Surabaya

Surabaya is a city on the eastern side of Java, in the East Java province of Indonesia. It is the second largest city in the nation with over 10 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. Complementing Jakarta, its larger brother on the western side of the same island, it sits close enough geographically to be exposed by the (Javanese) culture, while large enough to hold its people of multicultural backgrounds.

Surabaya Halal Travel Guide

The story goes that Surabaya's name derives from the (Javanese) words Suro, meaning shark, and Boyo, meaning crocodile. With over 2 million people, Surabaya is the second-largest city in Indonesia. While many people come for business, Surabaya is also a gateway city for Mount Bromo and Bali. The city's tree-lined streets and renovated pavements will impress those newly arrived from other cities in the archipelago, though in general the city's attractions tend to be more apparent to those who make it their home rather than to short-term visitors. Put in the effort here, and you'll have an authentic, fascinating, unique experience of an Asia that once was: get it while it lasts.

How is the Climate in Surabaya

Temperatures vary little through the year, with daytime highs around 32-34°C, falling at night to 22-26°C. During the rainy season (November–April) be prepared for occasional flash floods and traffic jams, and sometimes its almost as bad as Jakarta.

Community

Being simultaneously one of the most ancient and significant trading ports in Indonesia, a post Dutch-colonial city (the Dutch knew it as Soerabaja), and having passed through brief Japanese control during WWII, Surabaya has a complex and patchwork legacy. It's not unusual to meet Surabaya local residents with legacy from other parts of Indonesia, all parts of south-eastern China and the Middle East or Europe. Surabaya is also the only place in Indonesia with a synagogue.

Travel to Surabaya

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Surabaya

• Juanda International Airport IATA Code: SUB There are two terminals: Terminal 1 (north of the runways) is the Domestic Terminal, and Terminal 2 (south of the runways) is the International Terminal (with some exceptions for Garuda Indonesia and Indonesia AirAsia flights). There is a free 15-minutes shuttle that links the two terminals.

To reach the Purabaya Bus Terminal a few kilometers west and there is a Damri Bus that leaves from both terminals and costs Rp 65,000 per person.

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Surabaya

The national rail operator Kereta Api runs multiple daily train services from Jakarta and several other cities in Java, with both daytime and overnight services available.

Surabaya has two main station for long distance trains, Pasar Turi GPS -7.248280,112.731122 and Gubeng -7.265516,112.751998, both located at the heart of downtown Surabaya. Pasar Turi serves executive air-conditioned trains from Jakarta, Semarang, and all of Java's northern coast; while Gubeng is the terminus station for mainly economy class trains and trains from the southern Java route, via Yogyakarta and Bandung. Slow and packed local economy-class trains from Malang arrive at Kota GPS -7.242993,112.740748 station (commonly called Semut) and passing through Gubeng station as they come in from the south.

Seats in Eksekutif (first class) and Bisnis (second class) for any intercity journey can be reserved from 90 days in advance up to 24 hours before departure at any major train station in Java through e-kiosks serve by yourself. It same with online reserved by minimarket attendant of Alfamart and Indomart and the payment in minimarket can be done by cash also without any additional fee. On the last 24 hours before departure and the ticket is only available in the ticket counter at departure station. Senior citizens ages 60 and above are eligible for a 20% discount when the ticket is bought in this time bracket.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Surabaya

The main ferry terminal is Tanjung Perak GPS -7.197970,112.734276, located at the northern end of Jl. Perak Timur road about 4 kilometers north of downtown.

• Angkutan Sungai Danau dan Penyeberangan (ASDP): Daily ferry service from Ujung Kamal and Madura
• Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (PELNI): Runs passenger ships from a large number of port cities throughout Indonesia.

Travel on a Bus in Surabaya

Surabaya has frequent bus connections from all parts of East Java and from major cities in other parts of Java and beyond. The main bus terminal is at Purabaya Bus Terminal GPS 7.3508309,112.724729485271 (commonly called Bungurasih), about 10 kilometers south of the city.

Note: The names "Purabaya Terminal" and "Bungurasih Terminal" are used interchangeably to refer to Surabaya's main bus terminal. "Purabaya" is the correct name but it is sometimes called "Bungurasih" because it is located in Bungurasih.

There are many people inside the terminal trying to solicit passengers to the bus of the company from which they get a commission, and they are especially bothersome to the foreigners. If you follow them to the bus, you are likely to get offered an inflated (Rp 400,000 or even more to Bali) price, even though there's an official price list (you can see it at the exit to the platform). Ticket offices do not guarantee you to be safe from overcharging - most of them are private, and there's no price posted on the window, so shop around. It may make sense to bargain if the price is certainly too high. Prices may be slightly higher during high demand periods like weekends and public holidays.

There are frequent buses from Malang (Rp 40,000 for air-conditioned, less for "ekonomi") and Probolinggo (for Mount Bromo, Rp 60,000), so just turn up.

To Denpasar in Bali, fair price is Rp 200,000-120,000 by eksekutif night bus, including the ferry trip between Banyuwangi and Gilimanuk, mineral water and a meal. Buses depart from Bungurasih bus terminal in Surabaya, and arrive in Ubung bus terminal in Denpasar. Duration: 10-12 hr.

A ticket to Jakarta should cost Rp 230,000-150,000 in eksekutif bus - however the trip may be extremely tedious. The road is one of the busiest in Indonesia - despite that, much of it has only one lane in each direction, and there are lots of slow heavy trucks. There will be 3 or 4 rest stops on the way (20–30 minutes each), and at least some traffic jams near Jakarta, so even in an express bus what was advertised as 13–14 hours journey could easily turn into 18 or even 20.

Another option is to go by shuttle van (known in Indonesia as travel). A number of companies run door-to-door shuttle van services from and to major tourist destinations in Java, including Malang and Yogyakarta. These services are both more convenient and more expensive than public buses. Seats can be booked in advance through company offices, and also through many hotels and travel agents.

By car

From the south and the Surabaya-Gempol toll road skirts the city limits up to Tanjung Perak port. The arterial Pantura (North Coast) road connects Surabaya all the way to Semarang in Central Java and Jakarta through Gresik, in which the portion between Surabaya and Gresik is tolled. From the neighboring Madura Island and the Suramadu bridge crosses the Madura strait, for free.

How to get around in Surabaya

Best way to travel in Surabaya by a Taxi

Taxis are plentiful on the streets of Surabaya. Some taxis are not renowned for their reliability so stick to the well known firms: Blue Bird Group ☎+62 31 3721234, Orenz Taxi ☎ +62 31 8799999, Silver and Express. Always insist on a metered fare. Figure on Rp 60,000 for a cross-town trip and Rp 80,000 to the airport. Drivers will expect a minimum fare of Rp 25,000 for short trips and for longer trips, pay the fare shown on the meter rounded up to the nearest multiple of Rp 2,000. Drivers will appreciate a tip of a few thousand rupiah. Blue Bird has increased its minimum payment to Rp 65,000, but it's still the most reliable taxi company.

Since the fuel price hike in November 2022 and there are some taxi operators that still use the old tariff, such as Zebra Nusantara Taxi which uses gas for its taxi, so the Zebra operator never increases the taxi tariff if the gas price is not increased yet. Zebra still uses the old flag-fall tariff Rp 7,500 for the first kilometer. The cheapest tariff among taxi operators. Zebra Taxi has been a public company for about 10 years and reliable enough. ☎ +62 31 8416666.

A trip from Stasiun Gubeng to Pasar Keputran should cost around Rp 60,000.

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Surabaya

Commuter city trains are extremely limited, serving some parts of Surabaya and Sidoarjo.

Train stations in Surabaya

• Wonokromo Station ☎ +62 31 8410694
• Gubeng Station ☎ +62 31 5033115
• Pasar Turi Station ☎ +62 31 5345014
• Semut Station ☎ +62 31 3521465

Travel on a Bus in Surabaya

Suroboyo Bus is the municipal city bus service. As of August 2018 it only serves Rajawali to Purabaya bus terminal via Pasar Turi train station, Siola and Tunjungan. While they do not accept cash as a form of payment, to help protect the environment passengers may exchange 3 large plastic bottles, 5 small plastic bottles or 10 plastic glasses for a ticket.

This is a large populous city and buses are usually crowded. There are two class of bus: standard buses which are usually very full and patas buses (supposed to be first class, but it is still... a bus.)

Travel by minivan in Surabaya

Bemos in East Java are sometimes called Angkot or Mikrolet. They are plentiful in Surabaya and can be hailed fairly randomly.

You need to know the routes to specific destination and beware of pickpocket, as its not safe.

By becak

Becak (cycle rickshaw) are a traditional form of transportation in Surabaya. Surprisingly and they are still visible everywhere in the city outskirts, unlike throughout most of Southeast Asia where they have nearly vanished already. Expect to pay around Rp 7,000 for a short-hop, or Rp 20,000 for a few blocks, Rp 60,000 for a multi-block haul. Drivers may not want to go a long way, and if it's stinking hot have a heart and pay them some more money. Some of them have sun and rain covers, though these can be a bit low at times. Also and they can vary quite a bit in width: if you are 'big boned' you might need one to yourself.

Also available Becak Motor (cycle which powered by motor cycle engine)

By car

Another option to discover Surabaya is by vehicle and there are many automobile rental services. To rent a vehicle with a driver for one day might cost between 250,000 rupiah and 500,000 rupiah, depending on the type of vehicle and the length of the trip. For a full day trip, it is customary to buy lunch for the driver, or give some extra money for the driver to buy cigarettes, a Snacks, or Coffee. Don't forget to pay for parking and toll fees and gas (unless you have already negotiated this into your initial price).

By Car/Bike Sharing

Also available : Gocar & Gojek, Grab vehicle & Grab bike.

What to see in Surabaya

• House of Sampoerna - Situated in "old Surabaya"‚ this stately Dutch colonial-style compound was built in 1862 and is now a preserved historical site. Cited as the top tourist destination in Surabaya and the complex offers a museum, an art gallery, a cafe as well as souvenir shops. It also provides a City Sightseeing bus for free with a tour guide speaking English. Check out the timing for the museum's main attraction: hundreds of girls hand-rolling Indonesia's most prestigious cigarette, Dji Sam Soe, using traditional equipment: they do it at an unbelievable speed. The museum also organizes its own bus tours of nearby historical sites; these are worthwhile and generally available in Indonesian and English.

• Museum Kesehatan dr. Adhyatma, MPH - Dr. Adhyatma Health Museum | A museum built in the 1990s oriented towards the history of health & medicinal treatment in Indonesia, from the depiction of health in traditional cultures to the evolution of remedy methods.

• Tugu Pahlawan & Museum Sepuluh November - Heroes monument | A monument dedicated to the fallen heroes of Surabaya during the Independence war of 1945-49. Adjacent to the monument area is Museum Sepuluh Nopember, named after the declaration of war against the Dutch colony on November 10, 1945. There are uniforms, pictures, dioramas and a large collection of World Was II perioid weapons (pistols, rifles, machine guns and a mortar). Most of the information is available in Indonesian and English.

• Jembatan Merah - The Red Bridge | This red bridge plays a big role in Surabaya's history; not for the bridge itself, but for the Dutch colonial perioid commercial area which lies in northern part of the city surrounding this bridge. The area is commonly called Old Surabaya. See one of the best preserved Dutch colonial quarters in Indonesia.

• Museum Rudi Isbandi - Modern and contemporary art museum | Holdings collected from 1952 to 2009. Opened in 2009, and named after collector Rudi Isbandi. - Karangwismo I/10, Surabaya.

• Museum TNI AL Loka Jala Çrana - Loka Jaya Çrana Navy Museum | Established in 1969 and the museum contains various displays related to the Indonesian Navy since the revolution era, including ships and amphibious tanks and a planetarium.

• Gereja Kelahiran Santa Perawan Maria - The oldest Catholic church in Surabaya. Beautiful glass panels and serene surroundings.

• Grahadi The colonial-era residence of the Governor of East Java. You can watch Reog dance, a vigorous traditional dance at the nearby 'Balai Pemuda' (Youth Hall- one historical building in Surabaya). It is not open to public.

• G-Walk There are many food stalls and bazaars at night where you can find a lot of good food. It gets very crowded at night and it's a place for a lot of young people to hang out. A new food market opened in 2011 and close to G-Walk you'll also find some cafes. G-Walk is located between Pakuwon Super Mall and Ciputra Golf.

• Hok An Kiong Chinese Temple (Klenteng Jalan Coklat) Excellent example of an older Chinese Southeast Asian temple, built in the early 19th century. Numerous old wooden carvings and statues from around the region. Just ask a bicycle to bring you to "Jalan Coklat" (Chocolate street) and you'll see a bright red temple building. Afterwards, walk westward then north through some of the city's numerous examples of old colonial commercial architecture.

• Masjid Al Akbar Surabaya A huge mosque which some say is the biggest mosque in South East Asia, The mosque has a tower which is equipped with an elevator, so that visitors can see Surabaya from top of the tower, 65m (195ft) above ground level.

• Masjid Muhammad Cheng Hoo A small but impressively detailed modern mosque, built circa 2001 and named after Zheng He and the Chinese Muslim (of distant Turmenistani-legacy!) admiral who led the Ming Dynasty treasure fleets on their seven voyages through the South China Sea to Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East and East Africa. Beautiful Chinese architecture, and a large outdoor model of one of the ancient Chinese treasure vessels. About 10 minutes walk from Surabaya City Hall, or 5 minutes by "becak".

• Monumen Jalasveva Jayamahe A monument on Surabaya's seafront dedicated to the service of the Indonesian Navy.

• Monumen Kapal Selam (KRI Pasopati (410) A Soviet-built submarine display which served in the Indonesian Navy since 1962. Launched in 1952, and since her decommissioning in 1990 has been preserved as a monument. The body/hull was slightly cut for stairs & door for easier public entrance & viewing. Beside the monument there is a building where a short film about the history of the submarine can be viewed. It is located beside the river next to Delta Plaza. You also can see the Suroboyo monument near the river.

• Pasar Ampel A large Arab market selling carpets and all sorts of other goodies. At the end of the main narrow lane is the mosque and grave of one of the nine Muslim saints of Java, Sunan Ampel.

• Pasar Keputran

• Surabaya Gothic Church (Katedral Hati Kudus Yesus) Seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Surabaya, established on 15 February 1928 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Surabaya from the Apostolic Vicariate of Batavia, promoted on 16 October 1941 as Apostolic Vicariate of Surabaya, promoted on 3 January 1961 as the Diocese of Surabaya, and renamed as such 22 August 1973. The local area apparently includes 150,457 (4.4%) Catholics.

• The Suramadu Bridge (Jembatan Suramadu) Also known as the Surabaya-Madura Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge which connects Surabaya on the island of Java and the town of Bangkalan on the island of Madura. The bridge has been open for the public since 2009.

• Kenjeran Beach (Pantai Kenjeran), is a beach with black sand.

What to Do

• Swim and have fun with water in Ciputra Waterpark | a great place for swimming. It has a wave pool, slides, and more. This waterpark is located in the CitraLand complex. It is usually crowded on Saturdays, Sundays and other holidays. The waterpark is open until 20:00.
• Enjoy the local arts at Balai Pemuda, an art center in the heart of Surabaya, near the City Hall. You can watch the Reog Dance and other art performances. The big event is Festival Seni Surabaya (FSS), held every year in June. During the Dutch Colonial era, this building was a club called Simpangsche Societeit.
• Get around the Old Town area (around Kembang Jepun to the port) and enjoy the view of nice colonial buildings.
• Surabaya has several golf courses. Try to golf in Bukit Darmo Golf. This golf course is located in the elite housing area in West Surabaya. This course has 18 holes, designed by Jack Nicklaus II. Another alternative is Yani Golf. This course is built in hilly terrain and is the oldest course in town with the crypt of the last Dutch Governor on it. Otherwise, you can try Graha Famili golf course (18 holes), inside Graha Famili real estate site, near the Bukit Darmo Golf. Also Ciputra Golf found within Citraland Estate. For beginners, try Pakuwon Golf instead within Pakuwon Estate - an 18-hole par 3 course; the 'back nine' are quite challenging. There's also excellent Taman Dayu golf located about an hour drive south, towards Malang. There you also find the very nice course of Fina Golf. Another 9-hole Par 3 course can be found on the estate of Semen Gresik in the town of the same name. Generally golf in Surabaya is both great and affordable if you compare with most other countries.
• Watch movies in 21 Group cinemas, a nice cinema. 21 Cinemas have air-conditioners and nice seats. You can identify if a cinema is part of Group 21 from the last name, like Empire 21 or Tunjungan 21. And now there are also XXI which is still the same group of 21. The XXI cinema is available at SUTOS (Surabaya Town Plaza) and Tunjungan Plaza. The XXI cinemas are more expensive than 21 Cinema. Also available CGV cinemas in Marvell City Mall.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Surabaya

Surabaya boasts some of South-East Asia's largest shopping malls. Try to shop between 1 May and 30 June when the Surabaya big sale is on. Discounts are up to 50% at this time.

Visit a Muslim Friendly Mall in Surabaya

Upscale

• Tunjungan Plaza (TP), Jl Basuki Rahmat. Anchored by SOGO, Matahari, and Hero. The largest in central Surabaya, with six interconnected buildings (TP 1 - TP 6) selling everything. Good selection of restaurants on the top floors and the basement. Enjoy yourself at Stingers, a game area near the food court, or Timezone, a popular arcade.
• Galaxy Mall (GM), Jl Dharmahusada Indah Timur (Middle East Ring Road). Anchored by SOGO, Centro, Ranch Market 99, Cinema XXI and more than 400 shops selling well known brands such as Mango, Guess Marks ans Spencer, LaSenza, Sephora, Nine West, The Body Shop, L'Occitane, Mothercare and many more. There are two Food Courts, one completely dedicated to the best local Indonesian food and an International Food Court plus The Dining Town which gathers many fine-dining restaurants on one exclusive floor. The largest mall in the eastern part of Surabaya, with two interconnected buildings lavishly finished throughout with marble floors and stainless steel finishes.
• Pakuwon Mall, Supermal Pakuwon Indah (SPI) and Pakuwon Trade Center (PTC), Jl Puncak Indah Lontar (Middle West Ring Road). Pakuwon Mall is anchored by Sogo, Lotemart, while Supermall is anchored by Matahari, Hypermart, ACE. The largest mall in the western part of Surabaya. Pakuown mall contains the exclusive part of the mall and SPI is middle while PTC caters the lower market of the mall. PTC has an area that sells pets.
• Surabaya Town Plaza (Sutos), Jl Adityawarman. Anchored by Foodmart. A shopping mall with the largest cinema studio in Surabaya. Open until midnight.
• Grand City Mall, Jl Gubeng Pojok. Next to Grand City Convention and Exhibition Hall. The luxurious mall in Surabaya.
• Lenmarc Mall, Jl Bukit Darmo Boulevard. Anchored by Transmart Full glass façade and the first golf-view mall in Surabaya.
• Ciputra World Mall, Jl. Mayjen Sungkono. The longest escalator in Surabaya.

Factory outlet

• Family Outlet - Babies', boys', girls', men's, and women's clothing are available. Open 10:00-21:00.

• The Plaza, Jl Sumatra. At Big Box Complex. Men's, women's and children's apparel, featuring many branded items at discount prices. Open till 22:00
• Pasar Atom & Pasar Atom Mall, Jl Bunguran. Anchored by Hartani. A large, indoor Chinese and local market, selling foods, clothes, jewellery, catering to Chinese local residents. You can bargain the prices here. Loads of DVDs (5k each) of movies made everywhere. Excellent food court (begins to open around 12:00), featuring excellent Vegetarian cuisine among at least 40 other choices.
• City of Tomorrow (Cito), Jl Raya Jendral Ahmad Yani. Anchored by Matahari and Hypermart.
• Plaza Surabaya (Delta Plaza), Jl Pemuda. Anchored by Matahari and Superindo. One of the oldest shopping malls in town. Beside Delta Plaza is the Monkasel (Monumen Kapal Selam) or the Submarine Monument.
• Royal Plaza, Jl Raya Jendral Ahmad Yani. Anchored by Matahari, Hypermart, ACE and Index. Another medium size shopping mall in Surabaya.
• BG Junction, Jl Bubutan. Anchored by Carrefour with Cheese selection) and Cahaya. A variety of jewellery stores so if you want to buy jewellery you definitely have to go to this place. The food court is terrible unless you would like yet another "special" Indonesian dish (check out Pasar Atom's, instead). Will be opening soon CGV cinemas
• ITC, Jl Gembong. Anchored by Carrefour.
• Maspion Plaza, Jl Margorejo Indah. Anchored by Giant. A shopping mall situated in Southern Surabaya.

More Malls

• Jembatan Merah Plaza (JMP)
• Pusat Grosir Surabaya (PGS)
• Darmo Trade Center (DTC)
• Kapas Krampung Plaza (Kaza)
• Royal Plaza

Specialty

• World Trade Center (WTC), off Jl Pemuda. Despite its name and the building is actually more famous as the place to shop for mobile phones. Beware of pickpockets. Locals often refer to it as 'World Telephone Center'.
• HI-TECH Mall (THR Mall), Jl Kusuma Bangsa. Dismall place to shop for computers, software and computer peripherals.
• Plasa Marina, Jl Margorejo Indah. a shopping area for computers, software, and cellphones.
• Empire Palace, Jl Blauran. A place specialising in weddings and jewellery.

• Roode Brug Soerabaia | Heritage souvenirs specialist. Reference books about old Surabaya, miniatures of Suramadu Bridge and KRI Pasopati Submarine which is done with a high level of detail. Heritage buildings on T-shirts such as the lindeteves-stokvis & Haven Kantoor building. You can enquire about a special legacy tour to Surabaya old kampong and legacy building.

• Cak Cuk Surabaya | Eclectic souvenir shop with the theme of Surabaya on many of its products.

Markets

• Pasar Genteng, Jl Genteng Besar. Around this market you'll find shops selling bandeng asap (smoked milk fish) and kerupuk (local chips). Also known as the largest electronic spare part market in Indonesia (level 2 and above).
• Pasar Ampel A large colourful Arab Market, and a definite highlight of the city. You are able to find unique food here. An excellent place to shop for hats, imported dates, perfumes, water pipes and tobacco, a Quran for that special someone, etc. Dress reasonably conservatively and be friendly. Most people are very warm and it is perfectly safe in the day time, but you can meet the odd person who is less than warmly welcoming to westerners. It is probably best not to amble down too many alleys here at night.

Popular Halal Food

• Rujak Cingur - rujak cingur: Surabaya's local, saucy, cow nose salad (not to be confused with the other ones)
• Dendeng sapi dari Surabaya - dendeng sapi dari: beef jerky
• Tahu Telor in Surabaya - tahu telor: tofu topped with vegetables
• Tahu telor - tahu telor: tofu and vegetables
• Kue lapis Surabaya - kue lapis: Surabayan layer cake

Surabaya is famous for rujak cingur, a local salad with Sauce and cingur (slices of cooked cow nose). Try also the sate kelopo, satay with coconut rasp which you can find in Jalan Walikota Mustajab.

Surabaya is home to a huge number of restaurants - this is an eating culture.

Don't forget to try pecel, gado-gado, semanggi, bakso, es cendol, es campur, es teler, and es kacang ijo (mung bean milk).

Kue lapis Surabaya is the local variety of a cake that's made throughout large parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.

International

• Kafe Bromo | Offers delicious all day dining in a relaxed setting with a view that gives to pool.
• Angus House, World Trade Centre & HR. Muhammad. Premium quality steak.
• Boncafe, Local style Steaks house which favours by Surabaya people

• Trattoria Valentino - Italian owned restaurant, wood fried Pizzas, hand made pastas. Family style, good prices. Italian, English and Indonesian speakers.
• Portofino, Shangri-la Hotel, Mayjend Sungkono. Great Italian food, can be pricey.
• Capital, Lenmarc Mall. There are no other restaurants serving complete original Western dishes except here in Capital, located in Lenmarc Mall.
• Food courts, in all the main shopping malls offer a variety of (Indonesian), Western Chinese and Japanese dishes at reasonable prices. The shopping malls also have good variety of small restaurants.

• Ahimsa Restaurant | Best known Vegetarian restaurant in stylish decor. Pan Asian, Chinese and Indonesian cuisine.

• Domicile Kitchen and Lounge - A modern and chic kitchen, serving "new-age" cuisine and pastry prepared from high quality materials. Unique design through parts of the building, VIP Room available by reservation. Open for brunch until late night for supper and cocktails.

Indonesian

• Kahyangan Resto, Citraland. Authentic à la carte Indonesian cuisines accompanied with an Oriental touch are served here at precise prices.
• Soto Ayam Ambengan, Jl. Ambengan. Serves soto, a yellow soup with Chicken Meat, Noodles and cabbage. The soup is yellow because of the turmeric and other spices.
• Hary Hary Restaurant, Jl. Musi 47. Special Indonesian grilled fresh fish and prawn in Dutch colonial house with cozy and classy atmosphere. Many other legacy recipes like tahu tek-tek,nasi goreng,sate kelapa.
• Puri Garden, Plaza Surabaya 1F. Tasty selection of Indonesian food with dishes for Rp 20,000-20,000. Try puri kuali asam, an Indonesian twist on the spicy (Thai) tom yam kung soup.
• Bakwan Dempo, Jl Dempo, Bakwan and fried or braised stuffed intestines.
• Bakwan Gili, Ps Atum, Authentic Bakwan.
• Bakwan Kapasari, Mayjend Sungkono. Serving meatballs (called bakwan), soup, tofu (called tahu), siomay and more since 1930s.
• Nasi Uduk Kebon Kacang, Jl HR Muhammad, Jl. Ahmad Yani. Serving nasi uduk, Indonesian version of nasi lemak.
• Bakwan Dempo 19, Jl. HR Muhammad 46. Try Bakwan campur, meatballs (bakwan) with siomay, tahu.
• Depot You Yuen, Jl Undaan Kulon 87. Local Vegetarian cuisine. Indonesian speakers only.
• Ayam Bakar Prima Rasa, Jl.Kusuma Bangsa 3a, Jl.Raya Manyar Kertoajo 78, Jl.Raya Kupang Indah 1a, Jl. Indonesian food, especially grilled Chicken (ayam bakar). BBQ fish (gurame bakar) with nice soy Sauces, fresh fried fish (gurame goreng) looks like it is flying when served.
• Ikan Bakar Cianjur, Mayjend Sungkono, Jl. Manyar Kertoarjo V. Try the ikan pesmol, fried fish with delicious local Sauce or Nila Goreng, fried Nila fish with sambal or 'hot sauce'.
• Ayam Goreng Kertajaya, Jl Pemuda (opposite Bonnet Supermarket and to Jl Jaksa Agung Suprapto.)
• Kartika Pujasera, Jl. Diponegoro. Pujasera is the abbreviation of 'Pusat Jajan Serba Ada' or if translated in English, 'complete snack Centre'. Here you can order various local food, ranging from semanggi, bakso, pecel, tahu tek, mie kluntung, gado-gado, lontong balap, bakwan kotak, to bebek goreng.
• Rawon Setan, Jl. Embong Malang, (opposite JW Marriott Hotel). Open 24 hours a day. Favourite among the local residents.
• Sate Klopo Ondomohen Jl. Walikota Mustajab. Local minced beef satay mixed with shredded coconut. One of Surabaya Cuisine.
• Leko Jl. HR Muhammad. Serves Indonesian cuisines and specialises in beef ribs presented in a special spices.

Muslim Friendly hotels in Surabaya

• Artotel Surabaya Hotel * Fave Hotel MEX Surabaya
• Garden Palace Hotel Surabaya
• Hotel Santika Pandegiling - Surabaya
• JW Marriott Hotel Surabaya
• Majapahit Hotel Surabaya
• Plaza Hotel Surabaya
• Sahid Hotel Surabaya
• Shangri-La Hotel Surabaya
• Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers
• Weta International Hotel Surabaya

Stay safe

As with any big city, never let your guard down, because big cities such as Surabaya have a reputation among Indonesians for a mid crime rate. That said, Surabaya has few real dangers for visitors apart from the perils of crossing the very busy roads (the secret is to raise an arm while crossing, and to progress with a predictable speed and bearing, allowing the traffic to flow around you). Don't walk on the streets, especially at night other than the CBD area, if you can avoid it since you won't have anything to sightsee. Bring along your face mask if you travel by foot during rush hour since the traffic will be chaos and the air pollution is bad (16:30 to 18:30). Be polite to the people, since Surabayans tend to swear easily which is very common. Do not easily trust people you have just met, even if they look friendly.

Medical Issues in Surabaya

Avoid drinking tap water. Bottled water is available in most places. One of the trusted brands is Cheers and the official drinking water of Sparkling Surabaya.

Surabaya has hospitals with 24 hours emergency rooms Unit Gawat Darurat (UDG) (ER)

• RSUD Dr. Soetomo, Jl. Prof. Moestopo 6-8. ☎ +62 31 5340061.
• RSUD Haji, Jl. Manyar Kertoadi. ☎ +62 31 5947760.
• RS Darmo, Jl. Raya Darmo. Unit Gawat Darurat. ☎ +62 31 5676253.
• RS Mitra Keluarga, Jl. Satelit Indah II Darmo Satelit. ☎ +62 31 7345333. (Worst hospital for emergency, doctors chat with med reps before seeing patients, very unprofessional)
• RS William Booth, Jl. Diponegoro 34. ☎ +62 31 5678917.
• RS Vincentius. A. Paulo, Jl. Diponegoro 51. ☎ +62 31 5677562
• Rumah Sakit PHC Surabaya,Jl. Prapat Kurung Selatan No. 1 Tanjung Perak Surabaya. ☎ +62 31 3294801 - 3. (Fax +62 31 3294804) UGD 24 hours ☎ +62 31 3294118. ( ')
• RS Adi Husada Kapasari, Jl. Kapasari 97-101 ☎ +62 31 3764 555 (Fax:+61 31 3764 666 @)
• RS Adi Husada, Jl. Undaan Wetan No. 40 - 44.
• RS Surabaya Internasional (Ramsay Health Care), formerly HCoS, Jl. Nginden Intan Barat No. 1-6. ☎ +62 31 5993211. (Fax:+62 31 5993214).
• Siloam Hospital, Jl Gubeng Raya 70. ☎ +62 31 5031333, +62 31 5031821, +62 31 5038211
• RS Husada Utama, Jl. Mayjen Prof. Dr. Moestopo 31-33-35. ☎ +62 31 5017975

Telecommunications in Surabaya

By Phone

The international code for Indonesia is +62. Local Surabaya phone numbers will start +62 31 xxx xxxx or +62 31 xxxx xxxx for the CDMA provider or +62 8xx xxxx xxxx for the GSM provider.

There are four main telecommunication providers in Surabaya: Telkomsel, Indosat, Three, Smartfren and XL.

To make an international call from Surabaya, dial the access code 001 (for Indosat), 007 (for Telkom/Telkomsel), or 008 (for Indosat), followed by the nation code, area code and party's number. Recently the providers have started offering cheaper rates for calls using Internet telephony routes (VOIP). The access codes for this cheaper service are 01016 for Indosat provider and 01017 for Telkom and Telkomsel provider.

Tourism information office

1. Jl Wisata Menanggal. ☎ +62 31 8531815, +62 31 8531820.
2. TIC Balai Pemuda, Jl Pemuda Surabaya, ☎ +62 31 5340444

Emergencies

• Ambulance ☎ 118.
• Police ☎ 110.

Police stations

• East Java Police HQ: Jl. Ahmad Yani. ☎ +62 31 8280748.
• Surabaya Police HQ: Jl. Sikatan 1. ☎ +62 31 3523927.
• East Surabaya, Jl. Sidodadi. ☎ +62 31 5341053, +62 31 3711052.
• North Surabaya, Jl. Raden Saleh. ☎ +62 31 5688099, +62 31 5341053.
• South Surabaya, Jl. Dukuh Kupang Barat 16. ☎ +62 31 3711052, +62 31 5670641.
• Tanjung Perak, Jl. Kalianget 1. ☎ +62 31 3293023, +62 31 62 31 3293023.

Explore more Destinations

• Taman Safari II is the second and probably biggest Taman Safari in terms of acreage in Indonesia, located in the foothills of Prigen. This park runs of the most successful Javan tiger conservation programs in Asia. This park is not like an ordinary zoo. You must drive through the park in your own vehicle or in the sightseeing bus provided within the park, passing an interesting and amusing collection of local and international animals clustered within areas themed according to their original habitat - Americas, Asia, Africa and Indonesia. There's also a food court, mechanical and animal rides, petting zoo and animal shows. The park is usually crowded on weekends and public holidays. However, it is mostly deserted during weekdays.
• Mount Bromo is a popular 4-hour trip from Surabaya.
• Tretes and Trawas are 2 hrs away. Pleasant villas among hills. Good food. There are many roasted corn stalls at night.
• Malang and Batu are 2 hrs away. Malang (height: just over 400 m) is a coolish very busy city with some nostalgic charming houses and boulevards preserved from colonial period. Hotels, recreation areas, villas such as picnics and sports clubs are widely available. Bantu (height: around 1,000 m) is a hill resort around 30 mins by vehicle to the west of Malang. Higher again (around 2,000 m), just beyond Batu to the north on the slopes of Mt Arjuna, is the well-known hill resort of Selecta.
• Trowulan is believed to be the capital of the Majapahit Empire that reached its golden age in the 14th century. If you love culture and history, this is definitely a place worth visiting. There are few remains of the Majapahit Empire, such as the Ancient Pool (Kolam Segaran), Tikus Temple, Brahu Temple, Bajang Ratu temple, museum and more. Here you can also see a sacred graveyard where people from other places around the area in Java often visit for a pilgrimage.
• Karimunjawa can be visited by ''Airfast'' flight.
• Sumenep on Madura can be visited by ''Airfast'' flight.
• Banyuwangi is the new destination around East Java, covering tourism from sea (ferry to Bali) to mountainous area (e.g. the Ijen Plateau)

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