I decided to utilise my second MH FlyPass to Surabaya around my birthday. I’d been there before back in November 2013 when I also went to Bromo, Malang and Batu and was in Surabaya only to overnight before flying back.
Sunday, 5 July 2026
I made my way to KLIA after breakfast. I’d decided that I didn’t want to bother with checking in my bag and collecting it so I packed as light as I could. We took off on time and landed at almost 15:00 to a clear sunny afternoon with Tiffany blue skies. And my, was it hot!
There are new passport reading machines although it took me three kiosks before my passport could be read. I arranged for a Grab car and the second driver (the first suddenly disappeared) told me he didn’t want to enter the airport compound. He asked if I could walk out. I said fine so I walked out to the mosque outside the airport. And guess what, he was nowhere to be seen! A man offered me a ride on his motorbike for Rp70k. I tried to bargain saying that the car ride would cost the same but he said that was online price. So apparently things cost more if arranged offline. I didn’t feel like walking back into the airport compound so I hopped on and off we went. It took more than 30 minutes to reach Rebahan Stay, the guesthouse I’d booked.
After afternoon prayers, I set off for a walk. I walked past the market up to the Bamboo Spear Monument (a symbolic representation of the traditional weapons used by the locals in the Battle of Surabaya in November 1945 where the locals rose against the foreign powers to defend the country’s newly achieved independence against the heavily armed British and Allied forces - hence the city’s reference as the City of Heroes). It was almost impossible to cross to the monument so I satisfied myself by taking photos from across the road. I continued on up to Alun Alun Surabaya or the city square and it was another challenge trying to cross the road there. I walked up to Tunjungan Plaza, among the largest shopping malls in Indonesia. Before entering the mall, I stumbled upon a lane and found an eatery where I had a delicious plate of fried meehoon for only Rp15k.
I returned back to the guesthouse on foot after checking out Tunjungan Plaza. There were so many people about and vehicles on the road that I wondered why they weren’t already at home preparing for work the very next day.
Monday, 6 July 2026
After a light breakfast of fried rice and a cup of tea (the menu didn’t vary and remain fixed throughout my stay: guests choose between a plate of fried rice or Indomie or bread, and a cup of coffee or tea), I set off on a Grab bike to Gubeng train station. I wanted to take the train after 08:00 but the tickets had sold out so I had to buy the 09:33 train ticket. I had about 90 minutes to kill so I walked to the Submarine Monument nearby. I paid for the ticket (the ticket seller thought I was local) and went in and then up and into the submarine. I’m glad I did so because when else would I have the opportunity to do so, eh. I spent about 25 minutes in there and I could’ve spent less but I was behind a family who was taking its time. So if you visit, you could allocate up to 20-30 minutes in there. I toyed with staying for the 09:00 video clip but decided I would be cutting it close so I returned to the train station.
The commuter train arrived at 09:33 (not depart at 09:33) and I must say I was not impressed with the platform which was too low to reach the train. There were no portable steps provided so one would have to take a very huge step to board the train. Which was ok for some but not for expectant mothers, those with reduced mobility, or those with a few luggage. The train stopped for a while at some stations but we reached Mojokerto on time so I wouldn’t complain too much. I decided to buy the return ticket and had to wait 20 minutes because the physical tickets are only sold three hours before the train departed. By the way, the ticket cost only Rp5k one way.
I managed to ride on some complimentary WiFi so I ordered a Grab bike to Candi Tikus in Trowulan. I had to walk out to the police station (at the request of the driver). Of course I lost the WiFi connection when I let the station but he was still waiting for me. The ride took twenty minutes. The ticket counter was unmanned so I went in without paying. I was surprised to find the temple deserted save for two other local tourists. I spent ten minutes there then walked to Candi Bajang Ratu about 800 metres away. There were more people there. Again, no one asked for payment. I spent ten minutes there then walked to the Museum 2.4 km away, figuring I’d stand a better chance of getting transportation at the museum than at the temple.
Well, I had feared that the museum would be closed as it was a Monday and I was right. After checking out the man made Segaran Pond nearby, I walked to the museum. The three men who were on security duty there welcomed me and helped me access WiFi to get a Grab bike back to Mojokerto station. I was pleasantly surprised to get a female driver this time.
I performed prayers at the station prayer room before boarding the commuter train back to Gubeng station. Back in Surabaya, I walked to Masjid Muhammad Cheng Ho before having soto for dinner at Pak Sadi restaurant (I’d read about this restaurant in an old Lonely Planet guidebook). The soto tasted a bit smoky and together with hot tea, cost Rp33k. After dinner, I walked back to the hotel.
Tuesday, 7 July 2026
After breakfast, I explored the neighbourhood. There was a small market nearby selling local produce and household items. The neighbourhood was clean and quiet. I bought some dessert and fried fish cracker balls from a couple of street vendors before taking a Grab bike to Ampel Grand Mosque. There were a lot of people paying their respect to the buried people there. I checked out the nearby market and bazaar but didn’t buy anything as I didn’t want to carry them with me.
After that, I walked to the Old Town. Just like Semarang, Surabaya has an Old Town with many Dutch colonial buildings still intact and most of them still in use. I spent 90 minutes exploring the Old Town before walking to the Heroes Monument (the gate was locked, unless there was another entrance I wasn’t aware of) and Surabaya Point Zero. Then I continued walking until I reached Tunjungan Plaza. I performed prayers there before having late lunch at the eatery where I had my first dinner. Then I walked back to the hotel, stopping at a souvenir shop to check out the goods.
Today was 07/07 so I browsed the deals before making some purchases.
Wednesday, 8 July 2026
Today was shopping day. I rode a Grab bike to Pasar Turi, a big ‘grosir’ or wholesale market. I got bored quickly and had almost given up before I sighted a kiosk selling kebaya so I went there and made some purchases. I should’ve checked out nearby kiosks because it turned out there were two other kiosks selling kebaya and modern baju kurung tops.
After exiting the market, I walked back to Tunjungan Plaza. The usual eatery was closed today so I walked on and finally had mixed rice. I walked back and stopped to get some durian layered cake at a souvenir shop before stopping for some local rojak. The rojak there had lontong (pressed rice) and kangkung in it (I refused the kangkung). At first, I sat down to eat there but there were flies and I was still full from the rice lunch so I had the rojak packed to go. I later had it for dinner that evening. Back at the guesthouse, I started packing.
Thursday, 9 July 2026
I was ready by 07:00 and had my breakfast at 07:10. I checked out, received my Rp100k deposit and left at 07:25 for the airport. The driver was efficient and we weren’t caught up in any major traffic despite it being a working day, alhamdulillah.
At the airport, I queued yo for my boarding pass. Despite my purchases of kebaya tops, some crackers and layered cake, I managed to bring everything on board. Alhamdulillah. A blessing because we landed at 13:30 and I was able to catch the 13:52 train back which I wouldn’t have been able to do if I had to wait for any checked in bag.
That was a good trip, alhamdulillah. Being the second largest city in indonesia, Surabaya is of course busy, so busy that it was tricky trying to cross the road but there are pedestrian overhead bridges with working lifts (not near the city square though!). Traffic was heavy but the air didn’t look polluted and I was careful with my bags and I could be wrong but I don’t think bag-snatching is a worry there. It was pleasant walking along the winding canal and the city felt safe too.
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