24 hours to conquer the legendary Bromwich Albion.

In Lawang village

After two long flights with lengthy layovers, we landed at Surabaya airport and began our exploration of Indonesia. After visiting places like Bodobudour Temple, Prammaban Temple, and Tumpak Sewu Waterfall, we took a bus to Probolinggo town, stayed overnight, and then set off early the next morning for Cemoro Lawang village.

We chose to travel by minibus – those small, old, green and red buses. The minibus fare system was funny: they would only depart at 35,000 rp per ticket once they had 15 passengers. If you waited too long and still didn't have enough passengers, the driver would try to persuade you to split the fare among you to reach 500,000 rp per trip. That morning, we waited quite a while, even after lunch, and only found four people waiting for the bus. So the driver negotiated with us to go for 500,000 rp for four people, which is 125,000 rp per ticket.

Cemoro Lawang is a small village located at the foot of Mount Bromo. It's the closest point to explore Bromo. Upon reaching Lawang, the air became colder despite the sunny weather. Even in the middle of June, we had to wear many layers of clothing, scarves, and socks at night because the temperature was so low.

In the afternoon in Lawang village, we strolled around the town and then went up to a viewpoint overlooking the entire valley. We chose a spot, drank a glass of apple juice, and waited for a few rare moments of sunset over the volcano. The sun set very quickly, only briefly illuminating the valley below before quickly disappearing behind the mountain range. By about 4 pm, half the valley was already devoid of sunlight. The heart of the Bromo volcano continuously spewed huge plumes of smoke into the sky. Whenever the afternoon sun shone obliquely on the smoke, it glowed with an hauntingly beautiful pink hue.

As the sun set, I felt a chill. A wave of white clouds swept across the small village of Lawang, drifting behind the green and red houses. I hoped to witness the most spectacular moments of Mount Bromo tomorrow morning.

That evening, we went to admire the Milky Way, sitting in the cool night air under a sky filled with tiny, twinkling stars. Wonderful things are always there. Amidst the wildness and boundless expanse of nature, humans become small and find their everyday despair and petty selfishness fading away.

In Java,

There are 38 volcanoes, arranged horizontally from west to east. Within this volcanic complex, Bromo is the youngest and safest volcano in the area. At only 2,329 meters high, Bromo is not the tallest but is one of the most famous, attracting a large number of tourists visiting Indonesia. The mountain is located within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. The name Bromo originates from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu creator god. Bromo's most recent eruption in early 2011 caused the closure of several airports in the region.

A strange sunrise

Sleep was a mix of exhaustion and excitement. We barely dozed off before the alarm clock rang. At 3 a.m., the driver came to our room, knocked on the door, and urged us to get in. The jeep took us on an exhilarating journey. Even in the darkness, we could clearly see the lines of jeeps with their flickering lights circling the sandy desert. It truly was a sandy desert, with stretches of road shrouded in swirling white dust, like a thick fog. The mountain pass suddenly became narrow and cramped with the jostling of cars and people. Reaching King Kong View was when we got out of the jeep and hiked a short distance further to await the sunrise at the legendary Bromo.

Many people were there, sitting quietly, waiting. Every now and then, they would impatiently stand up, look around, and take a few pictures in the dim light. Some were puffing on cigarettes, others were playing music, and some were huddled in thin scarves. What is it about sunrise that so many people pursue? What is it about this moment that so many people tirelessly wait for? We didn't know the answer! Simply because it's a beautiful thing that is so rare to witness and experience. Amidst the scene of a smoking volcano, the morning mist embraced the hillsides where the village of Lawang had awakened to a stream of people hunting for the sunrise. People sat anxiously waiting and hoping to welcome the most beautiful, purest, and most radiant rays of the new day.

Sunrises on any mountain are beautiful and moving. But at Bromo, it was a different feeling. The crater billowed with pink smoke as the sun shone on it. My mouth, however, crunched with dust and sand, even though I was wearing a mask. That moment was sacred and deeply moving. Everything lit up together. The mountain lit up. The ground lit up. The mist rose and dissipated into nothingness. The blonde hair of the strange girl shone with a mesmerizing color. My companion's eyes, too, lit up with fresh, new emotions. To live through such a magnificent sunrise is truly worth living, truly a blessing!

The "sleepyhead" legend

As soon as dawn broke over Mount Bromo, we quickly climbed back into our jeep to get closer to the summit. The road was amazing; the sun had risen, making the mountain pass descending into the sandy desert a magical sight. Sunlight streamed through the trees, reflected in the rearview mirror, and through the car windows, the sky and the majestic cluster of volcanoes were clearly visible.

And then a vast valley of volcanic dust appeared before us. It felt as if wisps of mist were drifting right up to our faces. But it wasn't mist or clouds; it was sand, tiny specks of dust. I'd certainly never seen so much dust in my life! Then, caravans of horses galloped along, kicking up dust wherever they went. The slanted sunlight only added to the sensation.

To climb to the crater rim and witness the sulfurous smoke plumes firsthand, we had to cross a sea of ​​black sand as the sun was rising high. The valley was nestled between mountain ranges. The walk on the sand was a worthwhile experience. Even with socks and shoes on, our feet were completely black, sand clinging to every crevice. It took about 45 minutes to reach the crater rim – not a very long distance, but incredibly tiring under the sun and dust. We were shivering earlier, but now it was unbearably hot. Climbing another steep flight of stairs meant we had finally reached our goal. We let out a sigh of relief and quietly admired the breathtaking scenery!

Ahead lay the deep, round, cavernous basin of Mount Bromo. It seemed still half-asleep, reluctantly taking a few ragged breaths before finally rising in a massive plume of smoke, as if to intimidate and assert itself. The pungent, sulfurous smell was truly unpleasant! But everything—from the deep, steep depths of the volcano to this indescribable odor, and the vast expanse of gray ash and sand all around—was etched into my mind as an unforgettable memory.

Behind me lies a vast valley of gray dust, swirling up like a thin mist. The mountain slopes are gently sloping, fractured, and barren. Each slope forms a wave, the light reflecting off its distinctive and mysterious form.

And perhaps the most beautiful part of Bromo, for me, is the precarious slope clinging to the edge of the cliff. Every step, every person passing by is filled with emotion. When you come here, be brave and take a walk around this majestic crater; occasionally you'll hear Bromo hissing or emitting loud explosions.

So, there's another mountain to climb on our journey of befriending mountains.

Additional information

Trip:Currently, there are direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Indonesia, or you can choose to fly from Hanoi and have a layover in Singapore or Malaysia.

Skin:Bali has a tropical climate, hot year-round like Ho Chi Minh City, so you only need to bring practical, comfortable summer clothes. Don't forget to bring long skirts and long pants because all temples and pagodas in Bali strictly prohibit wearing short or revealing clothing. You can buy sarongs – a traditional Indonesian wrap skirt – when visiting temples and pagodas. But if you want to explore Mount Bromo at night or early in the morning, you should prepare enough warm clothes, scarves, hats, socks, and especially thick face masks.

Money:The exchange rate is approximately 1 rupiah (IDR/rp) to 1.7 dong. It's advisable to exchange money at a bank to avoid the risks often encountered at private exchange points, and to exchange money in advance because places that do offer currency exchange are rare, and if they do, the exchange rate is very low.

Other destinations:It's a good idea to combine a visit to Bromo and Lake Ijen as they are relatively close. Additionally, this itinerary includes the beautiful Tumpak Sewu and Madakaripura waterfalls. You can visit all four locations in this order: Tumpak Sewu – Bromo – Madakaripura – Ijen

Estimated cost: Round-trip airfare is approximately 5-8 million VND, depending on when you book. When undertaking this trip, you can either buy a tour from a local or travel independently, but it's advisable to research thoroughly. A tour provided by a local costs around 900,000 - 1,200,000 RRP and will cover all four locations, including accommodation and transportation.

Hanh My - Huy Hoa