Batu

城市概覽

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. Early modern times and the Dutch colonial period saw the growth of a mercantile class glad to escape from sweltering Surabaya, and Batu expanded as a hill station. The nearby town of Selecta was constructed as a purpose-built hill resort in 1928 on the slopes of Mount Arjuna (Gunung Arjuna), and city-dwellers acquired weekend houses here. The area had reached a population of 190,000 by 2010. The climate also suits the growing of apples and orchids. The Batu area is at 800 to 1100 metres so it is pleasantly cool compared to lowland East Java. Typical day time temperatures are 17 to 20 °C. The mountain tops reach over 3000 m and their night-time temperatures regularly drop to 3 to 4 °C.

Batu Tourist Information Centre, ☏ +62 341 591706.

如何抵達

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.

當地交通

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.

必看景點

1 Alun Alun (Batu town square), Batu. A small park in the middle of Batu town, where locals regularly take walks and idle about. The newly re-worked Alun Alun is adorned with representations of pretty much all of Batu's specialities: apples, strawberries, milk-producing cows, rabbits, etc. as booths, lanterns and statues. There is also a decent-sized Ferris wheel with Rp5,000 entrance fee. (updated Mar 2020) 2 Mount Panderman, Songgokerto village. You can see Mount Panderman looming large from the centre of Batu. It is a good hiking and birdwatching area. If an organised hike is of interest you should be able to find a guide at Coban Rondo Waterfall. 3 Museum Angkut (Transport Museum), Jl Sultan Agung No. 2, ☏ +62 341 595007. 12:00-20:00. Opened in 2014 and part of the Jawa Timur Group, it presents the history and development of transportation around the world. It has many classic cars and motorcycles, and replicas of the presidential airplane, Batavia (old Jakarta), "Gangster Town", Broadway, Italy, France, Germany, England, the Buckingham Palace, Las Vegas, Hollywood, and a floating market. M-Th Rp70,000, F-Su Rp100,000. (updated May 2020) 4 Taman Rekreasi Selecta (Selecta Recreational Park), Selecta, ☏ +62 341 592379. This landscaped park was established by the Dutch in 1930 and although very changed, it remains a charming place to visit outside of the school holiday seasons when it is overrun with children. Nice swimming pool. There are hot showers for Rp5,000, but no hot springs or hot pools. Opportunities for some guided walks and horse riding. There is a hotel and restaurant attached to the park. Entrance: Rp35,000. (updated Mar 2020)

Villages 5 Punten, Punten village (3 km from Batu town centre). Hectare after hectare of apple orchards and orchid nurseries. Pay a nominal rupiah sum and pick and eat as many apples as you can manage. Other villages nearby have similar setups and include Sidomulyo and Pandanrejo. 6 Songgoriti (about 2 km west of Batu town

體驗活動

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. There is no need to cart tents as there are simple hut shelters used by the local sulphur workers and all guides will know the locations. You will need a warm sleeping bag and appropriate clothing though. The lower slopes are lush but this gives way to a high terrain which more recalls the Andes or Tibet than tropical Indonesia. The same is true of the basic shelters in which you will be sleeping. The route from Selecta tackles Arjuna first and the views from the top are stunning - the whole volcanic spine of East Java stretches before you. The following day, Welirang offers similar magnificence with the added thrill of a steaming, sulphurous active crater. Be very careful on Welirang and take no risks: this mountain is classed as a very active A-type by geologists. This is a very rewarding trek with views as good, if not better, than from any of Java's volcanic peaks. Walk. The area in and around Batu and Selecta is very scenic indeed and lends itself well to casual walking as well as more strenuous treks.

Theme and amusement parks

1 Jawa Timur Park 1, Jl Kartika 2 Batu, ☏ +62 341-597777. 2 Batu Secret Zoo and Wildlife Museum (Jawa Timur Park 2), Jl Oro-Oro Ombo No. 2, ☏ +62 341 597777. 3 Batu Night Spectacular (BNS), Jl. Raya Oro-Oro Ombo 200 Batu, ☏ +62 341-5025111.

購物

While it is not exactly a shopping mecca, there are some place to buy souvenirs from Batu.

1 Toko Linda, Jl. Bukit Berbunga No.115, Sidomulyo. A one-stop-shop on the way towards Selecta, where you can get various Batu snacks specialties. The shop also sells everything from daily needs to clothes. 2 Pasar Senggol (around Alun Alun). A large array of local food and snacks, served in permanent makeshift tents that gives you truly local tastes and lifestyle. Most famous street food includes tahu brontak (deep fried stuffed tofu), pisang molen (banana wrapped in flour-based batter), pisang goreng (fried banana), ketan (sticky rice, served with ground soy bean and coconut), bakso (meatballs in soup), and tahu lontong (tofu and rice cake in peanut paste).

美食

Apples again. This is the country's major apple producing centre and aside from the delicious fresh produce, try:

Dried apple chips. A real speciality here which are sold in bags so you can stock up. Healthy and truly delicious. A lo