Is Surabaya Safe in July 2026?

Unlicensed taxi touts at Juanda International Airport (SUB) approach arriving passengers in the arrivals hall before they reach the official taxi counter and quote flat rates of IDR 350,000–500,000 for rides to central Surabaya — roughly two to three times the legitimate metered fare of IDR 150,000–200,000 for the 20 km journey. Drivers may claim meters are broken or insist a flat rate is mandatory at this airport. Some touts wear unofficial-looking uniforms or carry handwritten signs to appear credible.

How to avoid: Use only Blue Bird Group taxis (blue cars, operating meters) booked at the official counter inside the arrivals terminal, or pre-book Grab or Gojek from the designated ride-hailing pickup zone outside. Never follow anyone who approaches you in the arrivals hall. Confirm the meter is running before the car moves.

Touts near Gubeng Station and budget hotels along Jalan Semeru sell Mount Bromo tour packages framed as official or government-certified trips, typically priced at IDR 500,000–800,000 per person. In reality the "operator" is an unlicensed middleman: vehicles are poorly maintained, guides speak little English, promised inclusions (entry fees, jeep hire, hotel pickup) are missing on the day, and in some cases the tour does not depart at all. Mount Bromo is 2–3 hours from Surabaya and requires a jeep at the crater rim — a logistics chain that gives scammers many points to cut corners.

How to avoid: Book Bromo tours only through hotels with verifiable reviews on Booking.com or TripAdvisor, or through established operators such as Indovisit or Panorama. Check that the price explicitly includes national park entry (IDR 320,000 weekdays, IDR 470,000 weekends for foreigners), jeep hire at the crater, and transport. Pay by card or bank transfer — never pay full cash to a street tout.

Becak (cycle rickshaw) drivers in the Kota Tua (Old Town) district near House of Sampoerna routinely quote tourists fares of IDR 50,000–100,000 for short rides that should cost IDR 10,000–20,000 for a local. Drivers rarely display fixed prices and will often begin pedaling before any price is agreed, then demand payment at the destination. Some will add extra charges for "waiting time" or a return trip the passenger did not request.

How to avoid: Agree on a specific fare in rupiah before boarding — do not get in until the price is settled. Use your smartphone to show a map and agree on the exact route. If the driver refuses to name a price, walk to the next becak. For longer distances, Grab or Gojek motorcycle taxis are far more transparent.

Unauthorized money changers operating near the House of Sampoerna, Tunjungan Plaza, and Pasar Atum use sleight-of-hand counting tricks, offer an attractive headline rate then quietly apply a "commission," or swap genuine notes for lower-denomination rupiah during the handover. The thick bundles of Indonesian rupiah (IDR 5,000 and IDR 10,000 notes are common) make quick miscounting easy to disguise, especially when the changer counts rapidly and distracts with conversation.

How to avoid: Exchange currency only at authorized money changers (valas) displaying a Bank Indonesia license, or withdraw from a reputable ATM at a major bank branch (BCA, BNI, Mandiri). Count every note yourself before leaving the counter. If a rate seems notably better than the bank rate, it is almost certainly a trap.

Ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers who are not registered on the Gojek or Grab apps operate informally near Gubeng Station, Tunjungan Plaza, and Kota Tua and quote tourist fares of IDR 30,000–80,000 for short rides that the apps price at IDR 7,000–15,000. Some drivers refuse to use the app price when a foreigner books, claiming "the app price is for Indonesians only," and pressure passengers to pay a higher cash rate instead. Others agree to a price and then demand more at the destination.

How to avoid: Always use the Gojek or Grab apps to book ojek rides — the in-app price is binding and drivers who dispute it can be reported. Do not negotiate with informal ojek drivers standing outside stations or malls. If a driver insists the app price does not apply to foreigners, cancel and rebook.