Malang's historical downtown is best explored by foot or becak (tricycle carriage). Ijen Boulevard is lined with lovely examples of Dutch colonial architecture, and a whole day could be spent visiting the Brawijaya Army Museum, Immanual Catholic Church and the city library found along here. Balai Kota (City Hall) is another historical building with an interesting blend of Dutch and Indonesian architectural styles.
Visit the Mangun Dharma Art Centre to learn more about traditional East Javanese art forms including dance, batik, shadow puppetry and carving. The Hotel Tugu Malang is almost a museum with a big collection of antiques and local crafts on display for visitors. Another popular cultural attraction is Senaputra Park, with traditional East Java dances every Sunday at 10am (in dry season only) and Wayang Kulit shadow puppet shows on the last Wednesday of every month, starting at 10pm.
And Malang is known as a place to enjoy fresh local cuisine, including some delectable dishes that are unique to the city. Some of the favourite dishes to sample at the local markets and warung (food stalls) include fried village chicken (ayam goreng kampung), Malang-style meat balls (bakso malang), grilled corn on the cob (jaung bakar), and fresh apples picked from the surrounding highlands, particularly the green manalagi variety.
Malang's most famous night market is on Jalan Merdeka, open every Saturday. Another busy night market is Jalan Agus Salim, where you'll find fantastic beef onion rice soup (nasi rawon) and bakso malang.
Some other top spots for inexpensive local fare include Bakmi Gajah Mada for East Javanese noodle dishes, Ingill's with a range of Javanese cuisine, Warung Pojok for spicy peanut-sauce salad (rujak) and Warung Subuh for a variety of cheap, tasty meals.
The Martabak Cairo cafe features kopi jahe, a local brew infused with cloves. Toko Oen restaurant has a range of western and Indonesian dishes to enjoy in a historic setting. For a special evening out try L'Amour Fou at the Hotel Tugu Malang, with French and Italian dishes, live music nightly and cocktails in a chic, candlelit setting.
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