This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel.
Malang, a city in Central Java, is often used as a gateway from which to explore the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, but as a city it has a few quaint charms of its own. You can do a free walking tour with a student guide from a Malang hostel and you will see along your way various monuments; the animal and plant markets; Ijen Street with all of the colonial Dutch housing from the Dutch reign in Indonesia; various stores offering merchandise for Malang's beloved and champion soccer team, Arema; and traditional churches and Chinese temples. It has a little something for everyone. They also have a massive antique museum on the bottom floor of the Hotel Tugu that you can visit for a fee. The majority of these things can be explored within half a day to a day.
Outside of this you can take a day trip to Batu and explore some of the waterfalls or natural features around this area or some of the more cultural areas of Batu town and you can get there within an hour on a public bus. Mount Bromo can also be explored and it is best to make arrangements to do this out of Malang with a tour company.
Hostels in Malang are within walking distance to the train station making it easy to move in and out of the city. Be wary of the drivers all hanging around telling you that it is too far to walk -- because it really isn't that far at all. You will also find various restaurants for food and convenience stores down this main street with the train station just down the road from the hostel, so majority of what you will need will be accessible during your stay.
Written by local expertz for Malang
Globetrotter
