Situated 15km west of Malang, the picturesque town of Batu was once known as “little Switzerland” due to its beauty. These days it's more commonly referred to as “Apple City” for the fruit which grows in abundance on the local mountainsides. As well as the sheer natural beauty, a number of theme parks have been added in recent years to add to the family experience.
The cool, fresh hill town of Batu was a retreat for the Dutch in colonial days. Similarly, these days wealthy local business people from Surabaya and Malang have weekend houses up here whilst the less fortunate visit on a more casual basis. The area is also a major agricultural centre with apple orchards everywhere and a large number of orchid nurseries.