Mount Bromo, a Picturesque Volcano in East Java
“Hello, I just landed. Where are you?”
“Outside the arrival terminal. I’ll wait for you here,”
“Hey, you know what. My flight was… was… very…”
“Yeah, I know. Mine too. One of the worst flights for me. Come here, you tell me the rest of your story after we met..”
That was the conversation on phone between me and Meutia at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya last month. I was flying from Bali and she was from Jakarta. We planned to meet up at the airport before continuing our trip to Mount Bromo. Even though I have to pass the creepiest and bumpy flight, I was sure that the upcoming experiences and photos we’re going to take will be fantastic. I kept thinking that the sunrise view, Pasir Berbisik area, Bukit Teletubbies area, the crater and the savannah is waiting for us.
YES! Mount Bromo is arguably one of the most photographed spots in the country, thanks to its natural beauty and dramatic scenery. I met so many visitors capturing their moments with the mountain; everyone from young hikers using mobile phone cameras to older travelers using DSLR cameras. A few of the more serious photographers even camped the night in order to capture the Milky Way.
My second experience to Mount Bromo. The first one was a totally have fun trip while the second one was half-working and half-having fun. Yes, I was assisting the pre-wedding photo shoot, means that I had hundreds opportunities to capturing the beautiful landscape of Mount Bromo area asides with the working session.
The picturesque moments in Mount Bromo began as the sun rising. Most people came to the mountain to chase the sunrise moment from Mount Penanjakan, whether at Penanjakan 1 or Penanjakan 2 view point. There is a small building with rows of chairs and iron rails at Mount Penanjakan 1 to accommodate the sunrise hunters. Here, you can see the sun rises off to the east, while to the south, you can marvel at Mount Batok, Mount Bromo and the majestic Mount Semeru. Meanwhile, Penanjakan 2 offers a roomier alternative, though getting there requires a longer trek through bushes. Those view points are adored for their sweeping views of the morning sun, which rises, red and yellow, in thick clouds and mist.
There are plenty spots you can go after chasing the sunrise from Mount Penanjakan. The crater or the Pasir Berbisik area were always become my second turn. Fyi, Pasir Berbisik is an impressively vast landscape covered in black sand. The sand’s coarse texture causes it to emit a whispering-like sound when scooped up and dropped to the ground. You may find several boulders in Pasir Berbisik that the more adventurous theme can climb for photo-taking.
I always remember the sand storm on November 2013, at my first visit to Mount Bromo. It gave me dramatic greyish panoramic pictures around the caldera area to the Bromo crater. Me and my friend Prue was climbing half of the way to the crater by horse than continue the short hiking to the edge of the crater.
The journey to the crater requires bypassing the Luhur Poten Temple which also brought me and other climbers in close contact with lots of horses. They are can be rented and ridden to the top. A magnificent sandy view and of course the memorably landscape. We were worrying about our cameras as our guide told us the sand storm was an exceptional one. Turns out, our sandy storm experience in Bromo become nothing after we saw some dramatic photos we took with our cameras.
Back to last month’s trip to Mount Bromo. We were exploring the area for the photo shoot. Even the crowded Penanjakan 1 can offers various beautiful view to be captured. Our rented jeep took us to other spots. Thanks to the driver, he showed us the best photogenic spots.
Nothing changed much. This time, as I went to Mount Bromo in the rainy season, I found an interesting fact that the color of the savannah is always shifting; in the dry season when the grass dries-like at my first visit-it becomes brown, but during the rainy season, it is green-colored and, sometimes, filled with beautiful wildflowers.
I hope my next visit to Mount Bromo would be the stargazing trip!
***
Mount Bromo is an active volcano in Probolinggo, East Java. The area is part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Here more information about the mountain.
To reach the Mount Bromo area, you can get a flight to Surabaya or Malang. From Surabaya you can take a rental car and drive for three hours to Cemorolawang village in Probolinggo regency. Or you can off by train to Malang then go to Gubukklakah village in Poncokusumo sub-district.
There are many hotels or even guesthouses owned by the locals in Gubukklakah or Cemorolawang. You can stay at the locals’ guesthouse for Rp. 75,000/day with three meals for a day. You can also find the rental jeep to enter the Bromo area at those two villages. It cost start from Rp. 600,000/jeep. Don’t worry, you can share the rental jeep with other visitors.
The entrance fee for Bromo Mountain are Rp. 37,500 on weekdays, Rp. 67,000 on weekend or holidays for local visitors and Rp. 267,000 on weekdays, Rp. 640,000 on weekend for foreign visitors.
***
edededan 
