Java Indonesia- Summary of My Trip Around East Java

sunrise over Mt Bromo crater during a full moon

Java Indonesia- Summary of My Trip Around East Java

My recent two-week trip through East Java (Java Timor) did not quite go as planned. I’d wanted to explore the region by motorbike. I would have driven freely through Java’s scenic mountains, visited three somewhat-remote coastal national parks, zipped out to several gorgeous beaches, motored up two volcanoes and puttered around Madura Island. That was indeed a great plan.

Quite unfortunately, rental motorbikes aren’t allowed on the ferry from Bali to Java. So I parked my bike at a safe place in Bali, hopped the one-hour ferry, and set out to rent a bike in Java. Once there, I found out in every town I visited that Java doesn’t have rental bikes. Apparently the one and only place to find them in Java is in tourist-laden Yogjakarta, Central Java. I certainly wasn’t going that far.

Here I am riding a becak in Java

The lack of personal transportation caused most of my disappointment and unpleasant experiences in Java. I continually had to take crowded, smoky public buses. I ended up spending a majority of my time in ugly, noisy traffic-congested towns. Worst of all, I missed most of the spectacular natural places I’d wanted to see. Java’s coastal parks and beaches are just too much hassle to reach by public transport.

On the other hand, using public transportation sometimes created its own fun adventures, like riding becaks (trishaws) and being entertained by singing buskers on public buses.

Other issues I faced were the result of me visiting as a budget traveler. Budget rooms were pretty standard, which was fine. But they were all set right beside busy roads or highways.

In addition, Javanese people tend to talk really loudly. Java was so noisy that I ended up keeping my earplugs in all day and all night. Literally 24-7 for most of two weeks!

I discovered that mid-range hotels tended to be set far off main roads, have more sturdy construction and offer wonderful gardens, lobbies and sitting spaces. I concluded that visiting Java on a higher budget would make a trip infinitely more enjoyable.

That having been said, my trip was far from a disaster. I did get to climb two spectacular volcanoes, eat a lot of delicious food, stay in one rather lux hotel complete with pool, and see most of East Java’s stunning scenery, albeit from bus windows.

Following is a summary of the highlights and bad points of my trip. I had planned to add some tips to visiting Java, but this post has already become long enough. Look for my Travel Tips to Java coming soon.

Highlights

view of Mt Bromo – Mt Batok & Mt Semeru from Bromo crater rim at Cemoro Lawang

Climbing Mt Bromo and Kawah Ijen

Although I never made it to Java’s coastal national parks or remote beaches, I did at least get to visit these two superb volcanoes. Mt. Bromo and Kawah Ijen are entirely different from each other and both are well-worth visiting.

Mt Bromo is quite easy to reach by public transportation since it’s one of Java’s most famous and popular tourist attractions. Several guest houses and small hotels are located right on outer Bromo crater rim in the tiny village of Cemoro Lawang. There are sweeping panoramic views across the wide dusty gray Bromo crater floor to Mt Bromo itself, which rises up from the crater’s center. Taller Mt Batok sits right next to Bromo.

center of Mt Bromo volcano

I walked down into the crater, across the dusty crater floor and up onto Bromo’s rim, where I could peer into the smoky, frothy center. It’s a bubbling, boiling gray broth. The walk took one hour each way.

From Cemoro Lawang, I also hiked up the sole rural road to the highest crater rim vantage point at Mt. Penanjakan. The charming road passes through vegetable fields and offers ever-expanding views of Mt Bromo crater and nearby Mt. Semeru, Java’s highest mountain at 3676 M.

Kawah Ijen volcano – Java

Kawah Ijen has no accommodation at it’s crater rim. The closest and only hotel that I saw is located 13 km / 30 min by transport down the mountainside at little Sempol town. Most travelers visit Ijen as a day trip from various cities via privately hired transportation.

After I gave up on trying to reach Ijen by public transport, I joined two European couples to hire a van and driver for a day trip. After a three-hour drive up to the trail-head parking lot, we huffed and puffed 1 ½ hours up a steep well-worn trail to the volcano rim.

Ijen’s crater rim features otherworldly topography like crusty, cracked Earth, nearly neon green ferns, and a tumble of stubby dead-looking trees. Down inside the crater sits a gorgeous Emerald green lake that peaks in and out of thick white smoke issuing from the crater. A bright neon-yellow spot marks the sulfur field where porters collect heavy chunky sulfuric ‘rocks’ and lug them down the mountainside.

delicious vegetables on display in Java food shop

 Delicious food

Everywhere I went I found really delicious food. Local restaurants tended to be extremely clean. Food was made from fresh ingredients like homemade noodles and crispy vegetables. In every town I stayed I found local shops near my hotel that served such delicious fresh food that I ate at the same place over and over again. Some dishes were ones I commonly eat in Bali. Others were new to me.

Hotel Palm – Bondowoso – Java

Best hotel deals of 2012

Purely by chance I found the best hotel deals of my travels so far this year. (excluding sponsored stays that I received at several boutique hotels in exchange for candid reviews)

My cheapest room to date for 2012 cost 40,000 rp ( $4.25 US). Budget Hotel Widodo in Jember offered rooms pretty much the same as rooms I regularly pay 70,000-100,000 for around Bali and Java. I had a basic room with two twin beds, fan, and my own Indonesian style bathroom. That was fine by me. I certainly didn’t mind paying half price for the same thing I normally get!

Semi-luxurious Hotel Palm in Bondowoso offers slightly better, bigger rooms with TV in a resort-like setting, complete with columned and tiled lobbies, free wifi, a large swimming pool and landscaped gardens full of palm trees. Standard rooms cost 132,000 rp with taxes ($14 US)

Although that’s a bit beyond my usual budget, it’s excellent value for what you get. Hotel Palm was the one place in Java where I could sometimes take my ear plugs out both in daytime and at night. Hallelujah for a bit of quiet.

hiking trail – Kawah Ijen volcano – Java

Beautiful scenery

East Java is bursting with gorgeous and varied scenery. I got to see most of it, albeit by public buses. We drove up over gorgeous forested mountains, through vast coffee and cacao plantations, past extensive rice fields- flat fields near the coast and steeply terraced fields inland. Driving up and down Java’s volcanoes offered even more unusual landscapes.

new Javanese friend in Jember- Java

Friendly people

The local Javanese I met everywhere were quite friendly and welcoming. My only gripe is that about 50% tried to jack up prices on me. The same thing happens in Bali, though, come to think of it.

 Safe

I felt completely safe everywhere I went, both my personal safety and my belongings. Contrary to what my Balinese friends had told me, I didn’t have any issues with theft or personal safety, even at night.

Several years ago I traveled more extensively through Java. That was a two month trip from Jakarta, across the island all the way to Mt Bromo. I felt safe on that trip too, including solo hiking in remote mountains, cycle-touring, and staying in big cities like Jakarta.

 Bad points of my trip through East Java:

 I missed most of what I’d wanted to visit

As already mentioned, I couldn’t visit several coastal national parks and beaches because I didn’t have my own transport. If I could have driven my own motorbike and accessed Java’s beautiful parks, my trip would have been a lot more enjoyable. I could have skipped staying in ugly, noisy towns and relaxed in nature. Guess I’ll have to return with a motorbike one day!

 Noise

In my normal everyday travel life around Asia, I routinely wear ear plugs at night to get a sound sleep. But Java was so noisy that I just kept them in all the time! If I could have stayed at mid-range hotels rather than budget places, I could’ve been in quieter environments at least part of the time. And if I could have skipped staying in traffic-congested towns, I also could have had a quieter experience.

 Cigarettes

I don’t know about you, but I hate cigarette smoke! In fact, I’m quite sensitive to it. If exposed to heavy smoking, I often get nauseated, stinging eyes and/or slightly screaming lungs. Java is not a great place to be if you dislike cigarettes! Javanese men absolutely love smoking!

Read more of my perspectives on East Java:  First Impressions of Java, Indonesia

You might also enjoy my Photo Gallery of Java, Indonesia

QUESTIONS:

Have you traveled through Java?

If so, what were the highlights of your trip? Was there anything you disliked?

If not, would you like to go?

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