Java Information Please!
 

Hi Guys,

Will be going to Java for a quick holiday but I could not find any updated information on a few things.

1/. Mount Merapi - has the eruption ended and is it safe to visit the area?
2/. If yes to the above - is Borobudur fully open for a visit?
3/. Same for mount Bromo - what is the status of the volcano?

I have posted the questions on TA as well. Please help if you can.

I expect marmot will see this and chime in. I saw a post she made several months ago (though now I can't find it) saying that Merpati was calm and Borobudor is fully open. I don't know about Bromo.

If you are planning to stay at the Aman, I'd ask the manager there.

Have a wonderful trip!

Thanks For the info Kathie. The Aman just replied and Borobudur is only partly open and the top levels are still closed for cleaning. A local TA is giving conflicting info for Bremo so I might forgo that.

Hope to hear from Marmot as well.

Second hand Mt. Merapi is no longer emoting soot but Mt. Bromo is still erupting but at a lower level. You can go within 1 mile of the peAk but cannot hike it by regulation of the authorities. They expect it to calm down in 3-5 months and be open for hiking but that is always an estimate.
If you want first hand ifo our guide mast March and the one we are using in Sept. in Central and East Java can give you a 99.9% accurate reading. He and his associate are two of the best guides we have ever had though they are $20-$25/day more than others but boy are they worth it. If interested contact: [email protected] Just tell him Stan suggested you contact him.

Thanks Stan and I had already contacted your TA in Java as well - got the info from your trip report. Wiedy told me that it's sort of a day to day thing for Bremo. Someday you can get u0to observation post 1 while the next day only to post 2. Something about the volcano is making a loud sound like a plane landing?

Hanuman; Wiedy went to Bromo a few weeks ago to map out our itinerary in East Java, having not been there for 9-10 months, but he said that from another mountain easily reached by Jeep you can see spectacular views and have some excellent short hiking opportunities.

I haven't been to either area recently so I wouldn't be able to contribute any further information. From what I've heard, I'd agree what others have said: Yogyakarta and Borobudur are pretty much, but not entirely, back to normal. The Bromo area is case by case; some days fine, some days not.

We were in both Bromo and Yogyakarta in mid-January. At that time, Borobodur was open - except the very top stupa level - but even that could be seen. There were workers still cleaning at various levels, but they weren't deterring visitors. A benefit, for us, was that there were so many fewer of us there! We went on a gorgeous Monday am and had it practicially to ourselves when it first opened. Before that we had been at Ijen and Bromo. With Purawaddy from the Java Banana hotel we went nearly to the peak mentioned above, from which there's a great view of the Bromo and the sea of sand. We also went to the trail starting point and took a look. It looks like it would be a wonderful hike across the sea of sand, past the temple, and up the steps to the crater. But it wasn't possible for us then. Someone said "maybe next week" but sounds like, from the info folks are receiving now, that it's still not possible. We saw some of the serious damage from Merapi when we took a day trip outside Yogyakarta. In the city, all seemed normal . . .

Thanks for the information everyone!

I think we will forgo Bromo on this trip and wait until things, the volcano, have settled down. So will spend all of our time around Borobudur and Yogyakarta.

I hope that you post after your trip to Borobudur/Yogyakarta. I would be intensely interested to read of your experience. Thanks in advance.