East Java · Indonesia
Batu travel guide
Batu is a city in East Java, Indonesia, home to about 190,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- MLG22 km · Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport
- Currency
- IDRrupiah
- Time zone
- Asia/Jakarta
- Language
- Indonesian
About
About Batu
Batu is a very common Indonesian place-name element - Batu Gajah, Batu Ampar, etc. Sometimes these get informally shortened to “Batu”, but this place is Batu full stop. The word means “rock” or “boulder”, and is often applied to landing places, but in this instance it may indicate a royal retreat in a pleasant upland climate. In ancient times only the ruling elite could take themselves away in that fashion, with their grand entourages.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Batu
See
- Alun Alun
- Mount Panderman
- Museum Angkut
- Taman Rekreasi Selecta
- Punten
- Songgoriti
Do
Climb Mount Arjuna and Mount Welirang. This is a tough 3-day expedition for experienced trekkers only. These two mountains combine to form a volcanic massif. Dormant Arjuna is at 3,338 m and active Welirang at 3,156 m and the two are joined by huge saddle ridge. There are several ways to approach the trek but the best start point is at Selecta, 4 km north of Batu. You will need a guide and these are best found in Selecta village. If you are staying in Batu your hotel may also be able to help you find a good guide. Plan for two nights on the mountains in temperatures which can approach freezing.
- Jawa Timur Park 1
- Batu Secret Zoo and Wildlife Museum
- Batu Night Spectacular (BNS)
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Batu to stay in
There are a lot of quite highly priced hotels in Batu these days which were set up to cater for the wealthy local weekend market. If you are visiting Batu on a weekday outside of the school holiday season you'll likely get a good deal at a higher end hotels. Simpler budget accommodation is also available and if you visit on weekdays without a reservation you will almost certainly find plenty of available options.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Batu
Batu has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 417 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Batu: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport (MLG), about 22 km from the city centre in a straight line; Juanda International Airport (SUB, 62 km) and Dhoho International Airport (DHX, 65 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
It is a 45-minute drive from the centre Malang to Batu and 3 to 4 hours drive from Surabaya to Malang. Using 2 hours train from Surabaya to Malang would be advisable and then take a GrabCar or GoCar for added convenience. Regular shuttle buses and bemos ply the route, departing from Malang's Landung Sari bus terminal. The better hotels in the area are open to arranging to collect you from Malang. Batu gets very crowded at weekends and during school holidays with trippers from Malang and Surabaya. Avoid those periods if possible.
Getting around
The area lends itself very well to walking. There are regular local bemo services and all of the better hotels offer tours and/or private transport to the main sights. Batu complex becomes bigger due to constructions of newer theme parks and attractions and to visit them all might take 2 or 3 days. Use ride-hailing services such as Gojek and Grab for easier navigation around the area.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MLG · Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport
SUB · Juanda International Airport
DHX · Dhoho International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Batu
Drink
Unsurprisingly, there are several local variations on apple juice, both pure and laced with different syrups.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Batu: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Batu?
Batu has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 417 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Batu?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport (MLG), about 22 km from the city centre in a straight line; Juanda International Airport (SUB, 62 km) and Dhoho International Airport (DHX, 65 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Batu?
rupiah (IDR).
Nearby
Destinations near Batu
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.