Surabaya

Ujung Port, Surabaya

Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Buildings_in_Surabaya#mediaviewer/File:Pelabuhan_Ujung_Surabaya.jpg
Author: Sakurai Midori
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Places of Interest in Surabaya

Gereja Kelahiran Santa Perawan Maria
The oldest church in Surabaya.
Grahadi
Former residence of the Dutch governor of East Java. Now cultural performances are staged for the benefit of tourists.
House of Sampoerna
Dutch-era building from 1862 housing the museum of Sampoerna, Indonesia's popular cigarette manufacturer. There is also an art gallery and café at the premises.
Loop
A night bazaar and food centre.
Masjid Al Akbar Surabaya
The biggest mosque in Surabaya.
Masjid Cheng Ho
Mosque dedicated to Admiral Zheng He, who happened to be a Muslim.
Monumen Jalasveva Jayamahe
Waterfront monument dedicated to the Indonesian Navy.
Surabaya Zoo
One of the largest and best zoological gardens in Southeast Asia.
Suramadu bridge
Cable-stayed bridge connecting Surabaya in Java to Bangkalan on the island of Madura.
Tugu Pahlawan
Memorial commemorating the fallen heroes of the fight for independence in 1945-49.

Sights near Surabaya

Alas Purwo National Park
National park on the southeastern tip of Java.
Baluran National Park
National park on the northeastern tip of Java.
Gunung Arjuna
3,339-meter mountain near Tretes.
Madura
Island off Surabaya, popular for its annual bull races (kerapan sapi)
Malang
Highland town two hours from Surabaya.
Mount Bromo
One of the most beautiful volcanoes in Indonesia
Pamekasan
Capital of the island of Madura
Tretes
Mountain resort about 55 km (35 miles) to the soouth of Surabaya.

Shopping in Surabaya

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

Ciputra World Mall
A major shopping mall to be completed in 2011. It features the longest escalator in Surabaya.
Grand City Mall
An upscale shopping mall on Jl Bukit Darmo.
Lenmarc Mall
The first golf-view mall in Surabaya.
Mal Galaxy
Biggest shopping mall in eastern Surabaya.
Plaza Tunjungan
The biggest shopping mall in central Surabaya.
Supermal Pakuwon Indah (SPI) and Pakuwon Trade Center (PTD)
Together, these form the largest shopping complex in western Surabaya. SPK is the more upmarket of the two.

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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.

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