The Ultimate Malang Travel Guide

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This Malang Travel Guide will provide you with everything you need for your visit here. Malang tourism is quite popular among local Indonesians and international travelers. Locals love to come here for a respite from the everyday bustle finding this place quaint and relaxing Malang city with many things to do. It is also a place for many universities.

Being one of the largest cities in East Java, Malang serves as an essential hub on this side of Indonesia, alongside Surabaya and Yogyakarta. It is also a popular starting point to get to the famous Mount Bromo.

Malang travel guide
Malang Travel Guide. Photo by shot ed on Unsplash

Where is Malang

Malang is a city located in East Java, Indonesia. It is situated in the southern part of East Java, approximately 90 kilometers south of Surabaya, the provincial capital. Malang is nestled between the volcanic mountains of Mount Semeru to the east and Mount Arjuno to the west, offering breathtaking natural beauty and a pleasant climate.

The city is easily accessible by various modes of transportation, including flights, trains, and buses, making it a popular destination for both domestic and international travelers. It is also close to the famous volcanic mountain of Indonesia – Mount Bromo.

Why visit Malang

Many come to Malang as a pitstop to any of the two mountains – Mount Semeru or Mount Bromo. But traveling to Malang is worth it for its other stunning natural beauty, such as the many Malang waterfalls.

Malang has a fascinating history and cultural heritage. The city blends Javanese, Dutch, and Chinese influences, evident in its architecture, culinary delights, and traditional arts. It offers delicious culinary delights and a welcoming atmosphere with friendly locals.

It is also home to several ancient temples and heritage sites. One of the must-visit temples is Singosari Temple, an impressive 13th-century Hindu temple complex. Another notable site is Jago Temple, known for its intricate stone carvings. These historical landmarks offer a glimpse into the region’s rich past.

Places to Visit in Malang

Ijen Boulevard
An excellent place to walk down while enjoying the beautiful well tended bougainvillea along the road of old colonial structures. You will also find an old Catholic Church at the end of the road here—a truly historic part of the city Malang.

Singosari Temple
An ancient temple located just about 12km north of Malang, you may get here with a local mirkrolet (minivan) that would take you around with just 3,000Rp one way. This well-preserved Hindu temple dates back to 1300AD and is worth a visit.

Singosari temple in malang, east java, indonesia

Singosari Temple in Malang, East Java, Indonesia

Jago Temple
It is an ancient Hindu temple near Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Built-in the 13th century, it showcases impressive architecture and intricate stone carvings. The temple’s unique blend of Hindu and Buddhist influences makes it a popular historical attraction. Surrounded by serene rice fields, it offers a picturesque setting for exploration and photography.

Kidal Temple
You can visit at the same time as Jago Temple as it is nearby. Kidal Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in East Java, Indonesia. It is known for its intricate stone carvings and historical significance, dating back to the 13th century during the Majapahit Kingdom. The temple showcases stunning architectural details and is a popular destination for history and culture enthusiasts.

Candi jago, malang temple
Candi Jago, Malang temple.

Things to Do in Malang

Explore the city center – Malang city center is easily explored on foot, starting with the iconic Tugu Bundaran monument and then heading southwest to visit the impressive Great Mosque Jami while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of Indonesian city life.

Walk along Jalan Ijen (street) – Explore the small and walkable city of Malang, filled with Dutch colonial influences, including colonial houses and the picturesque Jalan Ijen street, and don’t miss the chance to visit St. Maria church and join locals for the car-free Sunday morning activities.

Eat local food – Malang offers a wide range of famous regional Javanese cuisines.

Visit the traditional market (pasar) or the night market

Take a becak ride – a refreshing experience, providing a new perspective of the city.

Becak malang travel
Becak at Malang. Photo by Nadhil Ramandha on Unsplash

Visit traditional markets in Malang like Oro-oro Dowo and Pasar Besar for daytime shopping with locals, offering fresh produce. At the same time, night owls can explore the night market on Jalan Kyai Tamin, known for local souvenirs and food vendors, although the food quality may vary.

Go to Batu for a walk around the highlands, dip in hot springs, or pick your apples (petik apel) at Agrowisata.

Check out the beautiful beaches
The most popular are the Balekambang beaches, which include Balekambang Beach, Ngliyep Beach, Goa Cina Beach, and Sendang Biru Beach. Also nearby is Pulau Sempu (Sempu Island), an offshore island that can be reached by boat.

Where to Stay – Best Hotels in Malang

There are also many other good options to stay in Malang, despite it not being one of the most popular tourist cities. You will find more locals visiting here and thus get a good dose of Indonesian hospitality. There are budget choices from guesthouses to luxury hotels.

Tugu Malang Hotel
This luxury hotel is the most famous in Malang. It is well known for its colonial design and has an outdoor pool, spa, and massages. The location is also great, with only 5 minutes walk from the Tugu Rail Station. The service here is also impeccable, and the dining options are bound to impress.
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Hotel Santika
I stayed here on my trip to Malang, which was a pleasant experience. Centrally located in the city, the rooms are clean and modern, and the pool is well-designed, surrounded by palm trees and unique Indonesian sculptures. They have complimentary tea time, and the place feels like a first-class family-run hotel.
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What and where to eat in Malang

Your trip here will not be complete without trying out the famous Inggil restaurant that serves authentic and delicious local food!

  • Bakso Malang: Malang is famous for its flavorful meatball soup, known as Bakso Malang. It typically includes beef or chicken meatballs, noodles, and a flavorful broth.
  • Nasi Pecel: This traditional Javanese dish consists of rice served with a variety of steamed vegetables, peanut sauce, and side dishes like tempeh and tofu. It’s a popular and healthy choice.
  • Rawon: A rich and savory black beef soup, Rawon is made from black nuts, spices, and tender beef. It is usually served with rice and topped with bean sprouts and fried shallots.
  • Sate Ayam: Grilled chicken skewers, known as Sate Ayam, are a popular street food in Malang. The chicken is marinated in a flavorful sauce, then grilled to perfection, and served with peanut sauce.
  • Lontong Kikil: This dish consists of rice cake (lontong) served with kikil (tendon) in a flavorful soup. It’s often garnished with fried shallots, and celery, and served with a side of sambal (chili sauce).
  • Rujak Cingur: A unique salad dish that combines various fruits and vegetables with sliced cow’s nose (cingur), served with a tangy shrimp paste sauce.
  • Rujak Petis: Another variation of the fruit salad, Rujak Petis includes a mix of fruits and vegetables dressed in a sweet and spicy petis (shrimp paste) sauce.
  • Cwie Mie Malang: This is a popular noodle dish in Malang, featuring chewy egg noodles, bean sprouts, meatballs, crispy wonton, and a flavorful broth.
  • Bakpao Telur Asin: These steamed buns filled with salted egg yolk are a popular snack in Malang. The combination of fluffy bun and savory salted egg is a delightful treat.
  • Pisang Goreng: Don’t miss trying the local version of fried bananas, called Pisang Goreng. These ripe bananas are coated in a crispy batter and deep-fried to perfection.

How to get to Malang

The airport in Malang is the Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport, serving flights from Jakarta every day with Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air, and Batavia Air. There are also flights from Denpasar, Bali on Wings Air.

You may also fly into Surabaya Juanda Airport, which is not too far from Malang, where you can take a train or bus, and the journey is only about 2-3 hours via the Surabaya-Gempol highway.

You may get buses from various points nearby, overnight trains from Jakarta or Bandung,, and day trains from Surabaya and the rest of Java. The train station in Malang is central and a good choice if heading there.

How to get around

Malang city is relatively small to cover, you may walk some places, but you can mostly get a becak for a slow ride around the town or take the many mikrolets (minivan) that covers everywhere for just 3,000 Rp one way.

Where to go nearby

Head to Mount Bromo from here via the Tumpat route. You would need to take a bus and then a 4WD to get to Ngadas, where you can head to Mount Bromo after that.

You can also visit Surabaya, an interesting city just 2-3 hours drive away.

Or take to the hills at Batu for a refreshing and cooling getaway.

Ride a 4×4 truck to Mount Bromo and hike this famous volcanic mountain.

Head west to Yogyakarta for a cultural dose of ancient temples, castles, and local delicacies.

Malang Travel Tips

Respect the local culture by dressing modestly, especially when visiting religious sites. Removing your shoes before entering someone’s home or places of worship is also customary. Help preserve the natural beauty of Malang by practicing responsible tourism.

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15 Comments

  1. Avatar Allan Chong says:

    Like to know what are interesting places to visit in Malang, outbound activities etc thanks alot Allan

    1. You can consider trekking at Mount Bromo and go there via 4WD through the crater. Else I am sure there are plenty of tour operators in Malang that you can contact on other adventours.

  2. hey Rachel! im a newbie in trekking but i’ll be climbing mt semeru in Dec. Yes I know its not a good time of the year to be climbing semeru but hopefully the PKHS allows us me to climb up. Any advice?? Thanks in advance! =)

  3. I am travelling to Surabaya on 8/1/2014 and will like to travel to Batu Malang direct from Juanda International Airport. Please advise how to engage a taxi/van at Juanda Airport to go to Batu and how much is the fare.

    1. I took the local Bus from Surabaya to Malang, you need to get to the terminal first and after that it is easy. But if you like to get your own private transport I suggest that you get in touch with local tour agents.

  4. Hi Rachel! I am going to be travelling through Java to Bali in the end of this year and beginning of the next year, also planning to come to Malang (from Yogjakarta) and do some hiking in the Bromo National park. Could you advise on the best way to get from Malang to The ferry to Bali afterwards? Many thanks in advance!

    1. you will need to get from Malang to Banyuwangi to catch a boat to Bali

  5. Hey Rachel,

    Any tour companies you would suggest for Malang – Bromo day tour? Thanks!

  6. Can we climb Arjuna gunung in mid of april (next month ) ??

    Trekking route is closed , isn’t it???

    We have 2 days for climbing , enough or not ???

  7. Rachel, azman here from malaysia. I m interested to visit malang together with my family. Our main objective is to visit mt bromo and apple orchard. Will apple still in the season for the of december period. We intend to go there in december this year.

    Thanks in advance.

    Azman

    1. I went there in this period and there were still some apples to be picked but it is not exactly the full bloom. Enjoy!

  8. Avatar Ibrahim H says:

    Hi there Rachel,
    I’m Ibrahim from Malaysia, we’re planning to go to Mt Bromo on December, next week actually, how’s the weather condition now? beside Mt Bromo, any other place you recommended to go? we’re group of 3 pax and we stay at Malang.

    Hope to hear from you soon.

    Thanks

    Ibrahim H

    1. I did Mt Bromo in December too and lucky for me the weather was fine and I manage to see the sunrise clearly. Though I know that currently it is not the best weather but you may have a try at it. We did encounter showers in the day when we were arriving at Bromo. It mainly rain later in the day so plan more flexibility into your plan and you will enjoy your trip!

  9. Hi Rachel,
    Ira from Malaysia, this is my first experience to go hiking to Mt Bromo. What should I do? I mean my preparation..is it ok to just go with normal sneakers? any suggestion on where to stay.?

    thanks in advance.

    1. hi Ira, yes it is possible to go with just normal sneakers. Here is where I stayed – Cemara Indah

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