Hotels in Surabaya

Surabaya: Java's Port City and Independence Landmark

Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of roughly 3 million, sits at the northern tip of East Java where the Mas River meets the Madura Strait. The city earned its place in Indonesian history on 10 November 1945, when local fighters resisted Dutch and British forces — a battle now commemorated as Heroes' Day and marked by the 41-metre Tugu Pahlawan monument in the city centre. That date drives a significant spike in domestic tourism each November.

Visitors come for the layered colonial streetscapes of Kota Lama (Old Town), the Arab Quarter around Ampel Mosque — one of Java's oldest mosques, founded in the 15th century — and the Chinese Quarter along Kembang Jepun. The Submarine Monument (Monkasel) near Jalan Pemuda houses a decommissioned KRI Pasopati 410 vessel open to walkers. Food culture centres on rawon (black beef soup) and lontong balap, both sold at night markets throughout Genteng and Wonokromo districts.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: Suroboyo Bus runs on several corridors; grab-hailing apps cover most routes faster after 20:00.
• Airport: Juanda International Airport (SUB) sits 18 km south of the centre; taxis take 30–45 minutes.
• Climate: Hot year-round; the dry season runs May–October, the wetter months November–April.