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Dang Doan Sang currently lives and works in Hanoi. His trip to Mount Bromo and Lake Kawah Ijen lasted four days, from May 2nd to 6th. In addition to those two locations, he also visited Bali, making his total trip to Indonesia a week-long journey.
"People often jokingly call Bromo and Ijen a 'couple' because tourists visiting Indonesia are usually taken on tours that include both of these places. Although they are part of a tour, these two locations are quite far apart, nearly 300 km, crossing many mountain passes and treacherous coastal roads, but in return, it's very interesting and allows you to admire the beautiful scenery in eastern Java," Doan Sang shared.
Sang's trip to Mount Bromo and Lake Kawah Ijen lasted four days, from May 2nd to 6th.
Mount Bromo - the wrathful fairy and a masterpiece of nature at the Kawah Ijen acid lake.
Mount Bromo, known as a popular tourist destination for trekking enthusiasts, is located within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in Indonesia, covering an area of approximately 800 square kilometers.2Despite its height of 2,392 meters, Bromo is not the highest volcano in Indonesia. However, it is a very attractive tourist destination in Indonesia, drawing visitors from all over the world due to its majestic natural scenery and the thrill of trekking an active volcano.
Mount Bromo is located in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, with an altitude of 2,329 m.
Beyond Mount Bromo, adventure tourism in Indonesia also boasts another equally captivating destination: Kawah Ijen, the world's largest acid lake. This is one of the most adventurous yet enchanting destinations, resembling a giant cup of acid situated in the crater of Mount Ijen between the Bondowoso and Banyuwangi plateaus in eastern Java, Indonesia.
Lake Kawah Ijen is located at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level, has a depth of up to 200 meters, and contains up to 36 million cubic meters of water.3Acid. The lake's surface is a stunning turquoise color, further enhanced by a thick layer of white smoke, creating a mysterious and magical atmosphere.
In Kawah Ijen, visitors should choose to stay at a homestay at the foot of the mountain so they can go trekking early the next morning to watch the sunrise.
Lake Kawah Ijen has a distinctive turquoise color and is shrouded in white mist year-round.
There are two ways to tour these locations. One is to go to Bromo first by flying to Denpasa airport, then traveling by car to the Bromo volcano for the experience. Afterward, continue to Ijen acid lake. The second way, the Sang group chose to fly to Bali airport, then travel by car and ferry from Bali to Java. Visit Ijen lake first and explore Bromo the following day.
"My challenge in conquering Bromo and Ijen was the long journey; it took 6 hours by car to reach Ijen. From Ijen, it was another 9 hours to Bromo, and then another 2 hours by jeep to reach the campsite, where we spent the night in the harsh cold," said Doan Sang.
The trekking routes in Bromo and Ijen are quite challenging.
The difficulty of this trip also lies in the walking distance. In Bromo, you have to cross a hot, dusty desert for about 2 km, then climb another 250 steps to reach the summit. In Ijen, you have to hike about 4 km up a steep path to reach the lake; many tourists who couldn't hike had to hire rickshaws from the locals to get there. Finally, because both Bromo and Ijen are over 2000 meters high and are volcanoes, you will find it difficult to breathe due to low oxygen levels and the unpleasant smell of SO2 and H2S gases, and many tourists couldn't tolerate it and had to descend the mountain.
“I had an impressive experience at Ijen Acid Lake when I took photos on the rocky outcrop. It's jokingly called the Titanic outcrop because it juts out into the lake like the bow of a ship. After queuing for over 15 minutes, it was my turn to go down and take pictures. As soon as I stepped down, I was greeted with cheers from tourists all over the world saying things like: wow, amazing, supermodel… and then everyone else cheered the same way, making the atmosphere at the lake very cheerful. Even though people had to queue for a long time to take pictures, they didn't feel tired and were very civilized,” Đoàn Sang recounted.
Because both Bromo and Ijen are located above 2000 meters and are volcanoes, you will find it difficult to breathe due to low oxygen levels, and the smell from SO2 and H2S gases is very unpleasant. Many tourists cannot tolerate it and have to leave the mountain immediately.
The most memorable experience at Mount Bromo was spending the night at the campsite to watch the sunrise over the mountain. During the day, the temperature was quite high, but at night it dropped suddenly and became terribly cold, only about 7-8 degrees Celsius. Lying on the ground, even with a thermal blanket and warm clothing and a sleeping bag, Doan Sang still felt the cold to the bone. However, when he woke up in the morning and the sun rose, he was able to admire the majestic volcano slowly emerging from the sea of clouds – a truly breathtaking sight.
What should Vietnamese tourists keep in mind when visiting these two destinations?
Doan Sang advises tourists to choose guided tours instead of independent travel to these two locations. With a guided tour, you'll have a local guide who will help you buy tickets, provide flashlights, gas masks, and water, and accompany you throughout the trekking trip to ensure safety. They will also inform you of prohibited behaviors, things to avoid, and help you avoid being overcharged when buying souvenirs.
In Kawah Ijen, visitors should choose to stay at a homestay at the foot of the mountain so they can trek early the next morning to watch the sunrise. The best time for taking photos on the mountain is from 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM when the sun rises. After this time, the sun becomes quite strong, and the wind intensifies the smell of hydrogen sulfide, making visitors feel uncomfortable. After 8:00 AM, there will be no one left on the mountain, and entrance fees stop at 12:00 PM. The mountain is completely closed at 4:00 PM.
Lake Kawah Ijen is located at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level, with a depth of up to 200 meters.
Bromo and Ijen are both sacred mountains in the eyes of the locals, and we should show a certain degree of reverence and respect when visiting them.
In Bromo, visitors should choose to camp overnight at the viewpoint to fully admire the sea of clouds and the volcano at sunrise – a million-dollar view.
If you're staying in homestays at the foot of the mountain, you can start driving up to the sunrise viewing spot at 3 AM, but you risk traffic jams once you get there due to many cars traveling at the same time, while the mountain pass road is quite narrow, only wide enough for two cars to pass each other. And once you arrive, you'll have to jostle and queue to get the best views, and you might miss the opportunity to capture rare photos.
Doan Sang added that Indonesia is a Muslim country with a strong spiritual tradition; you'll find temples or shrines approximately every 100 meters. Bromo and Ijen are both sacred mountains in the eyes of the locals, and we should show a certain degree of respect and reverence when visiting them.
"Both destinations are located in East Java, an area with a large Muslim population, so pork is not served there. You can try the fried chicken rice at Tien restaurant at the foot of Mount Ijen, which is quite good. At the foot of Mount Bromo, there are many affordable eateries serving buffet-style rice with Indonesian-style grilled pork skewers or fried eggs, tofu, and duck meat at very reasonable prices, around 30,000 Indonesian Rupiah (approximately 47,000 VND) per person," Đoàn Sang said.
Both of these destinations are located in East Java, an area with a large Muslim population, so pork will not be served there.
