East Java Discovery : Batu-Malang

No matter what type tourist or traveller you are, Indonesia’s diversity can suit all of your desires. From the pristine beaches of Bali to the jungle of Sumatra or the impressive temples of Yogyakarta, there is enough to visit for everyone. Although tourism is important in Indonesia’s economy, it is mostly concentrated in Bali, and its increasing popularity is driving some tourists in search of less famous places to discover.
East-Java is the new trendy destination you will hear about soon. As of now, tourism in the region mostly comes from local Indonesians from other regions, but you will still encounter a few foreigners in the most famous landmarks.

In this article, we will focus on the city of Malang, East Java as a starting point to explore the surroundings.
The city is located in a mountain area, and is therefore colder than other regions (trust me it’s a good thing). Compared to other Indonesian urban jungles, Malang is pretty well built and has good infrastructures. But for tourism, the real place to be is in the outskirt of Malang, in Batu, a small tourism city located 30 minutes away from Malang. From there you will have access to a large range of tourism spots, where you will mostly encounter local Indonesians. Here is a list of some type of discoveries you will make there.

Natural Parks

The region is home to some beautiful natural parks with mind-blowing views and photo spots you will find nowhere else. Other than breathing the purest air of the region, you will find different activities on each sites. Our favourites are Wisata Paralayang, Omah Kayu, Taman Langit, Kusuma Agrowisata and Batu Flower Garden.

Waterfalls

There are too many waterfalls in the region to count them one by one. Lost is the forest or in mountain areas, each one of them is unique and deserves a spot in your IG feed. You can check here for some visiting ideas; you will not regret it.

City Sights

City life in Indonesia can offer you the best memories of your trip. Indeed, it is important to mingle with the local populations, try their foods and stay in their favourite places if you want to get a taste of their culture.
As far as culinary goes, you will not be disappointed if you drop by Alun-Alun Batu, a night market that has many food stalls and souvenir shops. At night, this place is buzzing with families and couples.

In Malang city, you can find the colourful village of Jodipan, as it is the most iconic landmark of the city. There you will see how a poor community decided to improve their conditions by a simple action like painting the whole village and opening it to tourists. So take some good photos there and support the local community.

There are a wide range of recreational parks in the city as well, if you want to chill, you can spend an evening in one of these parks: Batu Night Spectacular, Jawa Timur Park 1,2 and 3, as well as Malang Night Paradise.

Beaches

East-Java is not popular for its beaches, which is understandable because they are not as famous as those located in Bali or Lombok for example, but you will find the best beaches of the region is south Malang. Here is a detailed article about Malang beaches.

Volcanoes

Time for the highlight of your trip. The mount Bromo and the Ijen volcano complex are mesmerizing places you won’t find anywhere else on earth. Good news is that those two sites are very different and you can definitely enjoy both of them without having a deja-vu feeling.You can check online for different activities there such as Sunrise tours or hicking tours and many more. You can check out this testimony of one our intern’s experience in Bromo.

Remember that Indonesia has a lot to offer, and one way of experiencing the country’s culture in the most immersive way is to do an internship there.