Surabaya
From World travel guide
Surabaya is the capital of East Java, Indonesia.
Contents |
Understand
With over 3 million people, Surabaya may be the second-largest city in Indonesia, but it's a little lacking in sights. Many people come here on business though, and it's also a gateway city for Mount Bromo and the island of Madura.
Get in
By plane
Surabaya's Juanda Airport (SUB) is one of the busiest in the country, with very frequent flights to Jakarta and other major Indonesian destinations, as well as some direct international flights to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. There are separate terminals for domestic and international flights, neither of which will any awards, but they're fairly functional with the amenities you'd expect (ATMs, car rental, etc).
Officially, you're supposed to buy fixed-fare taxi coupons from the "Prima Taxi" stand for the 18 km trip into town, around US$5-10 depending on your exact destination. In practice you may be able to get a driver dropping off passengers to pick you up. If you're going further away (eg. Mount Bromo), it'll be cheaper to a rental car with driver instead.
Get around
By taxi
Taxis are plentiful on the streets of Surabaya. Not all companies are reliable, so stick to Blue Bird Group and Express and insist on the meter. Official rates have increased in October 2005 but not all meters have yet caught up, so ask for a rate sheet if unsure. Figure on Rp 20,000 for a cross-town trip and Rp 70,000 to the airport.
See
- Grahadi. The colonial-era residence of the Governor of East Java.
- Surabaya Zoo (Kebun Binatang), 3 km south of the city (near Joyoboyo bus terminal). One of the largest and best in South-East Asia.
- House of Sampoerna, [1].
Do
Buy
Surabaya boasts some of South-East Asia's largest shopping malls.
- Delta Plaza, Jl Panglima Sudirman. One of the oldest shopping mall in town.
- Galaxy Mall. The largest one in East Surabaya. Galaxy Mall 2 is under construction at time being and scheduled to be finished next year.
- Pakuwon Mall and Trade Center. The largest one in West Surabaya.
- Tunjungan Plaza, Jl Basuki Rahmat. The largest in Surabaya, with four interconnected buildings selling everything. Good selection of restaurants on the top floors and the basement.
- Maspion Square. A shopping mall situated in Southern Surabaya where Giant Hypermarket is the anchor tenant.
- World Trade Center (WTC), Jl Panglima Sudirman. Despite its name, the building is actually more famous for the place to shop for cellphones. For locals, WTC is often referred as 'World Telephone Center'.
- THR Mall, Jl Kusuma Bangsa. The ultimate place to shop for computers, software, and computer peripherals.
Eat
- Puri Garden, Tunjungan Plaza 4F. Tasty selection of Indonesian food with dishes for Rp 10,000-20,000. Try puri kuali asam, an Indonesian twist on the spicy Thai tom yam kung soup.
Drink
- Desperados
- Tavern
Sleep
Mid-range
- Ibis Rajawali ***
- Inna Simpang ***
- Narita ***
- Sahid ***
- Santika ***
- Somerset Puri Darmo ***
- Weta International ***
Splurge
- Hyatt Regency
- JW Marriott
- Mandarin Oriental Majapahit, 65 Jalan Tunjungan, tel. +62-31-5459002, [2]. Opulent colonial-era luxury.
- Shangri-La
- Sheraton
- Equator ****
- Garden Palace ****
- Hilton International ****
- Novotel ****
- Tunjungan ****
Get out
- Mount Bromo is a popular two-day trip from Surabaya.
External links
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