Bromo Volcano on Lonely Planet
The following is a guide to visiting Mount Bromo:
Preparation
- Documents: Prepare necessary documents such as your passport and visa.
- Clothing: Prepare a thick coat, scarf, gloves, and hat, as well as summer clothing such as short sleeves and shorts.
- Other items: Bring a flashlight or headlamp, mask, sunscreen, sunglasses, comfortable sneakers, and a travel adapter.
Transportation Guide
- Generally, you will first go to Probolinggo, and then to the town at the foot of the volcano. You can depart from Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Malang, etc., and take a plane, train, or bus to Probolinggo. From Probolinggo to the town at the foot of the volcano, you can choose to carpool or take a local minivan. After arriving in the town, you will usually need to transfer to a jeep to go to the viewing platform or crater.
Attraction Introduction
- Bromo Crater: You can hike or ride a horse to get there. After climbing the steep stone steps, you can see the huge crater, with white and black smoke constantly spewing from the bottom.
- Viewing Platform: There are multiple viewing platforms, such as Penanjakan Bromo, which is one of the best places to watch the sunrise, with a wide view but more tourists; Seruni Point has a lower altitude, fewer tourists, more than 200 steps, and four monuments; King Kong Hill is located 100m below Penanjakan 1, with good light for taking pictures; Bukit Cinta View Point is a sunset viewing platform where you can see three volcanoes at the same time, but it is farther away.
- Sea of Sand: The vast volcanic Sea of Sand is dyed golden at sunrise, and the interplay of light and shadow is like a dream. You can experience the fun of riding a horse or camel here.
Food Recommendations
In the local villages or towns, you can taste traditional Indonesian cuisine, such as satay, gado-gado (vegetable salad), and nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice).
Accommodation Options
- You can choose to stay in the town at the foot of the volcano, such as Camoro Lawang, which has many family hotels, making it convenient to participate in day trips or multi-day trips. You can also choose to stay in cities such as Surabaya and Malang, where the accommodation conditions are relatively better.
Itinerary
- One-day tour: Depart from Surabaya in the early morning, transfer to a jeep to the viewing platform to watch the sunrise, then go down the mountain and cross the Sea of Sand to Mount Bromo, climb the crater, and finally return to Surabaya.
- Multi-day tour: On the first day, you can experience the local culture in the surrounding villages. On the second day, get up early to watch the sunrise and visit the crater, and then go to other attractions such as Ijen Volcano.
Precautions
- You need to get up early to go to Mount Bromo to watch the sunrise, and pay attention to keeping warm and safe.
- The crater may have a sulfur smell, so you can wear a mask.
- Respect local religious and cultural customs.
- Choose a regular travel agency or guide to ensure travel safety.
- Pay attention to protecting the environment and do not litter.