Surabaya (Surabaya Javanese: ꦯꦸꦫꦧꦪ Suroboyo) is a city on the eastern side of the island of Java and is the capital of the East Java province of Indonesia. It is the second largest city in the country with over 10 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. Complementing Jakarta, its larger brother on the western side of the same island, it sits close enough geographically to be exposed to Javanese culture, while large enough to hold a multicultural identity.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
According to folklore, Surabaya's name derives from the Javanese words Suro, meaning shark, and Boyo, meaning crocodile. With over 2 million people, Surabaya is the second-largest city in Indonesia. While many people come for business, Surabaya is also a gateway city for Mount Bromo and Bali. The city's tree-lined streets and renovated pavements will impress those newly arrived from other cities in the archipelago, though in general the city's attractions tend to be more apparent to those who make it their home rather than to short-term visitors.
Taxis are plentiful on the streets of Surabaya. While most drivers are honest, it is still standard practice to ensure the meter (locally called an argo) is turned on. Blue Bird Group, ☏ +62 31 3721234. The nationwide gold standard. You can hail them on the street, find them at major malls, or book via the MyBluebird or Gojek app. They have a minimum fare of Rp 25,000 for street hails. (updated Jan 2026) Green SM, ☏ 62 818 0526 8689Country code missing, toll-free: 14068Country code missing. The newest player in town; they operate a 100% electric fleet, easily identifiable by their cyan liveries. Expect quiet cabins and generally higher service standards.
1 Jembatan Merah (The Red Bridge). This red bridge plays a big role in Surabaya's history; not for the bridge itself, but for the Dutch colonial era commercial area which lies in northern part of the city surrounding this bridge. The area is also known as Old Surabaya. See one of the best preserved Dutch colonial quarters in Indonesia. (updated Jun 2016) 2 The Suramadu Bridge (Jembatan Suramadu). Also known as the Surabaya-Madura Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge which connects Surabaya on the island of Java and the town of Bangkalan on the island of Madura. The bridge has been open for the public since 2009.
Swim and have fun with water in 1 Ciputra Waterpark. , a great place for swimming. It has a wave pool, slides, and more. This waterpark is located in the CitraLand complex. It is usually crowded on Saturdays, Sundays and other holidays. The waterpark is open until 20:00. Enjoy the local arts at Balai Pemuda, an art center in the heart of Surabaya, near the City Hall. You can watch the Reog Dance and other art performances. The big event is Festival Seni Surabaya (FSS), held every year in June.
Surabaya is a foodie's dream, with many local specialities. The city is famous for rujak cingur, a local salad with sauce, and cingur (slices of cooked cow nose). Try also the sate klopo, satay with coconut rasp which you can find in Jalan Walikota Mustajab. Don't forget to try rawon, pecel, gado-gado Surabaya, semanggi, es campur, es teler, and es kacang ijo (mung bean dessert). Rawon setan ("Satan's rawon") could be described as beef soup and rice, but that doesn't capture the magic. Lapis legit Surabaya is the local variety of a cake that's made throughout large parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. 1 Ibu Hasan, Jl. Manyar Rejo 8, ☏ +62 31 594 8710. Daily 06:30-17:00. Local bakery chain.
360 Royal Plaza, Jl.Ahmad Yani. Big Box Cafe, Jl.Sumatra. Under renovation but still open. Seems to have some other names, like 'Lava Lounge' and 'Box Entertainment Complex'. Basically an outdoor bar/restaurant with couches/stools, some decent western food and juice, alcohol and regular live music. Blowfish Kitchen & Bar@MEX One Stop Entertainment, Jl.Pregolan, Tegalsari. 1 Citilites Skyclub & Bistro (Java Paragon Hotel), Jl. Mayjend Sungkono 101-103, ☏ +62 31 562 1234. 18:00-23:00. On the 21st floor with a good view of the city lights. Regional and international beverages, snacks, and pastries. Cozy and stylish. Colors Pub & Resto, Jl. Sumatra 81.
As with any big city, never let your guard down, because big cities such as Surabaya have a reputation among Indonesians for a mid crime rate. That said, Surabaya has few real dangers for visitors apart from the perils of crossing the very busy roads (the secret is to raise an arm while crossing, and to progress with a predictable speed and bearing, allowing the traffic to flow around you). Don't walk on the streets, especially at night other than the CBD area, if you can avoid it since you won't have anything to sightsee. Bring along your face mask if you travel by foot during rush hour since the traffic will be chaos and the air pollution is bad (16:30 to 18:30).
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Surabaya typically sees ~31°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
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