Surabaya: Best Photo Spots
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The single best photographs anyone brings home from a Surabaya trip aren’t taken in Surabaya. Plan around that honestly and you’ll come away with a far better set than chasing city shots that don’t really exist here.
Penanjakan viewpoint, Mount Bromo
The classic shot: the smoking cone of Gunung Bromo rising out of the Sea of Sand caldera, shot from the Penanjakan viewpoint (2,770m) as the sun comes up over the crater walls. It’s a pre-dawn 4x4 jeep ride to get there, and it’s genuinely cold, so plan your gear (and your hands) accordingly.
Kawah Ijen’s blue fire
Electric-blue flames from igniting sulfuric gas, visible only in full darkness, make Ijen’s crater the most technically demanding shot on this list: a tripod and a willingness to be there well before dawn, wearing a gas mask for the descent to the crater bank, are the price of admission.
Tugu Pahlawan and the Old Town
The 41-metre Heroes Monument is a straightforward, striking downtown shot, especially with the 10 November Museum’s grounds around it near-empty on a weekday morning. In Kampung Ampel, the market lanes leading to the Sunan Ampel Mosque offer genuine street photography, dates and perfume stalls under low awnings, though it’s a pilgrimage site, so shoot respectfully and cover shoulders and knees.
Suramadu Bridge at dusk
At 5.4km, Indonesia’s longest bridge makes for a strong wide shot from the Kenjeran coastline as the light drops, cable-stayed towers against the Madura Strait. The Sanggar Agung temple’s giant seaside Guan Yin statue, also on this stretch of coast, is a reliable second subject if you’re already out there.
Practical notes for shooting Bromo and Ijen
Both volcano shots demand more planning than anything in the city. For Bromo, the jeep tour from Cemoro Lawang leaves before dawn specifically to reach Penanjakan while it’s still dark, so bring a headlamp for setting up and expect a cold, crowded viewpoint at peak season; arrive early to claim a clear spot at the railing. For Ijen, the blue fire is only visible in full darkness, so shoot it before any hint of dawn light washes it out, then reposition for the crater-lake-and-sunrise shot once the sky starts to lighten. A gas mask is standard advice for the descent to the crater bank, and it’s worth testing your gear’s low-light autofocus beforehand rather than discovering its limits at 2am on a volcano.
For the sights behind these shots, see our things to do in Surabaya and our Surabaya day trips guide for the full Bromo and Ijen logistics.