Mt Bromo — Attraction in Java

I was going to visit my favourite holiday destination- Indonesia!!! Having done beautiful Bali & Manado earlier, this time it was Surabaya!

Under things to do there, the most exciting was a visit to Mt. Bromo, one of the live volcanoes along the volcano belt!! YAY! As luck would have it, we had a family friend in Surabaya who volunteered to take us there! Awesome!! We drove out of Surabaya around 13.30hrs after lunch & reached Tosari at about 15.30hrs( thanks to new highways & tolls which shortened travel time by almost an hour) a village in the mountains where we stayed overnight at a hotel called Bromo Cottages.

Things to plan ahead: Carry walking shoes. Carry woollens- temperature can go down to 5-6 degrees with wind blowing too. Carry a scarf Carry a small bottle of water. The earlier you reach Mt. Bromo , the better because after 6.30 -7.00am it will get too hot to walk up the slope of the volcano. You have to organise four wheel drives & licensed Driver’s to take you there. Best to go with a tour guide who knows the points of interest. Don’t forget your cameras!!

So we set off early in the morning at 3.30am ( bundled up in woollens) from Bromo Cottages on a four wheel drive jeep with a driver who was specially trained to drive in the mountains. One can not go to Mt. Bromo on a regular four wheeler as the serpentine roads can be dangerously steep & narrow. I wasn’t anticipating the traffic nor the bikers in the mountains!!!

Indonesians are a hard working lot, at that time of the night we saw a lot of women walking uphill carrying heavy bags laden with local produce of cabbage & potato towards the point where the vegetables were taken to the market for sale!

By 4.25am reached close to the sunrise point & had to walk the rest of the way up a narrow muddy track leading upto the top from where we could catch sunrise- as the jeep wouldn’t go any further. Half an hour wait in the cold for sunrise.... which was a beautiful sight indeed & a few shots of the Volcano from afar. Then a walk back to the jeep.... taking in sights of local street side shops selling local fried food , people warming their hands over small bonfires! Great place for photographers!!

We tumbled back into the warm jeep & were driven down hill - sometimes at an angle of 45degrees , down to the flat sea of black sand....... Ash & sediment left by earlier eruption of the volcano.

A kilometer & half walk over the sand, then a steep uphill climb to the base of the volcano. There are plenty of horses available at a fee for those who don’t want to OR can’t walk up, my husband & I tried walking up but had to give up half way!

272 steps up the side of the volcano & we were at the rim of the crater!We were in awe of the whole experience. You can actually hear the smoke coming out of the mouth of the crater deep below you! It was 6.15am & the sun was bright & warm overhead.

It’s a...

My recent trip to Mount Bromo, a highly anticipated natural wonder, was unfortunately marred by a series of deeply frustrating issues, largely stemming from incredibly poor management and a lack of proper oversight. While the sunrise and volcanic landscape were undeniably breathtaking, the overall experience left much to be desired. Disappointing Management & Filth The most glaring problem was the sheer disorganization and filth. Despite being a major tourist destination, the entire area felt neglected. There was an alarming amount of litter and plastic waste strewn across popular viewpoints and even along the trails leading up to the crater. It was disheartening to witness such a magnificent natural site treated with so little respect. Basic amenities like well-maintained public restrooms were virtually non-existent or, if present, were in an appalling state, further highlighting the lack of proper infrastructure for visitors. Lack of Facilities & Illegal Levies Beyond the cleanliness issues, the absence of adequate facilities was striking. There were no clear signages, proper safety railings in some crucial spots, or even basic visitor information centers that felt professional. This forced tourists to rely on unreliable local guides and exacerbated the feeling of chaos. Perhaps the most egregious aspect was the prevalence of illegal levies and unauthorized charges. It felt like every turn presented another person demanding money for vague 'fees' that had no official basis. This constant badgering and the clear exploitation of tourists by unofficial personnel created a sense of unease and outright annoyance, detracting significantly from the natural beauty. It’s disheartening to see such a prime natural attraction suffering from poor governance, lack of investment in basic infrastructure, and unchecked informal practices. The authorities need to step in to clean up the area and streamline the visitor experience, ensuring fair practices and proper maintenance. And be careful, there are lots of nail mines when riding...

Mt Bromo in indonesia is an active volcano and is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Indonesia and the pictures will tell you why !! It is a spectacular sight and a must visit for travelers to Java !! The peak itself is not very high and can easily be reached by jeep to the base and then about an hour climb to the crater. But the best thing is the hike to the viewpoint to catch the sunrise with the view of the plateau and mt Bromo. The viewpoint can be reached by jeep and by trekking. (I would recommend the trek, it is about 40min-1h depending on your speed and expertise in hiking and it is worth it to climb up under the starry sky !!). the sunrise is beautiful with the sky and landscape changing colors as morning breaks. Mt bromo is an amazing sight from the viewpoint. Also, behind mt Bromo is Mt semuru which erupts every half an hour or so, and while the mountain itself is hidden from view, you can see the eruptions from it which just adds to the beauty of the place !! Mt Bromo can be reached from the village of Cemoro Lewang in about 30 mins by jeep. While a jeep driver can be hired there is no need for a guide to Bromo and the tours offers should include the price for the jeep as well as entrance to Mt bromo and the drive to the viewpoint. The tours usually start with the sunrise and then the trek to Bromo and should overall take about 6h or so. As with any hiking wear proper shoes (I would recommend proper trekking shoes as opposed to sport shoes, I slipped quite a bit on the trek while my friend who had proper hiking shoes was super comfortable!!). It is quite cold at the viewpoint while waiting for the sunrise so do layer up !! (Its always better to dress in layers as while trekking you tend to get hot and would like to remove a few layers which you can throw back on once you reach the top !!). Also its a good idea to carry a small backpack with some water and energy bars or some other food. (although about mid-way there is a place that sells corn and cup noodles , tea and...