East Java, Java’s east end

East Java is geographically and administratively the eastern part of the main island of Java. The island with the capital Jakarta is the most important island in Indonesia. However, the other part of the island is considered geographically and administratively as Central Java and as West Java. In addition, there is the administrative district of Yogyakarta.

In the west, East Java borders Central Java. That is the only landline border East Java has. While in the north the Java Sea is the border,  it’s in the south, the Indian Ocean. The Bali Strait with Bali Island in the neighbourhood is the border in the east.

The east end of Java is a boundary of cultures.

Surabaja is the capital of East Java. The city is the urban centre. Another urban centre is Malang, 80 km south of Surabaya. Both polluted, noisy, and overcrowded cities.

Java has a tropical climate with two seasons only. One is a dry season from May to October. The other season is the rainy season from November to April. The climate is hot, with high humidity. However, the northeast part has much less rain than other parts.

One of East Java’s treasures is its nature, of course. The flora and fauna are very diverse. Many of the spice plants used in Europe grow here. Here is also the home of teak forests. Teak wood is a valuable tropical wood.

Java Island is part of the “Ring of Fire”. That’s why East Java is also the home of many volcanos. High seismic and volcanic activities are permanent and everywhere present. The volcanos like Kawah Ijen with its acid crater lake, Bromo and Semeru, or Raung are tremendously impressive volcanos. Even the mud volcano Sidoarjo is an impressive place. This one has been ejecting mud for 20 years.