Surabaya Safety Guide
Health, security, and travel safety information
Emergency Numbers
Save these numbers before your trip.
Healthcare
What to know about medical care in Surabaya.
Public hospitals accept foreign patients but queues are long and English is limited. Private hospitals used by expats offer faster service and international insurance billing.
For tourists, Siloam Hospitals Surabaya (Jl. Raya Gubeng) and RS Adi Husada UHC (Jl. Undaan Wetan) have 24-h emergency rooms, English-speaking staff, and direct-pay arrangements with insurers.
Chain pharmacies such as Kimia Farma and Apotik K-24 are widespread. Pharmacists can dispense many drugs over the counter that require prescriptions elsewhere. Bring the generic name of any regular medicine.
Travel insurance is not legally required but is strongly recommended. Hospitals may request a deposit or proof of cover before admission.
- ✓ Pack a basic first-aid kit for minor cuts and scrapes picked up while exploring Surabaya's beaches or markets.
- ✓ Tap water is not potable, stick to sealed bottles or boiled water provided by hotels.
Common Risks
Be aware of these potential issues.
Snatch-and-grab phone or bag theft from moving motorcycles and pick-pocketing in Pasar Atum or Tunjungan Plaza Mall.
Motorbikes weave between lanes and red-light compliance is inconsistent. Pedestrian crossings are rarely respected.
Vehicle and industrial emissions can push PM2.5 into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' range.
Scams to Avoid
Watch out for these common tourist scams.
Drivers paint a regular car in Blue Bird's colors, rig the meter, and claim your destination is 'closed' to divert you to commission-paying souvenir shops.
Unofficial porters grab your luggage, carry it 20 m, then demand an inflated fee while blocking the exit.
Small booths advertise excellent rates, count money behind the counter, then swiftly remove a few large notes before handing the stack over.
Safety Tips
Practical advice to stay safe.
- • Use Gojek or Grab ride-hailing apps. Both show driver details and fixed fares, reducing argument risk.
- • Allow extra time to reach Juanda International Airport. The toll road from downtown Surabaya can jam for 90 min at rush hour.
- • Raw vegetable salads (lotis) taste great at Surabaya street stalls but rinse with bottled water or stick to cooked food on your first two days.
- • Ice in established Surabaya restaurants is factory-made (tube ice) and safe; crushed block ice from carts is riskier.
- • ATMs inside bank branches with security guards are safer than standalone booths. Cover keypad when entering PIN.
- • Notify your bank before travel. Foreign cards can be blocked after a single Jakarta or Surabaya withdrawal.
Information for Specific Travelers
Safety considerations for different traveler groups.
Solo and group female travelers move safely through Surabaya during daylight. Evening harassment is verbal rather than physical, mostly unsolicited comments rather than touching.
- → Choose GrabBike instead of ojek hanging on street corners, they are registered and tracked.
- → Sit in women-only carriages on the new Commuter Line (pink signage) if travelling to nearby Sidoarjo or Mojokerto.
Same-sex relations are legal under national law since 2022 court ruling. But national parliament is debating a criminal code that could re-criminalise extramarital sex. Local bylaws against 'public indecency' remain.
- → Book twin rooms instead of doubles in budget Surabaya hotels to avoid awkward questions at check-in.
- → LGBTQ-friendly nightlife is limited. Ask local apps (Gojek's Go-Life forum) for current safe venues rather than relying on online lists that may be outdated.
Travel Insurance
Protect yourself before you travel.
Private hospitals in Surabaya ask for payment guarantees; a simple appendix removal can cost mid-range international holiday money if uninsured.
Ready to plan your trip to Surabaya?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.