Surabaya
City of heroes with an indomitable spirit
From KNO
1 hr 45 min
Airlines
Garuda · Lion · Batik Air
IATA Code
SUB
About Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second largest city — a vibrant industrial city with historic districts, rich East Javanese cuisine, and easy access to natural attractions like Bromo and Ijen nearby. From Kualanamu about 1 hour 45 minutes.
What to Explore
Highlights in Surabaya
Highlight 1
Surabaya — City of Heroes
Surabaya is far more than a transit city to Bromo or Ijen — it is a city with a strong soul and a distinctive character of its own. As Indonesia's second largest city, Surabaya offers a compelling mix of history, culinary richness, and culture. The Ampel district, established since the 15th century by Sunan Ampel, is one of Indonesia's oldest Arab settlements — walking its alleyways feels like a slice of the Middle East in the heart of East Java, complete with the scent of spices, smoky goat satay, and the historic Ampel Mosque. Surabaya's cuisine is among the richest in Indonesia: rawon with its deep black kluwek broth, rujak cingur with distinctive petis shrimp paste, savory lontong balap, and refreshing soto Lamongan. This city that gave birth to the "Arek Suroboyo" spirit always welcomes visitors with warmth.
Highlight 2
Mount Bromo
Standing at 2,329 meters within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Mount Bromo delivers one of the most dramatic and iconic landscapes in all of Indonesia. Every morning before dawn, thousands of visitors ascend Penanjakan Hill to witness the legendary sunrise — as the silhouette of the smoking Bromo cone emerges slowly from a sea of white mist with Mount Semeru looming in the background, a sight that is truly unforgettable. After sunrise, the journey continues across the vast Sea of Sand to Bromo's base, followed by a climb of 245 steps to the crater rim where sulfuric smoke billows from below. The entire experience is reachable in a day trip from Surabaya in about 2.5–3 hours, and requires no special hiking expertise.
Highlight 3
Kawah Ijen
Hidden in the mountains of East Java near Banyuwangi, Kawah Ijen harbors one of Earth's rarest natural wonders: blue fire — the only place on earth where this phenomenon can be witnessed at such scale. The electric-blue flames form when highly pressurized sulfuric gases escape from the volcanic vents and ignite upon contact with oxygen, creating a neon-blue blaze that is surreal in the darkness before dawn. To witness it, visitors must begin the hike from Paltuding Post around 1:00–2:00 AM, following a 3-kilometer trail for about 1.5 hours. At the summit, a 1-square-kilometer crater lake of highly acidic water glowing turquoise-green becomes an equally breathtaking sight as dawn breaks. Gas masks are mandatory, and entrance tickets must be booked well in advance as the daily quota is limited to just 2,000 visitors.
Practical Info
Best Time
May – Sep
Currency
IDR (Rp)
Language
Indonesian, Javanese
Airlines
Garuda · Lion · Batik Air
Travel Tip
Make time for lunch at Warung Bu Rudy — their rujak cingur and lontong balap have been legendary for decades.
Ready to fly to Surabaya?
1 hr 45 min from Kualanamu — direct and simple.