Tour & Activity Scams in Surabaya, Indonesia

How it works

Touts near Gubeng Station and budget hotels along Jalan Semeru sell Mount Bromo tour packages framed as official or government-certified trips, typically priced at IDR 500,000–800,000 per person. In reality the "operator" is an unlicensed middleman: vehicles are poorly maintained, guides speak little English, promised inclusions (entry fees, jeep hire, hotel pickup) are missing on the day, and in some cases the tour does not depart at all. Mount Bromo is 2–3 hours from Surabaya and requires a jeep at the crater rim — a logistics chain that gives scammers many points to cut corners.

How it works

Similar to Bromo tour touts, street sellers near guesthouses on Jalan Semeru and around Gubeng Station sell purported overnight Ijen Crater packages (to see the blue fire phenomenon) at IDR 600,000–900,000. These packages often omit mandatory transport costs, the national park entry fee (IDR 150,000 for foreigners on weekdays), and the required trek guide fee at Paltuding trailhead. Travelers arrive at Ijen unable to proceed without paying additional fees they were told were included.