Muslim Friendly Indonesia: Mosque Travel, Wudu Spaces, Bromo Volcano & Hui Muslim Halal Journey
Reposted from the web
Summary: A Muslim-friendly Indonesia travel account from a Chinese Hui Muslim perspective, covering mosque spaces, wudu facilities, train prayer rooms, Bromo Volcano, and the original journey details.
The main hall is an open space, meaning it has no doors. It does not need them, as the mosque is always open to the public.
This is the location of the Indonesian Chinese Islamic Association and the Indonesian Haji Cheng Ho Foundation.
Inscriptions inside the mosque record the history of Cheng Ho and the spiritual legacy he left behind in Surabaya.
The inscriptions clearly state that Cheng Ho followed Islam. They also explain why he participated in Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist activities: simply put, he had to adapt to the world around him.
Masjid Al Ittihad Pakuwon Mall mosque
Masjid Al Ittihad Pakuwon Mall mosque
This mosque is built inside the Pakuwon Mall. I have heard from Indonesian friends (dosti) that almost every building in Indonesia has a prayer room. Prayer rooms are different from mosques; they usually lack facilities for a full ritual wash (ghusl) and do not have an imam. This is the first time I have seen a full mosque built inside a shopping mall.
The mosque also provides free storage services.
Area for ritual washing (wudu)
Main hall
Mount Bromo
(Bromo)
After finishing my tour of the city, I planned to head to Mount Bromo. You can book a two-day local tour from Surabaya for about 1,000 yuan, but they require at least two people. I checked the route and felt I could have a great trip without a tour group, so I boarded a train to the volcano.
The train has first-class and second-class seats.
To get to Mount Bromo, you leave from Surabaya Gubeng Station. After a train ride of over two hours, you get off at Probolinggo. The ticket costs about 5 yuan. Outside the Probolinggo station, there are green minibuses that go to the village at the foot of the volcano. They leave when full and cost about 15 yuan for the 50-kilometer trip, which takes an hour and a half. However, you have to wait for the bus to fill up. When I returned, I waited over three hours and it never filled, so I had to hire an unofficial taxi back to the Probolinggo station. The 50-kilometer ride cost 100 yuan, which was not too expensive.
If you can catch the bus smoothly, the total cost to climb Mount Bromo is less than 50 yuan. Because I arrived in the middle of the night and wanted to see the sunrise, I spent an extra 200 yuan on taxis.
Prayer room on the train
The driver dropped me off at the village at the foot of the volcano at 2:00 AM. From there, you have to walk to the summit unless you rent an off-road vehicle or ride a horse, which is expensive. Climbing in the middle of the night is pitch black, so you need to use your phone's flashlight. You have to pay a 10-yuan entrance fee to enter the village and climb to see the sunrise, and you need to buy another ticket to get close to the crater.
Off-road vehicles for climbing. You can charter one for a few people for about 300 yuan per vehicle.
Scenery along the way after daybreak
Dawn before sunrise
Google Maps shows the walk to the King Kong Hill summit is about 3 kilometers, but it is a mountain road and difficult to walk. The temperature on the mountain is cold at night, so you need a cotton jacket to stay warm. It took me an hour and a half to walk those 3 kilometers. The road was pitch black with no other tourists, only a few villagers on horseback who occasionally asked if I wanted a ride.
I welcomed the sunrise while shivering in the cold wind. The scenery around Mount Bromo is truly beautiful. In the morning, with the sea of clouds, the small town looks like a fairyland from a distance.
Town in the clouds
Mount Bromo crater
Looking at Mount Bromo from a distance, it is still puffing out blue smoke and you can already smell the sulfur. This volcano is still erupting, but you can walk up close to the crater to observe it. You need to bring your own gas mask because a regular face mask won't work. People who have been near the crater say it stings your throat and eyes. You can ride a horse from the foot of the mountain to the crater. You need to buy a ticket to go to the crater, which costs about 170 yuan per person. Considering the pandemic, I couldn't risk any respiratory issues, or returning home would be a huge hassle. I gave up on the idea of walking into the crater, even though I really wanted to see the flowing lava.
Meatball noodle soup (wanzi fentang) at the train station restaurant. The meatballs are made with beef fat, very similar to the ones in Yunnan.
The whole way back to Surabaya was just about refueling and eating. There is nothing on the mountain except for small stalls selling instant noodles and hot coffee, and there are no mosques.
Indonesian-style set meal eaten at the Broadway shopping center.
Indonesian fried rice (nasi goreng) eaten at Surabaya Airport.
Thai-style hot pot, rich in curry flavor and slightly spicy.
Different colored plates have different prices, and they count the plates to settle the bill after you finish eating.
Two ways to eat Thai-style hot pot: you can grill it or boil it.
HANAMASA, a Japanese-style wagyu barbecue restaurant near Surabaya train station.
You can grill and boil meat at the same time here. The greeter wore a headscarf and spoke to me in Japanese.
Help yourself to fruit snacks.
Various Southeast Asian desserts.
They specialize in wagyu beef, but also serve chicken, seafood, and more.
The waiter suggested I try both the grilled and boiled meat. Both tasted good, though I think the boiled meat in Beijing is better. Indonesians don't have sesame paste for dipping. This meal cost a few dozen yuan per person; prices in Surabaya are quite low.
After the Surabaya trip, my time in Indonesia came to an end. I flew from Surabaya to Beijing with a layover in Hong Kong. My Cathay Pacific flight was delayed by 12 hours, and I wasn't allowed to leave the airport. A large number of passengers were stranded. Due to the pandemic, the border was closed, so I had to wait in the airport until the flight took off the next morning.
I spent the whole night walking around Hong Kong Airport. There are currently two dua rooms, one near Gate 42 and another near Gate 211.
The dua room near Gate 211.
The dua room near Gate 42.
After leaving Indonesia, it felt strange not being able to eat just anywhere at Hong Kong Airport. The only halal-certified restaurant in the entire airport is Old Town White Coffee. There used to be a Popeyes that was halal, but it has closed down.
Old Town White Coffee.
This restaurant serves no alcohol and offers Southeast Asian food. I ordered a bowl of Ipoh chicken noodle soup, plus a side of fried chicken and lemon tea for about 100 yuan. It tasted fine, and I felt very grateful to have a hot halal meal at that moment.
The restaurant is open from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and is located in the food court area.
Previous posts:
Hangzhou Halal Travel Map
Yiwu Halal Food Map
Luling Mosque, the final resting place of the Qadiriyya grand master
Halal Travel Guide to Langzhong Ancient City, Sichuan
Halal Trip to Hokkaido, Japan
Halal Trip to the Manchuria Region (Chifeng, Jilin, Acheng, and Qiqihar)
Halal Trip to Hefei, Huainan, Anqing, and Chuzhou in Anhui
Dalian Halal Food Map (Part 2)
Guide to Halal Food and Sightseeing in the Muslim Quarter of Xi'an
Guangzhou Halal Travel Map
Tianjin Halal Food Map (Part 3)
Tokyo Halal Food Map
Winter Halal Trip to Vladivostok, Russia
A map of halal food in Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, Vietnam
A map of halal food in Xining
A map of halal food in New York, Atlanta, and Seattle
Nanjing Halal Food Map
Hainan Halal Food Map
Yunnan Halal Food Map
Map of Mosques and Halal Food in Shanghai
Phuket, Thailand Halal Food Map
Tibet Halal Food Map
Chongqing Halal Food Trip: Turns out tripe hot pot is also related to Hui Muslims
Summary: A Muslim-friendly Indonesia travel account from a Chinese Hui Muslim perspective, covering mosque spaces, wudu facilities, train prayer rooms, Bromo Volcano, and the original journey details.
The main hall is an open space, meaning it has no doors. It does not need them, as the mosque is always open to the public.
This is the location of the Indonesian Chinese Islamic Association and the Indonesian Haji Cheng Ho Foundation.
Inscriptions inside the mosque record the history of Cheng Ho and the spiritual legacy he left behind in Surabaya.
The inscriptions clearly state that Cheng Ho followed Islam. They also explain why he participated in Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist activities: simply put, he had to adapt to the world around him.
Masjid Al Ittihad Pakuwon Mall mosque
Masjid Al Ittihad Pakuwon Mall mosque
This mosque is built inside the Pakuwon Mall. I have heard from Indonesian friends (dosti) that almost every building in Indonesia has a prayer room. Prayer rooms are different from mosques; they usually lack facilities for a full ritual wash (ghusl) and do not have an imam. This is the first time I have seen a full mosque built inside a shopping mall.
The mosque also provides free storage services.
Area for ritual washing (wudu)
Main hall
Mount Bromo
(Bromo)
After finishing my tour of the city, I planned to head to Mount Bromo. You can book a two-day local tour from Surabaya for about 1,000 yuan, but they require at least two people. I checked the route and felt I could have a great trip without a tour group, so I boarded a train to the volcano.
The train has first-class and second-class seats.
To get to Mount Bromo, you leave from Surabaya Gubeng Station. After a train ride of over two hours, you get off at Probolinggo. The ticket costs about 5 yuan. Outside the Probolinggo station, there are green minibuses that go to the village at the foot of the volcano. They leave when full and cost about 15 yuan for the 50-kilometer trip, which takes an hour and a half. However, you have to wait for the bus to fill up. When I returned, I waited over three hours and it never filled, so I had to hire an unofficial taxi back to the Probolinggo station. The 50-kilometer ride cost 100 yuan, which was not too expensive.
If you can catch the bus smoothly, the total cost to climb Mount Bromo is less than 50 yuan. Because I arrived in the middle of the night and wanted to see the sunrise, I spent an extra 200 yuan on taxis.
Prayer room on the train
The driver dropped me off at the village at the foot of the volcano at 2:00 AM. From there, you have to walk to the summit unless you rent an off-road vehicle or ride a horse, which is expensive. Climbing in the middle of the night is pitch black, so you need to use your phone's flashlight. You have to pay a 10-yuan entrance fee to enter the village and climb to see the sunrise, and you need to buy another ticket to get close to the crater.
Off-road vehicles for climbing. You can charter one for a few people for about 300 yuan per vehicle.
Scenery along the way after daybreak
Dawn before sunrise
Google Maps shows the walk to the King Kong Hill summit is about 3 kilometers, but it is a mountain road and difficult to walk. The temperature on the mountain is cold at night, so you need a cotton jacket to stay warm. It took me an hour and a half to walk those 3 kilometers. The road was pitch black with no other tourists, only a few villagers on horseback who occasionally asked if I wanted a ride.
I welcomed the sunrise while shivering in the cold wind. The scenery around Mount Bromo is truly beautiful. In the morning, with the sea of clouds, the small town looks like a fairyland from a distance.
Town in the clouds
Mount Bromo crater
Looking at Mount Bromo from a distance, it is still puffing out blue smoke and you can already smell the sulfur. This volcano is still erupting, but you can walk up close to the crater to observe it. You need to bring your own gas mask because a regular face mask won't work. People who have been near the crater say it stings your throat and eyes. You can ride a horse from the foot of the mountain to the crater. You need to buy a ticket to go to the crater, which costs about 170 yuan per person. Considering the pandemic, I couldn't risk any respiratory issues, or returning home would be a huge hassle. I gave up on the idea of walking into the crater, even though I really wanted to see the flowing lava.
Meatball noodle soup (wanzi fentang) at the train station restaurant. The meatballs are made with beef fat, very similar to the ones in Yunnan.
The whole way back to Surabaya was just about refueling and eating. There is nothing on the mountain except for small stalls selling instant noodles and hot coffee, and there are no mosques.
Indonesian-style set meal eaten at the Broadway shopping center.
Indonesian fried rice (nasi goreng) eaten at Surabaya Airport.
Thai-style hot pot, rich in curry flavor and slightly spicy.
Different colored plates have different prices, and they count the plates to settle the bill after you finish eating.
Two ways to eat Thai-style hot pot: you can grill it or boil it.
HANAMASA, a Japanese-style wagyu barbecue restaurant near Surabaya train station.
You can grill and boil meat at the same time here. The greeter wore a headscarf and spoke to me in Japanese.
Help yourself to fruit snacks.
Various Southeast Asian desserts.
They specialize in wagyu beef, but also serve chicken, seafood, and more.
The waiter suggested I try both the grilled and boiled meat. Both tasted good, though I think the boiled meat in Beijing is better. Indonesians don't have sesame paste for dipping. This meal cost a few dozen yuan per person; prices in Surabaya are quite low.
After the Surabaya trip, my time in Indonesia came to an end. I flew from Surabaya to Beijing with a layover in Hong Kong. My Cathay Pacific flight was delayed by 12 hours, and I wasn't allowed to leave the airport. A large number of passengers were stranded. Due to the pandemic, the border was closed, so I had to wait in the airport until the flight took off the next morning.
I spent the whole night walking around Hong Kong Airport. There are currently two dua rooms, one near Gate 42 and another near Gate 211.
The dua room near Gate 211.
The dua room near Gate 42.
After leaving Indonesia, it felt strange not being able to eat just anywhere at Hong Kong Airport. The only halal-certified restaurant in the entire airport is Old Town White Coffee. There used to be a Popeyes that was halal, but it has closed down.
Old Town White Coffee.
This restaurant serves no alcohol and offers Southeast Asian food. I ordered a bowl of Ipoh chicken noodle soup, plus a side of fried chicken and lemon tea for about 100 yuan. It tasted fine, and I felt very grateful to have a hot halal meal at that moment.
The restaurant is open from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and is located in the food court area.
Previous posts:
Hangzhou Halal Travel Map
Yiwu Halal Food Map
Luling Mosque, the final resting place of the Qadiriyya grand master
Halal Travel Guide to Langzhong Ancient City, Sichuan
Halal Trip to Hokkaido, Japan
Halal Trip to the Manchuria Region (Chifeng, Jilin, Acheng, and Qiqihar)
Halal Trip to Hefei, Huainan, Anqing, and Chuzhou in Anhui
Dalian Halal Food Map (Part 2)
Guide to Halal Food and Sightseeing in the Muslim Quarter of Xi'an
Guangzhou Halal Travel Map
Tianjin Halal Food Map (Part 3)
Tokyo Halal Food Map
Winter Halal Trip to Vladivostok, Russia
A map of halal food in Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, Vietnam
A map of halal food in Xining
A map of halal food in New York, Atlanta, and Seattle
Nanjing Halal Food Map
Hainan Halal Food Map
Yunnan Halal Food Map
Map of Mosques and Halal Food in Shanghai
Phuket, Thailand Halal Food Map
Tibet Halal Food Map
Chongqing Halal Food Trip: Turns out tripe hot pot is also related to Hui Muslims
