Sumenep

Sumenep was the seat of a Madurese principality that survived under Dutch overlordship into the twentieth century, and its centre retains the pieces: the kraton, a modest palace of the late eighteenth century with a museum holding the regalia, royal carriages and a collection of keris; the Asta Tinggi royal cemetery on a hill outside town, a walled complex of domed tombs; and the Jamik mosque of 1779, whose gateway and detailing show clear Chinese influence, attributed to an architect of Chinese descent, so that a Madurese royal mosque carries a Chinese gate. Sumenep batik uses strong colours and dense motifs distinct from Javanese work. The town is quiet and hot, and it is the departure point for the small islands off eastern Madura including Gili Iyang.

Highlights

• The kraton and museum - the palace, regalia, carriages and keris collection.
• A Chinese-gated royal mosque - the 1779 Jamik mosque with its distinctive entrance.
• Asta Tinggi - the walled hilltop royal cemetery outside the town.
• Madurese batik - strong colours and dense motifs, unlike Javanese work.

When to go

May to October. Two days.

Good to know

It is hot, dry and quiet, with limited tourist facilities. Madura is conservative - dress modestly. Getting here is a long drive from Surabaya over the bridge.

Nearby

Gili Iyang and the eastern islands are offshore; the bull-race towns are west.

Key facts