This National Park In Indonesia Lets You Visit An Active Volcano With Otherworldly Views

Indonesia is a stunningly beautiful vacation destination, a mind-blowingly diverse world of secret, remote tropical islands, lush, mysterious jungles, vast modern megacities, and an extraordinarily rich and fascinating culture and history. The most populous country in Southeast Asia, it covers an enormous amount of geographical space, stretching from the northwestern tip of Sumatra near Malaysia and Thailand to South Papua, just off the northern coast of Australia.

There are plenty of well-known tourist spots in Indonesia, from the bucket list island vibes of Bali to incredible scuba diving spots like Raja Ampat and the Gili Islands. Wildlife lovers can head to Borneo or Sumatra to find orangutans, while culture vultures will devour the temples and cuisine of Yogyakarta. But there are still plenty of hidden gems in this glorious, chaotic paradise, and adventure-seekers looking for exquisite natural beauty should head to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park before the word gets out. This beautiful, unique, and downright bizarre conservation area in East Java offers an otherworldly volcanic landscape with some of the best views in Indonesia.

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is located in East Java, roughly 75 miles southeast of the provincial capital, Surabaya. Most travelers arrive at the capital's Juanda International Airport and then travel to Probolinggo, Pasuruan, or Malang. You can also access the national park from Lumajang, on the far eastern side.

This national park is an astonishing expanse of smoking volcanic peaks and ash-covered mountainside, with a staggering, alien beauty that almost defies description. Known as the Land of Sand and Fire, it covers over 300 square miles, making it the largest volcanic region in Java. The highlight of the area is, of course, the dramatic summit of Mount Semeru, which rises majestically above the clouds and looks out over the caldera. At 12,060 feet, this impressive peak is Java's highest mountain and an active volcano, offering thrilling opportunities for climbers and mountain hikers, with truly glorious views from the top.

At the northern edge of the park, Mount Bromo is the counterpoint to Mount Semeru. At 7,641 feet, it is far smaller than its southern cousin, but it sits at the center of the stunning Tengger Caldera, the extraordinary sand sea that covers the entirety of the ancient caldera of a now extinct volcano, out of which four separate new volcanoes have been born. A lunar landscape of black volcanic sand, it is a truly weird and wonderful sight and offers a surreal experience for adventurous travelers.

While the northern part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is straight out of a sci-fi film, the southern part surrounding Mount Semeru is a far more recognizably Indonesian landscape. Here, the volcanic scenery is interspersed with glittering lakes and jungle valleys, covered in mountain firs, jamuju trees, orchids, and rare grasses, alongside a range of rare animal species, including mongooses, long-tailed macaques, leopards, snake eagles, hornbills, bondol eagles, and deer.

One of the most unusual aspects of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and one that often shocks people coming from other parts of Indonesia, is the climate. This region is a world away from the sun-drenched beaches of Lombok or the steaming jungles of Borneo. In the Land of Sand and Fire, it can get extremely cold, with nighttime temperatures between May and September regularly falling below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The daily average temperatures throughout the year are between 52 and 56 degrees, with plenty of rain from October to March.

The area is also a place of pilgrimage and religious importance, which means that alongside the gorgeous scenery, there are plenty of fascinating cultural sites to explore. Java is home to some of the most beautiful temples in the world, and Bromo Tengger Semeru has a number of impressive Hindu temples scattered across the park, like Kidal, Luhur Poten, and Mandara Giri Semeru Agung.

Most visitors to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park stay overnight at Tretes or Malang and explore the park in a jeep or as part of a tour group. One experience that shouldn't be missed, however, is exploring the sand sea on horseback.