"Did you come to see Krakatau? You can see it from here, from the beach," and he pointed at the sea. I looked a bit puzzled. All I could see was a sheet of rain. I had been sitting in this warung and drinking coffee for the last two hours, hoping this tropical downpour would stop. The coconut trees on the white sandy beach were swaying in the wind. Some people braving the weather tried to protect themselves against the rain by holding a big banana leaf over their head. My hotel was across the road but I couldn’t muster up my courage to run to my room. Krakatau Volcano erupted in 1883 with devastating effects. The sky became as dark as ink, people thought the end of the world had come. Devastating tidal waves swept away coastal parts of West Java, and many people were killed. Fine ashes went with the wind and settled down as far as New York City. Krakatau itself disappeared completely, in its place "Anak Krakatau" appeared, Krakatau’s child, an extremely active young volcano.
This can be visited from Carita. Small boats will take you to the volcano. This trip will take three to four hours. It is not difficult at all to find "agents" who organize these trips. The moment you step out of your hotel, peopele will ask if you are are interested in their trip. With your guide you can climb Krakatau. This is a strenous trip, as the soil is soft, a mixture of sand, lava, and ashes. Then there is a three- to four-hour boat trip back. If the sea is rough it may take longer. I had a good look at the boats--they were VERY small, so I decided against the trip.