Walking Through Surabaya

The 6 hours this time takes me to Surabaya, the capital of East Java. Surabaya is the 2nd largest city in Indonesia, and it used to have strong ties to colonialism. This place was the hub for trade, which can be traced to many centuries ago, even during the Majapahit period. Today, the city is also one of the country’s major economic hubs and trade. As much as it tries to keep up with modern architecture, many colonials-influenced buildings are still well-maintained and well-preserved. You'll find a fascinating blend of these architectural styles throughout the city. So, join me as I explore this vibrant city, and I'll share some recommendations for affordable and walkable points of interest in the town.

The 6 Hours is a travelogue in which I documented places I visited in less than 6 hours. These places are new to me, so I am going to take you to explore them with me.

Public Square (Verbiden Voor Inlander)

During colonialization, most public spaces are only for the colonizers. Indigenous people aren’t allowed to enter unless they are the servants of the place. Such racism was prevalent during the 19th and uniquely, in Indonesia, instead of removing the building to erase that part of dark history, they kept the building to commemorate that such atrocities happened. One of the still well-maintained buildings is Simpangsche Societet, where colonizers used to gather for social gatherings and activities. Today, it functions as a public square.

The place is a must-visit place as it has unique architecture, skate parks, art exhibitions, a tour bus stop, and a public library open to the public. This place is different from most public squares in Indonesia. I even wondered why this was considered a public square. ⁠ There’s no massive lawn that surrounds the place like a square. However, it still has the most typical characteristics of public squares, such as greenery areas, mosques, and recreational activities in place.

To reach Simpangsche Societet or today Alun-Alun Surabaya, you can start the walking tour from Gubeng Station, where its building is also from colonial times. We have to cross a couple of crossings before passing a bridge, next to which lies the Subramine Monument. It’s a historical site where people can learn about submarines, naval history, and the 1960s confrontation with Malaysia. It was closed when I walked through it, so I was only taking pictures in front of it.

You have to walk further and see Plaza Surabaya on the right side of the pavement. In this city, several sky bridges give you a glimpse of the city’s skyscrapers. When I passed through Plaza Surabaya, they decorated the place with Christmas decorations. After you pass through some crossings, you can also take the sky bridge to see the skyscraper of Surabaya from above. Then, you have to cross a few more before you start; you’re in a fountain in front of that public square. It takes about 20 minutes from the railway station to the public square.

My friend and I got there too early, so everything was closed. So, we just circled the area and checked out some spots in place. There is a mosque, and a pigeon’s house is at the back of this square, where pigeons chill around. The place is relatively small but is a great spot to connect to other areas in town, whether you want to check out the old city or travel to the north quay.

But first coffee at TGC Coffee

We wanted to get some coffee since we arrived a little too early. We walked to the more hip and modern part of this city. This coffee shop is opposite one of the biggest nightclubs in Surabaya, Hollywings. During the night, you can see supercars lining up here, but since we’re visiting during the day, there are only some security officers and sober people like ours visiting the coffee shop.

The coffee shop offers various great coffee selections and pastries. It’s mostly a spot for people to get their morning pick-me-up or a pre-meeting. Its cozy Japanese architecture makes you want to stay longer.

They have this unique Kopi Bakar coffee, but I got their Bulletproof coffee. It’s made using Rwandan coffee. It was genuinely energizing, keeping me off hunger for a few hours. I didn’t regret going to this place to get a pick-me-up. The prices were also reasonable for me and my friend, who was on a budget.

After the coffee, we attended the wedding for an hour and a half. We ate good food and planned to meet up with our high school classmates who worked in the city. We decided to meet at Plaza Surabaya.

Plaza Surabaya

Inside Plaza Surabaya, not only will you be able to do shop, but there’s also a food court that serves as a spot to work from. It has a fantastic view of the skyscrapers, and you can see the mountain peeking from it on a good day. But since it was rainy season, I could only check out the skyscraper. It’s a good place even if you’re on a budget. This place are pretty affordable, and there are many selections from Western, pan-Asian, and Chinese cuisine that you can eat in this place.

In the place, I was also checking out MINISO. They currently have One Piece and Pokemon figurines displayed and on sale.

This is what you can see from their upper floor.It's one of the ways to see the city and its skyscrapers.

Wantutu

Want to see the bustling of Surabaya from behind closed doors? Before leaving Surabaya, check out this coffee shop destination called Wantutu Coffee.

It’s a five-minute walk from the railway station.It's a great spot to wait before the train that will take you home. This place serves delicious coffee, and it is hip in the area. They are adequately equipped with pretty cold AC. Considering how hot Surabaya can be, the place is a lovely spot to shade from the sun while sipping an excellent milk latte or americano or you can watch traffic during the evening.

After eating or drinking coffee here, it’s time to return home.

There are many places to visit in the area that are more than this. Since, at the time, our leading destination was the wedding, it was taking up quite a bit of our time.

For someone like me who can’t be still and idle, I took the opportunity to check out the areas and see some sights in this capital. My hometown, compared to this, felt so miniscule. It has everything, and there’s everything. I told myself that if I moved to this city, there would be dozens of coffee shops I could go out to daily, and I’d never run out of them. Since I was in Yogyakarta and my hometown, I have tried almost all coffee shops, minus the new ones that keep popping up.

Anyhow, see you in the next 6 hours. Hopefully, it has to be somewhere nice. If you want to see more of this series and other versions, check out the list below.

• The 6 Hours: Visiting Surakarta and Food Adventure

• The 6 Hours : Some Best Things To Do in Malang

• Semarang in 6 Hours: The Essential Things to See and Do

• The 6 Hours : From Mysterious Temple To 0 Kilometers With Itineraries

• The 6 Hours : From The Market To Historical & Cultural Experiences in Bali With Itineraries

• The 6 Hours : Visiting Mojokerto & Trying A Legendary Satay