Swapping Beaches for Mountaintops: A Chilly Christmas in Bromo
10 Jan 2025 by Bella
“How cold is cold?” asked my husband, who’s from a country with single-digit temperatures, as I was packing for Bromo. At the time, I had no idea because I had never been. According to Google, it was around 14°C in December. I thought, “Okay, not too cold,” and decided not to pack my winter jacket he told me to bring. I question my life decisions sometimes – as it turns out, it was very cold and windy in Bromo.
Alright, let’s start from the beginning – why was I going to Bromo? My big family always gets together for special occasions and holidays. It’s not always the full crew, but we make it a point to gather somewhere. Christmas is a major one, and we always go on a trip. Usually, it’s Bali or Yogyakarta. Last year, we skipped Bali because the high season is pure chaos – you can’t go anywhere without battling crowds. Yogyakarta is great, but we wanted something different. So, East Java it was!
Christmas in Mount Bromo
Our Bromo Itinerary: Jeep Tours & Sunrise Views
My cousin was the hero of the trip – she arranged our holiday itinerary and booked everything. We stayed in an Airbnb villa in Batu, and around midnight, we were picked up by a pre-arranged transport that was part of the travel package. By around 3am (I think it was), we arrived at the base of Mount Bromo. Since I always sleep on pretty much any moving vehicle somehow, I missed out on experiencing the supposedly nerve-wracking, curvy journey up through the hills. But based on everyone else’s reactions, it sounds like I dodged a pretty intense ride!
A gloomy morning on top of Bromo – the hiking crew and the chill crew
Midnight Pickup & Scary Jeep Ride
From the base, we hopped into our Jeeps. There were 16 of us in total, with four people per Jeep, riding in a convoy to the top. We didn’t hike – not everyone in the group was up for it physically, and honestly, it made more sense to explore the caldera and everything else by Jeep since there’s so much ground to cover. This time, I was wide awake for the drive to the top of the mountain so yes, it was as scary as everyone said. It was pitch black, steep, and freezing cold, but I put all my trust in our super-experienced driver, Pak Gunawan. We got to the top a little early, so we parked and waited for the sunrise in a warung for some coffee and cheeky instant noodles 😉
The picturesque Pasir Berbisik – me and my cousin in our Jeep
There are two viewing points: one for beginners (no hiking skills required) – that’s where I was, because I was cold and lazy, and the actual mountaintop (which does require a little hike). My aunt, uncle, and some of my cousins made it to the top, and it turns out, the view up there is absolutely stunning.There was a traffic jam of Jeeps waiting to head back down since it was high season, but we weren’t in any rush. After a bit, we carried on with our journey to the caldera.
The drivers took us to a few spots in the caldera, one of which is called Pasir Berbisik (the Whispering Sand). Normally, you can hear the sand go pssshhhh pssshhh, but unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience that because it started raining – making the temperature drop even colder! (I read somewhere that it once snowed in Bromo mid last year!). From there, we were taken to more beautiful spots, but sadly, we couldn’t stop at any of them because of the heavy rain. At the end of the trip, we stopped at a mountain-view restaurant for lunch (which wasn’t included in the tour package, by the way).
Was Bromo Worth It?
Overall, our trip to Bromo was super fun. Despite the cold and rain, the sunrise views and the caldera’s beauty made it all worth it. The Jeep tour costs IDR 2 million per Jeep – inclusive of a pick up from our villa. If you’re planning a visit, pack warm layers and enjoy the adventure! Thanks for reading ✨
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