Malang the cultur city

Understand

Malang is the second largest city in East Java with a rapidly growing population of about 1.2 million. This is a city of great historical significance. The oldest existing record of Malang as a regency is from the 8th century when it was the seat of government of the ancient Kanjuruhan and Singhasari kingdoms. The city officially became part of the all encompassing Javanese Mataram kingdom in the 17th century which by that time was controlled by the Dutch colonialists. Unsurprisingly given that history, there are several interesting Hindu relics in this area. The city quickly became very popular with the Dutch due to its cool climate, very attractive rural surrounds and easy reach from the main trading port city of Surabaya.

Modern day Malang, although significantly urbanised, has retained much of its historical character, remains vibrant and is regarded as by far the most attractive large city in the East Java region. Malang Regency is located between two groups of mountains with Mount Semeru, the highest mountain on Java, and Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park to the east. The biggest attraction here must be the beautiful landscape, in addition to which there are some temples not far away.

Singosari Temple

In a city of such great cultural and historical significance there are lots of cultural attractions and any visitor to Malang should dedicate some time to exploring these. There are also a number of beautiful sights in the rural areas surrounding the city. Balekambang Beaches, (about 60 km south of Malang). There are actually three beaches here: Balekambang, Ngliyep and Sendang Biru. All three are quite beautiful, are close by to each other and locals most often refer to all 3 as just Balekambang. It is best to visit on weekdays as this is a very popular weekend escape and it can get get crowded. It is not safe to swim here but these are great relaxation beaches which offer some stunning coastal scenery. There is an offshore island called Pulau Sempu which can be visited by chartering a boat from Sedang Biru beach. At Balekambang beach there are three little islets just offshore which are attached to the beach by walkways. Of the three beaches, Balekambang itself is perhaps the most attractive but all three are worth visiting. The beaches are easily day-tripped from Malang in a car but for the adventurous there are basic places to stay at and around all three. Rp 10,000. 

Ijen Boulevard, Malang. This is a quite beautiful street in the city. It is lined with well tended bougainvillea against a backdrop of old colonial structures. The street houses a number of interesting buildings including the Brawijaya Army Museum, Catholic Church and the city library. You should take in this area as part of a becak or walking tour of the historic downtown area. Padepokan Seni 

Mangun Dharma (Mangun Dharma Art Center), Desa Tulus Besar Tumpang, (psmd@indo.net.id). Arts centre dedicated to the research, promotion and performance of traditional East Javanese artforms including dance, batik, shadow puppetry and carving. Superb place. Dance performances can be arranged on demand and are of excellent quality as the dancers are trained from childhood. Their motto is Rescuing the Arts of East Java.

Purwodadi Botanical Gardens (Kebun Raya Purwodadi, Pasuruan), Jl Raya Purwodadi (about 20 km north of Malang), (kriblipi@bogor.wasantara.net.id). Opened in 1941, This is one of the four official botanical gardens in Indonesia (the others being the headquarters at Bogor, Bedugul in Bali and Cibodas in West Java. The 85 hectares of gardens house an impressive collection and the splendid Baung waterfall.

Singosari Temple (Candi Singosari), Singosari, Malang (about 12km north from Malang). This well preserved Hindu temple dates from 1300AD and is a reminder of the great Hindu kingdoms that ruled East Java before the arrival of Islam. A visit to the nearby bathing pools at Ken Dedes combines perfectly with Singosari Temple. Ken Dedes was the wife of the first King of Singhasari (later Singosari) and these bathing pools are believed to have been part of the royal court. There are some quite wonderful statues here. The whole area has some other fine relics from the early Hindu kingdoms including Candi Jago and Candi Kidal. Ask your guide or at Singosari Temple for further directions.

Taman Rekreasi Senaputra (Senaputra Park), Jalan Brawijaya, Malang. Traditional East Java dances every Sunday morning at 10AM in the park during the dry season only. Every last Wednesday of the month there is a Wayang Kulit shadow puppet show starting at 10PM. 

 Brawijaya Military Museum, Jalan Ijen. M-Th 08.00-14.30 / F 08.00-11.30 / Sat-Sun 08.00-13.00. Museum of East Java's famous Brawijaya garrison of the Indonesian military. Interesting relics of Indonesia's revolutionary war of the late 1940s, as well as the communist purges of the late 1960s. An insight into the country's turbulent and violent past. Worth at least 45 minutes to an hour when walking through the Jalan Ijen area.

Sempu Island, Sumber Manjing Wetan. M-Th 08.00-14.30 / F 08.00-11.30 / Sat-Sun 08.00-13.00. Sempu Island is one of most beautiful island in East Java. Sempu Island is an island located 800 meters from the southern coast of the province of East Java, Indonesia. The island is 3.9 km long and 3.6 km wide. Its topography is largely rolling hills whose altitude ranges from 50 to 100 meters above sea level. The coastline consists mainly of limestone cliffs characteristics of the façade of the island of the Java. Point of interested in Sempu Island is Segara Anakan. Museum Tempo Doeloe [read tempo dulu] - literally means "olden days museum". 

Do

Sempu island

Take a tour of this fine old city by becak. Take a walking tour of the beautiful Dutch colonial-style houses in the neighbourhoods around Jalan Ijen Visit the Alun-Alun - the central town square - to the south of one of the city's main thoroughfares of Jalan Basuki Rahmat. Particularly busy on a Sunday evening. Volunteering. ProFauna Indonesia gives the wonderful opportunity for anyone to volunteer in the organization. The activities in these projects will be decided based on your skills and experiences. By becoming ProFauna's volunteer, you will experience to be part of the wildlife conservation works in Indonesia while learning Indonesian cultures and witness its beautiful nature. 375 USD. Visit the local bird market and flower market - you can see lots of unique birds and pets, as well as get a glimpse into local culture here. Malang has a small military museum located near Jalan Ijen.