A Foodie's Guide to Surabaya in 11 Days

  • Day 1: Pasar Pabean and Tugu Pahlawan Monument
    10 minutes (3.8 km) from Juanda International Airport

    Start your culinary journey in Surabaya by visiting two of the city's most iconic landmarks. Pasar Pabean is Surabaya's oldest market and has an abundance of street food stalls selling local delicacies such as rujak cingur and kupang lontong. After enjoying the street food, head to Tugu Pahlawan Monument, a landmark that honours Indonesia's independence.

  • Day 2: Surabaya Carnival Night Market and Suramadu Bridge
    30 minutes (10.5 km) from Pasar Pabean

    Visit the Surabaya Carnival Night Market, which serves an interesting mix of street foods from local to international cuisine. We recommend trying the Sate Klopo, Lontong Balap, and Nasi Ampera. Finish your day by taking a trip to the Suramadu Bridge, the longest bridge in Indonesia, to view the beautiful sunset from the bridge.

  • Day 3: House of Sampoerna and Submarine Monument
    20 minutes (4.4 km) from Surabaya Carnival Night Market

    This day starts by visiting two of Surabaya's most popular landmarks. The House of Sampoerna is a museum and a cigarette factory that offers insights into the cigarette-making process. They also have a café selling traditional Indonesian food. The Submarine Monument is a retired Russian submarine converted into a museum. After your visit, you can enjoy local foods in the area around the Submarine Monument.

  • Day 4: Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers and Tablo Suroboyo Monument
    15 minutes (5.5 km) from House of Sampoerna

    Have a relaxing day enjoying the luxurious breakfast buffet at the Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers. Next, head to Tablo Suroboyo Monument, a monument that features nine traditional dishes from Surabaya. Try some of the dishes that Suriname is famous for such as Rujak cingur, Rawon or Tahu Tek.

  • Day 5: Heroes Monument and East Coast Center
    20 minutes (6.1 km) from Tablo Suroboyo Monument

    The day starts with a visit to Surabaya's famous heroes monument, which is dedicated to the people who fought for Indonesia's independence. Following the visit, head to the East Coast Center, which is a modern mall in Surabaya that offers various culinary experiences. Try some traditional Indonesian foods or opt for international cuisine such as Japanese, Korean, and European foods.

  • Day 6: Kenjeran Park and Monumen Kapal Selam
    30 minutes (8.8 km) from East Coast Center

    Visit Kenjeran Park, which overlooks the sea and has many seafood vendors, as well as stunning ocean views. Try the seafood delicacies such as ikan bakar, grilled shrimp, or crab soup. Later, visit Monumen Kapal Selam, a renowned museum built around the hulk of an Indonesian submarine.

  • Day 7: Empal Gentong H. Apud and Skaters Surabaya
    45 minutes (14.1 km) from Kenjeran Park

    Begin the day by enjoying a famous traditional food of Surabaya, Empal Gentong H. Apud, which is an Indonesian beef soup dish. Afterward, visit Skaters Surabaya, a recreational skating arena featuring a fun outdoor skating rink for people of all ages.

  • Day 8: Suroboyo Carnival Park and Tunjungan Plaza
    25 minutes (8.4km) from Empal Gentong H. Apud

    Suroboyo Carnival Park is the largest and most popular amusement park in Surabaya where you can enjoy many rides, shops, theme parks and others. For lunch, explore the street foods around the area. After you've finished the rides, head to Tunjungan Plaza, a shopping mall where you can buy souvenirs, branded goods, and other products.

  • Day 9: Al Akbar Mosque and Bukit Darmo Golf
    25 minutes (9 km) from Tunjungan Plaza

    Visit the Al Akbar Mosque, which is a grand mosque featuring a beautiful garden and an indoor pool. You can take a tour of the mosque or just relax and enjoy the scenery. For lunch, try some of the street food around the area. Finally, visit Bukit Darmo Golf to play some golf and enjoy a stunning view of Surabaya.

  • Day 10: Museum Mpu Tantular and Brawijaya Museum
    30 minutes (8.5 km) from Bukit Darmo Golf

    Start your day by exploring the Museum Mpu Tantular, which displays artefacts and relics from ancient Indonesian kingdoms. After visiting, head to the Brawijaya Museum, where you can learn more about the history of Surabaya by watching multimedia exhibitions and artefacts. For lunch, explore the street food around these museums.

  • Day 11: G-Walk and Surabaya Zoo
    20 minutes (6.2 km) from Brawijaya Museum

    On your last day in Surabaya, head to G-Walk, a food court area that offers a wide variety of culinary experiences ranging from traditional Indonesian to international cuisine. With a full belly, head to the Surabaya Zoo, which is home to hundreds of exotic species of animals.

Time and Cost Estimates

  • Pasar Pabean and Tugu Pahlawan Monument (1-2 hours, IDR 50,000)
  • Surabaya Carnival Night Market and Suramadu Bridge (2-3 hours, IDR 150,000)
  • House of Sampoerna and Submarine Monument (2-3 hours, IDR 80,000)
  • Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers and Tablo Suroboyo Monument (2-3 hours, IDR 300,000)
  • Heroes Monument and East Coast Center (2-3 hours, IDR 200,000)
  • Kenjeran Park and Monumen Kapal Selam (3-4 hours, IDR 150,000)
  • Empal Gentong H. Apud and Skaters Surabaya (2-3 hours, IDR 100,000)
  • Suroboyo Carnival Park and Tunjungan Plaza (3-4 hours, IDR 250,000)
  • Al Akbar Mosque and Bukit Darmo Golf (2-3 hours, IDR 250,000)
  • Museum Mpu Tantular and Brawijaya Museum (3-4 hours, IDR 150,000)
  • G-Walk and Surabaya Zoo (3-4 hours, IDR 200,000)
  • Total Estimated Costs: IDR 1,830,000

Transportation

For transportation in Surabaya, you can rent a car, hire a taxi or use ride-hailing apps like Gojek or Grab. For a budget option, try using public transportation like buses, trains or pete-pete. Depending on your budget and travel requirements, you can expect to spend between IDR 500,000 and IDR 2,000,000 for transportation during your trip. Travel time varies based on traffic and distance between destinations.

Useful Tips

If you have extra time, you can visit the Surabaya City Hall, Surabaya Mosque, and Balai Pemuda. For a shorter trip, you can skip the museums and play a round of golf or explore more shopping destinations. Be aware of weather conditions during your trip as Surabaya can be extremely hot, so bring adequate sun protection and make sure to stay hydrated.

Airports

Surabaya has one international airport, Juanda International Airport (SUB). It's located approximately 30 minutes from the city centre, and you can get there by taxi, hire car or airport shuttle. Alternatively, you can also use the domestic airport (Juwono Sudarsono Airport), which is closer to the city but only services domestic flights.

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