Due to a rather unfortunate incident that involved a volcano spewing ash and shutting down the Denpasar airport for a couple days, I found myself stranded and rather bored in Bali. As it turns out, being a homeless, unemployed nomad means you don’t have many commitments. So I decided to move my flight out a week later and fly out from Surabaya in East Java instead. I thought this would be a fun casual detour.
And now I can hardly believe that East Java wasn’t even on my radar. What I can say without a doubt is that East Java holds some of the most amazing sights I have seen on this trip. Yet it’s said that 80% of tourists who visit Indonesia, only visit Bali. It seems like so many people miss out on East Java’s wonderful mountains.
So what is there specifically to see in Eastern Java?
The two big sites that draw the bulk of the tourists are Ijen Volcano/Crater and Mount Bromo. And these two sites are so impressive that it’s worth leaving Bali for.
Mount Bromo is a smoldering and semi-inert (but still relatively safe) volcano. Most people get here to see the smoking volcano during sunrise and then head across the plain of ashes to reach the rim of the volcano and hear the rumbling firsthand.
The actual draw of Ijen is actually the crater, where there’s an acidic lake and large sulfur deposits. The sulfuric gas ignites and creates a blue fire along the side of the crater. It’s pretty apt that the local name for this volcano complex translates to “mountain of fire”. And there’s also a large, highly acidic lake you can see.
While Mount Bromo boasts some pretty impressive views, I found Ijen to be one of the most memorable moments of my trip. The grandeur, awe and beauty is always present when you abscond into the wilderness, but what separates Ijen from other mountains is the human element.
The hike starts at 2 AM where you’ll meet at the basecamp with other tourists and the miners. Together you all start the hike up the mountain in the dead of night. Dots of lights create a fairy light trail along the mountain and makes you feel as if you’re on a true archaeological expedition. But you’re not. You’re just a bystander, luxuriously watching the miners ply their grueling trade at this ungodly hour.
And I used to complain about my working hours
When you reach the summit and descend into the crater, you are able to witness a surreal landscape that resembles hell on Earth. Sulfur gas billows out of the crater, blue fire coats the side of the mountain and all the while, you struggle to breathe through the gas mask.
Despite these conditions, you get to witness the miners, already hard at work, using little more than wet rags if anything to protect themselves from the fumes. They load baskets strung across their shoulders, carrying 70 – 90 kg (155 – 200 pounds) of sulfur back up to the summit. They’ll make this trek up to three times in a day, selling each load for 70000 – 100000 IDR ($5.15 – $7.36). It’s an oddly beautiful yet humbling experience sitting there, witnessing the hellish beauty of the burning mountain and the lengths humanity will go to tame the mountain.
Not heavy at all…
So how do you get there?
Since the vast majority of people go to Bali, that seems like a good place to start. From the main island you’ll have to make your way to Denpasar Ubung Bus Terminal. There’s a newer bus station built further north, but as of writing this article, the bus you need still leaves from Ubung.
You’ll be looking for the bus to Gilmanuk, the small town closest to Java. Be careful of the touts that will hassle you and attempt to ‘help’ you buy a ticket. They’ll simply upcharge you and walk to the bus driver and buy the exact same ticket.
Ignore them and find the actual bus driver. Pay the fare directly to him which should cost 50000 IDR ($3.70). The ride will run 3-4 hours depending on traffic. The quality of the bus seems to vary drastically so you might be riding anything from a beat-up van to a cushiony bus.
Once you reach Gilmanuk, proceed down the main road to the ferry terminal. There are more touts here that will attempt to do the exact same thing as they did with your bus fare. Go directly to the ticketing counter and purchase a ticket there. These only run 6500 IDR ($0.48) and the ferry crossing takes half an hour.
If you’re wondering why the ferry ticket is so cheap, just look at that lovely ferry quality. Don’t worry, it won’t sink. I think
Now you will be in East Java! You’ll then have to get yourself to Banyuwangi, the main city closest to Ijen and the main rest stop for tourists looking to see the Ijen crater and all its bluey fire.
Unfortunately, through all the wonderful city planning, the ferry terminal drops you off just outside of Banyuwangi. More puzzlingly, the bus station is located 10 km north from the ferry terminal. The only other public transportation in the area is the train station and even more quizzically, the train does not stop in downtown Banyuwangi.
You may be able to hail a passing bus, but most reliably you’ll have to charter your own taxi or bemo (large converted van). The ride should cost around 60000 IDR but may run as high as 80000 if your bargaining skills aren’t up to scratch. Uber and Gojek are present in Banyuwangi and are probably the most hassle-free way to get downtown.
This ride should take another 40 minutes. All in all, you’ll hopefully get to Banyuwangi in 6-7 hours.
Touring the Ijen Crater
From Banyuwangi, it takes an hour to drive up to the basecamp at the foot of the mountain, another two hours to hike to the summit and 45 minutes to descend into the crater. This will require you leaving Banyuwangi before 1 AM to reach the basecamp at 2 AM. Add in the ascent and descent and you’ll reach the bottom of the crater before 5 AM. It will still be dark, so the blue fire will be visible. Expect to get back to your lodging at 9 AM.
The easiest option is to sign up for a guided tour that will run between 250000 – 350000 IDR ($18.41 – $25.77). You’ll get a guide, gas mask, torch and all transportation and pick up from your lodging. This will also cover the 150000 IDR ($11) entrance fee set by the government. The tour guide provides some interesting facts and makes sure you get to the best viewpoints on time.
As an important point, you can tell if you signed up with a good company if they provide quality gas masks. And this is kind of an important point because… you know, sulfurous gas.
Sulfur selfie!
If you want to visit Ijen on a self-guided tour, you can always rent a motorbike and drive it up the mountain on your own. I will caution on this as you’ll be driving up a mountainous Indonesian road in the dead of night so you’d need to be an experienced driver to say the least. If you do go, gas masks can be rented on the mountain for 40000 – 50000 IDR ($2.94 – $3.77)
Alternatively, if you have a large group of say four people, it may be more economical to charter a car for the whole night. This car should take you up the mountain and wait for your party for the return trip. The car should cost around 400000 – 500000 IDR ($29.45 – $36.78).
I see fire…
Onwards to Mount Bromo
If you’re made of commitment, focus and sheer will, you can actually catch a train or bus to Mount Bromo the same day since you’ll be finished at 9 AM. The largest town by Mount Bromo that’s accessible through public transportation is Probolinggo. The train from Banyuwangi to Probolinggo on the slower economy train takes five hours and costs roughly 27000 IDR ($2). The executive train will take only four hours but runs from 120000-160000 IDR ($8.80 – $11.77).
If the trains fill up or you decide that you like arduous trips, you can instead take the bus from Banyuwangi to Probolinggo. The bus takes seven hours and costs 40000 IDR ($2.94).
Local entertainers seem to get on at every stop to solicit donations
In either case, you’ll arrive in Probolinggo with a decision to make. You can decide to stay in Probolinggo and arrange a tour to reach Bromo or you can decide to go on a self-guided trip. If you want to go on a self-guided trip, you’ll need to stay in Cemoro Lawang, the tiny village nearest to Mount Bromo.
Cemoro Lawang is close enough that you can simply trek to the viewpoint for sunset. Then you can trek from the viewpoint across the sea of sand (ash) to the base and summit of Mount Bromo itself. This option is very cheap but will require ample time due to all the walking. Plus you’ll have to wake up fairly early to get to the viewpoint early enough to catch the sunrise.
If you decide to stay in Cemoro Lawang, the taxi there should cost between 200000 – 250000 IDR ($14.71 – $18.39). Once again, this is more economical with more people. If you arrive in Probolinggo in the morning, you may be able to catch the public bus, but these buses are sporadic and will only leave when the driver deems there are enough passengers. When you enter the national park area, there’s a government entrance fee of 22000 IDR ($16.18) for weekday entrance fee and 320000 IDR ($23.55) for weekend.
If you go with the jeep tour, they’re actually pretty cost effective. The jeep will take you very close to the viewpoint, across the sea of sand and to the base of Mount Bromo for 300000 – 350000 IDR ($22.07 – $25.75) if staying in Cemoro Lawang. If you’re staying in Probolinggo, it costs a little more at 400000 – 450000 IDR ($29.43 – $33.10). Both include pickup from your accommodations and the entrance fees to the park. This means that once you subtract the entrance fee from your transportation fee, the jeep costs only 100000 IDR ($7.35).
Getting Out
Well there’s a few options from here. If you only went to Mount Ijen, you can easily turn around and go back to Bali. If you’ve gone ahead to Mount Bromo, then I’m afraid you’ve reached the point of no return. It’s easier to catch a train from Probolinggo to Surabaya on the economy train which will set you back 70000-110000 IDR ($5.15 – $8.10) and two hours.
You can decide to explore the nice but rather bland city of Surabaya and eventually fly out from its international airport. Or you can book your flight out of Jakarta and continue further west into the rest of Java. The next big tourist stop after Surabaya is to continue into Central Java and to explore Mount Merapi. It’s easiest to visit Mount Merapi from the city of Yogykarta. The train from Surabaya to Yogykarta costs 150000 – 17000 IDR ($11.04 – $12.50) for the economy train and takes five hours. The executive train costs 320000 – 380000 IDR ($23.54 – $28) and also takes five hours.
Don’t miss out by staying on Bali. Get out there and explore Java!
Helpful Tips
- Bali airport is filled with the taxi mafia that are extremely pushy and will rip you off hard. Don’t rely on the taxi counter either. It’s best to prearrange a ride with your accommodations or know exactly how much it costs to get to your destination.
- While Uber and similar apps are not banned in Bali, the local mafia or taxi drivers will put up signs banning Uber in areas of the town. You may have to walk a couple blocks out of these areas to call your Uber.
- There are intercity shuttles on Bali. This is probably the cheapest way to get around Bali. Does not go to the airport though.
- Gili Islands has horse carriages. Be aware that these horses are treated very poorly, something to be aware of before giving them your patronage.
- Some miners in the Ijen Crater will try to sell tourists hunks of sulfur souvenirs for 10000-20000 IDR ($0.74 – $1.47). Honestly, it’s not a bad use of money to help out these miners.
- Try to get to the bottom of the crater before the miners start spraying water on the sulfur. They do this to harden the sulfur but it creates a lot of smoke that obscures the fire.
- Sidewalks are decrepit in many parts of Bali (especially in Ubud). Walking can be hazardous
Jehova starts with an I!
Oh and here’s one more picture of Ijen because I think the blue fire is really cool.
Until next time.