the easiest volcanoes to climb in present on the lower slopes of the mountain.
Indonesia. Visitation statistics are difficult to
acquire but up to 100 people a day may visit the Impacts of tourism
summit area. Preliminary observations suggest that
the visitor profile comprises international tourists, on the volcano
day, weekend visitors from Medan (population Even though it might be expected that a natural
two million) and locally sourced youth groups feature such as a dynamic and potentially
such as scouts and school groups. The summit area destructive volcano is difficult to spoil as a result
can be reached in two to three hours and some of visitation, the environment and particularly the
visitors climb the volcano at night so that they can summit area is showing clear signs of degradation.
watch the sunrise from the summit at daybreak. Degradation of Sibayak can be examined from
Overall visitation tends to peak during public several visitor management perspectives namely

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