Holiday in Surabaya

About Surabaya

Surabaya is the second largest city in Indonesia and the capital of East Java province. The port city in northeastern Java is known as Kota Pahlawan (Hero City) because the Battle of Surabaya took place here in 1945 — one of the bloodiest battles in the Indonesian War of Independence against the British and Dutch. The Tugu Pahlawan (Hero Monument) and the adjacent Museum 10 November commemorate this turning point in Indonesian history. Jalan Tunjungan, once the most elegant shopping street of the Dutch colonial era, preserves the charm of past epochs with the Hotel Majapahit (formerly Hotel Oranje) and historic Art Deco buildings. The Arab Quarter around the Al-Akbar Mosque — one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia — showcases the Islamic side of the city. The Chinese Temple Hok An Kiong (1830) and Chinatown document Surabaya's multicultural history. Surabaya is the gateway to Mount Bromo and the Ijen Crater: Gunung Bromo in the Tengger massif offers one of Asia's most spectacular natural spectacles at sunrise — a smoking crater amidst a moon-like sandy plain. The Kawah Ijen impresses with its turquoise acidic lake and the rare blue flames at night. The local cuisine is hearty and spicy: Rawon, a black beef stew with Kluwek nut, is Surabaya's culinary landmark.