Tuban

Tuban is a regency at the northwestern tip of the province of East Java. The most prominent feature is the beauty of the scenery such as beaches, caves, teak forests, and limestone hills.

Understand

In ancient times, Tuban was a center of the spread of Islam in the region by Walisongo, the revered saints of Islam in Indonesia.

Tuban was also the main port of Majapahit, one of the last major Hindu-Buddhist empires of the region. It existed from 1293 to about 1527, and is considered to be one of the greatest and most powerful empires in the history of Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Get in

By bus

• 1 Kambang Putih Bus Terminal, Jabung, Sugihwaras, Jenu. Some bus companies with AC have the route to Tuban such as Agra Mas, Kramat Djati, and Pahala Kencana from Jakarta and Widji Lestari from Surabaya. (updated Sep 2022)

Get around

Going to some tourist attractions is more flexible to use a rented car or motorbike.

See

Nature

• 1 Akbar Cave (Goa Akbar), Semanding, Jarkali, Gedongombo. 07:00-18:00. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Bukit Kapur Rengel, Banjaragung, Rengel. Limestone hill. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Ngerong Cave (Goa Ngerong), Jl. Raya Rengel No.155, Dusun Purboyo Mayang, Rengel. 08:00-17:00. A bat cave. In this place, visitors can see thousands of fish in the river whose water is very clear. (updated Oct 2022)
• 4 Nglirip Waterfall (Air Terjun Putri Nglirip), Jl. Raya Mulyoagung, Sawah, Mulyoagung, Singgahan. 07:00-17:00. (updated Oct 2022)
• 5 Putri Asih Cave (Gua Putri Asih), Nguluhan, Montong. (updated Oct 2022)
• 6 Remen Beach (Pantai Remen), Jenu. Daily 06:30-17:00. A white sand beach with lots of vendors selling coconut water & snacks. (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 Sowan Beach (Pantai Sowan), Bogoran, Bogorejo, Bancar. 07:00-16:30. A shady beach with a playground, camping facilities & showers, plus food stalls. (updated Oct 2022)
• 8 Suci Cave (Goa Suci Palang), Palang. (updated Oct 2022)
• 9 Surindah Beach (Pantai Surindah), Temuji, Jenu. A beach with a ship stranded on the shore. Free. (updated Oct 2022)

Museum

• 10 Museum Kambang Putih, JL. Kartini No.03, Kutorejo, ☏ +62 356 321015. 07:00-14:00. Fossils, maritime tools, numismatic, and artifacts. (updated Sep 2022)
• 11 Museum Koes Plus, Karangrejo, Sugihwaras. Koes Plus is a legendary Indonesian band from Tuban. The collection of Koes Plus tapes and photos is very complete there. (updated Sep 2022)

Do

Abseiling (rappeling)

• 1 Luweng Wareng (Lubang Raksasa), Grabagan. A natural big hole. (updated Sep 2022)

Hot bathing

• 2 Air Panas Nganget, Kedungjambangan, Bangilan. A hot spring in the jungle. Managed by state-owned, Perum Perhutani. (updated Sep 2022)

Swimming

• 3 Kolam Renang Bektiharjo, Semanding. 09:00-17:00. A public swimming pool. You may see macaques. (updated Sep 2022)

Buy

Food souvenirs

• Kripik gayam, a chip from gayam (Inocarpus fagifer).

Textile

• Batik Gedog, Batik typical of the people of Tuban Regency. The fabric is made by weaving. The motif is in the form of a checkerboard or black and white line. Batik Gedog uses geometric motifs with patterns of plants and birds.

Eat

Kare rajungan

Tuban cuisine

• Ampo, a traditional snack made from dirt/soil/clay. The idea to make this food was sparked by food shortages due to colonization in Indonesia.
• Kare rajungan, blue swimmer crab in curry soup.
• Sate menthok, muschovy duck satay.

Food stalls

• 1 Warunge Mak Dah (Warung Seafood Pasar Baru), Pasar Baru Tuban, Jl. Gajahmada No.5, Kebonsari, Sidorejo, ☏ +62 852 362 88693. 17:00-02:00. Serves kare rajungan and other Javanese seafood dishes. There is also a beef dish called becek sapi (beef in spicy coconut milk soup) and a chicken dish kare ayam (chicken in curry soup). The other menu are pepes (steamed meat in banana leaves) using squid eggs pepes telur cumi, ariid catfish eggs pepes telur manyung and blue swimmer crab eggs pepes telur rajungan. Rp60,000 for kare rajungan, Others around Rp20,000. (updated Oct 2022)
• 2 Warung Sate Menthok Sor Sawo, Jl. Mojopahit Gg. Buyung No.180, RT.01/RW.03, Krajan, Karang, Semanding, ☏ +62 856 455 90058. 09:00-17:00. Serves sate menthok, also becek menthok (muscocy duck in coconut milk soup). Eaten with carbs, rice, or sego jagung (mashed maize). Rp30,000/10 skewers. (updated Oct 2022)

Drink

A legen vendor

Legen is a traditional Javanese drink made from toddy palm. Tuban is one of the producers of that drink. It contains 1.5-3.0 % of alcohol. This drink is easy to be found beside the main road of Tuban.

Sleep

• 1 favehotel Tuban, Jl. Basuki Rachmad No.215 - 217, Ronggomulyo, ☏ +62 356 4215888. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Bright quarters with city & beach views in a modern budget hotel offering a hip halal restaurant. Free WiFI and breakfast. From Rp316,255. (updated Sep 2022)

Connect

The telephone area code for Tuban is 0356.

Go next

• Bojonegoro
• Lamongan
• Rembang

Routes through Tuban

Anyer ← Rembang ←

W  E

→ Gresik → Panarukan