Surabaya Art & Culture

Karawitan

Karawitan, the Javanese traditional music orchestra consisting of a gamelan and a flute or human voice (see photo above), is also played in East Java occasionally on traditional events such as ceremonies for thanksgiving, weddings and the like.

Karawitan is unique in that it uses a five note scale. It is widely played in Java and Bali with various customisation especially in language and rhytym and often uses a gong to keep time.

You can listen to this enchanting and beautiful music every night in the lobby of the Hotel Elmi as the thick smoke from kretek (clove) cigarettes swirls around the room. An experience you'll soon not forget.

Art & Culture

Similar to Central Java's culture, Surabaya's is influenced by Madura. People from these two regions speaks the same language (although in different accent), and they have no problem communicating each other using those accents. That said Surabaya people are more direct than other Javanese in Central Java region, but actually it is just an expression of their openness to others (doesn't mean other Javanese are not open).

The whole range of the region's performing arts can be sampled in Surabaya. Surabaya is also the place to watch Reog, one of Java's oldest and and most unique performances. Reog is the local name for the ancient trance dance which occurs in different forms and under different names from Banten to Bali. The performer rides a flat hobby horse of woven bamboo and is literally whipped into a trance state while strange looking characters look on. A surreal experience to be sure.

The Javanese great epics, Mahabarata and Ramayana, are also performed occasionally in the Art Centre on Jl. Genteng Kali. Modified from its original version to meet local taste and philosophy, those epics are very popular among the local population.

The most distinctive drama-like performance in Surabaya is ludruk which was originally performed only by men. It is usually performed as a comedy, heroic story or legend. Nowadays it's played by both men and women and performed occasionally at Surabaya's Taman Hiburan Rakyat (Amusement Park) on Jl. Kusuma Bangsa

Place of Interest at Surabaya

Surabaya being more a destination for business travelers quite honestly lacks attractions for the casual tourist within in the city itself. There are a few, but if you are going to be in Surabaya for a more than a few days or perhaps through a weekend, it would well worth your time to get outside the city for some golf. There are eight golf courses within 30-40 minutes of the downtown areas.

For non-golfers a trip through the countryside to the city of Malang or a visit to the top of Mt. Bromo to see the sunrise are a great way to see Indonesia and meet its people.

Red Bridge
Description: Known locally as Jembatan Merah, the Red Bridge is so named because the railings are painted bright red. Once the heart of Colonial Surabaya, when the Red Bridge neighborhood was in its prime, it was the geographic centre of the city, halfway between the docks in the north and the gracious suburban administrative precinct in the south. It is historically important because it was at this location during the Battle of Surabaya that the British General Mallaby lost his life.

History tells us that the end of colonialism in Indonesia has its origin at the former Hotel Oranje (currently the Hotel Majapahit/Mandarin Oriental) which opened in 1910. It was (and still is) without question Surabaya's finest hotel. Countless settlers, ship owners and cruise ship passengers, including Charlie Chaplain, were served in its palatial dining room and sipped Bols on its polished terraces. This is the location of the "Flag incident which ignited the Revolution"

Grahadi
Description: The residence of the former Dutch governor, still stands. An oasis of tranquility preserved by the presence of today's Governor of East Java. Opposite the residence stands the corpulent figure of Joko Dolog, a 13th-century statue which has long been Surabaya's trademark.

The Surabaya Zoo
Address: Jl. Setail No. 1 Surabaya.
Description: Claiming to be "the largest zoo in S.E. Asia" this "Kebun Binatang" may be of interest to some visitors. A short 15 minute drive along a tree shaded six lane road from the city centre, this is a good place to see the famous (infamous?) Komodo dragons. However, don't expect much more. The zoo is not as well maintained as it could be for animals or visitors alike. Shaded walkways are often slippery - especially after a rain, not all the birds are in cages, and the smell can often be quite pungent in the heat of the day.
Admission: Admission in a mere Rp. 6,000.- (80 US cents).
Hours: 7.00am to 5.00pm.

Kali Mas
Description: This harbor is the home to the notorious "Bugis Schooners," tall-masted sailing ships and the preferred means of transport for the Bugis sailors (the "boogie man" of nightmares). The dock complex at Tanjung Perak, the historic port of Surabaya, remains much as it was, except for its new air conditioned passenger terminal, may be of interest to some who have never witnessed a working port (and busy it is). The port is also home to the Indonesian Navy which

House of Sampoerna (East Java Indonesia)

Situated in "old Surabaya", this stately Dutch colonial style compound was built in 1862 and now a preserved historial site.
Previously used as orphanage managed by the Dutch, it was purchased in 1932 by Liem Seeng Tee, the founder of Sampoerna, with the intent of it being used as Sampoerna's first major cigarette production facility

Today the compound is still functionung as a production plant for Indonesia's most prestigious cigarette, Dji Sam Soe. In commemmoration of Sampoerna's 90 th anniversary in2003, the central complex has been painstakingly restored and now is open to public.