Batu or officially called Kota Batu is a city in Indonesia’s province of East Java. This city is located about 90 kilometers south west of Surabaya, the provincial capital of East Java and about 15 kilometers south east from the city of Malang.
The city is located quite high above the sea level. The area of Batu lies between 700 to 1,700 meters above the sea level, making the tenmperature of the city is very nice. Generally the temperature here is pleasant, ranging from 12 degree to 19 degree Celcius.
Since the time of Dutch colonial days, the City of Batu is a place of retreat for people from Surabaya and Malang. Nowadays, Batu is also an agricultural center. The main produce of the city is apples that can be seen from the many numbers of apple orchards throughout the city. The city also has a large number of orchid nurseries.
The city of Batu is well known because the beauty of its nature. The amazing landscape of Batu makes the Dutch compared it with Switzerland and named in De Kleine Zwitserland or the little Switzerland. Indeed, Batu city is always flocked by domestic and foreign tourist. This must have make you wondered what are the tourist objects in Batu? Let’s have a look.
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1. Batu City Center
The first things to do in Batu Indonesia, the city center or alun alun is a place made by the city government to serve as a place for the city residents to gather. The city center of Batu is a large square that is neatly organized with garden.
The city center also has a ride, a ferris wheel that allows you to take a ride and have a bird eye view of the city. This is perhaps the only city center in Indonesia that has a ferris wheel. The ride on the ferris wheel will set you back by a meager IDR 3,000.
The city center is decorated with the things that represent most of unique produce from Batu, like apples, strawberries, milk cows, rabbits, etc. You can also get a drinking tap water free of charge.
2. Punten Village
This village features many hectares of apple and orange orchards as well as orchid nurseries. Here you can pay certain amount of money to pick and eat as many apples as you like. The other villages around Batu also have similar setups, including Pandanrejo, Gunung Sari and Sidomulyo. Here you will also find a fish breeding center, the second place to visit of things to do in Batu Malang Indonesia.
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3. Angkut Museum
The name of this museum is literally translated as transport museum. This museum is quite unique, because it showcases many antique cars. The show shows its collection in its various rooms that are decorated to look like cities from all around the world.
This makes transport museum become a suitable place for those of you who like to take photographs. Inside you will also find an elegantly styled food court that is designed like a floating market. The entry ticket to Museum Angkut is IDR 100,000 per person.
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4. D’Topeng Museum
This museum is located near Museum Angkut. The collection showed by this museum is various kinds of masks from throughout Indonesia. In Indonesia, masks are work of arts that show the distinctiveness of its region. Almost every region has its own masks.
Aside from masks you can also see various items which originated from the prehistoric time until the time of Majapahit kingdom. Thus, that’s one of the best things to do in Batu Malang Indonesia.
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5. Eco Green Park
This is a theme park that upholds the eco concept. It is very suitable for children, adult and elderly alike. There are plenty of rides in this theme park. One of the most popular rides is Jungle Adventure.
Jungle Adventure ride gives an experience of being a hunter in the jungle. It simulates a jungle adventure and you are a hunter that goes in the jungle to hunt. Apart from that there are also many other rides like Eco Science Center, Geology Science Center, Music Plaza, Dome Multimedia, etc.
Indeed Eco Green Park is geared to be a theme park that is both fun and educative for children. Here you and your children will have an experience of learning together. You can also watch various shows like eagle show, bird show and fire dance. Entrance to Eco Green Park will cost you IDR 40,000 per person for weekdays. Meanwhile for weekends and national holidays, the entrance ticket will cost IDR 60,000 per person.
6. Batu Night Spectacular
Comes night time there is a tourism object that is always crowded in Batu. The place is always packed with tourists as well as locals. It is called Batu Night Spectacular or often shortened as BNS.
BNS only opens at the evening. Inside you can see many lampions of various shape and color all throughout the place that beautify the place. Beside the lampions, you can also see a night market that sells various items of interest as well as unique souvenirs. Here you can also try the culinary in the food court. Entrance ticket to Batu Night Spectacular is IDR 20,000 per person and this does not include any ticket for the rides inside. To get on rides inside, you will have to pay separately.
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7. Cangar Batu Hot Water Spring
Come to this hot water spring and take a relaxing dip in the hot water. This hot spring is suitable to unleash your tiredness and relieve you of the uncomfortable feeling after going around the whole day.
Nearby to the hot spring, you can also find a man made cave that was used as a bunker during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia that lasted from 1942 to 1945. The locals call this cave as Goa Jepang (goa means cave; Jepang means Japanese). This cave is located only about 600 meters from the hot spring.
In the hot spring there are one big pool and two smaller pools. Here you can also find pool that is specifically designated for women bathers. IF you would like to have more privacy, there is also a more covered pool that is similar to a sauna.
To enjoy the relaxing bath in Cangar hot spring you have to pay an entrance ticket. The ticket cost is very affordable at IDR 10,000 per person for adult and IDR 5,000 for each children. The ticket price remains the same all year round.
8. Selecta Recreation Park
The recreation park is landscaped with a lot of colorful flowers. Selecta was originally established by the Dutch in 1930. Throughout the time, it has changed dramatically from its original concept but remains a very charming place. Selecta Recreation Park has a nice swimming pool, a small water park as well as sine aquariums and water features. Here you can also do some horse riding. There is also a hotel and restaurant that is located inside the park. Meanwhile, there are many things to do in Batu Malang Indonesia.
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9. Tirta Nirwana Songgoriti
Songgoriti is a recreational park located in Songgokerto village of Batu district. It is located on the slope of Mount Panderman. Here you can visit the hot spring pool.
Inside the recreational park, you can also see the ancient Hindu temple of Songgoriti that dated back to the 15th century. The hot spring water itself is believed to have healing properties for various kind of ailments.
Here you will also find a water park with a swimming pool and at the middle there is a mediocre size manmade lake. You can hire a boat to get around the lake. The entry fee to the park is IDR 10,000 per person, but it does not include entry fee to the water park. However, you are free to visit the hot spring.
10. Balitjestro
This is a citrus and subtropical fruit plantation and research center that is run by the government. A visit to this site will give you chance to learn about various subtropical fruits and their varieties that are grown in Indonesia. If you plan to stay overnight, Balitjestro also has a guesthouse.
During the time of August, which is the harvest time for orange, you can pick and eat as many oranges as you like inside the orchard. Picking the oranges for take away will cost you IDR 10,000 for every kilogram of oranges you are taking home.
11. Omah Kayu
Omah Kayu is Javanese word for wooden house. In Javanese the word omah means house, while the word kayu can mean both wood and wooden. Also, that must be challenging things to do in Batu Malang, North Java Indonesia.
Here you will see a house built from wood on top of a tree. The house is perched on a hill side, so from the terrace of the house you can see the beautiful Batu city. The fantastic view is also supported by the cool and tranquil atmosphere.
Should you choose to spend the night here, you will have to pay IDR 350,000 a night. However if you just want to visit the day without intending to spend the night, the entry fee to Omah Kayu is just IDR 5,000.
12. Coban Talun Waterfall
This waterfall is located about 3.5 kilometer from Selecta Recreation Park. It is located in Tulungrejo village, which is about 950 meters above the sea level. To reach the waterfall, you have to hike through the pine forest with a very beautiful and peaceful environment.
Underneath the waterfall you can see many huge rocks. The waterfall has quite high water debit and as it falls on the rocks it makes quite a large noise.
Access to the waterfall can be gained by paying a ticket that will cost you IDR 5,000 per person. The ticket box itself is open from 8 A.M. until 4 P.M.
Those are some of the places you will want to visit when you are in Batu. As you can see, Batu is a very interesting city with many attractions to offer. If you like the mountain and wondering where to go for your next vacation, then I highly recommend that you come and visit Batu as it is a charming city with many things to offer. See you in Batu!
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