Surabaya-Malang-Mt. Bromo-Mt. Ijen (Part 2)

Malang, East Java Indonesia (June 2014)

In order to go to Mt. Bromo, we did a stop over in Malang which is the starting point of our Mt. Bromo-Mt. Ijen hiking adventure. From the café at the House of Sampoerna we asked the staff to get us a cab. We asked if we can get a Blue Bird taxi. We were so happy to find out that this taxi company also operates in Surabaya. When hailing a taxi in Indonesia, foreigners are always recommended to go with Blue Bird taxis.

If there is one thing I really love about Indonesia, it will be Blue Bird. They have a high standard of service and operations management. In Jakarta, when you order a taxi through phone or their mobile app, the taxis usually come earlier than the time you set for pick-up. If in case you find yourself with a taxi driver that is not very pleasant, you can take a photo of their ID which they usually display on the car’s dashboard and report the driver to their 24/7 Hotline. Generally, I have found Blue Bird taxi drivers very nice and professional. The hotline number of Blue Bird in Jakarta is (021) 794 1234 or (021) 7917 1234.

From the House of Sampoerna we went to Surabaya’s Intercity Bus Station named Bungu Rasih Terminal to get to a bus that will take us to Malang. We arrived there around 2pm. We looked for PATAS bus that offers daily trips from Surabaya to Malang. The travel time was around three hours. The bus that we rode was an airconditioned bus. We didn’t wait for a long time at the bus station since it was filled up quite fast. We paid 25,000 Rupiah (100 PHP). If you want to go to other places in Indonesia like Bandung, Yogyakarta and Bali there are buses that can take you there from Bungu Rasih Terminal. Just look for the signs to make sure you board on the right one. The buses don’t follow a schedule but the buses from what we heard, leave the station on an hourly basis. We heard that the bus station operates 24/7, however there will be fewer trips after 9pm. I suggest if you are taking a bus, it would be best to go to the station around 8am-9pm. That way you are more assured you’ll be able to get a bus to take you to your destination.

DISCLAIMER: When you get to Bungu Rasih Terminal, it can get overwhelming as there will be a swarm of bus conductors that would approach you and try to get you to buy tickets from them. It seems tough competition for bus companies as they literally pull arms to get passengers in their buses. I’ve provided a picture here. You do not need to buy a ticket prior to boarding a bus. You pay the ticket inside the bus.

 Indonesia’s “Angkot” Rides

I love travelling and using the local means of transportation in the places that I visit. I think it makes the whole travelling experience memorable and exciting as it puts the traveller’s “Street Smart” skills to test. On our way to Malang, my travelling buddies kept asking me if I knew where we need to get off. I told them all I knew, based on my research, was we had to get off at a bus terminal in Malang. Where that bus station is? I don’t have a single inkling of its whereabouts. But thank you to SMART PHONES! I’ve never used my google maps on trips before but for this trip, google maps saved the day. All I had to do was to type in the name of the bus terminal in Malang (Terminal Arjosari @ Jalan Raden Intan No. 1,  Malang) and voila it constantly gave us feedback on where we were on the planet and how far we were in minutes from our destination.

From Terminal Arjosari (Malang Bus Station) we looked for the Angkot Terminal. Angkot is a popular trasport ride in Indonesia. It is like our version of jeepneys in the Philippines. When the driver of the angkot saw our group, he said “Hotel Helios?”. Sounds like our accomodation for the night was very famous in the area. We paid 2,000 rupiah (10 PHP) for our ride from Terminal Arjosari to Hotel Helios. 

Kampong Tourist (The Best Dorm Ever!)

When I go with my friend Kim out of town, we prefer checking in at backpacker hostels. We are budget travellers and we want to save up on accommodation so that we can spend more on other things like food and tour packages. My friend Kim booked us at this amazing backpacker’s hostel in Malang named Kampong Tourist. For one night, we paid 55,000 IDR (205.00 PHP) to stay in their dorm type room. Kim and I have experienced a backpackers’ hostel in Yogyakarta called EDU Hostel, it was our first. The set-up in EDU Hostel is that the boys’ dorm is separated from the girls’ dorm. In Kampong Tourist, however, if you book their dorm type room, expect to share it with others, around 20 people and with the opposite sex. Other things that you should be prepared for include sharing bathrooms with other travellers. It was definitely a one-of-a kind experience for me and my travelling buddies.

We learned while we were there that a lot of backpackers who frequently visit Indonesia are Europeans. Indonesia and the Netherlands have a long history together. If Spaniards conquered the Philippines, the Dutch colonized Indonesia for a number of years- around 300 years if I am not mistaken. I might be wrong so do your own research. Hehe. When we spent the night at Kampong Tourist, we were the only Asians in the dorm type room. Kampong Tourist also offers more private accommodations if you don't like sharing rooms with others. 

It is a backpacker’s hostel so do not expect five-star hotel service. The amenities include sheets and blankets, hot water, fan and electricity. Excluded are towels, toilet paper, breakfast and toiletries. There are two things that I found really essential to bring when I am travelling. One, an international adapter and second locks. The backpacker hostels that we’ve been to provide lockers but not locks so make sure that you have that with you to safeguard your valuables.

Kampong Tourist is a perfect place for budget travellers and also for those who are looking to give back to the community they visit. Kampong Tourist has a lot of interesting tour packages that promotes social tourism. You can check out their website for more information.

The hotel is located at the third floor of Hotel Helios. The garden-roof dormitory gives one a good view of the quiet and picturesque city of Malang. Kampong Tourist actually offers a free city tour by local university students who take their internship in the hostel. However, the free city tour was only available in the morning. Since we checked in around 5pm, we were not able to avail of this free city tour and so we were left on our own to explore the city. Good thing, a lot of the tourist attractions are just a walking distance from our place. I asked the hostel staff for a map and using that we set foot on a night city tour around Malang.  Just some tips, when you ask for the city map, take time to write on it, just like I did, so you know the names of the places you are going to visit. 

Malang City Night Tour

Here are some pictures of the places we were able to see. Some other tourist attractions were already closed just like the bird and flower market which were popular among tourists.

1) Malang City Hall

2) Malang Souvenir Shop

3) Inggil Indonesian Restaurant (Highly Recommended. Quality food for a very affordable price)

4) Toko Oen (Legendary Dutch Ice Cream Outlet in Malang)

5) Becak ride around the city 

Becak ride is like Indonesia's version of the "pedicab" in the Philippines. Sandy has never tried this mode of transportation so on our way back to our hostel we rode one. It is lovely to go around the city using a becak, the cool weather in Malang plus the scenic views along the way makes the ride very worthwhile. We paid 20,000 IDR (75 PHP) for the becak ride.

I will definitely go back to this place if I will be given a chance again. I have yet to see the city in its morning glory. Over all, we had a really fun time in Malang even though we just stayed there for a short time. From Malang, we were picked up in our hotel to head to our first major destination for this trip: Mt. Bromo. 

Surabaya Bus Station (Terminal Bungu Rasih)

Address: Jl. Letjen Soetoyo KM Surabaya 13

Malang Bus Station (Terminal Arjosari)

Address: Jalan Raden Intan No. 1 Malang, East Java

Kampong Tourist

Address: 3rd Floor Hotel Helios, Jl. Patimura 37, Malang

Telephone: 63 (0) 341-3581810

Mail: kampongtourist@outlook.com

Expense Breakdown:

Taxi ride from House of Sampoerna-Bungu Rasih Terminal: 80,000 IDR

Bus ride from Surabaya Bus Terminal-Malang Bus Station:  25,000 IDR

Angkot ride from Malang Bus Station-Hotel Helios:              2,000 IDR

Accomodation for one night, Kampong Tourist:                   55,000 IDR

Dinner @ Inggil Restaurant:                                                42,000 IDR

Toko Oen Ice Cream:                                                          15,000 IDR

Becak Ride from Toko Oen to Hotel Helios:                         25,000 IDR

Other Expenses: (Food, Toiletries)                                     25,000 IDR                                       

TOTAL:                                                        269,000 IDR (1,000 PHP)