Bromo Ijen Tour Review: From Surabaya or Malang, Is It Worth It?

Thinking about doing the Bromo Ijen tour in Indonesia? More or less, it’s a classic trip for adventure lovers in East Java. That said, most folks start this excursion from either Surabaya or Malang. Really, the big question is if this whirlwind adventure lives up to the hype, considering it’s rather tiring and could be a bit expensive, actually. What I intend to do here is walk you through my experiences and give you some info so you can make a better choice about adding it to your travel plans.

What to Expect From a Bromo Ijen Tour

Alright, first things first, it’s a pretty demanding agenda. To be honest, you’re looking at two full days of activity, including lots of driving and very early wake-up calls, too. First, most tours start with a pickup from your Surabaya or Malang lodging. By the way, you’ll probably be driven toward Mount Bromo. It’s almost certain you will arrive late at night, rest a bit, and then wake up super early—like around 3 AM—to catch the sunrise over Bromo, that’s a given.

Mount Bromo is super famous for its scenery, more or less with its sea of volcanic sand and that view into the steaming crater, like something straight out of a movie, isn’t it? After that, you get driven over to Ijen, with another nighttime arrival and just a short nap before heading out, this time for the Ijen crater. Now, this hike is known to be challenging because it’s quite steep and rocky, and very dark. It’s worth it when you finally see that Blue Fire, that’s for sure—it is this surreal, glowing-blue flame caused by sulfuric gas, I mean who wouldn’t want to see it. Also, folks often stay to witness the sunrise at Ijen too, with that otherworldly turquoise lake. I’ll tell you what, seeing it makes all the effort feel totally justified. In that case, the tour wraps up with a transfer back to either Surabaya or Malang.

Starting Point: Surabaya Versus Malang

So, there’s often talk about whether beginning from Surabaya or Malang makes more sense. To be honest, Surabaya, that it is a bigger city with an airport, seems to be the more convenient choice, specifically for international travelers. On the other hand, Malang, it’s often appreciated for its cooler weather and that relaxed vibe. Also, it’s actually closer to Bromo, meaning a bit less travel time on the initial day, like your ride will be easier in some respects.

Now, depending on your travel preferences, either starting location could actually work fine. If you need ease of access and airport connections, it’s almost like Surabaya might just be better. That is unless you are after starting closer to the mountains and prefer that relaxed feel, then Malang might fit you better. So I think that picking is a decision more or less on your personal wants.

Highlight: The Blue Fire of Ijen

One of the things people want to see on this whole trip is the Blue Fire in Ijen. Right? When darkness falls, you get to see these neon blue flames dance around, actually. Really, it’s a rare sight, occurring when sulfuric gases from the volcano come into contact with the air and ignite, too. In general, tourists have to hike down into the crater late at night and it is rocky and hard going. The hike actually goes straight down, that can be brutal to begin with. You’re going to need a mask because the sulfur smell is kind of intense, too. So if you decide to walk a different path it can be really unpleasant.

But seeing the Blue Fire up close? Almost, that’s an unforgettable memory, I can say that for sure, anyway. The flames illuminate the dark landscape with this magical light, making the hardship kind of feel insignificant at the end, right? It’s usually an out-of-this-world kind of moment that makes all those very early starts and strenuous trekking totally worthwhile, it is as a matter of fact.

Things to Consider Before Booking

Anyway, before you hit ‘book’ on a tour, here are some important things to consider. Typically, you really want to look into the physical strain needed for these journeys. By the way, climbing Mount Bromo is not difficult; anyone can get up there. By contrast, that trek to Ijen is rough and needs a good bit of fitness. I mean, you should feel comfy walking on uneven, uphill trails and be okay with climbing in the dark, that sort of thing. Is that something you can handle?

You want to know what is included in the costs of any tour. More or less, some include every entrance fees, accommodation, and food, but many could be a bit different. Make sure you understand what’s part of the deal so you don’t end up with unwanted costs later on, is that understood? Besides, read reviews about tour providers to check how they stack up in being reliable, secure, and just decent to travel alongside. This will actually have an effect on if your vacation is enjoyable. I will suggest taking extra clothes as mornings are very freezing. In my own experience gloves were needed. At the very least a warmer jacket should make this enjoyable. As it is, weather should have some effect in what you finally experience on these tours. One final thing I want you to factor is any health factors you may face. Having breathing conditions can easily be irritated due to sulfur gas produced from the mountains, like allergies may not get along with the landscape too, or something like that. I would take consultations beforehand, just for extra security measures in case anything happens during the tour to ease your experience with your travels in this region.

Is the Bromo Ijen Tour Worth It?

At the end of the day, so whether the Bromo Ijen tour is “worth it” is kind of a subjective thing. To be honest, for me, that amazing feeling when seeing that Ijen Blue Fire, that glorious sun rising at Bromo, and witnessing those unusual landscapes, that more or less justified all the difficulty and those very early mornings, basically. Yet, I won’t fail to remember these experiences since you might be worn out for days once the tour, in reality. In that case, if you are the sort that looks for easy traveling without excessive effort. Perhaps, the amount of walking or hiking included with this tour isn’t suitable to you and therefore this trip will feel less enjoyable or exciting for you.

So, that it is for adventure lovers and those who appreciate the reward in the unusual, this trip may stay with you for good reason. Right then, I mean, it has been an incredible choice. Then again, make sure that you come knowing about any troubles, decide the place that most closely fits where you wish to go and have all security measure in place beforehand so there is less concern and extra pleasure in being alongside one the most breathtaking parts in Indonesia.

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