Upon reaching the airport, the first thing I did was to buy a local
3G internet prepaid SIM card/pack in order to be online and stay in touch with my family. The first thing I noticed about the airport is it does not have any telecommunications kiosks or counters, so I asked the female personnel at the information counter. She then directed me to a suspicious looking man in his forties, which I found out was the person in charge for the sale of
prepaid SIM card/packs at the airport. In other words, he controlled and monopolised the market there.
After asking the locals what is the best Telco for 3G internet prepaid SIM card/pack, I was recommended simPATI Telkomsel. We bought the SIM card/pack from the man for Rp.30,000 and topped up Rp.20,000 for 1G worth of data/internet package with the help of the female personnel at the information counter.
My reliable local 3G internet prepaid SIM card/pack in East Java - simPATI Telkomsel
Later, I found out that the prepaid SIM card/pack itself costs only Rp.3,000 – the old man sold it to us at a freaking 10 times fold the actual price!! What a sneaky old man! I noticed something was amiss when he sneakily discarded its packaging without letting me see it and when I asked for it, he reluctantly gave it to me.
This is the
No.1 scam that you should look out for when you step foot in
East Java. I have compiled
a list of the Notorious Scams at Bromo & Ijen @ East Java that you should be aware of and it can be read
here. Not wanting to argue or cause a scene, I rest my case and proceeded to look for a taxi to take us to
Surabaya Gubeng Train Station. This is the next scam that you should look out for.
Up next: Taxi Prima ride from Juanda International Airport to Surabaya Gubeng Train Station