Surabaya City Guide

Indonesia>Surabaya
Surabaya, provincial capital of East Java and Indonesia's second largest city, served for over half a millennium as trading part for the inland empires of Java. Situated at the mouth of the Brantas River, the city was officially founded in 1293, on the site of legendary battle between a shark (sura) and a crocodile (baya).

Surabaya, known as the "City of Heroes" because of its role in the nation's independence struggle, has grown into an elegant city of large, colonnaded buildings bordering broad, tree-shaded avenues. It serves as the commercial center of a thriving industrial and agricultural hinterland.

The city's historical sites include the Kali Mas harbor with its tall-masted trading schooners, and the narrow alleyways and shops of the Arab quarter. Surabaya is also home to one of the Southeast Asia's oldest and largest zoos.

Volcanic craters, deserted beaches, remote wildlife reserves, well-preserved temple complexes and friendly, colorful people make Surabaya, East Java a prime "soft adventure" destination.

By sea

In the east (at Ketapang), it connects with the ferry to Bali; in the west (at Merak), it connects with the ferry to Sumatra. The two main lines run between Jakarta and Surabaya - one via Yogya and Solo; the other, shorter route via Semarang.

By rail

Java has a pretty good rail service running from one end of the island to the other in the east and the west.

By road

There are regular services between most towns. Bus trips can be made from Java to Bali (two days). There are also 'Bis Malam' night-buses on a number of routes, running in competition with the railways. Special 'travel minibuses' offering a door-to-door service are also available in cities and major tourist areas.

Besides that, there are also taxi services and car rental services available for you to travel around the city.

Moving Around

The availability of the good transport mode in Surabaya, Java is a convenience of the visitors to move around the captivating town.