One of Indonesia’s most frequently visited tourist draws, Mt Bromo is an active volcano set in the Tengger massif in East Java. At 7,641 feet, it is not the highest mountain of the massif but the most famous and easily recognizable since a previous eruption has blown off its entire cap.
Permanently bubbling and exhaling white sulfurous smoke, the crater’s interior is covered with fine volcanic sand and thus aptly named ‘Sea of Sand’. Particularly when compared with the verdant green valleys enclosing the caldera, the unearthly setting of Mt Bromo, along with its fairly easy access, is the main reason for its attraction.
The relatively undemanding just under two-mile hike from the village of Cemoro Lawang to the foot of the mountain should not take longer than an hour. Here you will see a Hindu temple from where you climb a steep stairway of 250 steps to reach the crater’s edge and an insecure three-foot wide ledge allowing you to gaze into the volcano.
Alternatively, you can hire a small horse to take you up to the temple, or have it even easier albeit less in tune with nature by making the trip by jeep that will pick you up from your hotel at 04:00 to catch the sunrise at Mt Batok, after which you will be taken to Mt Bromo. Private cars are not permitted inside the caldera.
Getting There & Away
The closest major airport is in Surabaya, from where it takes 2 to 3 hours by bus to Probolinggo and another 1 hour, 30 minutes from Probolinggo to Cemoro Lawang. It is possible to make the trip in one day although most visitors opt for an overnight stay to watch the sunrise.