Gunung Bromo: Visit a Smoking Volcano in Indonesia

One look at smoking Gunung Bromo—otherwise known as Mount Bromo—and you will understand why the majestic volcano in Tosari, Indonesia, on the island of Java, is named in honor of the Hindu god of creation, Brahma. Mount Bromo is one of the world’s most captivating active volcanoes. Surrounded by a sea of black sand and ringed by four towering craters, a visit to Mount Bromo will make you feel as though you have traveled to a distant planet.

The best time to view Mount Bromo is at sunrise. A pink and peach sunrise shrouded in volcanic smoke is a truly mystical sight. Several tour companies offer rugged Jeep tours that depart at 3:30 a.m. Visitors ride on a winding mountain road to a designated Sunrise Viewpoint on Mount Bromo. Most tours include a 40-minute hike up to Mount Bromo’s mesmerizing smoking crater. If you’re adventurous, you can choose to ascend Mount Bromo on horseback or on a motorbike.

Mount Bromo visitors are often awed by the sight of the smoke-shrouded Pura Luhur Poten Hindu temple. Pura Luhur Poten was constructed out of black volcanic rock near the edge of the Bromo caldera by the Tenggerese people who live in mountain villages in East Java. Pura Luhur Poten is an active temple, so it is not uncommon to see worshippers saying prayers to deities that are associated with the volcano or casting offerings of rice, fruit, or flowers into Mount Bromo.

Mount Bromo is part of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, which is home to five volcanoes, the Tengger Sand Sea, and Mount Semeru—the highest mountain in Java. Aside from Mount Bromo, the Madakaripura Waterfall is one of the national park’s most enchanting sights. A thundering column waterfall bursting with green foliage is a stark contrast to Mount Bromo’s lunar landscape.

Several tour companies offer tours that explore Mount Bromo and provide participants the opportunity to view Madakaripura Waterfall. Onlookers generally get wet standing in close proximity to Madakaripura, so it is best to wear waterproof clothing and make sure that your cell phone and other valuables are protected while you’re in the splash zone. You can rent a raincoat, a phone protector, and flip-flops at the entrance to Madakaripura Waterfall.

If you’re a volcano lover, a trip to Mount Bromo is an absolute must. There are few things more exhilarating than standing on the rim of a steaming volcano.