Mount Bromo

The main viewpoint sits high on the caldera rim at around 2,770 metres, reached by jeep before dawn. From here Bromo, the perfectly cone-shaped Batok and distant Semeru line up as the sky turns pink. It gets packed in dry season, so arrive early to claim a spot at the railing, and bring a warm layer because it is genuinely cold up there.

After sunrise the jeep drops you on the volcanic plain, and you walk (or ride a horse) across grey ash to the foot of Bromo. From there it is a climb of about 250 concrete steps to the rim. Stand at the top and you look directly into the smoking, sulphur-tinged crater, which is the part most people remember.

Out on the Sea of Sand sits a small black temple used by the local Tengger people, who are Hindu in a mostly Muslim region. It is most striking against the bare ash plain. If you visit during the annual Yadnya Kasada ceremony, you may see offerings thrown into the crater, an extraordinary thing to witness.

Beyond the ash plain the landscape flips to rolling green hills, nicknamed the Teletubbies Hills, and a wide savanna. It is a complete change of scenery and most jeep tours swing through after the crater. Good light here lingers later than at the sunrise point.

If Penanjakan feels too crowded, ask your driver about Bukit Cinta or Seruni Point, which see fewer people for a similar panorama. You trade a slightly different angle for breathing room. Discuss it the night before so your jeep route is set.

Sleeping in the rim village right above the caldera means a shorter, less brutal pre-dawn start and a head start on the day-trippers driving up from the cities. Some guesthouses have a caldera view from bed. Rooms are basic and can be cold, so pack accordingly.