BMW Destination X 2018 - Bromo Rising - Taking On The Sea Of Sand

So it is 3-plus in the morning, we are driving further up from our hotel, Jiwa Jawa Resort to Seruni Point to catch the very first rays of light to hit the face of East Java’s Mount Bromo, located at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park; an active volcano which carries with it mythical significance to many of the locals. In-front of the volcano sits “The Sea of Sand” which we will take our formidable BMW SUVs to later.

The pre-dawn sky is certainly awe-inspiring, and with no light pollution, we could even catch a glimpse of the Milky Way, brushed tenderly with a celestial paintbrush across the heavens in a straight line; while the sun breaks over the horizon, bringing about with it hues of red and pink, and highlighting the cool-blue tint of the morning sky. Looking down from Seruni Point, you can just begin to catch a glimpse of the vast Sea of Sand, as the morning’s first rays gradually illuminates the ground.

Its cold up here, with temperatures easily dipping below 10 degrees, but that little bit of discomfort is easily solved with a hot sip of tea, and is certainly worth the day awaiting us.

As we slowly make our way down to the Sea of Sand, we have to carefully manoeuvre our cars between countless Bromo-hardened vintage Series 40 Land Cruisers, complete with equally seasoned drivers who take tourists on tours up the mountain… I could swear many these cars have never even seen the city.

Driving our xDrive BMWs into this area is quite the surreal experience. One would marvel at how insignificant we are in this vast plain of volcanic ash, our proving ground for the day… This is Destination X.

BMW’s xDrive range of vehicles is well-suited for Bromo’s soft volcanic ash surface. On the way here from Surabaya the day before, drivers got a few quick tips on how to fully utilise their car’s xDrive capabilities, with qualified instructors on-hand to guide them through the steps of dealing with loss of grip, and the handling of steep gradients and pitch.

The all-new X3 just recently introduced, was one of the cars for the event, is able to handle an approach angle of 25.7 degrees and a departure angle of 22.6 degrees. Able to ford to a depth of 500 millimetres, while its 50:50 weight distribution, together with an excellent chassis, and xDrive, intelligent all-wheel-drive, and linked to Dynamic Stability Control, making the X3 equally comfortable be it in off or on-road situations.

Just like kids in a giant sandbox, we are here to play and have breakfast. BMW set up a tent with a breakfast buffet spread, complete with egg counter. Our programme for the day included working our way up ramps and platforms, and learning how to utilise BMW’s xDrive capabilities to our advantage. Learning to drive onto the platforms and trusting the car comes rather quickly, with instructors to guide you as you as you roll on and off, to keep you safe at all times.

Drivers also got a taste of driving on a circuit, while exploring the different handling characteristics of the various X3, X4 and X5 vehicles. The circuit, marked out into the soft volcanic sand offers up plenty of slip, ever-changing positive and negative camber around the bends, and creating opportunity to explore the principles of weight transfer. From afar, the lapping SUVs can be seen churning up a storm, with lots of fine sand tossed up by the wheels, biting into the ground for grip.

The icing on the cake was the invitation to have a “hot lap” in the river bed with one of the instructors at the helm of the X5. Ensuring that all of us were belted up only hinted at something fast-approaching (pun intended).

As the X5 descended into the dry river bed, the engine roared with the flooring of the throttle, and suddenly we were taking off with a cloud of dust following. Flicking into a bend sideways, with the dust cloud catching up, and without enough time to engulf the entire car, the X5 changes direction again… The malleable surface below us altered forever by the wheels digging in, and creating a different experience for the next batch of passengers. Along a less twisty path further down, just when we think we know the path our driver would take (from observing him doing the same thing prior to this), he climbs the large X5 sideways up the bank and floors it around the bend, before ending the run.

Activities within the Sea of Sand, are allowed through a special arrangement between BMW and the local authorities. BMW is allowed to host the drives just once a year, and they also give back to the community; from deeds like helping to regrow crucial vegetation, to in our case, erecting barriers to help protect these sensitive areas from being trodden over.

While we did have our fun with the cars, we also got to appreciate this surreal location, before returning to the hustle and bustle of Surabaya.

Planning a short holiday with a twist? Check in with BMW Asia next year for the next BMW DestinationX.

Additional photos and video, courtesy of BMW Indonesia