Sunrise at Bromo, Blue Flames at Ijen: The Ultimate Java Volcano Experience
- Margaux Delang
- 27 sep 2024
- 9 minuten om te lezen
Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen are two of Java’s most iconic and breathtaking natural wonders. Mount Bromo, famous for its otherworldly sunrise views over the vast Tengger Caldera, offers a surreal experience as you stand above a sea of clouds. Meanwhile, Mount Ijen draws adventurers with its stunning blue flames, visible at night, and its turquoise crater lake—the largest highly acidic lake in the world. These two volcanoes provide unique and unforgettable landscapes that highlight Java’s raw beauty. From sunrise treks to night hikes, a journey to Mount Bromo and Ijen promises an adventure filled with awe-inspiring sights and unforgettable memories.
Mount Bromo
Indonesia is situated within the area known as the Ring of Fire, a belt encircling the Pacific Ocean famous for its numerous volcanoes and frequent volcanic activity. Within the Indonesian archipelago alone, there are 127 active volcanoes. Among these, Gunung Bromo and Kawa Ijen stand out as two of Java's most renowned volcanoes and are also among the top tourist attractions in all of Indonesia. A visit to the craters of these volcanoes offers a mesmerizing encounter with these extraordinary natural phenomena.
Gunung Bromo is located in the Tengger Massif in East Java, within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, which also encompasses four other volcanoes. Mount Kursi, Mount Watangan, and Mount Widodaren, like Mount Bromo, are active volcanoes, while only Mount Batok is considered dormant. Additionally, within the park lies Mount Semeru, the highest peak in Java, towering at 3,676 meters.
Mount Bromo is the smallest volcano in the Tengger Massif, reaching a height of only 2,329 meters. Situated between Mount Batok and Mount Widodaren, Mount Bromo, along with these two volcanoes, lies within the Sea of Sand, an expansive area spanning 8 by 10 kilometers resembling a desert, filled with volcanic sand and ash from previous eruptions. The name "Bromo" originates from the Javanese pronunciation of the Hindu creator god Brahma, and at the volcano's base lies a Hindu temple.
Visit Mount Bromo
Located in East Java, Mount Bromo is approximately a 4-hour drive from the provincial capital of Surabaya. While tours from Surabaya or Probolinggo offer comprehensive day trips, the village of Cemoro Lawang, situated close to the volcano, serves as the optimal starting point.
Tours to Mount Bromo typically commence in the early hours of the morning, around 2:00 or 3:00 AM. Visitors are picked up and taken to a viewpoint to witness the sunrise over the volcano. Subsequently, they are driven to the parking area near the volcano and embark on a hike to the volcano's summit to marvel at its crater.
Various viewpoints, including Mount Penanjakan, offer breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding volcanoes, with Mount Semeru towering in the background. While popular viewpoints like King Kong Hill and Love Hill can get crowded, venturing a bit further to find a quieter spot is advisable.
After the sunrise viewing, visitors board jeeps to traverse the Sea of Sand to the volcano's base, where they embark on a 45-minute to 1-hour hike to the summit. The terrain, consisting mostly of sand and ash, often results in dust, prompting the recommendation to wear a bandana, scarf, or mask for respiratory protection, along with sunglasses. Upon reaching the summit, visitors are greeted by the sulfuric scent emanating from the volcano's crater.
Our Experience
We arranged a guided two-day tour through Riyan Hadiyanto, whom we met there. His contact information is +62 822-6434-5219. We had the same driver and guide who picked us up at Malang station, took us to Jodipan and the waterfalls, and guided us to Bromo and Ijen. Our Java driver, Gideon, was absolutely fantastic, and we had a wonderful time with him at all these attractions. You can reach Gideon via WhatsApp at +62 812-3753-8500.
Our Java itinerary was as follows:
Day 1:
Pick up in Malang
Visit colorful village & blue village
Visit Madakaripura Waterfalls
Transfer to accommodation in Cemoro Lawang
Day 2:
Pick up with a jeep around 3:00 AM to go to the Penanjakan viewpoint.
Around 4:30 AM, you'll arrive at the viewpoint to witness the sunrise over Bromo volcano.
Around 6:30 AM, we arrived at the Widodaren hills from where we started the hike to the volcano crater.
Afterwards, we returned to the hotel for breakfast and continued our journey to Banyuwangi, where we arrived around 5:00 PM to rest before heading to Ijen the next day.
Both hotels were included in the tour.
For these three days, including drop-off at the port after visiting Ijen, it cost us 186.73 euros per person.
Visiting Mount Bromo Without a Tour
Certainly possible. If you wish to explore the volcano independently, head to the local park entrance behind the Cemara Indah hotel in Cemoro Lawang. This path leads through the Sea of Sand to the volcano's crater, taking about an hour. Along the way, you'll pass the Hindu temple. Pass it on the left side, where you'll see the path up the volcano.
The Penanjakan Viewpoint is the spot where everyone takes photos. Once you've been here, you can leisurely explore the volcano and its moon-like landscape at your own pace, which is the advantage of going without a tour.
For sunrise, you can visit various viewpoints frequented by tours. Despite the crowds, these are the best spots to witness the sunrise over the volcanoes. You can also follow the road uphill from the Cemara Indah hotel to the Seruni viewpoint. Here, many tourists gather, and locals sell food and drinks in the hours leading up to sunrise.
It's advisable to depart no later than 3:00 AM to arrive on time for sunrise and secure a good spot. If you prefer to avoid the crowds, consider visiting one of the viewpoints at sunset.
Keep in mind that you need to pay an entrance fee of 10,000 IDR (about €0.6) for Cemoro Lawang. Additionally, entry to the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and thus to Mount Bromo, costs 220,000 IDR (about €13) on weekdays and 320,000 IDR (about €19) on weekends and holidays. Afternoons typically have fewer entrance checks, as most visitors arrive in the morning, so it's possible to enter without paying the fee.
What to bring
A flashlight is essential for the pre-dawn hike, as visibility is limited.
Sturdy hiking shoes
Warm clothing. It can be very cold during the climb. I even found myself needing a hat and gloves at certain points.
Optionally, bring a blanket. Our guide had one as you'll be waiting in the cold for sunrise.
Mount Ijen
The Kawah Ijen volcano, also known as Gunung Ijen, lies in eastern Java, standing tall at 2799 meters and boasting an incredibly acidic lake. While not as renowned as Bromo, Kawah Ijen is just as captivating for photographers and tourists alike. However, it's also a hazardous workplace for many sulfur miners.
The Ijen crater features a one-kilometer-wide blue lake, renowned as one of the planet's most acidic. Along its edges, sulfur extraction is a constant activity, with sulfuric fumes rising continually.
How to get there?
From Yogyakarta, Malang, Surabaya
You can fly to Surabaya, the closest airport to Ijen. From there, it's about a 1.5-hour drive to Probolinggo. Alternatively, you can travel from Yogyakarta to Malang by train or bus, and from there, it's also about a 1.5-hour drive to Probolinggo, both options available via a private car.
From Probolinggo, you can take a train heading towards Banyuwangi, which serves as the best base for visiting Kawah Ijen. The train journey typically takes around 3.5 hours and costs between €4 and €18, depending on the type of tickets you choose.
From Bali
From Bali, specifically from Gilimanuk, you can take a boat to Java, which takes approximately 45 minutes and costs around 40 cents. Upon arrival at the port of Banyuwangi in Java, you have the option to either stay overnight before heading to Ijen or immediately begin your visit to Kawah Ijen.
Visit Kawah Ijen
The journey to Kawah Ijen typically begins in the middle of the night to witness the breathtaking sunrise view and, on the other hand, to have the chance to witness the natural phenomenon of the blue fire. The Blue Fire can only be seen here, and this phenomenon occurs 1 hour after sunset and 1 hour before sunrise. The blue fire can be observed throughout the night from 6 pm until 4:30 am.
The hike begins at Paltuding, a parking area roughly a 2-hour drive from Banyuwangi. It takes approximately 2 hours to hike up to the crater, covering a total distance of about 8 km (round trip). with some challenging uphill and downhill sections. Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes and dress warmly, as departing at night can bring strong winds and cold temperatures. Despite the initially chilly conditions, you'll warm up after a few minutes due to the challenging nature of the hike.
During the ascent, you'll likely be passed by locals pushing wheelbarrows carrying tourists for a fee. Towards the end of the trek, you'll be provided with a gas mask. We found this essential as you descend deeper into the crater towards the blue fire and encounter numerous sulfuric gases. However, we had concerns about the effectiveness of the gas masks, as we felt that gases were still seeping through, causing significant coughing. Additionally, the smell of sulfuric gases tends to linger in your clothes.
After experiencing the phenomenon of the blue fire, you continue the hike back up to the crater rim, where you can further appreciate the stunning views overlooking the crater. Here, you can witness the sunrise and take a moment to rest and rejuvenate before continuing your journey back down.
Our Experience
We arranged a guided two-day tour through Riyan Hadiyanto, whom we met there. His contact information is +62 822-6434-5219. We had the same driver and guide who picked us up at Malang station, took us to Jodipan and the waterfalls, and guided us to Bromo and Ijen. Our Java driver, Gideon, was absolutely fantastic, and we had a wonderful time with him at all these attractions. You can reach Gideon via WhatsApp at +62 812-3753-8500.
Our Java itinerary was as follows:
Day 1:
Pick up in Malang
Visit colorful village & blue village
Visit Madakaripura Waterfalls
Transfer to accommodation in Cemoro Lawang
Day 2:
Pick up with a jeep around 3:00 AM to go to the Penanjakan viewpoint.
Around 4:30 AM, you'll arrive at the viewpoint to witness the sunrise over Bromo volcano.
Around 6:30 AM, we arrived at the Widodaren hills from where we started the hike to the volcano crater.
Afterwards, we returned to the hotel for breakfast and continued our journey to Banyuwangi, where we arrived around 5:00 PM to rest before heading to Ijen the next day.
Day 3:
00.30 pick up at hotel, go to Paltuding (Ijen basecamp)
01.45 arrives at Paltuding, coffee break and hiking preparation
02.00 start hiking to Ijen summit
04.30 arrives at summit. Enjoy Ijen crater scenery
08.00 back at basecamp and transfer back to Hotel
09.00 breakfast at hotel
10.00 check out from hotel, transfer to ferry port
10.30 go to Gilimanuk Bali by Ferry
11.30 pick up at Gilimanuk, drop off service to next hotel of choice
Both hotels were included in the tour.
For these three days, including drop-off at the port after visiting Ijen, it cost us 186.73 euros per person.
Visiting Kawah Ijen Without a Tour
If you're visiting Kawah Ijen without a tour or guide, there are two ways to reach the starting point from Banyuwangi. Firstly, you can arrange for a driver from Banyuwangi or rent a scooter.
Finding a driver willing to take you and wait until you return might be challenging due to the availability of tours for visiting Ijen. In such cases, it's advisable to visit the Banyuwangi Culture and Tourism Office to book a driver. These drivers typically provide gas masks if they know you're going to Ijen. The average cost for this service is around 30 euros.
Alternatively, you can rent a scooter in town and drive yourself to the car park. The journey takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. While the road is generally decent by Southeast Asian standards, there may be some potholes and steep sections along the way.
For a scooter, you'll typically pay around 4.60 euros for 24 hours. However, make sure to inquire whether you'll receive two helmets. Many rental companies only provide a helmet for the driver.
What to Bring
Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes, especially for the descent into the crater, which is quite steep and rocky.
Bring your flashlight or headlamp. The first part of the hike is done before sunrise and in darkness.
Make sure to bring something to drink. You'll be hiking for about 1.5 hours, ascending and descending, so having something to drink will be useful.
Gas masks are essential, particularly for the descent into the crater. If you visit Ijen with a guide, they usually provide these for you.
Clothing: Dress warmly when you depart since you'll be setting out in the middle of the night, and it can still be cold. Also, keep in mind that the fumes from the crater can leave a lingering smell on your clothing.
