Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo is one of the most surreal and spectacular landscapes in Indonesia, an active volcano rising from a vast, ancient caldera known as the Sea of Sand in East Java. Its smouldering, ash-grey crater, ringed by the wider caldera walls and neighbouring peaks, is at its most magical at sunrise, when visitors gather at a viewpoint to watch the sun rise over the smoking cone and the mist-filled sea of sand below.

What you actually see

• The sunrise viewpoint - the dawn panorama over the smoking crater.
• The crater rim - the walk across the sand and up to the smoking crater.
• The Sea of Sand - the vast ash plain of the ancient caldera.
• The volcanic landscape - the surreal peaks and mist.

When to go

May to October, the dry season, for the clearest skies and safest access; the classic experience is a pre-dawn start to reach the viewpoint for sunrise, so expect a very early, cold morning at altitude.

Honest expectations

The classic sunrise means a very early, cold start, usually around 3am, by jeep to the viewpoint, and it gets crowded with tour groups jostling for the view. Cloud can hide the sunrise. Volcanic activity occasionally closes the crater, so check. The short but steep crater climb and the ash and fumes are part of it.

Nearby

The Ijen volcano with its blue flames and acid lake is within reach in East Java.