Location: East Java
Top Things to do in East Java
Countries
Top 10 Things to do in East Java, Indonesia
East Java (Indonesian: Jawa Timur, abbreviated as Jatim, Javanese: Jåwå Wétan) is a province of Indonesia. Located in eastern Java, it includes the island of Madura, which is connected to Java by the longest bridge in Indonesia, the Suramadu Bridge, as well as the Kangean and Masalembu archipelagos located further east and north, respectively. Its capital is Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia and a major industrial center. Banyuwangi is the largest regency in East Java and the largest on the island of Java.
Restaurants in East Java
1. Ijen Crater
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By donny h - New York City, New York
Many different options are available for this Ijen "Blue Fire" Crater experience. I was traveling through with a friend and we did this through local guide / pickup from our accommodation in Banyuwangi.
The highlights of most of the night tours being the blue fire experience, sunrise, and views of the acid lake. Bit unfortunate not to experience crystal clear views but overall it was a decent enough experience to recommend.
Costs: TOUR - Vary with the tour options you choose but we managed to get a price pp 180K which included transport, gas mask, and hand flashlight ENTRANCE - there is a fee imposed to tourists to get into the volcano park area itself that came in around 250K since it was a weekend or holiday. I think its maybe 150K at other times. Keep this in mind as its a cost above the tour costs.
Recommended Gear:
Warm clothes / layers for the top since you will easily arrive ahead of sunrise in the middle of the night.
Gloves help for those going into the crater for blue fire searching.
Headlamp if you have, but most tours also provide a handheld mini flashlight to help
Gas Mask should be provided with tour, but there were also people renting on site as well. Unsure of the price there but it is needed for anyone doing the blue fire night descent into crater
Footwear with a decent tread. You don't necessarily need hiking boots for this climb. I easily did these in my crossfit trainers.
Water & snacks are helpful for the overall climb. There are little hut shops setup at the start and midway up the volcano for anyone that forgets to provision. You obviously will pay the market rate.
Camera. Most recent cell phones (iphone, samsungs) work as well as can be for night photography but any photography fiends will want to bring their tripods for night / long exposure of the blue fire and or stars on the ascent.
Hike Experience: 3KM or so hike to each way this is done in the middle of the night.
Uphill: The hike up itself is a bit challenging uphill for those that are not in adequate shape. Overall I saw a wide spectrum of people doing this so just plant one foot in front of the other and go at your pace. The path is paved and there is really only one way so the chances of going the wrong way are almost none. When you get near the crater rim it does level off for the last bit for anyone making mental notes on difficulty.
Crater: Getting to the crater rim is challenging for some but the real challenge is the crater experience. Be sure to have masks on. Follow a thin rocky and sometimes slippery pathway down into the crater it takes about 40 minutes due to the sheer amount of people generating traffic on the pathway. Some people not quite in top top shape make this a bit of a mixed bag because of being slower and or too cautious causing the backups. Gloves come in handy for anyone needing additional touch points on the rocks going down or up. The path itself also needs to accommodate any persons going back up.
Downhill: The downhill after sunrise is pretty easy for anyone with prior hiking experience. Sticks are not necessary but are always a helpful tool for anyone with bad knee concerns. I managed to do a nice jog downhill for at least half of the way.
Other:
Push Carts - On the way up and down there is a good amount of locals offering push kart type service for the really lazy and uninspired. Seems to be a two man operation going up and 1 going down with use of handy brake system. The carts vary in comfort to how each local has constructed the vehicle. Haggling seems to work with most quotes going down starting at around 100K and quickly dropping as you walk away. I tested this out for fun just to see what the market rate would be around.
Sulfur Sculptures - the mine workers and other local sellers do offer sculptures made out of the sulfur found around Ijen Crater / Volcano. I think from what I have read a donation is probably better for the cause since I've read these trinkets just get confiscated at the airport anyways.
Miners: You will run across miners at some point on the path so please be mindful they are working and probably carrying huge baskets of sulfur which probably weigh upwards of 150-200lb each load (I tested this out with a miner nice enough to let me try the weight) I think it just adequate and decent to give them the right of way on the path. I've read and seen that some of these miners do not even operate with proper gas masks so donations are probably welcome if anyone feels generous. Even with masks i've also heard that these miners don't typically change out the filters because partly education and affordability of new filters.
2. Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 941 reviews
Reviewed By Xie2 - Jakarta
I could not see the sunrise as the mountain was covered by thick foggy and drizzles. The weather was very cold. The toilet service fee is higher than others. If you could bear the pee, you can do it and find meals with cheaper price around Pasir Berbisik (Whispering sands) area. To view the perfect sunrise, you must visit Mt. Bromo in Summer (June - August).
3. Mount Semeru Volcano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 247 reviews
Reviewed By La_livian
Recommend to go here on fasting month, or else it can get quite full with visitors. The mountain is beautiful! Especially the hidden treasure of ranukumbolo lake. Just a piece of heaven on earth.
From Malang, you need to go to Tumpang, which take about 1.5 hours. From Tumpang, you will need to rent jeep to go to Ranu Pane village (about another 1.5 hours). Personal vehicle is not allowed. You start the trekking from that village (registration is mandatory). The track is not that hard (mmm we hire porter to bring our carrier and tent, and the food), bit quite far tho. It takes about 4 hours walk to get to the lake Ranukumbolo. Because I really lo e walking in the forest, I really enjoy my trekking.
We spend the night at the lake. Beware, it can be really cold. For us Indonesian, we are not use to cold weather.
The next morning, we continue hike to Kalimati. The track starting to be quite dusty and the forest is a bit more open. And also, there ia quite some elevation going on. Another 4 hours walk (for normal people who is not true hikers.. lol) to get to Kalimati. You will also pass a field of purple flower (bloom in summer), which is actually a parasite plant, bit really beautiful. Haha.., what an irony.
We put our tent in kalimati, trying to get some sleep because by 12 am, we will start the hike to on top of Semeru mountain, Mahameru.
The hike is harddddd But worth every walk and every blood and tears. It took us 7 hours to get to the peak. We were quite slow. Usually it takes around 4-5 hours.
The view from the peak is amazinggg. All clouds. The mountain height is 3726 mdpl.
You have to get down before 10 am, because the mountain will spray toxic smoke.
The journey going down only took around 1-2 hours haha..and we are really exhausted but proud and amaze by His greatness.
What a journey!
I recommend to go to Ranukumbolo if you dont want to hike to the peak, which is forbidden actually
4. Mount Bromo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Soaring over 2300 meters above sea level, Mount Bromo is the only active volcano inside Java's spectacular Tengger Caldera national park.
Reviewed By donny h - New York City, New York
Mount Bromo is located near the town of Cemoro Lawang and accessed by two towns in Java. Malang (low key, 4X4 required to access up to the volcano area) OR Probolingo (more trafficked, public access & infrastructure)
The Malang route offers nicer view on the approach that requires you do rent 4X4 jeep to take you up. This can be a rewarding and very chill scenic ride up to Mt Bromo area. Saw some motorbikes but also saw alot of them getting stuck in the bigger puddles of water and mud along the way.
The Probolingo route does offer some decent views, but mostly forgettable road trip between Cemoro Lawang and Probolingo.
The Mount Bromo experience is usually comprised of two main activities.
1. Sunrise Viewpoint of Bromo
2. Trek to Mount Bromo Crater
Re: Sunrise
in the main area of town near the center is the main paved road that takes you up to the Mt Bromo viewpoint. For those staying in town a 3:30 or so wakeup and trek up the road is probably the timing. Those arriving via tour or hiring some car / motorbike service up the hill can time for later to get up towards the viewpoint. Plenty of vendors at top to get a warm drink to wait for sunrise.
Overall there is 4 viewing areas from what the locals described. But really its the view off the paved road up at Penanjakan point and those that travel on foot up to an additional 1km have access to a variety of other viewing areas. No guarantee of clear morning without a bit of cloud cover in the rainy season so we decided to stick with the view from Penanjakan point because of the warning of wet and washed out pathways potentially. Also the locals say because everyone always wants the higher view, it sometimes gets too crowded and it really is not much of a difference of view.
Re: Trek to Bromo
After sunrise most people make their way down the hill back into town and out towards the volcano crater itself. Its a flat trek across some black sand and up a 268 or so step stairway to the crater rim for views. Plenty of hawkers offering motorbike rides across but its not really necessary if you are in some sort of shape to walk this. Might suck a bit treking up the hill back into town if you are staying there. Most tour companies I believe just wait for you on the flat parking area outside town.
Other considerations: There is a park fee that needs to be paid depending on type of visitor and which road you come in on to Cemoro Lawang. I want to say it came in around 230K each pp being a foreign visitor.
We did this without a tour and stayed in Cemoro Lawang. Arriving in Cemoro Lawang in early afternoon allowed us to trek to the volcano that day, then do sunrise the following morning and take our time. We were able to get a public transport (30K or so) from the main square to Probolingo at the 11am schedule time. But honestly I think they just line up and take most people as they fill up and stay rough to any established schedule.
Most tours I believe are pickup around midnight for ride to, sunrise, trek to rim, and return.
5. Batu Secret Zoo (Jawa Timur Park 2)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Batu Secret Zoo, Kebun Binatang Modern yang membentang seluas 22 hektar di Kota Batu. Dengan koleksi lebih dari 300 spesies hawan unik menarik dari berbagai belahan dunia.
Reviewed By Fasya F
Many variance of animals The animals are healthy Have many variation of thing to see They have amusement park, swimming pool ?? The zoo is so arranged so we can see all animals
6. Gunung Penanjakan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 207 reviews
Reviewed By Jack R - London, United Kingdom
I would highly recommend people to take the package so that you would leave the homestay at like 3am and go to this viewing point to see the panoramic view of bromo especially those who are travelling with nice cameras. Be as early as you can so you can get the best spot to capture the beauty of bromo! And wear something that can warm you up, seriously it's very cold up there!
7. Sukamade Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 141 reviews
Reviewed By A_Screw_Loose - Penang Island, Malaysia
We took a 2D/1N experience at Sukamade beach for turtle watching. The trip itself was an adventure with a jeep from Banyuwangi passing by Teluk Hijau (request to hike up and really not to be missed), small villages and even river crossing towards the Sukamade Beach. The road however was very bumpy and rough for nearly 2 hours. Over at Sukamade Beach, we stayed at Mess Pantai where simple dinner and breakfast was provided by the park rangers.
Pros:-
1) Can feel the passion of the rangers in taking care of the turtles; they made sure that we do not walk around during the turtle excursion at night and made sure we follow the rules when we encountered the green turtle during its inspection. It was the pity the turtle didn't lay eggs but to be able to see the giant turtle up close was a fantastic experience itself.
2) This National Park is very remote and full of wild animals. One of the magical moments was on the path to the beach from the Mess Pantai where I encountered a large deer who stood on the path before darting off into the forest. Feels like a scene out from a movie.
3) Releasing the baby turtles in the morning was one of the most wonderful experiences I had in my life as I can feel the baby turtles energy as they waddled into the ocean for the first time. There was a tinge of sadness however to see them being pickup up by sea eagles.
4) The Sukamade beach waves are very strong (not recommended for swimming) and because of its remoteness, there would be no one around for miles in its stunning beachline.
Cons:-
1) Despite the wonderful experience being surrounded by nature and the turtle experience, mosquitos and sand flies are ever present and will remind you of the trip in later days with their red souvenirs.
2) The amenities and sleeping conditions at Wisma Pantai were very basic and could use some repairs, however it is understandable as the location is very remote. However it could use a fan in the room.
However I would like to appreciate the rangers for this memorable experience and their dedication.
8. Museum Angkut
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Terinspirasi dari bentuk penghargaan atas penciptaan alat transportasi di dunia. Kini, telah hadir museum transportasi modern pertama di Indonesia dan Asia yang memadukan unsur seni dan budaya. Museum Angkut Plus Movie Star Studio merupakan museum dengan konsep edukasi dan entertainment yang ditampilkan secara langsung. Letaknya yang nyaman dan asri dilereng gunung Panderman di areal seluas 3,8 hektar siap memanjakan anda dengan 300 lebih koleksi jenis angkutan mulai tradisional sampai modern yang dipadukan dengan berbagai landscape dan model bangunan eksotis dunia mulai dari benua Eropa sampai Amerika. Selain itu, pengunjung dapat bersantai menikmati suasana hidangan saung di Pasar Apung yang menjajakan berbagai kuliner dan handycraft khas Nusantara.
Reviewed By tanialatinina
We really enjoy visit this museum.
They have a lot of things to show., bicycle from time to time, many kind of car (old car.. And they present by the country which produced) they also has traditional transportation like becak, delman etc. Also they have helicopter, plane, and train (which you cam feel like in the moving train)
In every exhibition they have different theme... So prepare your camera memory a lot..
Just for consideration... Their exhibition is indoor and outdoor ... So you have to prepare umbrella in the rainy season
Outside the museum.. There is pasar apung, you can take rest and eat some traditional food there...
Also there is museum topeng.. Which you can enjoy topeng from all over province in Indonesia
9. Madakaripura Waterfall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 353 reviews
Reviewed By molamola17 - Jakarta
From the parking area, you need to rent a motorcycle to get to the entrance (costs 10,000 IDR one way). Then from the entrance gate to the Waterfalls, you need to walk for approx. 1km uphill which is quite tiring.
There is an option of hiring a local guide who will help you walk you through the Waterfalls and take some pictures of you (costs 100,000 IDR on top of motorcycle and entrance fees) but for me, this is worth it.
It is a series of Waterfalls. And to move from 1 point to another can be quite difficult. Sometimes you need to climb and hang on the side cliffs to move to another point to view the other Waterfalls. This is the part where the local part would be very useful.
Raincoat and a particular waterproof case for your camera is a must. You will need to walk under some of the Waterfalls.
If you bring other electronic devices, you should rent a locker few meters before the Waterfalls.
Despite all the difficulties and hassles, it was really a uniquely nice experience. The views are breath-taking and you can take some really nice pictures there.
10. Jawa Timur Park 2
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 643 reviews
Batu Secret Zoo is a modern zoo located on 22 Ha of land area in Kota Wisata Batu. The zoo becomes the home of more than 300 species of unique animals from around the world. Museum Satwa is one of the most impressive and iconic tourist destination from Jawa Timur Park Group which located at Jalan Oro-Oro Ombo 9, Batu. The luxurious white building that built on 1 Ha of area is an international standard museum which presents preserved animals from all over the world.
Reviewed By Pilgrim1989 - Semarang, Indonesia
what a exciting moment we had at Jatim Park 2. The animal, facility and everything were well maintained. I want give best appreciation to the management. For the effort to make this place great,and educative, even for a small gimmick in every corner that teach kids about snake skin variety, tiger's eye, etc.
It is really worth it, driving 10 hours straight to visit this place
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