Surabaya Undercover

Awhile ago I read a book called Jakarta Undercover. The book basically looks into the sex industry in Jakarta. But, to be honest I was disappointed by it. I think the aim of the book was to shock people but honestly I wasn't really shocked. Although Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country and the culture is quite conservative, the weird sex industry is so easy to see. It's really there for all to see. I was also not shocked by Jakarta Undercover because many of the people I work with have been overly forthcoming when describing their own experiences. Let me save you time and money and give you Surabaya Undercover.



Despite the fact that prostitution is illegal in Indonesia, Surabaya once boasted the biggest red light district in South East Asia. It was called Dolly and operated from 1970 until 2014. The street seemed like a normal part of the city, with many people living there and other businesses such as restaurants, jewelry shops and convenience stores operating in the area. As you passed by, you would see brothels with prostitutes dressed up sitting on sofas playing with their phones as they waited for their next clients. Men would look in through the window and choose a lady. The prices were quite reasonable, between 250,000 and 300,000  rupiah ($25- $30) for a young woman. My  ex-boyfriend informed me that you could pick up an older woman for 40,000 rupiah ($4) at Wonokromo train station. I haven't gone to check out this fact.

Driving by Dolly used to freak me out a little but I actually drove by quite frequently due to the fact that my favorite Nasi Uduk restaurant was located in the neighborhood. Some of the scenes I saw driving by were quite shocking. Once, I saw a woman wearing a jilbab bottle-feeding some Bintang beer to a half-clothed lady by the road side. Another time I saw a children's train full of families driving straight down the middle of the street.

imagine this, cruising down the red light district

But, Dolly was closed last year and now it just looks like any other street in Surabaya. I drove by this week to check it out and although everything seemed to be shut, the parking lots were still full despite the fact that there isn't a lot to do there anymore. It all makes me a little suspicious that Dolly is still operating underground. But overall, the worst news is that the Nasi Uduk place closed down. :(

But it's okay, for those who still want some action, there are still places to go (oh god, I hope no one is actually reading my blog to find out where to go). It seems like the sex trade in Surabaya has moved online. Pimps use Facebook and BBM to find clients. Possibly, Twitter and Instagram too if you know the right hashtags?

And if you don't have a place to take your nice new lady friend, there's no problem. Surabaya has many two hour hotels that you can use! For as little as 50,000 rupiah ($5) you can enjoy these fine facilities! What a bargain!

Otherwise you can always visit the nice karaoke parlor in my neighborhood. It looks really dodgy from the outside in general. Once, I wanted to go to karaoke with some friends. When we pulled up out the front, the parking guy stared at me and asked what we were doing. When we explained that we wanted to do some karaoke he explained that it was for men only and that you had to book a room with a woman. A friend informed me that you pay the woman to pour your beer and flirt with you and you can opt to pay more for extra services. For future reference, only go to places marked 'family karaoke' if you want to avoid this.

But if karaoke isn't your style, you can always check out Colors Pub. I don't quite know how to explain this place...Try to visualise the most tacky nightclub in the world, now multiply the tackiness by 10 and that might resemble colors. Colors is a small smoky room, with a bar in the center and a stage set up behind it. This stage could feature a live band, a DJ or even better some girls dancing around in their underwear! The bar is constantly being lit on fire to help build the atmosphere but it just happens too often to be cool. The club is full of friendly prostitutes, dodgy white guys and Indonesians and Westerners alike dancing like they are taking the piss but actually that's just how they dance! I can guarantee by 1 AM at least one of the sinks in the bathroom will be full of vomit. And you'll pay $35 dollars for a jug of flat beer. You'll get (as a co-worker of mine put it) 5-star prices with 2-star service. What a beautiful place. 

Colors is however equipped with ashtrays next to the toilet.

If the nightlife is too shiny for you, you can also try the cemetery! Yes, meeting prostitutes at the cemetery is a real thing! I have heard this from many sources so I'm pretty sure it is true. At the start I wasn't convinced because the majority of Indonesians I have met believe in ghosts and are pretty scared of them. But I was foolish to let that change my mind. When I asked my ex-boyfriend about it he informed me that it happens in a Chinese cemetery and Chinese people don't have ghosts! Makes perfect sense...

And ladies, don't worry, I didn't forget you. There are male prostitutes in Surabaya apparently too! When I asked my ex-boyfriend about this he took me to the bridge on Jalan Pemuda near the submarine and told me that the young man standing there was a male prostitute. Look, I don't know if this is true because my ex-boyfriend isn't really the most trustworthy person (see my post two weeks ago) but he seemed pretty convinced. Anyway, I drove past the guy twice and he didn't seem to be doing much more than waiting but I still don't know if this is a true story.

Just be careful which time of year you have fun in. Hotel raids (to check marriage certificates) in Surabaya are fairly commonplace especially during Valentine's Day and Ramadan. You will get arrested if/when you can't prove you are married!

So, basically I'm not recommending or suggesting any of these things/ places but just thought Surabaya Undercover deserved to be written. Be careful out there.