Colorful Indonesia with pristine nature and unique attractions has always attracted tourists. An incredibly attractive country, which includes more than 13 thousand islands of volcanic origin, has long become the standard of exotics. Here you can enjoy the views of magnificent temples, soak up the golden sand, go on exciting excursions, get acquainted with the original culture of the indigenous people. Indonesia is a wonderful place where a beach holiday is combined with an active holiday, which is very much appreciated by travelers.
Volcanoes of Indonesia
The largest archipelago in the world is located in the zone of tectonic faults, so there are so many volcanoes in a dormant state. They become a powerful magnet for everyone who gets acquainted with the landscapes of the state, full of bright colors.
Volcanoes are one of Indonesia 's main attractions, and walking tours on them are very popular. Many tourists traveling on a long journey dream of looking at the real hell.
Java National Park
In the east of the fifth largest island of the state is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, attracting visitors with devastating beauty. One of the most powerful and destructive natural phenomena that can destroy entire cities, delights with its special greatness.
The Bromo – Tengger – Semeru Java National Park is considered the most visited volcanic complex. Being a part of the mountain range, it is open at any time of the year, but it should be borne in mind that you can’t get here during the wet season (November – March) due to precipitation.
The climatic conditions of the park are far from resort: the average daily temperature does not exceed 20 degrees, and at night it drops to zero.
Indonesia's most popular volcano
It is here that the famous Bromo volcano is located, which tourists come from all over the world to watch. It is popular due to its easy accessibility and constant seismic activity. The top of the volcano is destroyed after another earthquake, and now a natural phenomenon with a disproportionately large crater diameter of 600 meters looks very strange.
Majestically rising above the terrain, Bromo volcano, whose height is 2379 meters, looks incredibly spectacular in the early morning and at sunset.
More than 25 thousand years ago at this place was a stratovolcano of conical shape, consisting of lava layers. After a strong earthquake, he lost his peak, which led to the formation of a sandy caldera (indentations in the vent). As a result of the destruction, an active volcano appeared, causing great interest not only tourists, but also scientists.
Sacrifices to the gods
At the foot of the giant live the Indians, who throw food, plants or even animals into the mouth of the sacred volcano to appease the gods. Since ancient times, Bromo volcano, surrounded by legends, is a place where various rituals were performed. For example, the Yadnya Kasada festival, designed to calm a natural phenomenon, lasts about a month, during which it is customary to offer sacrificial gifts and pray to Hindu gods, asking for a blessing.
This ritual originated in the 15th century in the east of the island of Java. The Bromo volcano was always seismically dangerous, and only daredevils descended to the vent during its activity.
Unique attraction - meeting of sunrise on Bromo
Tourists rush to the island to meet the sunrise on the edge of the crater, inside of which Bromo is located. This is such an incredible sight that it is remembered for a lifetime. Early in the morning, at about four in the morning, tourists wade through the sand formed as a result of constant eruptions and stretching for 10 kilometers. The surface, reminiscent of the moon valley, is amazing for its unusual appearance.
Tired travelers climb about a half-hour by a 300-meter staircase covered with a thick layer of ash, after which they occupy positions on the observation deck, from which the volcano is clearly visible. Here you can buy a bouquet of dried herbs from local residents and drop it into the crater to propitiate the giant.
In the middle of a lifeless sandy valley in the dark, outlines of steep cliffs resembling huge giants are visible. When the mist dissipates, the mighty Bromo volcano in Indonesia appears in all its glory, the slopes of which are devoid of green vegetation, and the frozen lava and ashes resemble landscapes of scorched deserts.
The birth of a new day
The timid rays of the sun breaking through the ridge enhance the play of light and shadow, and only the camera of the camera captures the amazing changes that occur in the folds of the slope of the volcano. Everything happens so swiftly that the human eye cannot follow the lightning-fast movement of the sun.
Light floods the entire valley, which is called the "sea of sand", leaving no chance of night darkness. A day is born, painting the mountains and the plain in golden tones. From the observation deck, this unforgettable sight looks at one go and captivates with unearthly views of the majestic beauty of nature. The landscape, which is more reminiscent of the screensaver of a science fiction film, leaves a lasting impression.
The huge crater itself can easily be walked around the perimeter in fifty minutes, and it’s breathtaking to walk along the edge of a living mountain. True, not all daredevils venture on such an adventure and are limited to being on the observation deck, photographing unique landscapes. As tourists admit, if you go down about forty meters in depth, you can see how white clouds of sulfur dioxide burst from the vent.
Hindu Temple and Tengger Village
At the foot of Bromo, the active Hindu temple Pura Luhur Poten Bromo is comfortably located in the open air, and even from early morning you can stop by. Sometimes it is covered with ashes, and it is dug up by local residents who believe that the dangerous monster is the entrance to the underworld.
At the edge of the caldera is the small village of Chemore Lavang, a very popular destination for travelers who have come to enjoy the nature of Java. The tenggers living here, who have preserved the Hindu way to this day, worship the deity and ask the Bromo volcano not to send lava of fire to the inhabitants.
From the village acquaintance with the landmark begins, so housing prices here are unusually high. Tourists who have been here say that the cost of one room in a hotel can exceed 100 thousand rupees (approximately 10 dollars). But due to the very good location of the village - on the very edge of the cliff, from where a magnificent view of the volcano opens up - no one suffers from a lack of tourists.
Volcano Bromo: how to get there?
A minibus runs through the city of Probolinggo, which will take you to the right place - the village of Cemoro Lawang, an hour's walk to the volcano. Transport sets off from a stop near the bus station, and the fare is 35-45 thousand rupees. Driving on serpentines of roads takes two hours.
To get to Probolingo, you can take a bus in Denpasar or Yogyart (11 hours), Malanga (2.5 hours). Those who wish to take the train will choose the starting point of the second largest city in Indonesia - Surabaya.
If tourists travel to the volcano from Bali, then their path passes through the port of Gilimanuk, located in the west of the island. The ferry that leaves for Java will travel about an hour, and from the final point - Ketapang - you will have to travel six hours by bus to the village of Chemore Lavang.
Travel Tips
You can visit the Bromo volcano in the dry season, which begins in May and ends in September.
Those who want to meet the dawn by the volcano need to take care of warm clothing, because it is very cold at the observation deck, blown by the winds. A face mask is also required, which will protect against ashes covering all roads and paths. Many even buy respirators. In addition, you will need a special case and lenses on the camera, so take care of this in advance.
Amazing pictures are also taken on a cloudless night, when the milky way sparkling with stars over the Bromo volcano is clearly visible. From the beauty of an amazing sight, the heart freezes, and a myriad of shining lights against a dark sky will remain in memory for a long time. It seems that the stars can be touched by hand.
You can hire a horse to climb the steep stairs, but you will have to go the last tens of meters to the crater yourself. Do not refuse the services of a guide who knows what places to go around, because every half hour a natural attraction throws out not only ashes, but also stones. Independent hike is associated with a share of risk.
To get to the volcano, you will have to pay a service fee (permit) in the national park - 220 thousand rupees. The price rises depending on the season and on weekends.
Strong eruption this year
Many scientists deal with the problems of natural phenomena, including traveler-researcher Oleg Kovtun. Bromo, the volcanoes of Ijen and Semeru have always been a concern of local residents, with fear listening to the tremors of the earth. Seismologists working in Indonesia warned of the danger in the summer, and in the fall a strong eruption of the formidable giant Bromo, the most dangerous volcano, has been constantly active for more than 20 years.
To date, residents of neighboring villages have prepared for evacuation, and tourists are forbidden to approach the crater in less than two kilometers. The huge column of ash rising above the volcano is a beautiful and at the same time frightening sight. A few months earlier, the monster was dusty and buzzing, scaring the indigenous population. The calmly smoking Bromo volcano, whose photo is now terrifying, exploded and turned into a fiend of hell.
Ijen Blue Lights
In Java, there are many fire-breathing giants, whose beauty fascinates tourists. The mighty volcanoes Bromo and Ijen have long been the hallmarks of the country, and foreigners who have heard about local attractions come to see them.
A trip to the Ijen volcano, which gave the name to the national park, is very popular. You can look inside the steaming giant and see a hot lake filled with sulfuric acid. Vapors of a hazardous substance do not allow you to stay here for a long time. Sometimes sulfur ignites, and then beautiful blue lights appear , which become the most striking sight.
As you probably already understood, coming to Java means leaving an indelible mark of involvement in amazing natural phenomena in your memory.