Description of Kabupaten Malang

Malang 90 km south of Surabaya, a place for relaxation is probably the most attractive town in Java. It's a centre of educational activities, an industrial town and a city of tourism having several tourist attractions in its surrounding e.g. Wendit, Selecta, Sengkaling, Batu & Songgoriti, Sengkaling, Nongkojajar, Rambut Moyo Waterfall. As a centre of educational activities, it has a number of state universities and private academies. Large number of students from outside Malang come pouring into the city, which make the density of population of the city of Malang contrastly differs from the regency of Malang (500.000 & 2 million). 

 Malang is famously acknowledged as a place for rest and relaxation with its average temperature of 24.5 C. Located between mountains, during the Dutch occupation Malang was called as Switzerland of Indonesia. By the appearance of many rest area for the Dutch people in the city, the development seemed to grow obviously. The total area of this municipality covers 110,056 km2 and occupied by 750 thousands peoples and becoming the second biggest city in East Java after Surabaya.

 The rapid growth of the development of the city is not only supported by its area and the number of population but its growth in many sectors such as education, industry, and tourism which is now becoming its motto/predicate: Malang as education, industry, and tourism city. The predicate is by no means to be based on something which is not related to its potential, but nowadays there which accommodate 130,000 students not including other institutions such as courses and others in similar to it. Even there is an available data states that there are more than 150,000 graduates graduated from all levels.

 As a result, the development on education sector brings other good impacts to the people business related to educational and the youth, such as boarding houses, book stores and entertainment facilities. Based on an estimation which is apart from educational fund, the students spend Rp 18.85 billions per month or Rp 226.2 billion per year. The development of the city is also supported by the fast growth of its business activities. There are 3,000 companies, big and small, in Malang which was during the Kanjuruan Kingdom was ruled by the King Gajayana. Natural freshness and tourism destination around the city supports the tourism development, although it is not as famous as Borobudur and Bali the tourist arrival increases each year continuously.

 In fact the fast growth of the city attracts some financial institution, for there are 30 banks and 35 insurance companies open their branches in this city, even there are banks and insurance companies have their central office in Malang. The success of the development and growth on education, industry and tourism appears obviously by the physical condition of the city which tends to grow splendidly by the appearance of shopping center buildings, hotels, campuses, and housing. The success which is not tangible is its public economical growth which increases 9% per year.

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East Java

Long regarded only as an inconvenient 12-hour road trip between Borobudur and Bali, the eastern third of Java is becoming a destination in its own right. Volcanic craters, deserted beaches, wildlife reserves, well-preserved temple complexes and a friendly colorful people make East Java a prime `Soft Adventure' destination.

The hotels may be a little more basic than further west and the roads a little bumpier but the various attractions make any transient discomfort and inconvenience fade into memorable experience.

Historically, from 10th to 13th Century, the great kingdoms of the period - Kediri, Singasari and Majapahit - have bequeathed a rich heritage of temple art, literature, music and drama. The Majapahit empire arose in 1292. Besides dominating the entire archipelago, its authority also covered the Malay-peninsula and parts of the Philipines.

Hindu-Buddhist influences lasted throughout the 14th Century. Moslem Kingdoms rose in Java in the 16th Century and spread throughout the islands. After the Brantas Valley was conquered by Moslem in 1527, many Hindus fled east-wards, to Blambangan and Bali.

There are numerous temple ruins found, dated from the Classical time of Hindu-Buddha period (7-15th century AD) as well as the historical sites dating from the early days of Islam and the Dutch Colonial times.

East Java is well known as the location of Mount Bromo, the desolate volcanic massif offering the most spectacular sunrise in Southeast Asia. The caldera 10 km across, with two peaks rising from the sandy crater floor, Bromo is an unforgettable. Now with comfortable hotels a short drive away, Bromo becomes a popular and it is haven up with tourist attractions. However, even a chattering group tour cannot detract from the majesty of a dry-season sunrise over the crater rim. As a hundred shades of crimson paint the endless sky, the world falls silent save the quiet whistle of the chill dawn breeze over bare rock and sand.

Sitting squarely on the Ring of Fire, East Java has several other accessible volcanic peaks. Mount Semeru lies 20 km south of Bromo. Higher and more active than Bromo, Semeru is regarded by the Javanese as the abode of the Gods, the local equivalent of Mount Meru in India. The hike to the summit and back is a moderately strenuous overnight trek. At the top, the view encompasses most of East Java, Bali and the Indian Ocean.

Sugarcane and coffee plantations blanketed East Java during the colonial era. Many of these old plantations are still producing some still using colonial era technology and methods. Workers plant and harvest cane with only hand tools. Tiny, steam-driven locomotives chug alongside back roads, pulling equally scaled-down piled with cut sugar cane to century-old refineries. A few plantations accept overnight guests, offering clean, comfortable cottages, early morning tours through the crop lands and enormous country breakfasts.

With an extent of about 48.000 square kilometres including Madura Island, East Java occupies a little more than one third of Java's total extent. With a population of almost 33.000.000 inhabitants to be the most populated area in Indonesia. To the East, across the narrow strait of Bali lies the island of Bali, to the West the Province of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, to the North is Java Sea and the South is the Indian Ocean.

The Province lies between 7° 12' and 8° 48' South latitude and stretches from 110° 52' to 114° 42' east longitude. Two third of the area is mountainous and hilly with slopes with an approximately 48 mountains with the highest peak of Mount Semeru as the highest in Java.

Two wide rivers traverse East Java, the 314 km-long Brantas, and the Bengawan Solo of about 540 km. The broad Brantas River traces a circular path through the ancient and fertile rice lands of the Eastern part of Central Java.

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