Malang: East Java's colonial garden city

Malang sits on a plateau in East Java at about 450 metres, surrounded by volcanoes and tea plantations. The Dutch made it a plantation town in the nineteenth century, and the wide avenues, villas and public buildings they left behind give the city a calm, slightly old-fashioned air. The tree-lined Ijen Boulevard is one of the most pleasant streets in Indonesia.

For most travellers Malang is a staging post for Mount Bromo, two hours up the road. That is a mistake. The city has a good museum, a strong food scene, a colonial core worth a morning, and the temples of the Singhasari kingdom on its doorstep. One night here before Bromo is enough, but two days is better.

A hill city with a colonial skeleton

Malang's climate is the key to its history. At 450 metres, it is several degrees cooler than Surabaya, and the surrounding volcanic soil is good for coffee, tea, apples and vegetables. The Dutch developed the town as an administrative and plantation centre, laying out broad streets and building villas with deep verandas and tiled roofs.

The result is a city that feels more European than most in Indonesia, though the traffic, the mosques and the food stalls are entirely local. The old quarter around Jalan Ijen and Jalan Semeru is the best place to see the architecture, and a walk there in the early morning is the most rewarding thing to do in Malang.

Ijen Boulevard and the old quarter

Ijen Boulevard is a wide, divided avenue planted with towering trees, lined with colonial houses and used every morning by joggers and schoolchildren. It runs from the Tugu monument to the city's western edge, and the side streets hide some of the finest villas in East Java, many still private homes and a few converted into cafes or guesthouses.

Nearby are the Catholic and Protestant churches, the old Dutch cemetery and the Brawijaya Museum, which covers the region's history from the Singhasari kingdom to the independence struggle. The museum is small and old-fashioned, but it explains the temples and the colonial city better than any signboard.

Singosari and the temples

About 12 kilometres north of the city, Singosari is a small town with a large thirteenth-century temple, the Candi Singosari, dedicated to the kings of the Singhasari dynasty. The temple is unfinished and partly reconstructed, with two large guardian statues now in Jakarta and a quiet, grassy setting that makes it easy to imagine the kingdom that ruled Java before Majapahit.

The surrounding area has several other temples, including Candi Jago and Candi Kidal, both decorated with reliefs from the Mahabharata and the life of the Buddha. They are not on the mainstream tourist route, and you will often have them to yourself. A car and driver for half a day is the easiest way to see them.

Batu and the mountains

Batu, 20 minutes west of Malang, is the region's family playground: hill resorts, apple orchards, theme parks and a cooler climate. It is loud and commercial, but the surrounding countryside is beautiful, with views of the Panderman and Arjuna mountains and roads that climb through apple and vegetable farms.

For a quieter day, head to Selecta or the tea plantations around Puncak Banyak. The Malabar forest, on the road towards Bromo, has walking trails and a viewpoint over the city. This is also the area where you can arrange a jeep trip to Bromo, either for sunrise or for the afternoon.

Food: bakso, rawon and cwie mie

Malang is a food city. Bakso Malang is the signature: beef meatballs served with noodles, wontons, tofu and a clear broth, often with a side of sambal. Rawon, a dark beef soup made with keluak nuts, is an East Java classic, and cwie mie, a dry noodle dish with minced pork or chicken and dumplings, is the local Chinese-Indonesian staple.

Other things to try include tahu telur, orem-orem, and the apples and apple cider that come from the surrounding hills. The best food is in the warungs around the university and the market, not in the hotels. Prices are low: a bowl of bakso costs IDR 15,000 to 30,000.

For dessert, Toko Oen on Jalan Basuki Rahmat is an institution: a colonial-era ice cream parlour that opened in the 1930s and still serves sundaes, banana splits and strong coffee under slow ceiling fans. It is a step back into the Dutch period, and it is popular with local families on Sunday afternoons. The city also has a good coffee scene, with roasters using beans from the surrounding hills.

Practical and a plan

Malang has a small airport, Abdul Rachman Saleh, with limited flights, and most people arrive by train or road from Surabaya, which takes about two hours. The train journey through the rice fields is comfortable and cheap. From Malang, Bromo is two hours by road, and Surabaya's Juanda airport is another two to three hours.

The dry season, April to October, is the best time for Bromo and for walking. Malang itself is pleasant year-round, though the wet season brings heavy afternoon rain. One day covers the colonial core and the food; two days add Singosari and Batu.

• Day 1: Ijen Boulevard, the old quarter and the Brawijaya Museum; bakso for lunch; Malabar forest at sunset.
• Day 2: Singosari and the northern temples, or Batu and the apple country.
• Night: leave for Bromo at midnight if you want the sunrise, or drive up in the afternoon.
• Add a day for the tea plantations and the quieter villages around Puncak Banyak.

Questions people actually ask

Should I stay in Malang or Cemoro Lawang for Bromo?

Stay in Malang if you want a comfortable city base, then drive up at midnight or in the afternoon. Stay in Cemoro Lawang if you want to sleep before the sunrise and be on the rim quickly. Both work, but Cemoro Lawang is colder and simpler.

How do I get from Surabaya to Malang?

Trains run several times a day and take about two hours. Buses and private cars use the toll road and take a similar time outside peak hours. Juanda airport is about two to three hours from Malang.

Is Malang good for families?

Yes, especially Batu, which has theme parks, farms and cooler weather. The city itself is walkable in the old quarter, and the food is mild enough for most children.

What is there to see near Malang besides Bromo?

The Singosari temples, the tea plantations around Puncak Banyak, the Malabar forest, and the colonial architecture of Ijen Boulevard. Batu adds family attractions and mountain scenery.