Avoiding Tourist Trap in Bromo Volcano, Ijen Crater and Tumpak Sewu Waterfall
Bromo Volcano, Ijen Crater and Tumpak Sewu Waterfall has been the highlight of East Java Adventure. Many travelers from all over the world comes to explore these 3 beauties.
These 3 destination are located in the suburb area and so there are not any public transport to these places yet. Most travelers choose to go with local operator as they offer private transport directly to the places. Some offer very affordable price, but there are things you need to check with them to avoid the tourist traps, so you don’t end up paying even more than a full package operator. With the surge of travelers coming here, here are some tourist traps that you can avoid.
What to make sure with your local operator whether your package has included these costs or not in Bromo Volcano, Ijen Crater, and Tumpak Sewu Waterfall:
What cost to check in Bromo Volcano :
- Village restribution: check whether your entrance fee already included the village retribution fee. They are the cost to go pass the villages in Bromo.
- Jeep: make sure your jeep will take you to the points as promised
- Horse riding: horse riding is not a must do in Bromo. The hike is considered quite easy. You can opt to go with the horse but it’s never an obligation.
What to check for Ijen Crater
- Health certificate (surat sehat). The Ijen Hike can be quite challenging for some, so the park requires all hikers to have health certificate. Ask your operator whether it’s included in the package or not
- Blue fire retribution fee. As blue fire is a natural phenomenon, sometimes you can see it sometimes it’s not. When we can go down the crater to see it, there will be retribution fee.
- Gas mask and headlamp. Many operators will include this in the package. It is required when you are about to go for the blue fire to keep your breathing safe under the sulphur smoke.
- Village retribution fee
- Entrance fee: the price for foreigner and local entrance fee is much different. Make sure you get the entrance ticket as needed
- Ijen taxi. Ijen taxi is where you can sit on a cart and being pulled all the way up to the crater. The price is various, but its not an obligation to go on this cart. You can opt to hike or ride the cart when you feel like to.
What to check for Tumpak Sewu Waterfall:
- The Route. Along the Tumpak Sewu Waterfall trek, there is another waterfall called Goa Tetes Waterfall which is just as awesome. Its located in the same valley of Tumpak Sewu and its not to be missed. Check whether your package inclusive of Goa Tetes as well
- Entrance fees. Tumpak Sewu has 3 point for the entrance fee: the viewpoint, the Tumpak sewu waterfall and Goa tetes waterfall.
- Local Guide. Its best to explore the whole area with a local guide who knows the area well and great at taking pictures.
Other cost:
- Toll fee: going to Bromo and Ijen will be much faster and smoother if you are going through the highway compared to the main road. Check whether its included or you’ll be going the non-highway route
- Crew accommodation and meal cost: some operator already included their crew cost in your package, but some expect the guest to pay for it
- Guide. Some operator included guide in the package to make sure the journey is smooth sailing. It’s also an added value as a journey is always different when you understand the story more than just visiting it. Some cheaper packages only have driver as a guide. Check whether you have an accompanying guide or just a driver as the journey can be a long one ( From Surabaya: Ijen 5-7 hours, Bromo 3 hours, Tumpak Sewu 4 hours)
Choosing a good operator is vital for your journey in East Java. Make sure to check their reviews and recheck so you can avoid the tourist traps. This region is definitely worth visiting when you know how to navigate around it.
Tripperhood Tours is one of the most reliable local operator where they take out all the tourist traps and tackle all the hassle for you.