Sultan HB X Urges Tourists to Postpone Mount Merapi Hikes Amid Alert Status

Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X has called on tourists to postpone climbing Mount Merapi, which remains on Level III alert status. He expressed concern that visitors seeking recreation may not fully understand the dangers posed by the volcano’s current activity. ‘My hope for tourists, for visitors who simply want to travel, is that I urge them not to climb to the summit for now,’ Sultan HB X said in Yogyakarta on Thursday, 2 July 2026. The appeal follows recent eruptions at the volcano, which lies on the border of Sleman Regency in Yogyakarta and Central Java. The Sultan noted that residents living on the slopes of Merapi are already familiar with the mountain’s characteristics and can anticipate potential hazards from increased volcanic activity. ‘The local community already understands, but visitors who just want a holiday may not know about Merapi’s activity. Be careful, postpone climbing for now,’ he said. He stressed that the most accurate information regarding Mount Merapi’s activity comes from the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Centre (BPPTKG), and urged the public to follow all recommendations issued by the agency. Sultan HB X added that local residents are aware of when it is safe to conduct activities and understand the reach of lava flows and pyroclastic clouds during an eruption. ‘They are not worried because the flows only travel two to two and a half kilometres, meaning they do not reach residential areas. They already know this,’ he said.