The name of Surabaya comes from the Javanese
words Suro, meaning shark and Boyo, meaning crocodile. With over
3 million people, unpretentious Surabaya may be the second-largest city in Indonesia, but it's a little lacking in sights. However,
many people come here on business, and Surabaya is also a gateway city for Mount Bromo
and Bali.
The city's attractions tend to be more apparent to those who make it their home
rather than to short-term visitors. Surabaya climate is very tropical and you need to wear casual, light clothes: t-shirts, shorts, sandals or shoes. During the Rainy season (November-June), be prepared for occasional flash floods and traffic jams, although it's not as bad as Jakarta. During Hot season (July-October), be prepared for a very hot day, skin being darker than usual, sweeting a lot, and temperature can be 38C (feels like 41C) max and 25C (feels like 28C).
The national language is Bahasa Indonesia
(Indonesian) it used in General, commerce and education. Many locals
also speak the regional language, Javanese & maduries (sometimes with a local dialect.)
There is a surprising amount of English visible in Surabaya on advertising and
signs and English is the most widely understood foreign language. English language can be use in many shopping area, food area, and taxi. But never trust taxi driver, they can trick you if you didn't understand Bahasa Indonesia or Local area.
