Mount Bromo, Java

Bromo was for just for sunrise so it was nice to have a lie in...we got up at 3am and started our walk to the viewpoints volcano opposite Bromo to see sunrise of the crater. The Tengger caldera is massive would th Bromo sitting inside of it. On our ascent we didn't see much as it was dark however the walk was not as invigorating as others have been because we were just walking a road. Mt Bromo is the most trekked volcano in Indonesia and although we weren't hiking up the volcano itself, this is course of action that everybody takes for sunrise and this is really reflected by the amounts of people, the road, and the fact that you could hop in a 4x4 or what looked like badly cared after horses to take you most of the way and walk the last half an hour.

We did not rent any transport as it was expensive and as though we'd be underwhelmed by the whole experience if we had, basically undercutting ourselves. So after an hour or so of walking we arrived at the first viewpoint and there was just a mass of people. Nowhere for us to stand or sit with even a hope of catching sunrise. Luckily we had Maps.Me and so we carried on following the path which I'd hazard to guess that 90% of people there didn't know about or want to try due to the steep access needed to get there.

Once we were on the path the entire experience changed, Rach and I were pretty much alone walking through what I would describe as alpine forest along a very thin track and clouds starting to reflect the imminent sun. It was beautiful. We followed the track as it zigzagged up to the top of the mountain and had an undisturbed view of town, Cemero Lawang, perched at the very edge of the caldera looking as though half the town had been lost to a lane slide in the past shrouded in clouds and smoke, the sea of sand that would have to be crossed to reach Bromo and then Bromo itself which was throwing out smoke at an alarming rate, great big, thick swathes of it. It seems to be that the eruptions are following us when we're seeing volcanoes! It really was a majestic sight and worth the throngs of people and cars we had to wade through to get here. Because of the large amount of smoke spewing from the volcano we were not allowed to climb it for safety reasons, oh well, maybe next time. Onwards to Jogja!Read more