Commemorating National Heroes Day: 5 Places to go in Surabaya

The City of Heroes. That’s what Indonesians call Surabaya. Its nickname is undeniable since many historical occurrences happened in this town during the many bouts of national struggles. Therefore, no wonder people would flock to travel here to commemorate National Heroes Day. If you visit Surabaya in November, you will feel the aura of past struggles all over town. From spiked bamboo ornaments to words of encouragement are seen on every corner of the cities to commemorate the special day.

Surabaya is related to the infamous battle of 10 November 1945 and has many historical travel destinations that you can visit. Want to know more? Let’s check these destinations out!

Five recommended historical places to visit in Surabaya to commemorate the National Heroes Day

1. Red Bridge (Jembatan Merah)

The Red Bridge was the site where the infamous battle took place. The struggles in this battle grew to become the story behind the birth of National Heroes Day as well as the nickname of City of Heroes for Surabaya. Now the Red Bridge is still standing stronger than ever, with bright red paint as a reminder of this significant historical occurrence.

2. Monument of Heroes and 10 November Museum

This place has become one of the tourist icons of Surabaya, mainly because it is located right at the heart of the city. This 40 meters high monument was built to commemorate the significant events of the Surabaya battle and was inaugurated on November 10, 1952, by President Soekarno. To get a better idea of what the battle was like, stop by the 10 November Museum. This museum houses documentation, artifacts, and relics related to the Battle of Surabaya, like weapons, artilleries, letters, and many more.

3. Majapahit Hotel

Known in the past as the Yamato Hotel, this place silently witnessed one of the most iconic and significant events, where Indonesian fighters tore off the blue part of the red, white, and blue Netherlands colonial government’s flag and turned it into the red and white Indonesia flag. This lavish hotel still operates as a hotel and a national cultural heritage. When staying here, you can experience the lavish life of the ladies and gentlemen of the past. There are various room types that you can book, from the Classic Room to the Presidential Suites.

4. Internatio Building

This building’s official name is Internationale Crediten Handelvereeniging, one of the most important buildings and one of the backbones of trade during the Dutch colonial era. This building was once the headquarters of the Allied forces when they landed in Surabaya and is not far from the Red Bridge. This building also witnessed the death of General AWS Mallaby, one of the high-ranking commanders of the Allied forces, who died in front of this building. A death that ignited the Battle of Surabaya.

5. Siola Building

The building on the corner of Tunjungan street is an attention-grabber for everyone who sees it. This building was one of the leading department stores in the past. Siola Building was also one of the defense bases of the Surabayans during the November 1945 battle. Now, this beautiful building has been transformed into the Surabaya Museum. You can stop by to explore the development of Surabaya and take pictures at the market in front of the building.

Besides the five destinations above, there are still many other exciting destinations you can visit in Surabaya, including Museum Pendidikan, House of Sampoerna, Museum H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto, Museum WR Soepratman, Gula Street and Karet Street area, Makam Peneleh, and many more.

If you are a history lover and love exploring historical sites, you can plan a trip with your community or friends with a common interest. If you’re traveling with a big group of people, it’s better to arrange transportation to support your mobility. For example, a small bus that can transport 18 people. This is a wise choice since you don’t have to travel separately with your group.

Use trusted car rental and bus rental services from TRAC to support all your needs, including your adventure in the city of Heroes. Choose from the most suitable vehicle that you want according to your needs. TRAC offers cars with drivers or without drivers, as well as buses with various capacities. TRAC’s network is also vast and covers many cities all across the nation, so you don’t have to worry about making your plans work out.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to reserve a car. You can make a reservation for cars or buses from TRAC anywhere at any time, right from your smartphone, via the TRACtoGo application. You can feel the ease of renting a car by downloading the TRACtoGo application from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store according to your device. In addition, you can also make reservations from TRAC’s representative offices you can find all over Indonesia.

For more information, you can contact TRAC’s Customer Assistance Center at 1500009. Follow TRAC’s social media accounts for the latest information on Instagram @trac_astra, Facebook TRAC-Astra Rent a Car; and Twitter @TRACastra.