Just a mile or so across the strait from Bali (at its narrowest point), East Java is a different world. A host of towering volcanoes punctuate rugged forest and timeless rice fields—most famously the Ijen crater—where sulfur miners labor amid eerie blue flames, and Mt. Bromo, stranded in a sea of whispering sand. But there are more things to do in East Java than visit volcanoes: World-class surfing and waterfalls await, alongside the vibrant cities of Malang and Surabaya, and the ruins of Trowulan, a medieval Hindu-Buddhist city.
If sunrise volcano hikes are on your East Java agenda, the dry season offers the best chance of clear skies and decent views. East Java’s rainy season runs roughly mid-November to mid-April, with the driest months generally being June through mid-October. You’ll find better prices in May, June, September, and October than over the July-August peak. Bring layers for a night at Mt. Bromo: Temperatures in Cemoro Lawang can drop to 59°F (15°C).
Reliable trains run across the island from Ketapang port, where Bali ferries arrive, with stops including Malang, Surabaya, and Probolinggo, the nearest city to Mt. Bromo. Executive class seats are much more comfortable than the slow and often crowded intercity buses. The minibus networks that link smaller towns can be hard to penetrate, so many travelers join tours or arrange private drivers. The Grab and Gojek apps deliver 2-wheel and 4-wheel rideshares in cities, with Bluebird metered taxis in Surabaya.
The Sarkies Brothers, four siblings of Armenian heritage, left an outsize mark on Asia’s—and the world’s—hotel scene, founding heritage hotels that include the original Raffles in Singapore and the Eastern & Oriental in Penang. A younger member of the dynasty created what’s today called the Majapahit Hotel in Surabaya back in 1910: if you’re passing through the city, it’s a central and surprisingly affordable place to stay.
