6 Budget Days: Surabaya, Bromo & Ijen
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6 days: the full Surabaya-Bromo-Ijen-Malang run
Six days covers Surabaya’s Heroes history and Old Town, a full Bromo-Ijen volcano circuit, and a cooler day in Malang and Batu on the way back, the fullest version of this trip without rushing any single piece. Budget real money for the volcano days especially; the tables below break down where it goes.
Day 1: Heroes history
Tugu Pahlawan and the 10 November Museum (free grounds, modest fee, verify), then Hotel Majapahit’s facade on Jalan Tunjungan, free. Afternoon: the Al-Akbar Mosque, free entry.
| Day 1 cost (Rp, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 200,000 | 500,000 |
| Breakfast | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| 10 November Museum | 5,000 | 15,000 |
| Lunch + dinner | 40,000 | 90,000 |
| Grab/Gojek rides | 40,000 | 80,000 |
| Day 1 total | 300,000 | 715,000 |
Day 2: the Old Town and House of Sampoerna
Morning in the Arab Quarter around the Sunan Ampel Mosque, dressing modestly; afternoon at the House of Sampoerna’s kretek museum and café (verify current open status); evening at Kya-Kya Chinatown.
| Day 2 cost (Rp, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 200,000 | 500,000 |
| Breakfast | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| House of Sampoerna | 0 | 20,000 |
| Lunch + dinner | 40,000 | 90,000 |
| Grab/Gojek rides | 40,000 | 80,000 |
| Day 2 total | 295,000 | 720,000 |
Day 3: Mount Bromo sunrise
Travel via Probolinggo (roughly 3-4 hours) to Cemoro Lawang, overnight near the park, then the pre-dawn jeep to the Penanjakan viewpoint and the Sea of Sand, followed by the walk to the crater rim. Check current PVMBG alert status before booking.
| Day 3 cost (Rp, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Transport to Cemoro Lawang + overnight bed | 250,000 | 450,000 |
| Bromo jeep tour + park entry (verify) | 300,000 | 600,000 |
| Meals | 40,000 | 80,000 |
| Day 3 total | 590,000 | 1,130,000 |
Day 4: Kawah Ijen’s blue fire
On to Banyuwangi, overnight, then a second pre-dawn start for the roughly 2-hour hike to the crater rim and the descent for those viewing the blue fire up close. Carry a gas mask; the sulfur gas is a genuine hazard.
| Day 4 cost (Rp, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Transport to Banyuwangi + overnight bed | 250,000 | 450,000 |
| Ijen hike + guide + gas mask (verify) | 500,000 | 800,000 |
| Meals | 40,000 | 80,000 |
| Day 4 total | 790,000 | 1,330,000 |
Day 5: Malang and Batu
Route back toward Surabaya via Malang, a cooler hill city at 440-667m elevation with Dutch colonial architecture, a welcome break from the heat of the lowlands. Batu, its satellite town, adds more of the same cooler climate if you have the afternoon for it.
| Day 5 cost (Rp, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Transport to Malang + bed | 250,000 | 500,000 |
| Meals | 40,000 | 80,000 |
| Local sightseeing | 20,000 | 60,000 |
| Day 5 total | 310,000 | 640,000 |
Day 6: back to Surabaya
Travel back to Surabaya, roughly 2-2.5 hours from Malang, for a last warung meal before departure via Juanda Airport.
| Day 6 cost (Rp, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Transport back to Surabaya | 100,000 | 200,000 |
| Meals | 30,000 | 60,000 |
| Day 6 total | 130,000 | 260,000 |
Book both volcano legs and any Malang accommodation ahead of dry season demand; see the day trips guide and the hiking areas guide for the fuller logistics behind each leg of this route.