What is your opinion on Surabaya as a tourist destination?

Question

Could you include its history too. A brief one will do.

Answer 1

Indonesia’s second largest city and the capital of East Java was believed to be founded where a battle between a shark (sura) and a crocodile (buaya) took place, hence its hame Surabaya.

As my talkative becak driver pointed out the various factories, one gathers that it has successfully become a modern centre of manufacturing, agriculture and trade, with its technical universities and religious schools, which makes it the education centre of the region as well.

Underneath the pride, one senses some defensiveness that the people of Surabaya feel that their city is much underrated though proud of their achievements. Few visitors linger here. Unlike Bali, Jogjakarta and Jakarta, there are not many informative books on Surabaya.

“Maybe you could mention that we are on the sea coast?” quipped a tourism official hopefully. Surabaya’s strategic location on the coast has shaped its colourful history. The battle between shark and crocodile was only the beginning.

King Wijaya of the fourteenth century Majapahit kingdom battled Kublai Khan’s army here. 1525, Surabaya’s rulers converted to Islam. The city’s rise to prominence began with the no-nonsense conquest of neigbouring coastal states. Its domination of the area began to crumble in the late sixteenth century when the central Javanese kingdom of Mataram expanded eastward in a protracted and devastating struggle with Surabaya for control of the region.

Surrounded by a canal and bastion, Surabaya was described in 1620 by the Dutch as a formidable adversary. Nevertheless, five years later, with the burning of its rice fields, the mighty city succumbed.

A century passed before Surabaya experienced a renaissance. It was ceded to the Dutch in 1743 and became the greatest commercial ;port in the Indies from where square-riggers in full sail carried sugar, teak, rubber and tobacco to the far end of the earth.

Its days as a colonial entrepot were over but its importance as a port has not lessened. The city is a main base for the Indonesian navy and its harbour facilities were second to Jakarta. Hardly a day went by without a ship dropping anchor at the Jamrud and Kalimas harbour. Kalimas is a hive of activity with boats from Ujung Pandang, Balikpapan, Sumbawa and Banjamarsin, unloding a selection of wares that seem to thread the present with glory days of the past.

Copra, pepper and spices are unloaded and heaped on the wharf, the empty caro holds are then rapidly filled with rice, sugar, tobacco and teak. Modern additions include soap and occasionally vehicles. The cadence of this routine is poignantly nostalgic. Lingering by the docks were young boys and old men with nebulous dreams of exotic travels and exciting adventures.

Away from the commotion of the docks, there is proof of Surabaya’s heady days. This is one of the last places in the country where pre-war Dutch architecture can be found in abundance. With its variety of turn of the century buildings, Surabaya is an architectural haven.

Answer 2

it's nice there.. very Hot though... I have so many friends from Surabaya.. they said Surabaya is very close to the beach.. But I'm not sure about any other tourist attraction..

Answer 3

I have been there and visited:
1. House of Sampoerna
2. Tunjungan Plaza

Surabaya is a biggest city in east of Indonesia, almost as big as Jakarta. In history, there was a big war on 10 November against the Kolonial.

Surabaya is very closed to Bali, one hour ferry trip from Bali.

The port is Tanjung Perak.