Surabaya Indonesia – Your Quick Travel Guide
In a nutshell
Seen mostly as a gateway destination to exotic Bali or to majestic Mount Bromo and also recognized largely as a business hotspot, Surabaya on the coast of Java in Indonesia has more than initially meets the eye. Unassuming, humble and welcoming, this small city with its colonial-style architecture offers visitors a pleasant and relaxing stay.
Why go to Surabaya
Surabaya offers travellers an ideal destination to unwind for a day or two away from the congestion and traffic jams of Jakarta, before grabbing their tropical sundresses or pineapple-motif swimwear and making an enthusiastic beeline for the golden shores of Bali. For the more adventurous, this spot is also the perfect entry point for travellers wanting to don their hiking boots to conquer the summit of the resplendent Mount Bromo.
This city is best enjoyed by travellers who aren’t seeking too much action or exhilaration, and Surabaya is for the most part, a moderately quiet destination with relatively few attractions.
Relaxing sights and activities for those in Surabaya to indulge in include a leisurely wander around Old Chinatown where travellers can observe the Chinese influence, take interesting photographs and learn more about the history of the city. One can also partake in a city tour, wander around museums and monuments, and visit a working factory when visiting the House of Sampoerna cigarette factory. A fun attraction is also a visit to the Monumen Kapal Selam, which is an old Russian Whiskey class submarine that now stands on the riverbank and makes an excellent spot for a picnic.
History buffs might enjoy a visit to The Heroes Monument which is a dedicated monument for all those who died during the Battle of Surabaya in 1945. For those craving more greenery than concrete, head on over to Bungkul Park for a picnic, a skate session or a tranquil walk around while tasting the scrumptious dishes at the local street-food carts.
When to go to Surabaya
Although the average temperature in Surabaya doesn’t really vary all that much, visitors may want to avoid the rainy season which occurs from November to April. June to October are probably the most ideal months to visit in terms of rainfall, humidity and temperatures and offer tourists the smallest chance of getting rained on during your stay.
Where to stay in SUrabaya
Being Indonesia’s second largest city as well as a destination for an interesting variety of travellers – businessmen, backpackers heading to Bali, or travellers heading to the slopes of Mount Bromo Surabaya boasts accommodations to suit all these needs and niches in the market. Fortunately, as a result of Surabaya having relatively quiet roads with little traffic, means that transmuting around the city presents little issues and so travellers are free to stay in whichever area they like. From backpacker hotels and budget-friendly guesthouses all the way to majestic, colonial-style architecture at the stunning Hotel Majapahit, Surabaya has all the bases covered no matter what your needs and preferences are for finding a spot to crash for the night.
At the very cheapest and most basic of the range, travellers can expect a squat toilet, a bucket of cold water to wash and a fan. Pretty primitive for sure, but the very cheap price might make the lower-end accommodations attractive to those with strict budgets. At the higher-end, guests can expect top-notch facilities, stunning décor and meticulous attention to detail. As the old adage goes, “You get what you pay for” and this is perfectly evident here in Surabaya.
Where and what to eat in Surabaya
Although Surabaya has a generous scattering of international restaurants and fast food chains, the city also has a surprisingly abundant selection of culinary specialties that the more adventurous eaters will thoroughly enjoy sampling. Plus, fortunately food as a rule is mostly very affordable.
Be sure to try Surabay’s national dish, Lontong balap; which is a hearty, brown, beef soup with bean sprouts, fried tofu, Japanese rice cakes (longtong), fried mung bean cake (lento), and topped with crispy shallots. Unique to east Java rujak cingur is a spicy salad containing raw fruits and vegetables; and a spicy gravy with the key ingredient being sweet, beef lips.
For travellers wanting to stick to street vendors, you’ll be delighted to learn that Surabaya is famous for Tahu Tek, a famous supper omelet made from scrambled eggs and bean curd that gets deep fried and then topped with a savory peanut gravy. The special aspect of this dish is that it can only be found after sunset when the street vendors will hit their bamboo dong to attract hungry people and lure them from their houses and into the streets for dinner.
How to get around Surabaya
Getting around Surabaya over short distances can be done via a taxi or renting a car.
Taxi companies are not known for their reliability or dependability and travelers should attempt sticking to fares that are solely dictated by the meter. Expect to pay around IDR 40,000 for a one-way taxi ride across the city and roughly IDR 100,000 for a trip to the airport. Also, hailing a taxi rather than calling for one will save you the IDR 10,000 to IDR 25,000 phone fare that most taxi companies in Surabaya charge.
Becaks (a cycle rickshaw) can all also be used for short distances and many tourists enjoy this authentic and traditional Indonesian mode of transport for its olden-day charm.
Buses and bemos (Indonesia’s classic open-aired minibuses) are also useful means of getting around the city and can frequently be used for longer distances across Surabaya.
How to get to and from Surabaya
Getting into and out of Surabaya is possible via plane, train and bus.
By air
Surabaya’s Juanda Airport (SUB) is Indonesia’s second busiest airport and is situated around 25 kilometres south of the town itself. This airport has very frequent domestic flights to the capital, Jakarta and other main Indonesian cities; as well as several international flights to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Guangzhou and Bandar Seri Begawan. Once arriving at Surabaya’s Juanda Airport the journey into the heart of the city will take around 45 minutes in a taxi and will cost roughly IDR 100, 000.
By train
The second option of travelling into or out of Surabaya is via train. The city has two primary train stations situated in the city of Surabaya itself: Gubeng, which transports passengers towards destinations in the east, south and west on Java’s southern train line; and Pasar Turi, which transports passengers towards Semarang and Jakarta via Java’s northern train line.
The former station, Gubeng, is generally the most used station by travellers with Parsar Turi only really taking travelers to Semarang on a 4 and a half hour journey at around IDR 90,000. This station also costs much less than Gubeng station to Jakarta at roughly IDR 165,000 almost half the price for this +- 12 hour journey.
Gubeng station’s most popular routes include, Surabaya to Banyuwangi which takes around 7 hours and costs roughly IDR 65,000; and Surabaya to Yogyakarta which takes 5 hours and also costs around IDR 65,000. 12 hour overnight buses from Surabaya are also possible to Bandung at around IDR 235,000 for a one-way journey; and a slightly longer, 12 and a half hour bus ride to Jakarta at about IDR 305,000.
By bus
Another mode of transport is the several frequent bus connections and minivans that connect Surabaya with other areas in Java and elsewhere. The major bus terminal in Surabaya is in Purabaya/Bungurasih situated roughly 13 kilometres south of the town. Getting to the station is as easy as flagging down one of the many buses heading to Purabaya and paying the IDR 3,000 bus fare. An IDR 4,000 taxi ride will also get you to the station from the city centre in Surabaya.
The popular shorter routes such as the 2 hour journey to Malang (IDR 11,600), and the 2 hour journey to Probolinggo (IDR 12,500) are very frequent and so there is no need to book in advance. An advance booking of one of the longer-haul buses however, is recommended; such as the 18 hour journey to Bundung at around IDR 106,500; and the 14 hour journey to Padang Bai which costs roughly IDR 70,000 for a one-way ticket.
Is Surabaya a safe place to visit?
Much like any busy city, it remains important to travel with caution and to be careful in one’s new and foreign surroundings as Surabaya has a reputation for having a moderate to mid-crime rate. Travellers should be cautious when crossing busy intersections and should avoid walking in the streets at night due to potholes and unsavory characters.
