Complete guide to East Java – Mount Bromo, Ijen Crater and Waterfalls

Domi & Thomas — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 13:40:06 +0000

Java is an island in Indonesia, located west of the popular destination Bali. Java is divided into six provinces namely East Java, Central Java, West Java, Banten, Yogyakarta and Jakarta. In this article, we’ll tell you more about East Java, where you can experience the greatest adventures!

How to get here

There are four different ways to visit Java. The fastest but also the most expensive way is by air. If you only want to explore the eastern part of the island, we recommend flying to Malang or Surabaya. From these places you are the closest to the most famous spots such as Mount Bromo or Ijen Crater.

Many people fly into Jakarta or Yagakarta International Airport. Flights to these airports may cost less, but keep in mind that Jakarta is almost 800 km from Malang, and 400 km from Jogakarta. This means that it will take you several hours by train or bus.

Public transport

Another way to visit East Java is to arrive individually by public transport from the island of Bali. There is a local bus service to Java. We recommend buying tickets online in advance via the bookaway platform. You can expect a bus journey of several hours and an hour on the ferry. Everything is provided by the company you have chosen.

If you’re going to Bali, read 10 things you should know before your holiday in Bali that you can apply to your travels in East Java.

Group tour

The third option is to visit East Java from Bali with a group tour. There are many different tours, usually going for 3 days and 2 nights. However, this trip is very intense and you need to be prepared for sleep deprivation, getting up early and starting the trip in the middle of the night. This tour usually includes the 3 most beautiful spots namely Ijen Crater, Mount Bromo and Tumpak Sewu waterfall. You can book your tour for example on this link.

Personal driver

The final way to explore East Java is by booking a private driver to take you around the island at your convenience. You can book it already in Bali and travel with him from Denpasar or any other point that suits you.

Where to stay

If you decide to come to East Java on a group tour, all accommodation will be provided. This can save you a lot of time and energy spent on planning. However, if you decide to travel individually, here are some tried and tested tips on hotels and homestays worth staying in.

Accommodation in Banyuwangi and surroundings

The town of Banyuwangi can be considered as a great starting point for night hiking on Ijen Crater. There are also a large number of tour companies in the area that will come and pick you up directly at your hotel. The Indah Nusantara Hotel, located right in Banyuwangi, is certainly worth mentioning.

We booked our group tour directly through them and it was all very well organised. Also worth mentioning is the Mango Tree and Ijen Tour Homestay, which is located in the vicinity of Banyuwangi and also offers all the services associated with night hiking on Ijen Crater.

Accommodation in Malang

Malang can be considered as a great starting point not only for an early morning climb up Mount Bromo, but also to visit the most beautiful waterfalls. We spent our stay at Guest House de Azka Style. The rooms were simple but clean and quite spacious. The advantage was air conditioning and functional internet.

Accommodation in Surabaya

If you decide to choose Surabaya as your starting point and you don’t like homestays, we can recommend the Ibis Surabaya Tidar hotel from our own experience. The hotel offers beautifully air-conditioned rooms, buffet breakfast and great service throughout your stay. It was definitely the most luxurious accommodation we had during our entire stay in East Java.

Accommodation around Mount Bromo

If you decide to do the morning climb of Mount Bromo individually without a group tour, we definitely recommend looking for accommodation in close proximity to the national park. The traffic in the morning is very heavy and it will be very difficult to get around without a jeep. An alternative is the Bromo Cottages Stay, from where you can make this morning hike by foot.

What to see in East Java

The most famous places in East Java that are part of all group tours are Ijen Crater, Mount Bromo and Tumpak Sewu Waterfall. It is about these three places that we will talk a little more.

Ijen Crater

If you are in East Java, you definitely can’t miss the night hike to Ijen Crater. Before you go, you need to have a health check. If you go with a tour, you’re all set. If you decide to do this climb without a tour and a guide, you can do the health check on the spot before the starting point for the hike. You will pay about 2€. Keep in mind, however, that you will not be admitted through the entrance gate without it.

The view of the crater looks like from another planet.

Apart from the majestic view, this place is also visited for its so called blue fire.. Ijen Crater is one of the largest places in the world where this natural phenomenon can be observed. If you want to see the blue fire and enjoy the sunrise at the top, we recommend to go around 2:00 in the morning.

The journey up to the top takes approximately 80 minutes. However, it then continues down into the crater to the blue fire, which takes another 30 minutes. You will then go back to the top of Ijen Crater, where you will wait for a beautiful sunrise. The journey back down to the car park takes approximately 60 minutes.

There is a strong smell of sulphur near the crater, so it is necessary to have gas masks with you.

For more practical information about climbing Ijen Crater as well as other great locations in East Java, check out our East Java Mini Guide.

Sunrise on Mount Bromo

Among the greatest adventures you can have in East Java is watching the sunrise on Mount Bromo. Mount Bromo is an active volcano in East Java, Indonesia. It is part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park and is one of the most famous mountains in Indonesia. The height of the volcano is 2 329 metres and its last eruption was in 2016.

That's the view you get after sunrise.

There are two ways to watch the sunrise on Mount Bromo – with a group tour or individually. If you decide for a group tour, you can go for example from Malang. As mentioned before, we stayed at the Guest House de Azka Style and booked our tour through getyourguide. We paid 45€ per person.

If you decide to do the climb individually, we recommend staying close to Mount Bromo to avoid the hassle of morning traffic jams.

We also recommend following the weather, as thick fog or clouds can obscure such a beautiful view.

Among the most famous sunrise viewing spots are:

KingKong Hill – the highest point, offering panoramic views.
Penanjakah Hill – here you’ll find several viewpoints that offer equally epic views of Mount Bromo itself, despite being at a slightly lower elevation.
Mount Bromo – you can watch the sunrise from Mount Bromo itself, which can be reached in 30 minutes.

If you take a guided jeep tour, be sure to take this iconic photo as a souvenir.

If you’re planning a trip to Indonesia, we’ve put together a comprehensive 14-day itinerary to Bali so you can enjoy your holiday to the fullest.

Tumpak Sewu Waterfall

Tumpak Sewu waterfall is considered to be the most beautiful waterfall in all of Indonesia. When you arrive you will understand why. Tumpak Sewu is also known as Coban Sewu and translates to thousand waterfalls. It reaches a height of 120 metres, making it one of the highest waterfalls in Indonesia.

Tumpak Sewu waterfall with a Mount Semeru in the background.

This waterfall can be viewed from above from the viewpoint, which is only a 10-minute walk from the parking lot. For the more adventurous, however, there is the option to walk down to the waterfall and enjoy its beauty up close. The walk down to the waterfall takes about 30-40 minutes. Most of the time it leads via iron/stone steps. However, one section is right across the water, so we recommend bringing water shoes.

The entrance fee for the waterfall is 3€ per person. We set off for Tumpak Sewu waterfall from Malang town, which we consider an ideal starting point. The ride from Malang took approximately 2 hours.

This is the view you first get from the lookout near the car park.

The ideal time to visit the waterfall is early in the morning before 7:00. Firstly because of the beautiful light for photos and secondly because there are not so many people there. Your journey down and up will also be easier as you won’t have to give way to hundreds of people.

If you make your way down to the waterfall, only then will you realise how majestic the waterfall is.

If you are not going only to East Java, but also to other islands in Indonesia and are looking for reliable information in one place, our E-book “Indonesia Complete Guide” will give you the answers to everything!

600+ pages full of practical information, more places and waterfalls to visit and lots of tricks and tips to make the most of your Indonesia holiday.

You can find more information in the “e-books” section or on this page.

* All links in this article including accommodation through booking are affliliate. All in one place. It won’t cost you any extra money or effort, it will make your planning easier and save you time. We would be delighted if you booked your dream holiday through them

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