If you love hiking, immersive nature, and getting up close with wildlife, East Java deserves a spot at the very top of your travel bucket list. We recently wrapped up an unforgettable 6-day journey through the region’s most surreal landscapes and unique stays.
Here is a quick snapshot of our itinerary, followed by the complete day-by-day breakdown of our adventure.
The quick snapshot-
Day 1: Sunday (12th July): The Long Journey to the Edge of Ijen
📌 Arrival & Connectivity Pro-Tips:
- Visa on Arrival (VOA): The VOA costs IDR 1,028,000 for two people (valid for 30 days). Keep exact cash ready to avoid airport hiccups. Once you land, head straight to the VOA counter. They will check your passport, take your cash, and issue a document with a QR code. Take this document straight to the immigration counter to get your passport stamped.
- Stay Connected: We bought a Roam e-SIM via Shopee beforehand. It gave us high-speed 5G data for 7 days for just SGD 5.85—highly recommended for seamless navigation and updates.
Day 2: Monday (13th July): The Grueling Ijen Climb & A Acidic Turquoise Wonder
At midnight, we set off for Kawah Ijen (Ijen Geopark). The park is typically open from 2:00 AM to 12:00 PM, but trekking tours start in the dead of night for one specific reason: to catch a glimpse of the world-famous Ijen Blue Flame.
This incredibly rare phenomenon occurs when high-purity sulfuric gases escape volcanic cracks at high pressure and extreme temperatures (anywhere from 360°C to 600°C). When these gases ignite upon contact with oxygen, they flare up into electric-blue flames reaching up to 5 meters high. As the gas condenses into a liquid state while still burning, it streams down the mountain, creating the breathtaking illusion of glowing blue lava. Ijen is the largest and most accessible blue flame site in the world. Because it is completely invisible by daylight, you have to catch it before 4:30 AM.
The Trek Mechanics
Distance: A steady, moderately difficult 3 km uphill walk from the starting point (Paltuding Post) to the crater rim.
Elevation Gain: A climb of about 500 meters, taking us from 2,386m up to nearly 2,800m above sea level.
The Descent: A steep, narrow, 45-minute path composed of large boulders and loose rubble with no handrails, leading down into the crater itself.
Safety Gear: A high-quality sulfur gas mask is strictly mandatory due to the dense, toxic fumes.
The trail features 6 clear checkpoints on the way up, which served as great milestones to keep us motivated. We successfully made it to the top of the crater rim by 4:00 AM. However, looking down at the near-vertical drop of loose rocks in the pitch black, we decided not to risk the descent into the crater. With the blue flames beginning to fade for the night and the path looking incredibly hazardous, we chose safety and saved our energy for the next view.
As the clock struck 5:00 AM, the sky began to break, and we walked toward the sunrise viewpoint overlooking the crater lake.
Kawah Ijen holds the title for the world’s largest highly acidic crater lake. Spanning a kilometer wide and dropping 200 meters deep, its stunning turquoise water carries a pH level below 0.5 (similar to battery acid)—strong enough to dissolve metal. Watching the sun rise over this unreal, vibrant basin after a freezing, breathless night of climbing was a spiritual experience. It was easily the most insanely beautiful and breathtaking sight I have ever witnessed.
We made our descent back to the base with our guide, reaching the bottom around 8:00 AM. Utterly exhausted with "dead legs," we collapsed into the back seat of the car and slept soundly while Sulaiman drove us two hours back to the hotel. After a quick shower, a takeaway breakfast we barely had the energy to eat, and a fast check-out, we hit the road at noon for a 3.5-hour drive to our hotel near Mount Bromo.
The climate here was beautifully crisp and cool, reminiscent of Manali, India. We spent the entire evening sleeping, resting up for yet another midnight departure.
📌 Ijen Hiking Pro-Tips:
Know Your Fitness: Go only if you have a decent baseline of fitness. If you are a beginner, save your energy by hiring a local "human taxi" (humorously nicknamed Lamborghini or Ferrari by the locals) to pull you up to the crater rim, leaving you fresh for the downhill walking.
Gear Up: Sturdy hiking shoes, a reliable headlamp, and proper sulfur gas masks are absolute essentials.
Hydration & Energy: You don't need to overpack water; small local stalls line the trail selling drinks and hot coffee—perfect for a quick sugar rush if the cold and elevation drop your blood pressure.
Location Matters: Try to book accommodation as close to the Ijen starting point as possible. Staying two hours away dramatically cut into our sleep and added to our fatigue.
Day 3: Tuesday (14th July): The "Great Wall" of Bromo & The Roaring Crater
Our alarms buzzed at 3:30 AM. Today’s target was Mount Bromo, located inside the massive 50,276-hectare Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. The park is legendary for the Tengger Sand Sea—a vast, 10-kilometer desert-like volcanic caldera that cradles Mount Bromo, Mount Batok, and the volatile Mount Semeru (the highest peak in Java).
Sulaiman drove us for 30 minutes before transferring us to a private 4WD Jeep, which tackled the rugged terrain for another 50 minutes to reach the parking area for Seruni Point on Mount Penanjakan. Often called the "Great Wall of Bromo," Seruni Viewpoint sits at an altitude of 2,400 meters.
From the Jeep drop-off, we tackled a paved incline followed by a 256-step staircase equipped with handrails and shaded resting spots. Compared to Ijen, this felt like a breeze! Temperatures dropped to a chilly 0°C - 5°C, but the small coffee stalls along the steps kept us warm.
By 5:00 AM, the sun began to paint the sky. The view from the top is spectacular beyond words. We stood transfixed, looking out at the perfect peaks of Mount Batok and the active, belching Mount Semeru, which dramatically spews ash into the sky every 30 minutes.
After soaking in the sunrise, we headed back to the Jeep and drove down directly into the Sea of Sand. The morning light was spectacular for photography, casting dramatic shadows against the volcanic backdrop.
Next came the final stretch to the active Bromo crater. We hired horses to carry us across the dusty, windswept volcanic plains, taking us halfway up the mountain right to the foot of the crater staircase.
To peer into the belly of the volcano, you must climb a steep flight of roughly 250 concrete steps. We arrived at the base around 7:00 AM and took slow, deliberate breaks as we climbed to the top.
Right on the rim sits an ancient Ganesha idol, placed roughly 700 years ago by the ancestors of the indigenous Tengger tribe. Named after the Hindu god of creation (Brahma), Mount Bromo is sacred to the local community. To this day, Tenggerese Hindus leave regular offerings of flowers, fruit, and incense at the feet of Lord Ganesha, praying for protection against the volcano's fiery eruptions. Hearing the earth rumble right beside a centuries-old guardian was an unforgettable moment.
We descended via horseback, met our Jeep, and headed back to the hotel to pack up. Our 3-day mountain package had officially come to an end, and it was time for a change of pace. We requested a drop-off at the Baobab Safari Resort, saying a fond goodbye and leaving a generous tip for Sulaiman, who had been absolute gold throughout our treks.
We checked into Room 5503 at Baobab and spent the first two hours completely transfixed by our balcony view. Below us, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, impalas, ostriches, and peafowls roamed freely. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing, ordering dinner, and catching up on much-needed sleep.
Day 4: Wednesday (15th July): Breakfast with Giants
Today was all about slowing down and enjoying the magic of the resort. We had booked a highly anticipated 8:00 AM slot for the paid Breakfast with Giraffes experience.
For 20 glorious minutes, we got to hang out closely with two beautiful, gentle giraffes named Kamil and Zehra. They were incredibly sweet, playful, and highly motivated by food! We fed them an abundance of bananas, french beans, and carrots, capturing some phenomenal photos along the way.
Afterward, we enjoyed a massive buffet breakfast of our own, retreated to our room, and happily napped the afternoon away. In the evening, we lounged by the resort pool and took our complimentary daily basket of carrots down to the feeding zones to interact with the rest of the resort's animal residents as the sun went down.
Day 5: Thursday (16th July): Exploring Asia’s Largest Safari Park
We dedicated our fifth day to Taman Prigen Safari (booked via Klook), widely recognized as the largest safari park in Asia. Spanning a massive 250 hectares on the scenic slopes of Mount Arjuno, this open-range modern park lets thousands of animals roam through massive, natural habitats.
The Safari Highlights:
Safari Adventure: We took the convenient free shuttle from Baobab Safari Resort straight to the park and journeyed through expansive American, Asian, and African zones to observe more than 2,400 animals up close.
Australiana Zone: A beautifully designed, newer exhibit where we walked among kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats.
The Shows: We caught the educational Elephant and Tiger presentations, but the absolute standout was the Temple of Terror show—a high-energy, live-action theatrical performance packed with incredible stunts and special effects.
We spent a full, thrilling day exploring the park's walking trails, checking out the Baby Zoo, and winding down in the beautifully landscaped Enchanting Forest before heading back to the resort.
Day 6: Friday (17th July): Homebound to Singapore
All good things must come to an end. On our final morning, we enjoyed one last slow breakfast at the resort and used our final carrot baskets to say goodbye to the animals.
We booked a 100-minute Grab ride directly from the resort to Surabaya Airport for our 4:30 PM flight. By 9:15 PM, we were safely back home in Singapore, exhausted but deeply fulfilled.
East Java is a magnificent, humbling, and wildly diverse destination. If you have a passion for the great outdoors, rugged mountain climbs, and wildlife, I cannot recommend this journey enough. :)
