Malang, situated in East Java Province, Indonesia, stands as the second-largest city in the province, with a population of 819,708. During the Dutch colonial period, it was a favored destination among Europeans. Jodipan Village, once a slum area, faced governmental calls for relocation due to harsh living conditions. However, a group of students from Muhammadiyah University Malang visited and decided to completely revamp Jodipan to attract tourists, thus initiating its revitalization.
Experience the vibrant hues of Jodipan Rainbow Village.
Traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Malang City, East Java, Indonesia
1. Flight from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Surabaya Airport
We booked a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Juanda International Airport (Surabaya) with Scoot Airline, departing at 17:20 and arriving at 20:25, with a layover at Changi Airport (Singapore) for 12 hours. The next morning, the flight departs from Singapore at 8:20 and arrives in Surabaya at 9:35 (GMT+7).
Our travel dates are in June 2022, and we require basic procedures such as: round-trip flight tickets, hotel booking information, proof of two doses of vaccination, and TravelCare insurance.
Immigration: Surabaya Airport is relatively small, and there weren't many tourists during our travel period, so immigration was quick and straightforward.
2. Traveling by bus and Gojek from Surabaya to Malang city
After completing immigration procedures, we headed straight out of the airport to avoid the hassle of traditional airport taxis and caught a Gojek. There are military camps outside the airport gates where we felt safe waiting for Gojek.
Outside Surabaya Airport gates are military camps, and there are always helicopters patrolling.
Gojek is an app-based platform originating from Indonesia, so when you arrive in this country, using the app is very common and the prices are very cheap. The app will automatically switch regions to the country as soon as you step off the plane and can be used immediately. Besides, Grab is also an app that can be used when you arrive in Indo. For calling rides, we prefer using Gojek, and for ordering food, Grab seems to have more options.From Juanda Airport (Surabaya), we booked a Gojek ride to Terminal Purabaya Bungurasih (approximately 10km). The first Gojek ride marked the beginning of friendly and enthusiastic conversations with kind-hearted Indonesians we met throughout the journey.At Terminal Purabaya Bungurasih, we grabbed a quick bite of Vietnamese pastries we brought along, waiting for the 15:20 departure of KALISARI bus to Terminal Arjosari Malang, covering a distance of about 100km.
Terminal Purabaya Bungurasih bus station.
In Vietnam, on Mytour, switching the Country & Language to Indonesia (English) enables us to conveniently search for transportation options, bus ticket information, and schedules of bus companies in the Indonesian region and flexible payment methods. KALISARI bus, with its 45 clean seats, provided us with a very comfortable experience as we traveled through lush greenery, admiring the Mount Arjuna from the Lawang village.
The Lawang village and Mount Arjuna.
We arrived at Terminal Arjosari Malang at 16:50, and we continued to hail a Gojek to the hotel we had pre-booked on Mytour.
Note that there are designated pick-up and drop-off points when taking Gojek, so make sure to go to the marked areas to be able to catch your ride.
Signboard indicating the pick-up and drop-off points for ride-hailing vehicles.
Accommodation, currency exchange, motorcycle rental, buying a 4G sim card, dining in Malang
1. Accommodation in Malang
Hotel Victoria Boutique Residence
Address:
The room rate we booked: 505,000 IDR for 2 nights
Victoria Boutique Residence Hotel
- The hotel we pre-booked on Mytour is Victoria Boutique Residence. The hotel is very clean, has hot water facilities. Note for this area: it can get chilly at night, so not all hotels have hot water. After checking in, the receptionists also assisted us in arranging motorcycle rental, which was delivered to the hotel with a full tank of gas at a price of 100,000 IDR per day (for a 1-day rental). The rental price here is fixed and non-negotiable.
Telkomsel Service Office (GraPARI)
Address:
Telkomsel Store in Malang
2. Buying a 4G sim card
The sim card store is just 1.5km away from the hotel we booked, very close and convenient.From the moment we flew from Vietnam to our hotel in Malang, we used free wifi everywhere, including airports, bus stations, and hotels, until the first morning in Malang when we went to buy a sim card. We purchased the sim card and used our passport for registration at the Telkomsel Service Office (GraPARI) store, a popular chain of sim card stores like Viettel, Mobiphone, etc., in Vietnam. The price was 40,000 IDR for 7GB of internet usage without calling and a 10,000 IDR sim card registration fee. Additionally, for more convenience, you can pre-purchase the sim card in Vietnam on Klook and collect it at the airport.3. Currency exchange
Pt. Sumber Arto Santoso (Bank)
Address:
Most discussions in group forums often revolve around being scammed or experiencing sleight of hand tricks when exchanging money in Indo. However, we found that as long as you go to exchange counters with signs saying Authorized Money Exchange, they provide clear and professional receipts for currency exchange. Don't be tempted by places with better exchange rates but risk losing money. It's best to exchange some USD in Vietnam and a little IDR, then exchange from USD to IDR in Indo for a better rate.
4. What to eat in Malang
We were fortunate to stumble upon Erdys Kitchen - Penanggungan on Grab when deciding where to eat local cuisine in Malang. It was delicious, and we highly recommend everyone to order food from here when in Malang. We tried almost every dish on the menu, but the best were the “Nasi Goreng Udang Ayam” fried rice and the “Bakmi” noodles.
“Nasi Goreng Udang Ayam” fried rice and “Bakmi” noodles.
Bakso President Eatery
Address:
Bakso President Eatery located along the railway line
The signature dishes of the eatery are meatball soup and grilled meatballs.
The hotel staff recommended us to visit “Bakso President”, a street food eatery located near the railway line specializing in meatball dishes. This is also one of the standout dishes in Indo.
An important note when ordering food in Indo is that they won't provide utensils when ordering through food delivery apps because Indonesians traditionally eat with their hands. Luckily, we brought our own utensils. Restaurants will also add quite high taxes and service charges, depending on the establishment.
What to do in Malang
Due to the unpredictable rainy weather during our stay in Malang, we decided to explore the colorful village of Jodipan.
Before entering the village, there will be motorcycle parking areas provided by nearby residents. You are required to park your motorcycle and walk into the village for sightseeing. Upon entry, you will need to purchase tickets, and the ticket prices are clearly displayed on notice boards.
The ticket prices are clearly displayed when visiting the village.
- Jodipan used to be a slum area. The government called for the relocation of residents due to the extremely poor living conditions until a group of students from Muhammadiyah University of Malang visited and decided to completely transform Jodipan's appearance. Only then did the village revive and attract tourists as it does today.
The village is adorned with vibrant colors.
After receiving sponsorship from a local paint distributor, the student group enlisted about 30 local artists to participate in this campaign.
The wall paintings reflect the lives of the local residents.
Jodipan is one of the villages that showcases Indonesia's diverse cultural values. Built with the help and support of the local community and government. This remarkable transformation has brought hope and optimism to the people of Jodipan.
The quaint little houses.
A golden bridge stretches across the river amidst the households.
Every nook and cranny in the village is painted with vibrant colors.
Hope for a fresh start for the people of Jodipan.
Some tips when visiting Malang, East Java, Indonesia
The population in East Java is over 80% Muslim: They do not consume pork as they consider it unclean for the body. Most of the food here is predominantly chicken and beef.
Driving on the left-hand side: Be cautious when driving on the opposite side compared to Vietnam, initially not used to driving on the left side of the road, but I believe it will be quite an interesting experience.
Bring a universal adapter: Indonesia uses a voltage of 230V, which is quite suitable for most devices like in Vietnam. However, Indonesia primarily uses electrical outlets for round plugs, so you need to bring a plug adapter to use new plugs when traveling here.
Bring personal eating utensils: Because people here mostly eat with their hands.
Buzz
