Surabaya - Post Report Question and Answers
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Don't be spooked by the recent terror attacks and the religious conservatism of East Java. In terms of safety, we feel quite safe, and would venture to say most of our colleagues agree. Most people who can extend at post, do. One of the joys of serving in Surabaya is the exposure to Indonesia's traditionalist (a technical term) type of Islam, which culturally differs in many important respects from the modernist/reformist (more technical terms) type of Islam more familiar to Americans whose primary exposure to Islam has been through the Middle-East. - Nov 2018
Surabaya is a safe city, but there is not much to do and you have to create your own fun. - May 2012
Avoid food poisoning:1--Avoid western foods--the locals don't know how to cook it (beef ALWAYS undercooked) and tell when something is going bad. 2--NEVER drink tap water; only drink bottled water. Make sure if you get a drink with ice cubes you know where they came from.3--If you eat at one of the street side vendors, bring your own plate/bowl, or eat where the food is set on a banana leaf. The roadside stands do not have running water, and only rinse their dishes in a bucket of dirty water. 3--It's usually not the local foot that makes you sick, but rather it is the plate it is served on. - Oct 2010
Surabaya -- It's much better and easier than Jakarta! - Aug 2009
