Travel Diaries: Mount Bromo, Indonesia

With majestic landscapes bound to make you gasp in awe, Mount Bromo in East Java of Indonesia is a well-trodden travel destination great for nature lovers and keen photographers. To catch the active volcano in its full glory, make your trip down between May and August as this dry period promises a low chance of rain. I went in July, and the weather was nothing short of perfect!

1) Sunrise at Mount Penanjakan

To catch the sunrise from Mount Penanjakan’s viewpoint, we started our day groggily at 3 am. Our chartered jeep welcomed us at our hotel in Cemoro Lawang, a quiet village just 4km away from Mount Bromo.

The walk up to Mount Penanjakan’s peak was a short and easy one with broad steps. Flanked on both sides of the pathway up were stalls selling food and drinks. Locals peppered around the area, offering old jackets for rental. It gets as cold as 0°C before the sun rises, so it is definitely recommended that you wrap yourself up enough to stay warm! We also sought warmth from local favourites teh susu (milk tea), pisang goreng (banana fritters) and Pop Mie cup noodles that we bought from one of the food stalls while waiting for the sun to rise.

Sunrise at Mount Penanjakan was like no other. From the peak, we observed the sky turn from pitch black to a blend of salmon pink and soft yellow hues. As the day became brighter and the clouds disappeared, a veil was gently lifted off Mount Bromo and the surrounding mountain range, revealing a grand masterpiece by Mother Nature. The scenery was absolutely breath-taking.

2) Horse ride across Sea of Sand

After the crowd had dispersed at Mount Penanjakan, we too left with a full heart and made our way to Mount Bromo, the highlight of the day. It was a quick ride on the jeep to Sea of Sand, from which we had to cross without the jeep to reach the volcano’s base.

Sea of Sand is, as its name suggests, a vast sandy plain. Do bring a face mask as breathing can get slightly uncomfortable with all the flying dust and sand. Here, we could choose to either walk or take a horse ride led by locals. We gave in to the novelty of a horse ride, and soon after our driver communicated with the locals, off we went, bobbing on the horses towards Mount Bromo!

3) Climbing Mount Bromo

We dismounted our horses as we arrived at the foot of Mount Bromo. The ascend to the top was a 245-step climb on what they call the “stairway to heaven”. We took a few breaks in between as the steps were pretty steep, but it was nothing unmanageable. The view from above was worth all the huffing and puffing up.

Reaching the top, we were first greeted by the magnificent caldera. White sulphurous fumes rose incessantly from the roaring crater and, squinting, I could even see the bubbling at the bottom. Some flowers dotted the sides of the crater. Apparently, these were offerings made to the mountain gods. For those who are interested, we spotted several older women selling simple hand-tied flower bouquets!

As we turned around to face outwards, the surrounding of Mount Bromo came into view, and its grandeur blew our minds away instantly. The veins of the active volcano traced down its sides and stretched out onto Sea of Sand, and the landscape unfolded into the horizon, where the surrounding mountains and greens reappeared. We stood there for a long time and in awe, unable to verbalise our reverence for the magnificence of nature.

4) Stopping by Savanna Valley and Whispering Sand

We left Mount Bromo utterly pleased and impressed, but our jeep driver decided to surprise us further by showing us the interesting terrains surrounding Mount Bromo.

To the south of Mount Bromo, Savanna Valley is a green grassland surrounded by mountains. After the climb at Mount Bromo, the lush and calm environment at Savanna Valley was just what we needed to catch our breath and recharge. The extensive grassland made a beautiful backdrop for photos too!

Just another stone’s throw away is Whispering Sand, a vast expanse of sand. It is another prominent point to stop by for a quick commemorative photo. For couples who are tying the knot, the desert could be the dreamy setting you are looking for for your pre-wedding photo shoot!

That more or less concluded our day in Bromo as we left for  Surabaya after. While it was only noon when our day ended, we were by then rather tired from all the excitement and climbing.

To catch the sunrise, your day will start relatively early. Hence, a lodge in the nearby town of Cemoro Lawang is highly recommended. The hotels here tend to be simpler, but they do provide the basic amenities, including hot shower and internet connection. Bromo Permai 1 is a great choice! Alternatively, if you are giving the sunrise a miss, you could select an accommodation further away, such as the highly-rated Bromo Cottages.

Besides Mount Bromo, Mount Ijen is a complementary place of interest you might want to consider visiting. It boasts a natural crater with a stunning turquoise-coloured sulphur lake. If you think you would enjoy Mount Bromo, Mount Ijen is more challenging to climb but equally unmissable!

[button url=’https://www.expedia.com.sg/Cheap-Flights-To-Surabaya.d3294.Travel-Guide-Flights’ icon=’entypo-flight’ fullwidth=’true’]Fly me to Surabaya![/button]