LOCATION:
Part of the sunrise tour by using the 4WD jeep (Rp275.000) hired from Bromo Cottages Hotel in Tosari shall pass through the Sea of Sands after sunrise viewing at Gunung Penanjakan.

DESCRIPTION:
The Sea of Sands (Lautan Pasir) forms the floor of the massive Tengger Caldera. Its statistic is astounding - the sandy region measures close to 10 kilometres in diameter. Eruptions from the surrounding mountains spewing tonnes of volcanic rock which eventually became fine black sands as we see it today.

Officially, there are 5 volcanoes inside the caldera of black sands, although we mostly are familiar with only 2 or 3 of them. Ironically, Mount Semeru, the highest peak in the island of Java is not located within the Sea of Sands. Rather, this majestically active volcano actually rises on its own. The five volcanoes recorded in the park are: Mt Bromo (2,392m), Mt Batok (2,470m), Mt Kursi (2,581m), Mt Watangan (2,661m) and Widodaren (2,650m).

It is not an overstatement to say that being in the Sea of Sands is like being transported into a different unearthly world. The barren landscape, lacking any significant amount of vegetation, along with the volcanic craters, have created this so-called moonscape condition. The journey from Penanjakan passes through lush montane forest with steep cliffs and walls, before such ubiquitous view suddenly being transformed into an alien scenery for most of us.

Anyway, on closer inspection, the Sea of Sands does have some vegetation on it, if not much. Parts of it are blanketed by layers of grass, creating a savannah-like atmosphere that ends at the point where the rocky cliffs rise abruptly above the floor. These majestic cliffs form the part which consists of Mount Penanjakan that you probably have visited earlier to view the sunrise. 

MY VERDICT:
Interesting and out-of-this-world experience to be on the Sea of Sands. Don't miss it.