Surabaya private tours

Surabaya, the city of heroes, presents a blend of history and modernity with an irresistible energy. The bustling streets are alive with the aroma of street food and the buzz of scooters weaving through traffic. With your local guide, Surabaya tours become more than a visit; they are an intimate conversation with the city's essence. Stroll through the Arab Quarter on a walking tour, where the air is rich with spices, or delve into the poignant stories at the Heroes Monument, where skipping the line allows for a more personal reflection. On a food and wine tour, taste the unforgettable flavours of rawon and tahu tek. Private tours...

Surabaya, the city of heroes, presents a blend of history and modernity with an irresistible energy. The bustling streets are alive with the aroma of street food and the buzz of scooters weaving through traffic. With your local guide, Surabaya tours become more than a visit; they are an intimate conversation with the city's essence. Stroll through the Arab Quarter on a walking tour, where the air is rich with spices, or delve into the poignant stories at the Heroes Monument, where skipping the line allows for a more personal reflection. On a food and wine tour, taste the unforgettable flavours of rawon and tahu tek. Private tours in Surabaya will peel back the layers, revealing heartfelt stories and hidden gems that make this city unique. If you’re looking for more inspiration, take a look at our curated list of things to do in Surabaya.

Explore Surabaya your way

At ToursByLocals, we believe that how you explore is just as important as where you go. That’s why every Surabaya tour is private, flexible, and built around you: Move at your own pace, skip the crowds, make connections and follow your curiosity. Find local guides offering private tours in Surabaya for every interest, including:

Nature and Wildlife tours: Glide by small boat through the Wonorejo Mangrove to spot herons, kingfishers, and mudskippers with a guide who knows the quiet channels. If you want a bigger day out, head at dawn to Mount Bromo for sunrise over the caldera, then walk the Sea of Sand before traffic builds.

History tours: Step into the House of Sampoerna to watch clove cigarettes hand‑rolled, then trace independence history around Jembatan Merah and the Heroes Monument with stories that bring the 1945 Battle of Surabaya to life. You can also explore the preserved Submarine Monument and learn how the KRI Pasopati served.

Night tours: Join a street‑food crawl for rawon setan on Jalan Embong Malang and smoky sate klopo at Ondomohen, with sweet es campur to finish. Your guide can add a walk through the revived Kya‑Kya Kembang Jepun area or a spin down Tunjungan Street to see lit art‑deco storefronts.

Surabaya is spread out and not very walkable between sights, and public transit is limited for visitors, so many travellers prefer tours with private transportation. You can book a chauffeured tour or ask your local guide to arrange a car to keep travel time short and comfortable.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all itinerary, you can tailor your private tour to match your interests, pace and personality with a local who knows Surabaya inside and out.

Walking tours & neighbourhoods

Day trip ideas from Surabaya

Set aside a day to hop from Surabaya to nearby cities and nature spots, keeping your evening free back in the city; these day trips also work well as private tours shaped around food, history, or scenery.

Malang and Batu: Cooler air, leafy streets, and coffee shops give you a slower pace, while street art areas like Jodipan add colour for photos; if you like local snacks, colonial architecture, and easy urban walks with a side trip to tea or apple farms, this one fits.

Mount Bromo viewpoints: For wide volcanic views without a long trek, drive to viewpoints near Tosari or Wonokitri; sunrise is famous, but daytime light still shows the caldera, and if volcano geology and landscapes are your thing, this delivers a memorable day without an overnight.

Trowulan (Majapahit heritage): Explore the former Majapahit heartland with red-brick gates like Bajang Ratu and the bathing site at Candi Tikus; if you enjoy archaeology, old kingdoms, and quiet village roads, the area gives you depth and context in a compact loop.

Madura via Suramadu Bridge: Cross the long bridge to Bangkalan for hand-drawn batik, seasonal salt pans, and seafood by the strait; this suits you if craft traditions, market browsing, and coastal views sound like a good change of pace.

You’ll find a mix of culture, food, and landscapes within a few hours’ drive, and planning these as day trips or short tours keeps timing simple.

A private tour with a local guide is the best way to really get to know a place. Skip the crowds, follow your interests, and see a side of Surabaya most travellers miss.