We constantly see smoke emerging from the crater and the rumbling sound never stops. That's the power of mother nature. Beautiful yet terrifying.
We set off at 4 in the morning, joining the long line of jeeps heading towards the viewpoint for the sunrise. We picked a location further away from the crater to avoid the crowd.
ABOVE: Everyone waited patiently in the cold to watch the magical sunrise at Mount Bromo.
It's freezing up at Mount Bromo but that doesn't dampen our enthusiasm of viewing the sunrise. It's so beautiful seeing the sun creeping through the dark skies and lighting up the crater. It's fascinating to see a town exists right beside the volcano.
ABOVE: There's a town right beside the crater.
ABOVE: Spectacular sunrise over the crater. People crowd around the famous spot nearest to the crater shown at the far right of the picture.
After the sun is up, we made our way down to the sea of sand. Horse rides are popular among tourists who wish to get to the craters edge but too tired or lazy to walk. Since we are here for a hike, we decided to walk instead of hailing the horses. Furthermore, some of the horses seemed overworked and were in terrible conditions.
ABOVE: Tourist riding a horse led by the horseman towards the craters edge.
The last hurdle before us and the crater was this long flight of steep stairs; plus the slower folks on it. It's just too long of a wait and we climbed by the side of the stairs which was much more strenuous due to the loose sand.
ABOVE: Last hurdle before the crater; The long flight of steep stairs.
Finally, we reached the crater of Mount Bromo. I love the texture of these deep lines leading right to the center of the crater. Smoke emerges from the crater and we could hear the rumbling sound generated from the activities inside the crater.
Some of the more adventurous tourists ventured further in around the crater. There is no proper path and is very treacherous. Thus, we dropped the idea and headed back down to our jeep.
ABOVE: The Crater
Here are some things to note if you are planing to hike Mount Bromo:
1. It is Cold Up on Mount Bromo
Coming from Singapore, a country that experiences sunshine and occasional rain all year round, temperature up on Mount Bromo is considered freezing for me. Do be prepared for the cold by layering a thermal shirt, a thick sweater, a warm jacket, beanie, scarf or bandana, gloves, a pair of jeans or hiking pants and hiking boots.
2. Bandana is Your Best Friend
It's my first time putting on a bandana and I was skeptical on how this tiny piece of cloth can be useful. However, during the hike the bandana was my most valued item. Firstly, it kept my ears, nose and neck warm from the bitter cold. Secondly, it can be used as a mask to protect against dust at the sea of sand. Lastly, it looks pretty damn cool!
ABOVE: Me with my bandana; exhausted from the hike, lack of sleep and I do not take the cold too well.
3. Bring Enough Drinking Water for the Hike
Bottled water might not be provided on the tour and the march to the crater can be exhausting. Thus, do bring enough drinking water for consumption.
4. Bring Extra Clothes
The sea of sand is extremely dusty and to make matters worse, hundreds of tour jeeps run there per day. The horses too kicked up a substantial amount of volcanic dust.
ABOVE: No idea what the sign is saying. I guess 'Welcome to Mount Bromo?' or 'Mount Bromo ahead?'
It's a wonderful experience being so close to the crater of an active volcano. I believe most of us would never thought of trying this but I am glad we did.
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