Enjoy a spectacular sunrise at the impressive Bromo volcano
The Bromo volcano was definitely my highlight of my trip through Indonesia! Prepare for a magical sunrise where the view becomes even more beautiful every minute. Find a quiet place with a beautiful view to fully enjoy. Climbing the volcano is also absolutely worth it! It is a short, tough climb, but at the top you can enjoy a great view while hearing the volcano make all kinds of sounds.
A beautiful natural phenomenon
You can visit Bromo from several places: Melang, Probolingo and Cemoro Lawang (the place next to Bromo). Below I will tell you more about planning your visit. You can view the sunrise from Gunung Penanjakan, the mountain with the best sunrise view. Hundreds of jeeps drive up from 03:00 in the morning, so that you are in time for the sunrise at 05:30. Once you have arrived, it is time to find a nice viewpoint. We rode up a bit on a motorbike to find a quiet point here. We followed a man with a very expensive camera and his private guide and after a small climb we arrived at a quiet place. Two popular viewpoints areKing Kong HillandSeruni. It is also possible to get a nice spot here.
After this it is time to return to the jeep for a drive to the foot of Bromo. From here it is a few minutes' walk over a very dusty surface to the start of the stairs. It looks a bit like a desert with very dark sand. The climb is a bit tough because of all the dust, but the view is really beautiful! It is also possible to go to the top with a horse, but if animal welfare is important to you, you should definitely NOT do this. Once at the top you can look straight into the crater of the volcano, which is still active. As a result, the volcano still makes noise and a white plume of smoke regularly emerges from the crater. Very special!
A few tips: Bring a thick sweater and jacket, because it is extremely cold during sunrise (about 5 degrees). You can also rent a jacket if you don't have enough warm clothes. Also take a scarf or mask with you to protect against the enormous amount of dust. Finally, it is good to know that the entrance fee is approximately 15 euros for a visit on a weekday and approximately 21 euros for a visit during the weekend. Also take some change with you, so you can buy a hot cup of coffee or tea, for example.
How to visit the Bromo volcano?
There are several options to visit Bromo volcano, depending on your budget and preferences. Would you like to visit the Ijen crater after visiting the Bromo volcano? Then I would stay in Probolinggo or Cemoro Lawang. Would you also like to visit beautiful waterfalls and beautiful Malang? Then logically book a day tour from Malang.
The four best options:
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From Yogyakarta:Book an all-in tour from Yogyakarta to the Bromo volcano + Ijen crater. This way everything is arranged and you only have to meet somewhere at the agreed times. We had booked such a tour and found it ideal. This will of course increase the costs, but it is certainly worth considering this. The tour ends with a crossing to the north of Bali, your next destination!
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From Probolinggo: From Yogyakarta it is possible to take a direct train to Probolinggo. Book a nice accommodation here and arrange transport to the Bromo volcano. There are plenty of companies here that can help you!
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From Cemorolawang: This is the village near the access road to the Bromo volcano + viewpoints. This means you are immediately at the right destination in the morning! Upon arrival in Probolinggo, take a bus or taxi to this village and immediately arrange a jeep tour for the next morning.
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From Malang: In Malang (easily accessible by train from Yogyakarta) you can book a well-organized tour to the Bromo volcano in a 4x4 jeep (ranging from 30 to 150 euros, depending on your preferences). This tour often also includes a visit to the Coban Pelangi waterfall, the savannah and the sea of sand. The waterfall in particular is really beautiful (I see in all photos on social media)! Because we unfortunately did not have enough time to visit Malang, we skipped this option. It will of course also be possible to book a tour from Malang for both the Bromo and the Ijen volcanoes, ending on the ferry to Bali. From my experience, everything in Indonesia can always be arranged at the last minute.
Continue your journey
Continue your journey through Indonesia to Banyuwangi, near the Ijen volcano.Are you staying in colorful and lively Malang? And do you decide to skip the Ijen volcano? From Malang you can easily travel to Surabaya. From Soerbaja you fly to Denpasar in Bali within 60 minutes.
