Overview
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1. Jodipan Rainbow Village
Rainbow Village, also known as Kampung Warna Warni, is a colorful and very interesting neighborhood in Malang. Years ago, this district was a slum, completely run down and as good as lost. In 2016, a group of students from a local university took the initiative to paint the houses in bright and cheerful colors. The aim was not only to beautify the place but also to attract visitors to the area. And with success! It is nowadays one of the best and most interesting places to visit in Malang, Indonesia
Practical
There's a small entrance fee of 5.000 IDR per person.
There are no official opening hours, but you can visit from approximately 8am to 6pm.
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2. Arema Blue village
On the opposite side of the bridge of Rainbow Village, you find the Blue Village, another great place to visit in Malang. This village was painted blue in honor of the local football team, Arema FC. The small blue streets are super lovely to walk through and the locals are very warm and welcoming.
There’s no entrance fee to the Blue Village!
Hotels
Discover the best places to sleep in Malang and enjoy a comfortable stay!
Malang
Malang
Malang
via Booking.com
3. Tumpak Sewu Waterfall
The Tumpak Sewu waterfall is without a doubt one of the most impressive waterfalls in Indonesia. It looks like a massive sinkhole with water flowing down 120m over about 180°. To make it even more picture-perfect, you have the impressive Semeru volcano as an incredible backdrop. You can visit the waterfall from a viewpoint at the top, or you can hike down quite a challenging trail and experience this massive waterfall from below.
The easiest way to visit Tumpak Sewu is by joining a tour from Malang. These tours often include other waterfalls as well, such as Kapas Biru, number 4 on this list of things to do in Malang.
Practical
Entrance fee to Tumpak Sewu
Only viewpoint: 20.000 IDR
Bottom: +50.000 IDR (to pay at the bottom)
Parking:
5000 IDR for a motorbike
10.000 IDR for a car
Daily: 7am - 3pm
4. Kapas Biru Waterfall
Not far from Tumpak Sewu, you will find the Kapas Biru waterfall, another impressive waterfall. You can easily combine a visit to both and make it a waterfall day. It’s a huge waterfall, flowing down a massive orange wall and surrounded by lush greenery. To reach this waterfall, you have to do a 25-35 minute trek down to and along the valley floor. The way back might be more challenging as you’ll have to hike back up again but it is absolutely worth it. You can join a tour of this waterfall.
Practical
Entrance fee: 20.000 IDR
Parking: 5000 IDR
Daily: 07:00 am to 03.30 pm
5. Museum Angkut
An activity in Malang that we enjoyed even more than we expected was the Angkut Museum. It is a transport museum where you find a huge collection of over 300 classic cars, airplanes, and other kinds of transportation. The museum is divided into different parts of the world, giving you a kind of trip around the world. You’ll definitely get amusement park vibes. It’s without a doubt one of the top things to do in Malang, especially if you love vintage cars and history.
Practical
Entrance fee: 80.000 IDR
If you want to bring your camera, you have to pay an additional 30.000 IDR
Parking:
Motorbike: 3000 IDR
Car: 5000 IDR
Daily: 12:00 am to 08:00 pm
Activities & Tours
Discover the best things to do in Malang by joining an amazing tour!
6. Wonosari Tea Plantation
Not far from Malang, in the village of Batu, you find the beautiful Wonosari Tea Plantation. The highest peak of the plantation is called Bukit Kuneer, or Kuneer Hill, from where you have an incredible view over the rolling, green landscape. There is a short walking bridge and different viewing platforms to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. From the parking lot, it is a 30-minute walk to Bukit Kuneer over a very rough path. We highly recommend visiting this place during sunrise, when the golden light of the sun falls over the plantation. It was without a doubt one of our favorite things to do in Malang.
Practical
Entrance fee: 15.000 IDR on weekdays, 20.000 IDR on weekends
Bukit Kuneer: +10.000 IDR
Guided tour: 60.000 IDR
Daily: 06:00 am to 05:00 pm
7. Coban Rondo Labyrinth and Waterfall
Coban Rondo is a kind of nature park where you find the beautiful and powerful Coban Rondo waterfall.
Besides the waterfall, there are several other activities inside the area, such as riding an ATV and trying archery. Some of these activities require an additional fee.
Located in the same park, you also find the Labirin Coban Rondo, a maze made of hedges. Nothing spectacular but fun to get lost in for a while.
Practical
Entrance fee: 75.000 IDR
Daily: 08:00 am to 04:00 pm
8. Take a tour to Bromo and Ijen Crater
One of the most impressive, but also most popular things to do in Malang is visiting Mount Bromo. The Ijen Crater is located further away from Malang, but there are tours from Malang that include a visit to both Mount Bromo and the Ijen Crater.
We went on a private tour to Bromo and Ijen with our awesome guide Ferdy from Bromolandscape. He is friendly, speaks very good English and we definitely recommend his tours. He offers different packages including Bromo and Ijen and even Tumapk Sewu waterfall if you want, against very fair prices! You can contact him on Whatsapp and tell him hi from us!
Mount Bromo
Mount Bromo is an active volcano and a part of the Tengger Massif, a group of ancient volcanoes. You can witness the sunrise over the breathtaking Bromo landscape from one of the viewpoints such as Penanjakan or King Kong Hill. After watching a magical sunrise, you can explore the sea of sand at the base of the volcano during a jeep safari and climb your way up to the top of the crater and see this impressive volcano crater closely.
Sunrise at Mount Bromo is the most magical but of course also the busiest. If you like to explore with fewer people, it is also possible to visit during the day. Although the sunrise is really worth it!
Ijen Crater and the Blue Fire
Another impressive and very unique volcano on Java is the Ijen Crater, also known as Kawah Ijen. This volcano is known for its stunning and absolutely unique scenery. The crater contains the world’s largest acidic volcanic crater lake, which is turquoise in color. This lake is rich in sulfur and there are also sulfur mines on the crater floor. When visiting the Ijen Crater, you will see the miners extract and carry out the sulfur from the crater. These miners work in very challenging conditions, carrying heavy loads of sulfur up steep paths. The sulfur is then used in various industries, including the production of cosmetics and fertilizers.
And that is not the only unique thing about the Ijen crater. Even more famous is the Blue Fire. These ethereal flames are caused by the combustion of sulfuric gases emerging from cracks in the volcano at high temperatures. The phenomenon is most visible at night and so that’s why it is such a popular place to visit right before sunrise. You can visit the crater during the day as well, but then you might not be able to see the blue fire.
How to get to Malang
Malang has a train station and a small domestic airport. Depending on where you are coming form, you can get to Malang either by train or by air.
By train
There is a good train connection to Malang, from Yogyakarta, Probolinggo, Banyuwangi, and Surabaya. The train network on Java is amazing and the trains are comfortable, fast, clean, and relatively cheap. You can book your train tickets in advance online.
By air
Malang has a small domestic airport, with only direct flights from Jakarta or Bali. The closest international airport is in Surabaya, from where you can take a train to Malang. You can find the best flight deals on Trip.com or Skyscanner.
How to get around
The best ways to get around Malang are to rent a scooter, use Grab or Gojek, hire a private driver, or join an organized tour.
Prices for a scooter rental costs vary between 60,000 IDR to 80,000 IDR for 24 hours.
To visit Bromo (and Ijen Crater), we highly recommend booking an organized tour. If you want to visit the Tumpak Sewu waterfall as well, you can also opt for a Bromo tour that includes the waterfall.
Where to stay
In Malang, you find many different kinds of accommodations, such as hotels, hostels, and guesthouses for every budget. We’d recommend styaing in the city center, close to all the bars, shops and restaurants.
Hotels
Discover the best places to sleep in Malang and enjoy a comfortable stay!
Malang
Malang
Malang
via Booking.com
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Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
