Ijen Backpacker

Very good rooms and great service! If you want private rooms book ahead. They offer tours to Mount Ijen, Mount Bromo and many more! 5 mins walking distance from Ketapang port (they will buy the ferry ticket if you request). For the Mount Ijen tour they gave us a lovely breakfast all included for 350k. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to the whole team for your warm hospitality.
The hostel is perfectly placed, at the crossing between the train station and the ferry harbour.
We took a private bedroom which was clean as the shared bathroom which was clean too.
The breakfast is good too.
About the Ijen tour, I personally recommend to go by yourself (taxi or renting a bike) to skip the blue flames that are overcrowded and without interest.
So starting later to go straight to the summit and enjoying the sunrise and the empty track.

We have a really good stay here. NO bed bugs (earlier review stated there were some). The room and sheets are clean, everything smells nice, we also have a good shower. Staff is welcoming and nice. Breakfast is delicious! Organization is also great. There is a lot of information you can received/read at the lobby. Also you CAN EASILY find the place if you contact the hostel via WA in advance. I stayed in this area before. This time is my second time. I don’t think it’s a noisy place. Regarding those who wrote about noisy praying, guys, you came to the country where the majorly are muslim. Do respect the culture.

We didn’t stay here, but we asked if we could use their shower because we just came back from an Ijen tour and we needed to wait some hours for the train. They were very kind and we couldnuse the shower and even got a fruit plate and coffee. Very welcoming and friendly staff! I’m sure the hostel is also great for staying! The bathroom was very clean and a hot shower after 2 nights of hiking was very welcome ❤️ thank you!

It pains me to leave a low review because the staff were so kind to me however I need to be objective and there is a serious problem with BED BUGS.
When I woke up after my first night in the shared dorm I was covered in bed bug bites. I stayed calm and immediately but all the clothes I was wearing to bed into a garbage bag and sealed it and the staff moved me to a private room. I also left my big bag in a storage room to ensure I wouldn't spread the bugs to the new room. Unfortunately it didn't matter because the private room was infested too! Me and the other guests continued to get bitten. I toughed it out since I had activities going on in the area for at least a week. Most night I would only get 10 or so bites. Eventually they moved me to a different shared dorm and here I got over 100 bites in one night! Thats when I drew the line and moved to the downtown area which has much nicer hostels for the same price.
The problem is the staff doesn't wash the bedding with hot water to kill the bed bugs, they just wash with cold water and air dry so those bed bugs aren't going anywhere!
Once again I thank the staff for their hospitality but they need to take this situation seriously.

We booked a trip to Kawah Ijen with this hostel. The personal is very friendly but this was the only positive experience! We traveled half the world and wanted to see the famous blue flames. Unfortunately the poor performance and plenty of turists prevented it. We paid a lot of money, did not sleep on that night, run up hill faster than 99% of turist, but still we came to late! There was a lot of light until we got to bottom and therefore the blue lights were not visible any more. This trip should have started at least one hour earlier! Since they are not new in biznis, they should have made proper schedule! Completely failed. Our time and money wasted… I do not think I will try it once more since I am 62 right now.
Lost chance…

Great hostel with very friendly and helpful staff. They provided good recommendations for food nearby and helped me book the train to Malang. I stayed in the dorm which was clean and quiet. The bathrooms were also really clean. The property is also in an ideal location; maybe a 10 minute walk from the ferry and less than five minutes from the train.

We stayed here for two nights to visit Mount Ijen. The room is very comfortable and the service is perfect.
Breakfast is excellent and plentiful!
The hostel is close to the train station and the port, with lots of local warungs nearby.
I definitely recommend it!

This is a great hostel, near to the ferry port and to the train station. The workers are so helpful and kind. I did the Ijen tour with the hostel which was great, they even served us some breakfast when we arrived back.

Good friendly backpackers with clean room and good service. Located close to ferry but far enough from main road that not too noise (beware nearby overflow Ijen Bali Travellet homestay that almost on main road and very noisy from traffic). Backpackers run a range of well price tours around east Java (like Bromo and Ijen) and also transport to Bali.

I don't often leave such extensive reviews especially for poor service, but a friend tried to organize a group tour for us to Mt Ijen from Bali through Trev Travels & Ijen Backpacker last week and this was one of the absolute worst experiences I've ever encountered in my life.
At first we were supposed to be picked up by a driver at 1pm. And then, 20 min before our pickup time, we're told that the van is delayed by 4 hours till 5pm. We all still waited as they requested.
As we all patiently waited hours outside with our bags till 5pm, there was still no driver to be found. But we kept waiting. Eventually we learned that the driver went to the wrong location (he had one job…) and wouldn't answer our phone calls. And, by a miracle, at some point between 6–7pm (and thus an additional 1–2 hours delayed), the driver shows up to the right location that we initially gave him. All just for him to tell us there's *not* enough space in the van for everyone to join the trip!
When I asked the organizers for help with finding another van (e. G. By ordering us a Gojek) to somehow still salvage the trip for our group despite being several hours late due to their errors, they acted as if it was impossible. They said they would call their own driver instead (yet they couldn't contact him nor confirm any updates…) and then later made the excuse that their other driver was in an accident. All just lies. No accountability. All they want is money.

Super strategic location, just a short walk from the station. I checked in around midnight, and they still welcomed me and my friend without any issue. Booked a private room with a private bathroom, and it was clean and smelled great.
Also took their Ijen tour package, and they woke us up at midnight to get ready. The next morning, we got a delicious breakfast. Best experience.
Definitely staying here again if I visit Ketapang.

This place is perfect to stay for your trip to Mount Ijen or Bromo. They offer you cheap trips and take care of everything.
Don’t expect the highest luxury for this very cheap price (i had a private double bed room for €9) but everything was very clean, shower was hot and good waterflow and the owners are very kind to help you out with everything on your trip.
I would definitely recommend staying here.

Highly recommended. The location is excellent — right next to the train station and the ferry terminal. All the staff are very friendly and go the extra mile to help you out. We were originally going to climb Ijen by ourselves, but their tour was too good to turn down. A very cheap price for an all round amazing tour.

This hostel is no longer just a place to stay—it’s an experience! The incredible hospitality of the staff makes you feel right at home, with clean and welcoming spaces that provide a truly comfortable stay. The beds are cozy, and the air-conditioned rooms are perfect for a cool and relaxing rest. Conveniently located just in front of the ferry to Bali, it’s ideal for travelers heading across. What’s more, they organize trips to Kawah Ijen in the most professional way, including everything you need for only 350k. It’s a seamless and memorable experience that sets this hostel apart!

Probably one of the best hostels we have already been. Friendly and polite staff, good service and structure! We recommend 100%! Great breakfast for those who go to Ijen Mount with them. The atmosphere is really good!

Percect location for those arriving by boat/train in Ketapang. The staff is very kind and helpful, and the hostel offers good value tours of nearby sights. Rooms are well-maintained and clean, and the Wi-Fi is good. We had a great stay at Ijen Backpackers!