Surabaya

Ujung Port, Surabaya
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Buildings_in_Surabaya#mediaviewer/File:Pelabuhan_Ujung_Surabaya.jpg
Author: Sakurai Midori


Surabaya is the regional capital of East Java, Indonesia. It is located on the northern shore of Java, at the mouth of the Mas River. Among Indonesians, Surabaya is the significant site of the battle that propelled the nation towards independence. Today Surabaya is a city of 3 million people within a metropolitan area with a population of close to 7 million people. It is the second biggest city in Java as well as in Indonesia.

Surabaya Chinatown Gate
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gates_in_Surabaya#mediaviewer/File:Surabaya_Chinatown.jpg
Author: Gunkarta


The first recorded mention of Surabaya was in the 13th century. It was also mentioned in the chronicles of Ma Huan, who travelled with the fleet of Admiral Zheng He in the 15th century. Surabaya was an independent sultanate until 1625, when it was conquered by the Sultan of Mataram. It then fell into Dutch hands in 1743. Under the Dutch, Surabaya became a major trading port and naval base.

Today Surabaya is a major seaport and trading hub for eastern Java. It is a metropolis with big shopping malls, numerous mosques - there is even one dedicated to Zheng He, and the only synagogue in Indonesia.

Pasar Keputran, Surabaya
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Markets_in_Surabaya#mediaviewer/File:Pasar_Keputran_Surabaya.JPG
Author: Sakurai Midori

Travel to Surabaya

The main international gateway to Surabaya is the Juanda International Airport (SUB), located in Sidoarjo. It is the second biggest and second busiest airport in Indonesia after the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport of Jakarta. Among the airlines flying there include Garuda, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mandala Airlines, Merpati Nusantara, SilkAir and Sriwijaya Air. Budget travellers can take AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur and Valuair from Singapore.

From the airport, you can take a taxi to downtown. The fare is between US$5-US$10 depending on your destination. There is a taxi counter where you buy the taxi coupon. Alternatively if you are able to hop into a taxi dropping passengers, you may get a cheaper ride to town.

Suramadu Bridge, Surabaya
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Suramadu_Bridge_1_edited.JPG
Author: Sakurai Midori

Travel within Surabaya

The main form of transportation for tourists would be the taxi. The flag-fall is Rp. 4,000, though drivers will expect a minimum fare of Rp. 10,000 for short trips.

Plaza Tunjungan, Surabaya
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plaza_Tunjungan.JPG
Author: Sakurai Midori

Places of Interest in Surabaya

Sights near Surabaya

Shopping in Surabaya

Surabaya has a number of shopping malls, with more in the process of completion in the next few years.

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 PG Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

Destination Indonesia

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Robbie's Roadmap