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East Java in
Indonesia has been
variously described as 'Eden of East', 'Home of
classical Indonesian Empires', 'A volcano buff's
delight' and 'Java's gateway to eastern
Indonesia'. When Joseph Conrad
wrote Victory focusing on Surabaya, East Java's
capital city, at the centre of the novel's action,
the city was already a thriving and bustling
trading centre. Surabaya's charms
are hidden in the confusion of its newly
developed urban sprawl, yet a good map and a
good dose of curiosity will see them revealed
all the famous tourist attractions in East Java.
The best plan is to divide the city into three
parts.
The tourist attractions of
the north, Kali Mas boat harbor, Mesjid Ampel
and the Jembatan Merah district are all easily
reached by taxi. The central city area is a
place worth investing an early morning stroll.
The Joko Dolog monument, Majapahit Hotel,
governor's residence and Tunjungan Shopping
Plaza are all a stone's throw from each other.
The zoo and the Sura-Baya monument are a short
ride to the south from the city. In the north, Kali
Mas is one of the last remaining commercial
sailboat harbors in the world. Boatmen unload
and load the freight that connects East Java
economically with the rest of the archipelago.
This is one of the many places of interest In
East Java that is filled with activities round
the clock.
Hauled physically from the hulls of these
sailing vessels are the timbers of Kalimantan
and Sulawesi. Returned to far-flung islands are
buses, motorbikes, floor, rice and salt. As
there is no shade at the harbor, it is best to
visit in the morning or late afternoon to avoid
the hot sun.
Not far from the
harbor, Mesjid Ampel is famous across the
archipelago as the resting place of Sunan Ampel,
the carrier of Islam to Java. At the
mosque, Indonesia's devoted come from far and
wide across the island to pray. Mesjid Ampel is
situated at the end of a bazaar, with dates,
books and fragrant oils for sale and restaurants
serving delicacies. A short drive on
from the Ampel mosque, the Jembatan Merah
district is often hot and dusty. On Surabaya's
main streets, this area of old Dutch trading
houses stands out architecturally as from
another time, and merits a short stroll on the
wide footpaths.
The centre of
Surabaya is now dominated by tall urban
buildings, yet yesteryear is not far from their
shadows. Opposite the governor's stately
residence is the statue, Joko Dolog. A dark
granite monument, this giant figure of a man
sitting with crossed legs is set in a small
peaceful park. Joko Dolog is said to represent
an ancient king, Kartanegara, the last king of
the 13th century Singosari dynasty, the first of
East Java's classical period empires.
From the ancient to
the new, just five minutes walk from Joko Dolog
is one of the most important places in modern
Indonesian history. The restored Majapahit Hotel
is a landmark art deco building which was the
site of the raising of the first Indonesian flag
in East Java in 1945. South of the city,
the Surabaya zoo is the best in Indonesia.
Wandering among the shaded pathways, visitors
can view exotic birds, camels, anoa (dwarf
buffalo) and the world's biggest lizard, the 3 m
komodo dragons. Patrons are asked not to put
their hands inside the komoda enclosure,
especially prior to their feeding time.
 Outside the city,
one of the high points of East Java is Mount
Bromo. This spectacular volcano is a must-see if
you visit the province. The trip to the mountain
involves an early morning wake-up call but this
is more than made up for by the sight of Mount
Bromo and the adjacent volcanos of the
Bromo-Semeru Massif, as they appear out of the
vast darkness in the dawn light. Bromo can also be
easily be reached from Malang, about 100 km
south of Surabaya. This town is one of the
places in East Java where people really want to
set their bags down and relax. A hill resort
Photo: Mount Bromo
and
agricultural centre, Malang has long been a
retreat from the heat and steam of the coastal
plains.
In Malang, itself,
modern history has had a pronounced influence on
architecture. The Dutch colonial period is best
represented not by the civil halls and churches
that dot the centre of town, but in the everyday
homes that still line its garden suburbs. While
wandering about these streets, one gets a sense
of what a relaxed lifestyle these mountains
provide for the people.
On the main
roundabout downtown is the Tugu Park Hotel. Over
the years, it has won a reputation as one of the
best small hotels in the world. The owner has
given over much of the hotel's public areas to
displaying a grand collection of Indonesian
antique furniture and artifacts. It is reason
enough to drop in and stroll the corridors. To the west of
Malang and Surabaya, near the small town of
Truwullen in the Brantas river valley are
the remains of the Majapahit empire, the second
of East Java's classical era kingdoms. On the
outskirts of the town, Candi Wringin
Lawang is one of Majapahit's principal relics.
The temple is
thought to be an entrance to an important
complex of Majapahit buildings long since lost
to the corrosive effects of the steamy Javan
environment. Wrigin Lawang's buiding has
been dated to sometime in the 14th century
during the reign of the empire's most revered
king, Hayam Wuruk. It has been from
decomposition by occassional restoration, the
latest giving it back its distinctive sharp
edged lines. Thanks to the recent
renovation we can stand where Hayam Wuruk must
have stood as the king of one of Asia's most
powerful classical empires, and see the
plentiful plains of the Gardens of Java.
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