Today we were picked up on time at 11 o’clock by our guide Yudhi and our driver from our hotel in Surabaya. In front of us was a four-day tour through East Java to Bali.
Table of contents
Our tour provider for Java
We had actually booked a tour through Java from home before the start of the world tour. However, our then selected private guide has not come forward now, after we had written to him a week before the tour started regarding the last details.
So we had to find a new agency for a similar tour in the last few days. And that wasn’t that easy. In the end, however, we found an agency with Java Exotica, which was able to design and offer the program exactly according to our wishes. In addition to visiting Mount Bromo, Ijen Crater and Turtle breeding station in Sukamada was and among other things important to be taken to our hotel in Bali at the end of the tour.
The stages of our 4-day tour of Java
The itinerary of our 4-day tour of Java
In the end, we identified the following tour planning with the agency Java Exotica and paid a price of 360 € per person including the final transfer to Bali.
Day 1 Wednesday (27 May 2015) : Surabaya – Probolinggo (Madakaripura and Bromo Area)
Our staff will pick up you from the Hotel around 11.00 noon (Fave Hotel Surabaya) by name board and moving towards the Probolinggo Village where Madakaripura Waterfall and Bromo located. The journey will take around 4 hours depends on traffic and in the middle you will stop for having lunch at local restaurant (if necessary). Arrive to the Waterfall, you’ll guiding by local guide (also the guide from us) to walk around 1 KM, cross the river to reach the Waterfall. Enjoy the fresh scenery and you can fall the sensation of this unique waterfall. Before dark, around 5 PM, you should back to the parking area, because this place will be close. Journey will continue to Cemoro Lawang, the last village of Bromo (top) around 1 hour. Arrived to the hotel, and stay for 1 Night.
Day 2 Thursday (28 May 2015) : Bromo Sunrise – move to Banyuwangi Village
At 03:00 morning, our guide, will be guiding you to the top of Mt. Penanjakan 1 (view point of Sunrise) by using 4 WD car. The journey will be around 50 minutes. When we arrive, we’ll stop at Kingkong Hills. Why we don’t stop at Penanjakan 1, because it’s to crowded by another tourist. You will not see the sunrise but headrise. So that’s why I tell you first, better for us stop at Kingkong Hills, the distance only 500 meters (from Penanjakan 1 to Kingkong Hills) and has same altitude level. So don’t worry if you will enjoy this place with a few people because only several people know this place. Afterward, we’ll move back to Bukit Cinta (Love Hills) to see Bromo Mt. from another side. Then we’ll move to Sea of sand, the largest volcanic sand of Bromo Mt. (10 KM square). The car will be stop at the parking area, and you will use the horse to reach Bromo. Horse will walk around 1 KM, and stop at the horse parking, and you just continue walk by foot passing the upstairs to reach the top of Bromo. Around 08.00 AM, we’ll move back by the 4 WD car, to the hotel to get some breakfast. Exactly at 10:00 morning we should check out. Then take a shower, packing, and we’ll move to Banyuwangi Village for 6-7 hours depends on traffic, during at the way, we’ll stop for lunch.
Around at 04:00 evening you’ll have arrived to the hotel Ketapang Indah, and you can relax there. Prepare your self for Ijen Blueflame which starts at 01:00 midnight.
Day 3 Friday (29 May 2015) Ijen Crater Blueflame, move to Sukamade Beach
At 01.00 AM, our guide will accompany you to the small villages Licin and it will take around 75 minutes driving. Arrive to the parking area, you will continue the trip trekking for 3 KM and take the time around 90 minutes until arrive to the top of Ijen Crater. From this view point, you will see the blueflame coming out from the sulfur spot. Our guide will guide you to coming down to see blueflame closely (depends if the condition and situation is possible or not). You can also see the miners, the strongest man in the world, carry the sulfur from the crater until check point around 70 KG. If you want to take picture with these guys, do it quickly don’t make until they stop. If they stop, they will ask you for small money. Afterward, the 4WD will bring down back to the hotel, and during the way you can see the coffe and cloves plantation. Exaclty at 12.00 AM, check out from the hotel, and continue driving around 4 hours (depends on traffic) to the Sukamade Beach by using 4 WD. Arrive to the Sukamade and stay for1 night at the lodge. After dinner around 07.00 PM, the 4WD car will accompany you to the beach and the ranger will guide you to see the sea turtle come and lay eggs (journey around 45 minutes). The sea turtle ussualy starts coming at 07.00 PM until 12.00 AM. Afterward, back to the lodge and take a rest.
Day 4 Friday (30 May 2015) : Sukamade (Release Baby Turtles) – Green Bay – Transfer to Bali (Candidasa)
Breakfast will be start at the morning 05:30 AM, then we direct to check out, and move back again to the beach to release the baby turtle (10 turtles). Then, we’ll back to leave Sukamade Beach, to Green Bay. Here you will little bit trekking around 1 KM, and enjoy the exotic white sand beach, and clean water (green color). You can relax here just for refresh, or swim. Afterward, back again to the car, and move to Banyuwangi City for 3-4 hours. At the meeting point, you’ll change the car from 4 WD car to city car, and we’re ready to cross from Java to Bali. To cross by Fery around 1 hours, and from Western city of Bali Island to your hotel it’s about 6-7 hours (depends on traffic). You can stop anytime if you want if you wanna take some picture, or just stop for lunch. Arrived to the hotel, finish tour programs, thank you, and goodbye! 🙂
Included:
– Pick up service from Surabaya & transfer out to Bali Island
– 4D 3N city car (Toyota Avanza / Daihatsu Xenia) + Driver and fuel
– 1 Unit 4WD car for Bromo adventure
– 1 Unit 4WD car for Ijen adventure
– Free 2 items Professional Gas Mask for Ijen and Bromo
– Horse Riding at Bromo for 2 persons
– Great, Parking area
– 1 Unit 4 WD car for Sukamade Adventure (2D 1N)
– 1 N stay at Bromo Hotel (Bromo Permai hotel : confirmed)
– 1 N stay at Ijen Area (Hotel Ketapang Indah : confirmed)
– 1 N stay at Sukamade Lodge : confirmed
– All entrance ticket for International Visitors
– Full day English Speaking guide 4 D 3 N
– Ranger (local guide for Sukamade Turtle Breeding)
– Local Guide for Madakaripura Waterfall
– Donation for Sukamade Foundation
– Fery Fare from Java cross to Bali
– Daily Breakfast and daily mineral water during the tour
– Fresh fruit and Dinner 2 persons for Sukamade Lodge
– Insurance cover for tourist place
The figures on the Sidoarjo mud volcano
Our destination today was Cemoro Lawang, the last place at the gates of Mount Bromo.
On the way there we made a short stop at the sidoarjo mud volcano (Sidoarjo Mud Flow). In 2006, a volcanic mud eruption occurred near an oil well. The mud soared up to 50 metres and reached temperatures of 100 °C. The eruption continues to this day and has now formed a crater 60 metres in diameter and a sludge height of 15 metres. Under the mud layer are several houses buried by the mud slide. The reasons for the eruption are an earthquake and an oil well. So far, there is no clear explanation.
Figures were erectedon the hardened mud in memory of the disaster that left 14 dead and 40,000 homeless.
The Madakaripura Waterfall
The next stop was the Madakaripura waterfall in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park. In total you can see seven waterfalls here. From the parking lot you walk about 1 km along the river before you get to the waterfall. Here you can see smaller waterfalls again and again. Shortly before the end of the gorge you have to cross the river to get to the big waterfall. In the gorge several waterfalls fall down here, so that you get completely wet. Our raincape was more than useful. At the end you stand in a deep gorge, where the water plunges from up to 200 meters into the depth. Due to the constant spray, however, photography is almost impossible.
Our Hotel mount Bromo
Around 4 p.m. we made our way back and arrived 1.5 hours later in the small village of Cemoro Lawang. Cemoro Lawang is located at an altitude of 2217 meters northeast of the Bromo volcano.
Here we stayed in the Bromo Permai Hotel. The rooms are quite simply furnished and not so clean. The sheets have also been very spotty. For one night it’s ok, we wouldn’t want to stay here any longer. Especially since it also smelled permanently for faeces. Hot water for showering is available, but you can only choose between boiling hot and ice-cold – there is unfortunately no middle thing. Wifi is available for free in the lobby – it works better sometimes worse. The associated restaurant is good, dishes are available there from 30,000 IDR, which are also tasty. Breakfast was included in the price. There was a small buffet of rice, pasta, omelette and toast, which was fine.
Since we start our tour to Mount Bromo at 3 o’clock in the morning tonight, we only ate something quickly and then went to bed.