Enjoying the Glitter of Surabaya from Kalimas

Kalimas Boat Tours are increasingly in-demand by tourists. In the evening, they can feel the sensation of cruising along the legendary river of arek-arek Suroboyo (Surabaya youth).

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

The beauty of the Kalimas River at the Achievement Park, Surabaya City, Tuesday (12/7/2022) night. The Surabaya City Government installed lights along the Kalimas River from the Submarine Monument to Siola so that its beauty can be enjoyed at night.

On Tuesday (21/6/2022) evening, Noviyanti (50), a resident of Surabaya, East Java, had the opportunity to enjoy the short route of Kalimas Boat Tour. This tour has become a favorite for residents to enjoy the city of Surabaya.

The boat Noviyanti was onboard moved from the pier of the Achievement Park on the edge of Jl Ketabang Kali to the pier of the Education Museum on the edge of Jl Genteng Kali. The distance is about 500 meters. On the way, the boat stopped at the Skatepark, Culinary Tourism Center (SWK) Ketabang and the Education Museum.

“Arriving back at the Achievement Park, we had the opportunity to eat culinary delights that were sold on the boat. It's really fun," said Noviyanti who was traveling with her husband.

A trip down the river is much more pleasant in the evening when the air is no longer hot. Along the river it is also decorated with colorful lights and lanterns. The gardens come to life with a variety of activities.

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On the long route from Monkasel (Submarine Monument)-Siola through the Achievement Park-Education Museum, some shooting locations turn out to be more authoritative in the evening.

The Suroboyo statue with a fountain illuminated by lights looks dashing. The Youth Bridge, Plaza Boulevard, Yos Sudarso, Mustajab and Kali Genteng also glow in the light. The lower part of the infrastructure is even colorfully painted or decorated with murals and pictures so that it becomes an extraordinary sight for tourists.

Sightseeing activities along Kalimas are active again after being put on hold for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Surabaya City Government relaunched the Kalimas Boat tour on Wednesday (1/6).

The revival of this tourism activity also affects the local residents.

"I am grateful to be involved and get economic benefits from Kalimas Boat Tour," said Suryani (50), a food and beverage seller at SWK Achievement Park.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

By boat, residents enjoy the colorful lights along the Kalimas River at the Achievement Park, Surabaya City, Tuesday (12/7/2022) night.

Full Quota

The enthusiasm of residents and tourists for cruising along the river is quite large. The online registrations are full almost every day. On Wednesday (13/7) at 09:00 p.m., the quota on the official website https://tiket.surabaya.go.id/ runs out for the next two days.

The fans are residents of Surabaya or those from outside the area. All scramble to order online. First come, first serve.

To enjoy Kalimas and Surabaya, tourists can come at 03:00 p.m.-09:00 p.m. There are two route options. The short route is from the Achievement Park to the Expression Park/Education Museum at a rate of Rp 4,000 (US$0.27) per person. The long route is from Monkasel-Siola Pier/Public Service Mall at a rate of Rp 10,000 per person. There are seven boats with a capacity of 10-12 passengers per unit prepared.

Especially on weekends, Friday-Sunday evening, the boat tours are enlivened with a floating market. Tourists can shop for Surabaya micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) products which are sold on the sightseeing boats.

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From the records of the Culture, Youth, Sports and Tourism Office of the City of Surabaya, the boat tours are visited by 100-125 people per day. On weekends, visits amount to 200-260 people -- more than doubled.

Gradually, Culinary Tourism Center (SWK) along Kalimas will be arranged so that it can become a floating market for culinary specialties. Kalimas Boat Tours will also be integrated with historical tourism.

"We are trying to make Kalimas Boat Tours able to compete with foreign countries, so there is no need for the people to go far; if they want to enjoy the river, they can just go to Surabaya," said Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi.

An officer of the East Java People's Shipping Entrepreneurs Association (Pelra), Oki Lukito, supported the Kalimas Boat Tours. He pushed the traditional boats of East Java to become a tourist icon.

In the era of Majapahit Kingdom in the 13th to the 16th centuries, Kalimas was a part of the main maritime and trade routes of agricultural products and commodities. This lasted even until the Dutch colonial era.

After no longer functioning as a trade-traffic hub, Kalimas has now changed into a tourism icon for the City of Surabaya.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.