Tips for Mount Bromo on East Java Island

Firstly, some people might mistakenly think that Bali has Mount Bromo, but in fact, Mount Bromo is located on East Java Island next to Bali, and the island's charm is quite different from Bali! If you want to experience more of the primitive scenery, I suggest planning a trip directly to East Java Island. My friends and I made the mistake of thinking we could visit Bromo along with Bali, so we booked round-trip tickets to Bali first, which resulted in spending extra time on the road. Here's a rough outline of our itinerary: Day1: After arriving in Bali, take a flight to Surabaya, then a chartered driver will take us by car to the hotel Jiwa Java at the foot of Bromo (I highly recommend this one, it's close and the hotel environment is very good) Day2: Depart at 4 am, about a half-hour drive to the mountain range opposite Mount Bromo, climb for about 25mins to wait for the sunrise. Getting up too early is not necessary in my opinion, as it does get cold waiting for the sunrise, but if you want to secure a good photo spot, set off earlier according to the travel time and your needs. Coming down from the volcano around six o'clock, the driver will take us to the foot of the volcano, and it takes about 1 hour to hike up and down. I feel that anyone with some fitness can complete the journey, and the scenery along the way is also quite unique. We got back to the hotel around 9 am, rested a bit, and then went to Malang, which is about a 3-hour drive from Bromo. In Malang, we stayed at the Santaki hotel (very nice, the hotel's Spa is also very comfortable), the city of Malang has many coffee shops, and there are little cats, with a strong cultural atmosphere and a strong sense of life. Day3: Fly back to Bali and go to Uluwatu beach to sunbathe. In summary: If I have the chance, I would plan East Java Island as a separate destination for a trip, as there are many national parks, waterfalls, etc. on the island. However, it is worth noting that East Java Island is larger than Bali, and the attractions are far apart, so I recommend chartering a car for travel. Our chartered driver this time was very good at English, and chatting along the way didn't make the time seem long. Moreover, flying back from Surabaya to Bali, it became more apparent that Bali is more like a tourist island, with attractions that are quite run-down, and there are no big cities. But Surabaya and Malang are among the better-developed in Indonesia, with wider roads and better infrastructure. However, the downside is that the English proficiency rate in East Java Island is very low. In Bali, almost everyone can speak English, and they can even greet you in your language, but in East Java Island, except for high-end hotels, restaurants, and cities, most people do not speak English, which makes it inconvenient to travel between attractions, and in small towns and villages.