South Coast
The south coast of Central Java consists of a series of attractive sandy coves punctuated by volcanic headlands and pounded by the full force of the Indian Ocean. The coastline was once an isolated corner of Java with few facilities, but now that electricity finally extends along the shore, it is becoming a popular weekend destination for those escaping the traffic of cities such as Yogyakarta and Solo. Midweek, however, Java’s southern seaside remains a quiet and peaceful spot.
The main coast road winds through rolling hills, past fields of peanuts and cassava, and through fields of flowers grown solely as selfie backdrops (2000Rp per pose!). Small lanes lead off this road to exposed bays, where the open sea is rough and angry, and swimming is only advisable in selected, sheltered spots.
Inland, the ancient tombs of Imogiri make for a fascinating side-trip.
8Getting There & Away
Yogyakarta is connected by public transport to Parangtritis, the main (but not very attractive) resort on the south coast. Buses from Yogyakarta’s Giwangan bus terminal, which pass along Jl Parangtritis at the end of Jl Prawirotaman, leave throughout the day for the one-hour journey (9000Rp). The last bus back from Parangtritis leaves at around 6pm.
Other than this connection, there is no public transport to the beaches east of this resort. A taxi costs around 350,000Rp to 500,000Rp in one direction from Yogya, but it’s not always easy to find a return ride. It’s better to organise a pickup before leaving the city or hire a car and driver for the duration of your visit (around 1,000,000Rp per 24 hours).
Imogiri
A royal graveyard cresting a hilltop 20km south of Yogyakarta, Imogiri was first built by Sultan Agung in 1645 to serve as his own mausoleum. Since then it has become something of an A-list cemetery for royalty. There are three major courtyards: the central one contains the tombs of Sultan Agung and succeeding Mataram kings; and the other two are dedicated to the sultans of Solo and Yogyakarta.
Pilgrims from across Central Java journey to the tomb of Sultan Agung (10,000Rp; 
h10am-1pm Mon & Sun, 1.30-4pm Fri). To enter the tombs, which are traditionally accessed via a daunting 500 steps, Javanese court dress is obligatory, hired and wrapped at the entrance (2000Rp – and not washed after the previous overheated wearer). Shoes must be removed to enter the complex – punishing for those unused to walking on hot stones. Despite such minor challenges, this atmospheric spot is worth the climb, if only to witness others in earnest prayer.
8Getting There & Away
To get to Imogiri (10,000Rp, 40 minutes), it’s possible to take an angkot to Panggang and ask to be let off at the makam (graves). Angkot and buses (5000Rp) from Yogyakarta stop at the car park, from where it is about 500m to the base of the hill and the start of the steps. For more reliable transport, a taxi from Yogyakarta costs 300,000Rp including waiting time.
Indrayanti & Krakal Bay
Tiny Indrayanti lies at the eastern end of a string of dramatic, cliff-edged bays, at the point where the main coast road turns inland. With miles of empty beach to explore and headlands to clamber round, it makes a perfect pause in a busy itinerary of Javan travel. A few people assemble here at weekends and it can even be busy during public holidays – just enough life, in other words, to save the lonesome traveller from going stir crazy.
Neighbouring Krakal Bay, with its broader sweep of sand, attracts day-trippers who come to eat seafood at the cluster of small restaurants fringed along the high tide.
1Sights
Pantai IndrayantiBEACH
(Pulang Syawal; 10,000Rp; hdawn-11pm)
Around 65km from the city, this beach is pounded by a less frenetic sea than at other points along the coast south of Yogya. There’s not much to do here other than paddle in the shallows, but, with a couple of guesthouses and a seafood restaurant, it still makes for a pleasant spot to while away a day or two. Giant boulders frame the beach’s eastern end, while a series of golden sandy beaches head west, skipping towards the sunset.
4Sleeping & Eating
Royal JogloCABIN$$
(
%0813 2525 3300; theroyaljoglo@yahoo.com; Krakal Bay; r with breakfast Mon-Fri 458,000Rp, Sat & Sun 569,000Rp; 
a
W)
This smart little joglo-style guesthouse, with a polished front step, is within walking distance of Krakal Beach. Accommodation is in attractive cabins with small porches and Javanese tiled roofs. There are only four rooms, but a further four are being built. Communicating in English is a bit of a challenge.
Cemara UdangINN$$
(%0823 2821 0384; Pantai Indrayanti; r incl breakfast & cold-water shower 400,600-500,000Rp; 
pa)
At the west end of Indrayanti beach, this friendly little guesthouse is a simple but delightful place to stay. The sound of the waves pounding the beach opposite is the only interruption to the tranquility of the spot. Top-floor rooms, with wooden furnishings, have views across the road and out to sea. There’s a 10% discount offered on weekdays.
Indrayanti RestoSEAFOOD$
(%0878 3962 5215; Pantai Indrayanti; mains 15,000-60,000Rp)
The tiny ocean-facing Indrayanti restaurant serves the catch of the day. With tables sunk in the sand, it’s a pleasant spot to watch the sun go down. A small shop alongside sells some surprisingly fashionable (given the minimal nature of the facilities here) beachwear and accessories.
Warung Makan Mampir DaharINDONESIAN$
(Krakal Bay; meals 20,000-40,000Rp)
In the middle of Krakal Bay there’s a stretch of sand fringed with simple, sea-facing restaurants such as this, all of which serve more or less the same fare. Fish, squid and prawn dishes cost around 25,000Rp, while lobster or crab is 50,000Rp.
8Getting There & Away
To reach the area, it’s best to organise transport in advance. There’s no public transport connecting Indrayanti and Krakal Bay, but it’s possible to walk the 2.5km between the two along the quiet country road.
Kukup
You can smell the seaweed from 500m inland at this small beach with its distinctive pavilion out at sea. That’s because seaweed is the mainstay of local industry: women, in particular, harvest the livid green weed from perilous rock pools at the turn of the tide; and this nutritious vegetable crops up in many local dishes or is turned into delicious peyek, seaweed crackers.
The rocks make for interesting investigation, but swimming is not advisable here. That doesn’t stop the beach being crowded at the weekend, and in fact Kukup is one of the most visited areas on this stretch of the south coast, outside the big resort of Parangtritis. Attracting a mostly local crowd, Kukup offers a great way to meet the Javanese enjoying their leisure as they stroll the half-kilometre inland strip of souvenir stalls. Vendors sell shells and cotton clothing and rustle up instant seafood delights.
Kukup and Krakal Bay can only be reached by private transport, which is best arranged from Yogya.
1Sights
Pantai KukupBEACH
(10,000Rp; hdawn-midnight)
This sweeping stretch of coast, an hour’s drive from Yogya, is home to the important cottage industry of seaweed collection. Locals bent double over the rock pools are a familiar sight and there is a strong and delicious smell of ozone, more often associated with cold Atlantic coastal zones. The seaweed (peyek) is deep fried and sold in warungs along the approach to the beach. As can be gauged from the number of stalls here, it gets busy at weekends.
A paved coastal path threads along the cliff edge to a derelict concrete pavilion out at sea: a bracing vantage point from which to admire the rough sea gouge crabs from the rock pools and fling them back onto land. Swimming is advised only with caution here and at neighbouring Drini Beach (famed for an islet joined by a sandbar to the shore).
4Sleeping
Penginapan Kukup IndahGUESTHOUSE$
(%0878 3966 5441; Pantai Kukup; r 100,000-300,000Rp; a)
There’s not too much to commend this basic guesthouse except that it is within a five-minute walk of the beach. Still, it’s clean and well managed and some rooms have air-con. There’s no food served here, but plenty of warungs sell rice or noodles with fried fish and seaweed crackers on the amble towards the sea.
Inessya ResortRESORT$$
(%0812 8321 6600; Jl Ke Puncak Timur; f 1,500,000Rp; 
s)
A fun hilltop getaway, this small hotel’s best asset is a modest infinity pool with a fantastic 180-degree view of the Indian Ocean. Swimming towards the pool’s edge feels like taking a stroke towards Australia. The enormous family room here sleeps eight in four double beds – great for a group of friends looking for a cosy retreat from Yogya.
Kaliurang & Kaliadem
%0274 / Elev 871m
Kaliurang, 25km north of Yogyakarta, is the nearest hill resort to the city and a major gateway to Gunung Merapi. At 900m, it has a cool, refreshing climate. In fact, during the rainy season, Kaliurang often sits in a thick bank of clouds, but on clear days the views of Merapi are magical.
There are two museums in the area, both worth exploring, and with a couple of choice places to stay, Kaliurang offers a delightfully refreshing escape from the heat and congestion of the Yogya plain.
On the way into the village of Kaliadem (3000Rp entry fee), there is the somewhat ghoulish spectacle of homes destroyed in Merapi’s 2010 eruption, in which over 300 people died. Though the area is condemned, many lifelong residents have returned to reclaim their homes. Enterprising locals have turned the disaster into an opportunity by running off-road excursions to the lava flow.
1Sights
Merapi Volcano MuseumMUSEUM
(%0274-896498; www.mgm.slemankab.go.id; Jl Kaliurang Km25.7, Kaliurang; 10,000Rp; h8am-3.30pm Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun, to 2.30pm Fri)
This impressive museum is located in a striking angular structure that resembles a volcano. Exhibits dedicated to Merapi include a scale model, which demonstrates eruptions from the 18th century until today and how they altered the mountain’s shape. There are vintage seismometers on display, along with a motorbike excavated from molten ash. There’s an earthquake simulator, a cinema screening the story of the 2010 eruption (tickets 10,000Rp) and profiles covering volcanoes of Indonesia and the world.
Gunung Merapi National ParkNATIONAL PARK
(Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi; Jl Kaliurang Km22.6; incl insurance Mon-Fri 151,000Rp, Sat & Sun 226,000Rp; h8am-4pm)
From Kaliurang, there are two entrances to this national park, set on the shoulders of volcanic Gunung Merapi. The more developed entrance on Jl Kaliurang is surrounded by a dozen warungs and offers a more dramatic approach as cliffs loom over a ribbon road. Both gates access just a few kilometres of trails, which lead to caves where Japanese soldiers hid during WWII, and two different hilltop views of Merapi.
Maps at the park entrance delineate the areas open for exploration. Only the foolhardy step beyond the limits: in a sudden eruption, lava can flow down the mountain at 300km/h. A 15-minute walk to the Promojiwo viewpoint offers vistas of Merapi, past a forest incinerated in the 2010 eruption. A roughly 3km hike to Puncak Plawangan offers better views.
Ullen SentaluMUSEUM
(%0274-895161; www.ullensentalu.com; Jl Boyong Km25, Kaliurang; adult/child 60,000/40,000Rp; h8.30am-4pm Tue-Fri, to 5pm Sat & Sun)
The Ullen Sentalu museum is a surprise find on the slopes of Merapi. Set within a contemporary space, it includes extensive gardens and a unique collection that centres on the royal family and their stories. There are wonderful artefacts to admire, including some priceless batik, Javanese oil paintings and local sculpture, exhibited in rooms connecting underground chambers. Visits are only possible as part of a guided tour, lasting one hour and departing every 30 minutes.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
HIKING GUNUNG MERAPI & GUNUNG MERBABU
Few of Southeast Asia’s volcanoes are as evocative, or as destructive, as Gunung Merapi (Fire Mountain). Towering 2911m over Yogyakarta, Borobudur and Prambanan, this immense peak is a threatening, disturbingly close presence for thousands. Indonesia’s most active volcano, Merapi has erupted frequently over the past century; the massive 2010 eruption killed 353 and forced the evacuation of 360,000 more. Every year, offerings from Yogya’s kraton (palace) are made to appease the mountain’s foul temper. Placid neighbouring Gunung Merbabu (3144m), by contrast, has lain dormant for centuries. With a population density of 700 people per sq km, both mountains support hundreds of fascinating small communities (at Selo and Kaliurang, for example, both of which offer accommodation and organise hiking tours).
Merapi is frequently declared off limits to visitors. But if conditions permit, climbing the cone is possible in the dry season (April to September). In 2018, following a number of minor eruptions, the top of Merapi was off limits, leading to greater interest in climbing Merbabu.
Gunung Merapi
During quiet periods, hikers hoping to reach the summit of Gunung Merapi by dawn set off at 1am from New Selo (1600m). This is a suburb of the main village of Selo high on the shoulder of Gunung Merapi and clearly marked by a giant selfie station spelling out the name of the community. A gathering of warungs and stalls marks the trailhead, from where it takes around three to four hours to climb to the summit. While it’s a tough, demanding walk, it’s manageable by anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Some choose to leave at 5am for the trip to the summit and catch sunrise on the trail instead. Proper footwear is essential. The trail eventually leads to a rocky, chilly campsite at 2500m on the third plateau (known as Pasar Bubrah) that some tours use as a last staging post.
If conditions are favourable, the final ascent is very tough, past billowing vents and through loose volcanic scree and sand. A guide for this part is essential. On clear days the views from the summit, deep into the 500m-wide crater from the rim, are sublime.
The danger of the rim, with its freezing winds and unstable terrain, can’t be overemphasised. Merapi can suddenly explode into action at any time, but assuming access to the cone is open, treks to the top can be organised from Selo (guides cost 500,000Rp per person).
There is a fee to enter the national park surrounding Gunung Merapi. For up-to-date Merapi information and hiking accounts, consult www.gunungbagging.com.
Gunung Merbabu
While it doesn’t perhaps have the same thrill as climbing an active volcano, the hike to the top of Gunung Merbabu has the best view of the action if truculent Merapi kicks off. Even on a calm day, views of its conical dome from the safe vantage point of Merbabu make this tough (but not technically challenging) ascent worthwhile.
The summit of Merbabu is not a peak as such but a dimpled plateau, covered with beautiful grassy savannah. The route passes through forest and low vegetation above the treeline, becoming steep and often very windy towards the summit. Ascents are generally made over two days with an overnight at a basic base camp.
Trips usually include the price of a guide (500,000Rp per group), porter (200,000Rp per person per day) and a tent and sleeping bag (150,000Rp). Food can be provided and cooked by the porter, but this isn’t included in the price.
Several villages on the shoulder of Merbabu act as base camps for the ascent and are signposted from the road to Selo. Each village charges a small entrance fee (around 5000Rp) to help maintain their impossibly tiny mountain roads.
TTours
Belantara AdventureADVENTURE
(%0852 2736 6130; Jl Bebeng, Kaliadem; jeep tours 150,000Rp, 1/2hr motorbike tours 50,000/150,000Rp)
One of several outfitters on the main road above town offering off-road jeep tours (maximum four people) to a village that was decimated by the 2010 eruption. Motorbike tours on 150cc bikes are also possible, with boots, helmets and gloves provided.
4Sleeping
oVogels HostelHOSTEL$
(%0274-895208; www.facebook.com/vogelshostel; Jl Astamulya 76, Kaliurang; dm 40,000Rp, d with shared/private bathroom 100,000/200,000Rp, bungalow with shared/private bathroom & hot water 150,000/250,000Rp; W)
Housed in a faded but charming art deco structure built in 1926, Vogels is a backpacker institution that’s barely changed since it opened in 1978 – even the prices have stayed pretty much the same! Rooms have retro furnishings and lots of character and this is undoubtedly the best address for hikers. There are cosy bungalows at the rear.
The owner, Christian Awuy, is an authority on Merapi and its many moods and has been guiding hikers into the national park for decades. Aged over 70 and now about to retire, he’s training up the next generation to take on the mantle – not easy given the volatility of the landscape.
Vogels has a veritable library of information, with books and maps on the area, and popular hikes on the shoulders of Merapi are organised from here. The most popular hike (five hours, 350,000Rp per person including professional English-speaking guide and food) starts out at 4am with a briefing and film and ascends to a good viewpoint for sunrise. Five-hour birdwatching tours begin at 5am with chances to spot green parrots and kingfishers, macaques and deer.
The restaurant (mains 15,000Rp to 30,000Rp) offers the best food in town, including dishes from Sulawesi, Western classics and a fantastic selection of coffee beans. Beer can be arranged too.
Fuji VillaHOTEL$$
(%0274-820 8777; www.fujivilla.com; Jl Pelajar 8, Kaliurang; r with/without air-con incl breakfast 350,000/500,000Rp; aW)
Set in a small garden, the rooms here are Japanese-inspired chalets with sliding windows and doors that recall the rice-paper windows of the motherland. The larger rooms sport timber beds and daybeds, TVs and armchairs. No English spoken.
oThe Cangkringan Jogja Villas & SpaRESORT$$$
(%0274-447 8653; www.cangkringan-villa.com; Jl Raya Merapi Golf, Kaliadem; r from 919,000Rp, villa from 1,200,000Rp; p
naWs)
This contemporary spa and villa complex is graced by an elegant joglo lobby, beautifully landscaped garden and 19 sumptuous villas with marble-inlaid floors. Some of these share small pools, while a honeymoon suite boasts its own private swimming pool (2,000,000Rp). Noise from the street is a minor gripe.
Surrounded by flowering bougainvillea and sweet-smelling frangipani, the restaurant is open to nonresidents.
8Getting There & Away
There is no reliable or convenient transport directly to Kaliurang or Kaliadem, but taxis (from 200,000Rp one way) and tours cover this area from Yogyakarta.
Tours, with a company such as Discover Your Indonesia (www.discoveryourindonesia.com; hiking tours per person from 450,000Rp), include sunrise and a hike on Gunung Merapi, starting at around 450,000Rp.
Selo
%0274 / Pop under 3000 / Elev 1640m
The authentic little village of Selo is set on and between the slopes of two volcanoes, and stitched together with tobacco fields and vegetable plots. It’s a picturesque spot with the tiled roofs of village houses running down the steep slopes of Gunung Merapi like a lava flow. Most visitors simply zip in after dark, to climb Gunung Merapi or Merbabu and view the epic sunrise, which is a pity because the villages here are a delight to wander around in their own right.
Guides (500,000Rp per person) can be easily arranged for the Merapi climb in Selo (some 50km west of Solo) but it’s best to reserve ahead. Contact the Selo Guide Association. If the Merapi summit is off-limits, dormant Merbabu can be climbed safely at any time and offers gorgeous savannah vistas from the top.
2Activities
Selo Guide AssociationHIKING
(%0878 3632 5955)
Guides from this association can be easily arranged for the Gunung Merapi or Merbabu volcano climbs (500,000Rp return), but it’s best to reserve ahead.
4Sleeping & Drinking
Ratri HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
(%0276-320073; Jl Desa Samiran, Kampung Samiran; d/tr incl breakfast & hot-water bathroom 150,000/250,000Rp; W)
At the foot of the road to New Selo, this helpful guesthouse has a number of simple but reasonably comfortable rooms arranged around a balconied terrace. The rooms are painted in wild colours and even the outside walls and an abandoned car got a lick of paint in the decorating frenzy.
One- or two-hour ‘soft hikes’ are organised from here and the guesthouse hosts tour agencies for more major hiking trips from Yogya.
Homestay SeloHOMESTAY$
(www.homestaymerapi.com; Jl Jarakan, Kampung Damandiri; r incl breakfast 165,000Rp) 
S
One of a number of homestays that are clustered along ‘Homestay Street’, this friendly enterprise at the top of the street is part of a village cooperative. All the pretty hostelries in the cooperative offer the same services for the same price, and all sport beautiful traditional Javanese flourishes (tiled roofs, gorgeous gardens) that make it hard to choose between them.
Warung DamandiriCOFFEE
(Jl Jarakan, Kampung Damandiri; coffee 10,000Rp; h8am-6pm)
With unrivalled views across the gorgeous little village of Selo, towards the looming, brooding presence of Gunung Merapi, this open-air coffee shop boasts free wi-fi and an ‘I love Merapi’ selfie station. The landlady rustles up fried banana fritters sprinkled with local cheese (3500Rp) and Javanese coffee. Packets of locally grown Arabica beans are also on sale (6500Rp).
8Getting There & Away
Selo can be reached from Solo by taking a bus to Boyolali, which stops at Selo en route (16,000Rp, two hours). From Yogyakarta, take a Magelang bus to Blabak (9000Rp, one hour) and an angkot or bus to Selo (6000Rp). More convenient trips are offered through Arya Transport (%0274-940 0796, 0276-320073; www.aryatransport.com), which organises two shared taxis per day (10am and 1pm) to and from Yogyakarta for 200,000Rp per person. A private car from Yogya is around 450,000Rp one way.
Prambanan
Best visited as a day trip from Yogya, the spectacular temples of Prambanan, set in the plains of Central Java, are the best surviving examples of Java’s extended period of Hindu culture. With nearby Borobudur, they are one of the top highlights of Southeast Asia.
All the temples in the Prambanan area were built between the 8th and 10th centuries AD, when Java was ruled by the Buddhist Sailendras in the south and the Hindu Sanjayas of Old Mataram in the north.
The two dynasties were united by the marriage of Hindu Rakai Pikatan and the Buddhist Sailendra princess, Pramodhavardhani. This may explain why a number of temples, including those of the Prambanan temple complex and the smaller Plaosan group, reveal both Shivaite and Buddhist elements in architecture and sculpture. But Prambanan is a Hindu site first and foremost, and the wealth of sculptural detail on the great Shiva temple here is the nation’s most outstanding example of Hindu art.
1Sights
oPrambanan TemplesHINDU TEMPLE
(%0274-496402; www.borobudurpark.com; Jl Raya Yogya–Solo; adult/student & child under 10 yrs 350,000/210,000Rp, combination with Borobudur 560,000/350,000Rp; h6am-5pm, grounds close 5.15pm)
Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, World Heritage–listed Prambanan is Indonesia’s largest Hindu site and one of Southeast Asia’s major attractions. The highlight is the central compound, where eight main and eight minor temples are assembled on a raised platform – an architectural crescendo of carved masonry and staircases, the high note of which is Candi Shiva Mahadeva. Prambanan sits within a large park dotted with lesser temples – a day is needed to do the site justice.
Elaborated over two centuries, building at Prambanan commenced in the middle of the 9th century – around 50 years after Borobudur. Little else is known about the early history of this temple complex, although it’s thought that it may have been built by Rakai Pikatan to commemorate the return of a Hindu dynasty to sole power in Java. The whole Prambanan Plain was abandoned when the Hindu-Javanese kings moved to East Java and, in the middle of the 16th century, a great earthquake toppled many of the temples. Prambanan remained in ruins for years, and its demise was accelerated by treasure hunters and locals searching for building materials. While efforts were made in 1885 to clear the site, it was not until 1937 that reconstruction was first attempted. Most temples have now been restored to some extent, and, like Borobudur, Prambanan was listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991.
Prambanan suffered extensive damage in the 2006 earthquake. Although the main temples survived, hundreds of stone blocks collapsed or were cracked (479 blocks in the Shiva temple alone). Today the main structures have been restored, but a lot of work remains to be done and parts of the complex remain off limits.
In the main courtyard, Candi Shiva Mahadeva, dedicated to Shiva, is not only the largest of the temples but also the finest. The main spire soars 47m and the temple is lavishly carved. The ‘medallions’ that decorate its base have a characteristic Prambanan motif – small lions in niches flanked by kalpatura (trees of heaven) and a menagerie of stylised half-human and half-bird kinnara (heavenly beings). The vibrant scenes carved onto the inner wall of the gallery encircling the temple are from the Ramayana – they tell how Lord Rama’s wife, Sita, is abducted and how Hanuman, the monkey god, and Sugriwa, the white-monkey general, eventually find and release her.
The temple’s interior comprises a main chamber at the top of the eastern stairway with a four-armed statue of Shiva the Destroyer. The statue is notable for the fact that this mightiest of Hindu gods stands on a huge lotus pedestal, a symbol of Buddhism. In the southern cell is the potbellied and bearded Agastya, an incarnation of Shiva as divine teacher; in the western cell is a superb image of the elephant-headed Ganesha, Shiva’s son and the god of knowledge. Ganesha’s right hand, usually holding his ivory tusk, was broken off in the earthquake. In the northern cell, Durga, Shiva’s consort, can be seen killing the demon buffalo. Some people believe that the Durga image is actually an image of the Slender Virgin, who, legend has it, was turned to stone by a man she refused to marry. She is still an object of pilgrimage and her name is often used for the temple group.
Candi Vishnu touches 33m and sits just north of Candi Shiva Mahadeva. The temple’s impressive reliefs tell the story of Lord Krishna, a hero of the Mahabharata epic, while a four-armed image of Vishnu the Preserver crowns the inner sanctum.
Candi Brahma is Candi Vishnu’s twin temple. South of Candi Shiva Mahadeva, it is carved with the final scenes of the Ramayana. The spectacular mouth doorway is noteworthy and the inner chamber contains a four-headed statue of Brahma, the god of creation.
The park surrounding Prambanan contains a number of lesser-known temples, including the Buddhist temple Candi Sewu. Dating from around AD 850, it comprises dozens of outer shrines, decorated with stupas. Originally it was surrounded by four rings of 240 smaller ‘guard’ temples, leading to its name ‘Thousand Temples’. Outside the compound stood four sanctuaries at the points of the compass, of which Candi Bubrah, now reduced to its stone foundation, is the most southern. The renovated main temple has finely carved niches around the inner gallery, which would once have held bronze statues. To reach Candi Sewu, hire a bike (20,000Rp) or take the toy train or golf cart (20,000Rp) that shuttle visitors back and forth from the exit of Prambanan’s main temple site; failing that, it’s a pleasant 20-minute walk from the main complex through semi-shaded parkland.
Tickets for Prambanan can be purchased online from the website. Options include a combined Prambanan–Kraton Ratu Boko package and a Prambanan–Borobudur discount ticket. Note that the latter is only valid for two days and doesn’t cover the extra surcharge to visit at sunrise or sunset.
Candi SambisariTEMPLE
(Jl Candi Sambisari; 10,000Rp; h7am-5pm)
This Shiva temple, possibly the latest temple at Prambanan to be erected by the Mataram dynasty, was discovered by a farmer in 1966. Excavated from under ancient layers of protective volcanic ash and dust, it lies almost 6m below the level of the surrounding fields and is remarkable for its perfectly preserved condition. The inner sanctum of the temple is dominated by a large lingam and yoni (stylised penis and vagina), typical of Shiva temples.
Plaosan TemplesTEMPLE
(3000Rp; h6am-5pm)
Built around the same time as the larger Prambanan temple group, the Plaosan temples combine both Hindu and Buddhist religious symbols in their elaborate temple carving. Plaosan Lor (Plaosan North) comprises two restored, identical main temples, surrounded by some 126 small shrines and solid stupas, most of which are now just a jumble of stone. Plaosan Kidul (Plaosan South) has more stupas and the remnants of a temple, but little renovation work has been done.
Kraton Ratu BokoRUINS
(www.borobudurpark.com; Jl Piyungan–Prambanan; adult/child under 10 yrs 362,500/217,500Rp, combination ticket with Prambanan 580,000/362,500Rp; h6am-5.30pm)
Kraton Ratu Boko (Palace of King Boko) is a partly ruined Hindu palace complex dating from the 9th century. Perched on a hilltop overlooking Prambanan, it is believed to have been the central court of the mighty Mataram dynasty. There’s a large gateway and the platform of Candi Pembakaran (the Royal Crematorium), as well as a series of bathing places staggered on different levels leading down to the village. The sunset view over the Prambanan Plain is magnificent.
MAKING THE BEST OF PRAMBANAN
The main sights are clustered around Prambanan Temple, which naturally enough tends to attract the biggest crowds – and for good reason: the temple complex, on a raised platform above the plain, is spectacular at any time of day or season.
But Prambanan is far from the only worthwhile sight in the area and often the lesser-known temples, such as Candi Sojiwan (Candi Sajiwan; Jl Tulung Tamanmartani; 10,000Rp; h8am-5pm), Candi Sari (off Jl Raya Yogya–Solo; 10,000Rp; h8am-3pm) and Candi Kalasan (Jl Raya Yogya–Solo; 10,000Rp; h8am-5pm) (one of the oldest temples on the Prambanan plain) which have a delicate and unassuming beauty of their own, are overlooked. Walking around their fallen masonry without a cast of thousands is one of the special privileges of this area.
Golf carts and horse-drawn carriages connect the main temple complex at Prambanan with the lesser-known structures that are scattered across the extensive temple grounds. Temples outside the park area can be reached by bicycle or taxi.
TTours
Java Heritage TourCYCLING
(%0819 1553 4286; www.javaheritagetour.com; 359,000Rp per person)
Providing a lovely way to set the splendours of Prambanan within their rural context, this 2½-hour cycle tour from Candi Sambisari follows small lanes and introduces elements of cultural interest along the route. Entrance to temples is not included in the price, but a free shuttle back from Prambanan is available for those too weary to cycle back to Yogyakarta.
3Entertainment
oRamayana BalletDANCE
(%024-8646 2345, 0274-496408; www.borobudurpark.com; tickets from 125,000Rp; h7.30-9pm Tue, Thu & Sat)
Held at the outdoor theatre just west of the main Prambanan temple complex, the famous Ramayana Ballet is Java’s most spectacular dance-drama troupe. The story of Rama and Sita takes place three nights a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; from May to October it takes place on the open-air stage (weather pending), while other times it’s held indoors.
With the magnificent floodlit Candi Shiva Mahadeva as a backdrop, nearly 200 dancers and gamelan (traditional Javanese and Balinese orchestra) musicians take part in a spectacle of monkey armies, giants on stilts, clashing battles and acrobatics.
Tickets are sold in Yogyakarta through the tourist information office and agencies dotted around tourist districts. It is also possible to buy them at the same price from the theatre box office. A taxi from Yogya costs 450,000Rp for the return journey and waiting time.
8Getting There & Away
The temples of Prambanan can be visited from Yogyakarta, 17km to the southwest. From Yogyakarta, take TransJogja bus 1A (3600Rp, 40 minutes) from Jl Malioboro. From Solo, buses take 1½ hours and cost 25,000Rp. It’s also possible to reach Prambanan by taking a train to Maguwo station (near Yogyakarta airport). From here, the TransJogja bus 1A stops at Prambanan.
For an interesting cycle route along backstreets, join the Java Heritage Tour. This starts at Candi Sambisari and leads along rural lanes past Kraton Ratu Boko to Prambanan.
Hiring a motorcycle allows for a combined trip to Kaliurang. From Kaliurang, instead of going back to the main Yogyakarta–Solo road, take the ‘Solo Alternatif’ route signposted in the village of Pakem, about halfway between Yogyakarta and Kaliurang. From there the road passes through some beautiful countryside, before joining the highway just before Prambanan’s main entrance.
Solo
%0271 / Pop 555,300 / Elev 95m
Arguably the heartland of Javanese identity and tradition, Solo has a distinct character determined by the city’s long and distinguished past. As a seat of the great Mataram empire, it competes with its great rival, Yogyakarta, as the hub of Javanese culture. In contrast with its more contemporary and cosmopolitan neighbour, however, conservative Solo is less interested in courting foreign tourists, resulting in a refreshingly authentic urban experience.
Few visitors stay more than one night, which is a pity as there is much to explore. With backstreet kampung (neighbourhoods) and an elegant kraton (walled city palace), traditional markets and gleaming malls, Solo has plenty of attractions. It’s also an excellent place to experience traditional performing arts, as it attracts students and scholars to its renowned music and dance academies.
With a magnificent batik museum, Solo is arguably the best place to buy batik clothing. Batik cloth here is elevated to an art form.
TRADITION & DISASTER
Solo is a deeply superstitious city and many of its citizens are acutely observant of Javanese and Islamic ritual. So when the kraton (palace) ignited in flames on 1 January 1985, many locals saw it as a consequence of the incumbent sultan Pakubuwono XII’s lack of observance of tradition. For years he’d been lax with his ceremonial duties, and his alleged womanising was the talk of the town. The sultan had also taken to living the high life in Jakarta, rather than presiding over court life in Solo.
Firefighters responding quickly to the blaze found their engines could not fit through the main gateway, which was thought to be sacred, and initially refused to smash through it. Around 60% of the palace subsequently burned to the ground.
To appease deeply felt Javanese customs, a purification ceremony was performed. The head of a tiger, snake, buffalo and deer were buried, and tons of ashes were returned to the coast to quell the wrath of Nyai Loro Kidul, the Queen of the South Seas, whose influence over the tragic events was seen to be pivotal by many. General Benny Murdani, who investigated the fire, was eager to counter these locally held superstitions, stating ‘reporters will not reach their own conclusions. The reason for the fire was an electrical short circuit’.
When Pakubuwono XII died in 2004, he left 37 children from six wives and mistresses, but no clear heir. Pakubuwono XIII eventually assumed the throne after years of infighting.
History
Following the sacking of the Mataram court at Kartosuro in 1742, Sultan Pakubuwono II established his new court near the Solo river in 1745. His heir, Pakubuwono III, lost half of the kingdom to the court of Yogyakarta, but a later descendent, Pakubuwono X (1893–1938), revived the city’s fortunes. Eschewing the pointless business of fighting rival royals, he invested instead in culture and Solo remains today a centre of the arts.
Dithering over opportunities to play a positive role in the revolution, Solo was sidelined after WWII as Yogyakarta became the seat of the new independent government. So it remained until, in 1998, rioters brought the city to national attention with the systematic looting and burning of shopping centres and the targeting of Chinese-owned businesses. Solo continues to be associated with violent radicalism, with links to extremist groups such as Jemaah Islamiah, but this is barely evident in a city coming to terms with modernity.
Solo (Surakarta)
1Top Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
7Shopping
1Sights
oHouse of Danar HadiMUSEUM
(map; %0271-713140; Jl Slamet Riyadi 261; adult/child 35,000/15,000Rp; h9am-4pm, showroom to 9pm)
Danar Hadi is one of the world’s finest batik museums. The handpicked favourites from the owner’s private collection (1078 pieces from a collection of 11,000) are magnificently displayed on wooden trellises throughout 11 rooms of this grand old colonial building. An obligatory guided tour, helpfully tailored to the visitor’s time and interest, covers the highlights among the antique and royal pieces on display. A demonstration of the craft is included in the tour and there’s a shop. No photography.
oSangiran Museum of Ancient ManMUSEUM
(Kebayanan II, Krikilan; 11,500Rp; h8am-4pm Tue-Sun)
With the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils in the world (the bones of 70 individuals), Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site. This was where ‘Java Man’ (Pithecanthropus erectus) was unearthed by a Dutch professor in 1936 – a discovery celebrated in this excellent museum, Krikilan’s only attraction. On display are skulls (one of Homo erectus), various pig and hippopotamus teeth, and fossil exhibits, including mammoth bones and tusks. Large dioramas suggest the fossils’ prehistoric context.
One key exhibit is the recently completed model of ‘Flores Man’, fashioned using the techniques of forensic reconstruction by Élisabeth Daynès, the celebrated French sculptor. Her work helps to bring alive the image of this ancient early ancestor.
Guides offer to take visitors to the area where fossils have been found in the crumbling slopes of a hill.
To reach the museum, Purwodadi-bound buses from Solo’s bus terminal drop passengers off at the Sangiran turn-off (5000Rp), 15km from Solo. It’s then a 4km journey to the museum (around 10,000Rp by ojek motorcycle taxi).
Radya Pustaka MuseumMUSEUM
(map; Jl Slamet Riyadi 275; 3000Rp; h9am-2pm Tue-Sun)
This small museum occupies a grand old Javanese building. Dating back to 1890, it is the second-oldest museum in the whole of Indonesia and contains a valuable collection of local and Dutch literature. More accessible for the casual visitor are the cabinets of gamelan instruments, jewelled kris (traditional daggers), puppets and wayang beber (scrolls that depict wayang stories).
Kraton SurakartaPALACE
(map; Kraton Kasunanan; %0271-656432; Jl Sidikoro; admission 15,000Rp, photography 3500Rp, guide 50,000Rp; h9am-2pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat & Sun)
Once the hub of an empire, today the Kraton Surakarta, established in 1745, is a faded symbol of a bygone era. It’s worth a visit, but much of the kraton was destroyed by fire in 1985. Many of the inner buildings were rebuilt, but today the allure of this once-majestic palace has somewhat vanished and its structures are left bare and unloved – though restorations will hopefully improve things. The main sight for visitors is the Sasono Sewoko museum.
Mangkunegaran PalacePALACE
(map; Istana Mangkunegaran; www.puromangkunegaran.com; Jl Ronggowarsito; 20,000Rp; h8am-3pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to 2.30pm Thu & Sun)
Built in 1757, the Mangkunegaran Palace in the centre of Solo is still a royal residence. Some rooms are dedicated to a delightful palace museum devoted to the personal collection of Mangkunegara VII. On display are gold-plated dresses for royal dances, a superb mask collection, jewellery and a few oddities, including huge Buddhist rings, a stuffed Javanese leopard and tiger, and gold genital covers. The worthwhile, mandatory guides mostly speak English (a tip of 50,000Rp is appreciated).
2Activities
Jaladara Steam TrainRAIL
(%0856 4200 3322; large/small group per person 150,000/360,000Rp; h9am-11.30am)
Running only when chartered, and trundling through the heart of the city, the Jaladara train offers a fun morning excursion. Built in Germany in 1896, the train sports carriages with vintage wooden fittings. The trip (with an English-speaking guide) starts at Purwosari train station, 3km west of the centre, and stops for a visit to a Kampung Batik Kauman batik workshop before terminating at Sangkrah train station.
CCourses
Batik MahkotalaweyanART
(%0271-712276; www.batikmahkotalaweyan.com; Jl Sayangan Kulon 9, Kampung Laweyan)
Offers batik-making courses ranging from a two-hour introductory session to intensive programs lasting several days. Contact for course availability and pricing.
TTours
Jogja Trans, in nearby Yogyakarta, offers excellent tours of Solo. For a more local perspective, guesthouses and freelance guides offer city, regional and bike tours. Check with the Solo tourist office.
Miki ToursTOURS
(map; %0271-665352; Jl Yos Sudarso 17)
This travel agent offers tours to the countryside around Solo, including Candi Sukuh and Candi Cetho and Astana Giribangun (Jl Astana Giribangun, Dengkeng, Girilayu), for 475,000Rp with a minimum of two people.
zFestivals & Events
International Gamelan FestivalMUSIC
(www.igfsolo.com; hAug)
This one-week festival brings gamelan performers from all over the world (including unlikely Western destinations) to venues around Solo. Schedules are posted on the website and well advertised in town.
Solo Batik CarnivalCULTURAL
(R Maladi Stadium; hJun)
Annual festival in late June with processions, fashion shows and performances in the stadium.
Kirab PusakaCULTURAL
(Heirloom Procession)
Since 1633, colourful processions have been held on the first day of the Javanese month of Suro (between March and May). They start at Mangkunegaran Palace in the early evening and continue late into the night.
4Sleeping
oCakra HomestayHOMESTAY$
(map; %0271-634743, 0878 3636 3686; www.facebook.com/cakrastay; Jl Cakra II 15; r incl breakfast with shared bathroom from 148,000Rp, r with air-con & private bathroom from 236,000Rp; aWs)
Although the rooms are simple, this atmospheric old homestay, in a magnificent timbered building between Solo’s two palaces, scores highly for those interested in Javanese culture. There’s a gamelan room with occasional free performances and a lovely, palm-shaded pool. Shared bathrooms are Western and mandi-style.
oWarung Baru HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
(map; %0812 268 7443, 0271-656369; off Jl Ahmad Dahlan; r incl breakfast with fan/air-con from 100,000/150,000Rp; aW)
Hidden down a small gang (alley) off Jl Ahmad Dahlan, this unique guesthouse, run by a delightful, charismatic owner, offers four exceptional-value rooms in her heavy-timbered Javanese home. The more expensive rooms have hot water and bathtubs. Breakfast is offered in the little restaurant around the corner, which doubles as a popular travellers’ haunt.
Popular tours from here include a bicycle route (to see arak palm wine production and rice and gamelan factories) from 9am to 2pm and a one-day batik course from 9am to 4pm; both cost 100,000Rp. Day trips by car to Candi Cetho and other nearby attractions cost 450,000Rp (up to four people).
oRoemahkoeHISTORIC HOTEL$$
(%0271-714024; www.roemahkoe.com; Jl Dr Rajiman 501; standard/deluxe d incl breakfast from 450,000/970,000Rp; aW)
This beautiful vintage hotel occupying an old batik workshop, with examples of batik for sale in an inner pavilion, is rich in history. Stylishly renovated, the 14 rooms feature wood panelling and art deco windows. Deluxe rooms have marble baths, quaint platforms for climbing into bed and mahogany furniture. The recommended restaurant, Laras, occupies a leafy courtyard of water features.
oRumah TuriBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(map; www.rumahturi.com; Jl Srigading II 12, Turisari; r incl breakfast from 360,000Rp, tr 600,000Rp; aW)
A reimagined property draped with plants; there is no other hotel quite like this deconstructed lodge, where the restaurant is lit with bare bulbs and the vertical gardens are a work of art. Standard rooms sport unique designer desks, but are otherwise rather basic – the deluxe rooms are a better bet. It’s the sprigs of imaginative garden, however, that steal the show.
Omah Sinten Heritage HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(map; %0271-641160; www.omahsinten.net; Jl Diponegoro 34-54; r from 520,000Rp; paW)
Better known for its restaurant, this hotel offers a few delightful rooms in the vintage, brick Javanese building. With high ceilings, ceramic tiled floors, tasteful wood furniture and exposed brick in the bathrooms, guests are offered a step back in time accompanied by modern convenience.
5Eating
Nasi Liwet Wongso LemuINDONESIAN$
(map; Jl Teuku Umar; meals 12,000-30,000Rp; h4pm-1am)
Solo street dining at its best, this evening-only stall, run by an ibu (mother; older woman) clothed in traditional batik, specialises in nasi liwet: coconut-flavoured rice served on a banana leaf topped with shredded chicken, chicken liver (optional), egg, turmeric-cooked tofu and special seasonings. Tables are set up with pickled vegetables, tofu fried in turmeric and chicken feet.
Adem AyemINDONESIAN$
(map; %0271-712891; Jl Slamet Riyadi 342; mains 15,000-35,000Rp; h6am-10pm)
This huge canteen-like restaurant, with swirling colonial-style fans and photos of ye olde Surakarta, doesn’t look much from the outside, but it attracts local diners by the dozen. The attraction? Wonderful chicken dishes, souped, fried or served up gudeg (jackfruit curry) style.
Warung BaruINTERNATIONAL$
(map; %0271-656369; Jl Ahmad Dahlan 23; mains 10,000-18,000Rp; h7am-9pm; 
v)
A classic backpackers’ hang-out, the Baru is also a good spot to try local Solonese specialities such as nasi liwet (coconut-milk rice with chicken and egg), along with vegetarian dishes, home-baked black rice bread, Indian curries and the usual Western fare. Cold beer is also on offer.
oOmah SintenINDONESIAN$$
(map; %0271-641160; www.omahsinten.net; Jl Diponegoro 34-54; mains 25,000-75,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
This attractive restaurant offers home-style Solonese specialities. While the menu makes good reading, giving the history of the dishes, the atmosphere is quite formal, with live classical Javanese music attracting locals on an official night out. It’s a lovely spot in the day, though, with a koi pond and convenient location opposite Mangkunegaran Palace.
SogaFUSION$$
(map; %0271-727020; www.sogaresto.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi 261; mains 40,000-115,000Rp; h10am-10pm; W)
This stylish Indonesian and fusion restaurant is part of the Danar Hadi complex, next to the batik museum and showroom. Mains include meat and pasta dishes, steaks and chops. It comes into its own on busy nights, when laughter and the hum of conversation provide atmosphere in the elegant but brightly lit dining room.
RalanaINDONESIAN$$
(map; %0271-765 0333; Jl Slamet Riyadi 301; mains 30,000-130,000Rp; h10am-10pm Sun-Fri, to midnight Sat)
Most notable for the setting in a restored Dutch colonial compound (with some puzzling modern touches such as a ceiling of umbrellas), this enormous restaurant encompasses a courtyard hosting live bands every night except Thursday, and private dining rooms dominated by large artworks. The menu includes the usual Indonesian and international staples with some fun departures.
LarasINDONESIAN$$
(%0271-714024; www.roemahkoe.com; Roemahkoe Hotel, Jl Dr Rajiman 501; mains from 45,000Rp; h7am-10pm; W)
This delightful restaurant is inside a former batik factory, currently occupied by the Roemahkoe heritage hotel. It’s particularly evocative at night, when candlelit, and on Saturdays, when a gamelan orchestra plays on a platform in the open-sided pavilion. Specials include selat Solo (a local sliced-beef salad served with a boiled egg).
6Drinking & Nightlife
Nota BeneCOFFEE
(map; %0822 2999 2322; www.instagram.com/notabenebistro; Jl Srigading II 16; h10am-10pm Mon-Fri, to 11pm Sat & Sun)
This fresh, white-painted cafe sells a range of local Javanese coffees in a hip, air-conditioned space on the ground floor. There’s also a pleasant open-air lounge upstairs serving Indonesian and Western fusion food. The ‘special coffees’, including Kopi Pak Bambang, are delicious.
3Entertainment
Solo is an excellent place to see traditional Javanese performing arts, with performances taking place at Mangkunegaran Palace on Wednesdays (10am until noon) and Kraton Surakarta on Sundays at 1pm. Most hotels provide more information on ‘what and where’.
oSriwedari TheatreTHEATRE
(map; R Maladi Stadium, Jl Slamet Riaydi; 10,000Rp; hperformances 8-10pm Tue-Sat)
The theatre in this vacant plot (formerly an amusement park now undergoing redevelopment) is the unlikely venue of one of the best shows in Java! Traditional dance performances by Solo’s esteemed and long-running wayang orang (masked dance-drama) troupe involve hundreds of magnificently costumed participants and a full gamelan orchestra. Performances are given several times per week to sadly dwindling audiences.
Taman Budaya SurakartaPERFORMING ARTS
(TBS; %0271-635414; Jl Ir Sutami 57)
This cultural centre hosts all-night wayang kulit (shadow-puppet) performances; private dance lessons are also available.
7Shopping
Solo is one of Indonesia’s main textile centres. Distinctive, beautiful batik is produced in Solo and workshops around town sell both batik fabric and items of clothing made from this labour-intensive material. Cheaper items are made with block-print, but many fabrics in the high-end workshops are still handcrafted. Most showrooms sell fixed-price items but it’s possible to bargain in smaller outlets.
A wide range of other cotton and silk fabrics are also produced in Solo. Other items for sale include traditional kris – the ceremonial dagger, worn unusually on the back, tucked into the waistband. Kris sport a variety of finely crafted blades, some of which are serpentine rather than straight. The wooden sheaths are often wrapped in silver and the handles are like giant polished bean pods, crafted from a local hardwood. While it is no problem exporting one of these magnificent pieces, note that not all countries allow them to be imported.
Street vendors at the eastern side of the alun-alun, near Kraton Surakarta, sell a wonderful assortment of polished semiprecious stones, some of them set into rings and pendants. Finer jewellery, meanwhile, decorates the windows of goldsmiths on Jl Dr Rajiman (Secoyudan), which runs along the southern edge of the alun-alun.
Gems and antiques are found in a covered market near Kraton Surakarta while two big malls, Solo Grand Mall (map; %0271-725111; www.solograndmall.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi; h9am-9pm) and Paragon Mall (map; %0271-727306; www.solo-paragon.com; Jl Cipto Mangunkusumo; h10am-10pm; W), are handy for more everyday supplies.
oPasar TriwinduMARKET
(map; Windujenar Market; Jl Diponegoro; h9am-4pm)
Solo’s flea market is the place to search for antiques including wayang puppets, old batik and ceramics, as well as clocks, vinyl records, coins and vintage cameras. It’s a fun place to root around, and a specialist shop near the main entrance sells newly crafted and heirloom kris.
Batik Danar HadiCLOTHING
(map; www.danarhadibatik.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi 261; h9am-7pm)
Danar Hadi is an important Solonese batik manufacturer and sells an extensive collection through this beautiful showroom. Styles include traditional Javanese shirts for men, sarongs and exquisite scarves for women and some interesting women’s clothing with a more Western cut in batik, or designed in printed silk.
Batik Keris ShopCLOTHING
(map; %0271-643292; www.batikkeris.co.id; Jl Yos Sudarso 62; h9am-8pm)
One of several retail outlets selling batik of the famous Batik Keris brand. The icy air-con is not wholly conducive to relaxed shopping, but there’s plenty of stock to choose from, including fixed-price batik bags, skirts and shirts.
Pasar KlewerMARKET
(map; Jl Secoyudan; h8am-5pm)
This bustling textile market burned down in a fire in 2015 and has been rebuilt in more or less the same location. Selling all manner of cloth and ready-made clothes, there are some bargains to be had, particularly for cotton goods.
Pasar GedeMARKET
(map; Jl Urip Sumoharjo; h8am-6pm)
This is the city’s largest general market, selling all kinds of produce, particularly fruit and vegetables.
BEAUTIFUL BATIK
Batik is at its most exquisite in Solo, where the tradition of batik production dates back centuries and is expressive of the most refined court traditions. At the House of Danar Hadi museum, which houses over 1000 priceless pieces collected by the owner of this esteemed batik workshop, it is easy to be seduced by the beauty of the designs. Some designs are formalised as part of traditional costume, signifying courtesan or servant, others are free-flowing creations that reveal Chinese, Indian and Arab influences. All are products of intense labour. The batik tiga negeri, or three-cities batik, for example, is moved from town to town to allow for washing in distinct local waters, each of which contributes to the subtlety of the colours involved. Other designs require painstaking ‘painting’ of repeated forms (dots, floral motifs, complex patterns) and an eye for negative space: batik is a reductive, seven-step process, with wax applied to prevent colour taking when the fabric is washed, so the artist must plan multiple colourways meticulously.
Batik Danar Hadi and Batik Keris give demonstrations in the art of hand-producing these beautiful fabrics, some of which are sold in the showrooms in traditional lengths of 2.5m by 1m.
But not all batik is produced as part of a wholesale industry. Much fabric still derives from cottage industries and two suburbs of Solo in particular are renowned for their batik-making prowess. Thriving family-run workshops can be found, for example, in the narrow lanes of Kampung Batik Kauman, just south of Jl Slamet Riyadi. Centred around Jl Cakra (one of the main backpacker districts), most of the workshops occupy Dutch-era relics and make for some wonderful photo opportunities. Another batik ‘village’ is found within Kampung Batik Laweyan, south of the Roemahkoe hotel, which itself was once a batik workshop. Residents in both areas welcome visitors and are eager to sell a piece or two.
8Information
Maps, brochures and information on cultural events are available at the Tourist Office (%0271-716501; Jl Slamet Riyadi 275; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat) and a few tours are on offer. There are many banks in town with ATMs including BCA Bank (cnr Jl Dr Rajiman & Jl Gatot Subroto; h8am-3pm Mon-Fri).
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Solo’s Adi Sumarmo International Airport (%0271-780715; www.adisumarmo-airport.com/en; Jl Bandara Adi Sumarmo) has regular flights to Jakarta with Garuda (%021-2351 9999, 24hr call centre 0804 180 7807; www.garuda-indonesia.com), Lion Air (%027-1780400, 24hr call centre 0804 177 8899; www.lionair.co.id), Sriwijaya Air (%0271-723777; www.sriwijayaair.co.id) and Citilink (www.citilink.co.id/en), while economy airline AirAsia (%021-2927 0999; www.airasia.com) flies to Singpore.
BUS
The Tirtonadi bus terminal (Jl Ahmad Yani) is 3km from the centre of the city. Buses leave from here to destinations such as Prambanan (20,000Rp, 1½ hours) and Semarang (70,000Rp, 3¼ hours), Surabaya (75,000Rp, five hours) and Banyuwangi (180,000Rp, 15 hours).
The neighbouring Gilingan minibus terminal (Jl Ahmad Yani) has express air-con minibuses to Semarang and Surabaya.
TRAIN
Solo is located on the main Jakarta–Yogyakarta–Surabaya train line and most trains stop at Balapan (%0271-714039; Jl Monginsidi 112), the principal train station.
Yogyakarta is best reached by train from Solo. Prambanan is also easily accessible – via a train to Maguwo station near Yogyakarta’s airport and bus 1A to the temple.
TRAINS FROM SOLO
| DESTINATION | FARE (RP) | DURATION (HR) | FREQUENCY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jakarta | from 380,000 | 8¼-9 | 4-5 daily |
| Surabaya | from 70,000 | 3¾-4½ | 6-8 daily |
| Yogyakarta | from 50,000 | 1 | 19 daily |
8Getting Around
Air-conditioned Batik Solo Trans buses connect Adi Sumarmo airport, 10km northwest of the centre, with Jl Slamet Riyadi (25,000Rp). A taxi costs around 100,000Rp; Kosti Solo taxis (%027-185 6300) are reliable, but, as everywhere, Grab and Go-Jek are cheaper.
Becak cost about 25,000Rp from the train station or bus terminal into the centre. Homestays can arrange bicycle hire from around 15,000Rp or a motorcycle for around 75,000Rp per day.
Gunung Lawu
Towering Gunung Lawu (3265m), lying on the border of Central and East Java, is one of the holiest mountains in Java. Hindu temples dot the slopes and each year thousands of pilgrims seek spiritual enlightenment by climbing the peak.
History has it that when Majapahit fell to Islam, the Hindu elite all fled east to Bali; Javanese lore, by contrast, claims that Brawijaya V, the last king of Majapahit, went west. Brawijaya’s son, Raden Patah, was the leader of Demak and led the conquering forces of Islam against Majapahit; rather than fight his own son, Brawijaya retreated to Gunung Lawu to seek spiritual enlightenment. There he achieved nirvana as Sunan Lawu, and today pilgrims come to the mountain to seek his spiritual guidance or attain magic powers.
The area surrounding Gunung Lawu is very attractive, with rice, tea and potato fields covering the mountain slopes in neat terraces.
1Sights
The unique temples on Gunung Lawu – some of the last Hindu temples built in Java before the region converted to Islam – are a fascinating mixture of styles and incorporate elements of fertility worship. The most famous temple on the slopes of the mountain is beautiful Candi Sukuh.
oCandi SukuhHINDU TEMPLE
(25,000Rp; h7am-5pm)
In a magnificent position 900m above the Solo plain with fine views of Gunung Lawu, Candi Sukuh is one of Java’s most enigmatic and striking temples. It’s not a large site, but it’s beautifully proportioned with a truncated pyramid of rough-hewn stone. Fascinating reliefs and Barong statues decorate the facade. It’s clear that a fertility cult was practised here: several explicit carvings have led to Sukuh being dubbed the ‘erotic’ temple. It’s a quiet, isolated place with a potent atmosphere.
Built in the 15th century during the declining years of the Majapahit kingdom, Candi Sukuh seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with other Javanese Hindu and Buddhist temples. The origins of its builders and strange sculptural style (with crude, squat and distorted figures carved in the wayang style found in East Java) remain a mystery and it seems to mark a reappearance of the pre-Hindu animism that existed 1500 years earlier.
A large stone lingam and yoni mark the entrance gateway. Flowers are still often scattered here, as locals maintain that these symbols were used to determine whether a wife had been faithful, or a wife-to-be was still a virgin. Any woman wearing a sarong and jumping across the lingam had to keep the sarong firmly wrapped: if it fell off, her infidelity was proven. Other interesting cult objects include a monument depicting Bima, the Mahabharata warrior hero, with Narada, the messenger of the gods, both in a stylised womb. Another monument depicts Bima passing through the womb at his birth. In the top courtyard, three enormous flat-backed turtles stand like sacrificial altars. A 2m lingam once topped the pyramid, but it was removed by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1815 and now resides in the National Museum in Jakarta.
Sarongs are required (available for a small donation at the entrance).
Virtually all travellers arrive here on a tour from Solo or Yogyakarta or come by private taxi. For those determined to use public transport, a bus bound for Tawangmangu from Solo stops in Karangpandan (18,000Rp). From here a Kemuning minibus (5000Rp) stops at the turn-off to Candi Sukuh, from where it’s a steep half-hour walk uphill (2km) to the site.
Candi CethoTEMPLE
(25,000Rp; h7am-5pm)
Candi Cetho (pronounced ‘Cheto’) is spread over terraces rising up the misty hillside, on the northern face of Gunung Lawu at around 1400m. Thought to date from around 1350, the candi (temple) closely resembles a Balinese temple in appearance, though it combines elements of Shivaism and fertility worship. The entrance is marked by temple guardians and there’s a striking platform with a turtle head and a large lingam on the upper terrace.
The temple, which rises spectacularly through six tiers of narrow gateways and processional steps, remains a focus of active worship. Balinese and Javanese Hindus visit Candi Cetho to pray and give offerings regularly. Indeed, the villagers who live just below the temple form one of Java’s last remaining Hindu populations. The third tier attracts the most offerings of fruit, flowers and incense. Temple sarongs are mandatory, for a small donation, for those in Western dress.
There are several homestays in the village, with simple rooms available for around 120,000Rp per night. Few visitors tend to stay the night, however, as Cetho is usually included in the temple tours from Solo and Yogyakarta.
HIKING GUNUNG LAWU
The village of Cemoro Sewu, 10km east of Tawangmangu, is the starting point for the hike to the summit of Gunung Lawu. Mystics and holidaying students make the night climb throughout the year, especially on Saturdays. On the 1 Suro, the start of the Javanese new year, thousands of pilgrims trek to the summit to meditate before sunrise.
For the best chance of witnessing a clear sunrise, it’s best to start early the night before – by 10.30pm at the latest. It’s a long, steady six-hour hike, but one of the easiest mountains in Java to tackle. While the stony path is clearly marked and has handrails in places, it’s still best to bring a torch. Sign in at the PHKA (Perlindungan Hutan dan Konservasi Alam; the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation) post before starting the climb (admission to walk 20,000Rp).
4Sleeping
Sekar Tanjung HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0813 2934 6500; Jl Trengguli, Gumeng; r 150,000Rp; p)
Within a half-hour walk of Candi Cetho, this homestay is brand new. As such the stark concrete block that comprises this simple lodging looks somewhat raw. That said, the rooms are comfortable with sprung mattresses, interior bathrooms, TV, tea and hot water. The big draw, however, is the views – 180 degrees of emerald fields descending to the Solo plain.
Sukuh CottageHOTEL$$
(%027-1702 4587; www.sukuh-cottages-and-restauran.business.site; Kemuning; r incl breakfast 400,000Rp; W)
Just before Sukuh temple – and enjoying the same exquisite views – this rural hotel has attractive rooms and villas built from natural materials and dotted around a gorgeous garden full of orchids. There’s an elevated viewing platform and restaurant. Reserve ahead, as the lodge often gets booked out by tour groups in high season.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
VILLAGE OF KEMUNING
The small tea-farming village of Kemuning makes a pleasant gateway to Candi Sukuh and Candi Cetho, with a few teahouses with good kitchens and one rather alluring guesthouse. The whole village becomes a selfie vantage point at the weekend and some enterprising locals have capitalised on this by providing various novel frames for that all-important shot.
5Eating & Drinking
Bale BrantiTEAHOUSE$
(Jalan Kaliondo 1, Kemuning; mains from 20,000Rp, tea from 15,000Rp; h9am-7pm)
This attractive teahouse is set in an authentic joglo (traditional Javanese house), with over a dozen wood tables shaded by parasols edging tea terraces. It’s a good place to try the local brew or have lunch. The nasi campur rice comes with generous side dishes.
Ndoro DonkerTEAHOUSE
(Jl Afedling Kemuning 18, Kemuning; h9am-6pm)
Named after the first tea mogul of Java and set in the 19th-century home on his original plantation, this teahouse teems with visitors at the weekend, enjoying the cooler air after Solo. Food is available (mains 10,000Rp to 60,000Rp) and there’s a splendid shop attached, selling tea from local plantations and a range of biscuits and tinned boiled sweets from Europe.
8Getting There & Away
It is difficult to visit Gunung Lawu by public transport, so almost all travellers heading out this way either take a tour from nearby Solo or hire a car with a driver (from 500,000Rp for 12 hours for up to four people). A standard tour, offered through travel agents and hotels in Solo, includes Candi Sukuh, Candi Cetho and Astana Giribangun and costs around 500,000Rp per person for a minimum of two people.
Tawangmangu
%0271 / Pop 43,000 / Elev 1194m
Tawangmangu, a sprawling hill resort on the western side of Gunung Lawu, is a popular weekend retreat for wealthy Solonese. It’s a pleasant enough place to escape the city heat and for a hike or two in the hills, but it’s best visited as a day trip from Solo or as part of a visit to Gunung Lawu.
1Sights
Grojogan SewuWATERFALL
(160,000Rp; h8am-4pm)
This 100m-high waterfall, about 3km from town, is a favourite playground for monkeys (as is the parking area). It is reached by a long flight of steps down a hillside, but the chilly, dirty swimming pool isn’t inviting.
From the bottom of the waterfall, a trail leads along a good track to Candi Sukuh, a 2½-hour walk away. Some Solo guides offer other treks in the area. Horses can be hired for the one-hour round trip through the woodland for 150,000Rp.
4Sleeping
Hotel BintangHOTEL$
(%0271-696269; www.hotelasiasolo.co.id; Jl Raya Lawu; r incl breakfast Mon-Fri 225,000Rp, Sat & Sun 250,000Rp; aW)
An uninspiring modern hotel on the main street with three floors of rooms of varying quality. Newer, sleeker rooms on the riverside have dark-wood furniture, LCD TV and stylish lighting. Not much English is spoken but staff are helpful. There’s a minimart, a cafe-restaurant and unfortunate karaoke on weekends.
8Getting There & Away
Buses travel to Solo (10,000Rp to 15,000Rp) regularly. The entrance to the waterfall complex is a 3km walk uphill along the main street through town, with an obvious left turn at the sign.
North Coast
Central Java’s north coast doesn’t feature on many travellers’ itineraries, except as a gateway to the Karimunjawa Islands, but this steamy strip of land is not without charm. For many centuries the coast was a major trading post for merchants from Arabia, India and China, and multiculturalism continues to flourish today in the cuisine and architecture of the region.
Merchants brought more than just material wealth to the region and in fact Islam entered Java through the north coast in the 15th and 16th centuries, as evidenced by the tombs of the country’s great saints, which are located here.
Central Java’s capital is not Yogya, as many assume, but Semarang, a rapidly growing metropolis and major shipping centre. This often-overlooked city has lots of interesting sights and an old quarter that is currently being renovated.
The north coast can resemble a continuous strip of urbanisation, hemmed in on either side by fields. These slivers of development that run from city to city encompass sights of local interest, rather than major must-sees, but are fascinating nonetheless. Sights include a train station museum at Ambarawa and Java’s oldest mosque in Demak.
The north coast has a strong craft tradition and cottage industries define many of the small rural towns and villages in the region. Pekalongan is celebrated for its batik, while Jepara is a major centre for wooden furniture.
8Getting There & Away
The north coast is well connected with other parts of mainland Java by public transport, while flights and ferry rides connect Semarang and Jepara with the Karimunjawa Islands. As the home of the original railway network, this part of Java takes pride in its trains.
Semarang
%024 / Pop 1.3 million / Elev 7m
Steamy Semarang, with its giant port, rapidly developing city centre and affluent outskirts, is home to a large Chinese population whose influence on local life is evident in the city’s culture and cuisine. The inner core of the city dates back to the Dutch colonial period and many of the fine old buildings from this era are being renovated. When complete, this old quarter will no doubt become the focus of a visit for most travellers.
Much of the city’s dynamism, however, is centred not on resurrecting past glories but on celebrating current success. This can be sensed in the giant new malls and wealthy business hotels around Simpang Lima (Five Ways) square. Indeed, Semarang is the provincial capital of Central Java and – perhaps more than Solo and Yogyakarta, the cities favoured by tourists – offers an authentic travel experience for those looking to understand Java today.
Semarang
1Top Sights
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
8Transport
1Sights
oOld CityAREA
(map Google map; Outstadt; around Jl Jenderal Suprapto)
Semarang’s atmospheric old quarter, often referred to by its Dutch name, the Outstadt, is well worth investigating. Until recently, most of the area’s colonial buildings were abandoned as city authorities focused on new-builds rather than shoring up past legacies. Today, however, a revived interest in the area with its obvious potential for tourism has led to a new investment, and coffee shops, stylish restaurants and other attractions now occupy the tastefully renovated townhouses.
While it is fair to say that the revival project has some way to go, there are still worthwhile attractions here and kids love DMZ: Dream Museum Zone, the 3D museum near Gereja Blenduk (map Google map; Jl Jenderal Suprapto) 
F church. Built in 1753, this elegant church with its large cupola forms the centre of the old quarter around which are a number of delightful places to eat. A street market sells a few modestly priced antiques and memorabilia and there’s a well-respected modern art space, the Semarang Gallery (map Google map; %024-355 2099; www.galerisemarang.com; Jl Taman Srigunting 5-6; admission 10,000Rp; h10am-4.30pm). The old city is prone to flooding and during the rainy season some of the backstreets are impassable.
Lawang SewuHISTORIC BUILDING
(map Google map; Jl Pemuda; adult/student or child 10,000/5000Rp; h7am-9pm)
Semarang’s most famous landmark, Lawang Sewu (‘Thousand Doors’), comprises two colossal colonial buildings that were one of the headquarters of the Indonesian railways during the Dutch era. The structures are sparsely used with only the occasional exhibit (mostly about the railway system) on view. Nevertheless, the empty corridors, where clerks and engineers once worked, have their own interest, with features including stained glass and a magnificent marble staircase.
Gedung BatuTEMPLE
(Sam Po Kong Temple; %024-760 5277; Jl Simongan 129, Bongsari; admission free to worshippers, viewing compound 10,000Rp, temples 30,000Rp; h9am-6pm)
This huge Chinese temple complex, 5km southwest of the city centre, comprises three main temple buildings and many smaller structures that date back to 1724, although built on earlier foundations. Most of the elegant, red-painted structures are Indo-Chinese in style, with tiered pagoda-style roofs.
Gedung Batu lies around 30 minutes from central Semarang, reached by taking the Damri bus 2 from Jl Pemuda to Karang Ayu (a suburb west of central Semarang) followed by an angkot (minibus) to the temple.
ChinatownAREA
(map Google map; south of Jl Jenderal Suprapto)
Semarang’s Chinatown is well worth investigating, particularly around the riverside Gang Lombok. With temples, pagodas, shop houses, jade jewellers, pharmacists, fortunetellers and food stalls, the area illustrates the depth of the connection between China and this port city. The focus of the entire community is the Tay Kak Sie Temple (map Google map; Gang Lombok), dating back to 1746, with its huge drums and incense-clouded interior.
Simpang LimaSQUARE
While Jl Pemuda, Semarang’s premier boulevard in Dutch times, remains an important artery and shopping street, Simpang Lima is the sociable hub of modern Semarang. This grassy ‘square’ is surrounded by cinema complexes and modern malls. Crowds congregate here in the evenings and wander past shops selling items that remain beyond the reach of many, though this doesn’t seem to dent their enthusiasm for the bright lights of the big city.
Ronggowarsito MuseumMUSEUM
(%024-760 2389; Jl Abdulrachman Saleh 1, Kalibanteng Kulon; 10,000Rp; h8am-3pm)
This large provincial museum houses an interesting collection of antiquities, crafts including batik and wayang puppets, and assorted fossils and curios collected from all over Central Java. The most interesting exhibit is a recycled stone panel from the Mantingan mosque (near Jepara) – one side shows Islamic motifs, while the reverse shows the original Hindu-Buddhist scene. It’s approximately 2km before the airport.
JAMU – A HERBAL REMEDY
Semarang is known for its jamu, a herbal medicine produced from a variety of ingredients such as honey, leaves, seeds and bark. Said to have a number of health benefits for the liver and intestines, it has also been associated with enhancing the libido. Some claim that the medicine dates back hundreds of years and even read some of the stone panels at Borobudur, with their hints of pestle and mortar and masseuse, as descriptive of its production. The sight of women selling bottled forms of this medicine, sweetened with honey and carried in open-weave baskets, was once common. Now the herbal remedy is more likely dispensed in tablet form.
Although jamu didn’t originate from here, Semarang has acquired a name for its production thanks to two large manufacturers, both of which house small museums and offer tours. Jamu Nyonya Meneer (%024-658 2529; Jl Raya Kaligawe, Km4; hmuseum 10am-3.30pm Sun-Fri) F is near the bus terminal, while Jamu Jago (%024-747 5172; www.jago.co.id; Jl Setia Budi 179, Srondol Kulon; h8am-3pm Mon-Sat) F is 6km south of the city on the Ambarawa road.
2Activities
DMZ: Dream Museum ZoneAMUSEMENT PARK
(map Google map; %024-8604 2889; www.dmzsemarang.com; Jl Branjangan 3-9, Kota Lama; adult/child under 10 yrs 110,000Rp/free; h9am-9.30pm)
It’s shoes off in this vast cathedral devoted to the worship of self. The complex of chambers, each dedicated to a death-defying feat or iconic world location, invites the participant to pose for a selfie against a 3D backdrop; perspective works magic on the resulting image. It sounds naff, but to be fair, it’s rather fun! Young acolytes help position their subjects for the perfect pose and ensure they tour the world in 80 clicks. Certainly beats passport-photo booths.
4Sleeping
Sleep & SleepHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %0813 1010 0456; Jl Imam Bonjol 15-17; sleep capsule 39,000Rp)
For those on a tight budget, this centrally located hostel, comprising ‘sleep capsules’ with lockers, offers clean compartments along serviced corridors with minimal privacy. A new concept in Semarang, it remains to be seen whether the accommodation will live up to its billing. Those with a pioneering spirit (or an economy train to catch from Poncol) might find it worth a try.
Roemah PantesHOTEL$
(map Google map; %024-358 0628; Jl Kalikuping 18; d/tr incl breakfast 225,000/250,000Rp; aW)
In a hard-to-find lane close to riverside Gang Lombok in the heart of Chinatown, this small hotel has seven fairly spacious, reasonably clean, tiled rooms with duvets and hot-water bathrooms. No English is spoken and a sense of welcome is somewhat lacking!
oNovotel SemarangHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %024-356 3000; www.accorhotels.com; Jl Pemuda 123; r from 700,000Rp; a
iWs)
In a good location between the old city and Simpang Lima, this smart business-oriented hotel has an outdoor pool, a gym and spa. Rooms are contemporary, spacious and comfortable, many with city views. There are two cafe-restaurants and the lavish breakfast buffet covers multiple cuisines with egg and noodle stations.
Tjiang ResidenceGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map; %024-354 0330; Jl Gang Pinggir 24; d incl breakfast 315,000Rp; aW)
In the heart of Chinatown, a short stroll from the Tay Kak Sie temple, this budget hotel is a character-filled choice with a red facade and Chinese screened windows. The corridors have an unfortunate damp smell, but the tiny rooms are fresh and neat with wood floors, Ikea-chic desks and flat-screen TVs.
Whiz HotelHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %024-356 6999; www.intiwhiz.com; Jl Kapten Piere Tendean 9; s/d incl breakfast from 435,000/735,000Rp; aiW)
This green-and-white no-frills hotel offers competitive rates for its 148 sharp, slightly cramped but comfortable rooms. Breakfast is basic, as is the service.
Gumaya Tower HotelHOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %024-355 1999; www.gumayatowerhotel.com; Jl Gajah Mada 59-61; r incl breakfast from 1,550,000Rp; aiWs)
Towering over the city, this luxury hotel offers understated, well-designed rooms at good-value prices. Rooms come with large LCD TVs, fast wi-fi and gorgeous bathrooms with tubs. There’s an infinity pool, and panoramic city views from the top-deck bar. Popular with business travellers.
5Eating
Semarang’s large Chinese population is reflected in the local cuisine. At night, Simpang Lima hosts dozens of kaki lima (food carts) serving snacks and meals in traditional lesahan fashion (on straw mats). There is also an extensive food court on the 4th floor of the Plaza Simpang Lima. Don’t leave town without trying the local speciality, wingko.
oToko Wingko BabadBAKERY$
(map Google map; %024-354 2064; Jl Cendrawasih 14; cakes 5300Rp; h7am-7pm)
A wonderful, anachronistic bakery and store that hasn’t changed in half a century. The delicious wingko (coconut cakes served warm) are the signature treats of this veritable old city institution, served plain or flavoured with jackfruit, chocolate, banana or durian. The jackfruit is especially addictive.
TekoDekoCAFE$
(map Google map; %024-354 4501; Jl Jenderal Suprapto 44, Kota Lama; mains 25,000-50,000Rp; h9am-10pm)
A fun tiled coffee house in a restored old relic, this cafe brews up espresso coffee, pots of tea and sandwiches. Pastas and nasi goreng (fried rice) are on offer too. There’s a small shop selling homemade fare and a great rooftop sundeck.
Lumpia Gang LombokCHINESE$
(map Google map; Gang Lombok II; lumpia 15,000Rp; h9am-5pm)
There’s often an hour’s wait for a bench at this riverside warung next to Tay Kak Sie temple. It’s not the location that attracts the crowd but the delicious prawn lumpia (spring rolls), served with pickled cucumber, lettuce and shredded vegetables. Diners rub elbows, adding to the shared anticipation as lumpia are flipped from wok to plate.
Semawis Night MarketCHINESE$
(map Google map; Jl Warung; meals 18,000-40,000Rp; h5-11pm Fri-Sun)
Fine Chinese-style noodles and babi sate (pork satay) are local favourites at this weekend market. The sociable atmosphere is helped along by a bit of low-key karaoke, fortune-telling and flirting young couples.
oHolliday RestaurantCHINESE$$
(map Google map; %024-841 3371; Jl Pandanaran 6; mains 27,000-110,000Rp; h7am-11pm; v)
It’s easy to see why this two-storey restaurant is permanently packed: the food is exceptionally good! Earning the unreserved recommendation of the local Chinese population, the restaurant attracts large parties to its circular tables even on a weekday. Dishes of super-fresh seafood, including jellyfish and lobster, and hot plates of bean curd are among the local favourites.
SpiegelFUSION$$
(map Google map; Jl Jenderal Suprapto 34; mains from 60,000Rp; h10am-midnight; W)
Housed in a converted old general store (circa 1895) and once patronised by Dutch colonists, Spiegel has become a pivotal point of the old quarter. The island bar serves up tasty cocktails, and marble tables set the stage for fusion dishes that combine local flavours with international favourites. The attached designer boutique sells sumptuous printed silk clothing for women.
Ikan Bakar CianjurINDONESIAN$$
(%024-356 2333; www.ibcgroup.co.id; Jl Jenderal Suprapto 19; meals 55,000-100,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
Occupying a sensitively restored building (Semarang’s former courthouse), this character-filled restaurant with its yellow roof tiles sports art deco chandeliers, antique tiles and soaring ceilings. A wide choice of snacks and seafood meals are served here, but most locals come for the house speciality – gurame and nila fish (from 88,000Rp), which arrives souped, fried or grilled.
Sate & Gule 29INDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; %024-354 9692; Jl Jenderal Suprapto 29; sate platters 75,000Rp; h9am-9pm)
Almost opposite the Gereja Blenduk church, this sunken storefront is packed with locals from opening till closing time. Why? Because it serves the best goat in town. The mixed sate delivers six skewers of grilled cuts including liver, served with pepper, slices of red onion and coconut-flavoured sauce. Locals swear by the gule – a delicious goat-meat soup.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oHero CoffeeCAFE
(map Google map; %0856 4153 7333; Jl Kepodang 33, Purwodinatan; h8am-1am)
This delightful cafe is one of several popping up in the old city area. Housed in a beautifully restored colonial terrace, with a pink awning and wrought-iron details, it features international favourites including toasted sandwiches and fried sliced potatoes. The homely interior is a winner, with giant murals, wooden tables and colourful plates, and there’s an assortment of home-bakes for sale.
Bloem CaféCAFE
(map Google map; %024-8657 0776; Jl Letjen Suprapto 26, Semarang Utara; h9am-8pm)
For those feeling inspired by DMZ, the 3D ‘trick art’ museum opposite, this sweet little coffee shop helps continue the sense of illusion into the daylight. The tiny bakery is festooned in plastic flowers, with the deliberate intention of creating the perfect floral backdrop for a selfie. Coffee (20,000Rp) goes cold waiting for clicking frenzies to subside – but what the heck.
E PlazaCLUB
(map Google map; %024-845 2293; www.eplaza.co.id; Jl Ruko Gajahmada Lantai II 29, off Simpang Lima, Gajahmada Plaza; hnoon-3am)
Semarang can be lacking when it comes to nightlife, but this popular complex, right by the Simpang Lima square, contains an upmarket club, cinema and lounge bar. It draws a young energetic crowd and is a good bet for a night out. The club entrance fee is 50,000Rp.
On On PubPUB
(map Google map; %024-355 6556; www.ononpub.com; Jl Tanjung 1; h5pm-midnight Mon-Fri, to 1am Sat, 11am-midnight Sun)
A classic expat hang-out in the centre of town, this pub sells ice-cold draught Bintang as well as decent international food, including the famous OMG sausage!
3Entertainment
TBRS Cultural CentrePUPPETRY
(%024-831 1220; Jl Sriwijaya 29, Tegalwareng; h6am-midnight)
For traditional entertainment, this leafy park (a former zoo) holds wayang orang theatre performances every Saturday from 7pm to midnight, and wayang kulit (shadow-puppet play) most Thursdays. It’s worth checking the latest schedule at the tourist office.
8Information
The Central Java Tourist Office (%024-351 5451; www.indonesia-tourism.com/central-java; Jl Pemuda 147; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri) has useful booklets and information devoted to both the city and the entire region. There is also reliable transport and hotel information on the Karimunjawa Islands available here. There are dozens of banks around town including a handy branch of ABN Amro (Jl Jenderal A Yani 145; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat) and BCA Bank (Jl Pemuda 90-92; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat).
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Semarang’s Ahmad Yani Airport (www.ahmadyani-airport.com; Jl A Yani 1, Kota Semarang) is a transport hub with numerous international and domestic connections. AirAsia (%24hr call centre 021-2927 0999, toll free 0804 133 3333; www.airasia.com) flies to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Jakarta. Garuda (%024-351 7007; www.garuda-indonesia.com; Jl Jenderal A Yani 142) and Citilink (www.citilink.co.id) also connect Semarang with Jakarta. Lion Air (%airport office 024-761 4315; www.lionair.co.id; Jl A Yani 1, Ahmad Yani Airport) connects Semarang with Jakarta, Bandung, Batam and Banjarmasin and Sriwijaya Air (%024-841 3777; www.sriwijayaair.co.id; Jl Mt Haryono 719, Ruko Peterongan Plaza A6) flies to Jakarta and Surabaya.
BOAT
For ferry information, the office of Pelni (%024-354 6722, 024-354 0381, call centre 021-162; www.pelni.co.id; Ferry Terminal, Jl Mpu Tantular 25; hticketing 8am-5pm Mon-Thu, to noon Fri & Sat) has timetables you can consult after its ticket sales windows shut (around 5pm). There are economy and 1st-class boats every three or four days to Sampit and Pontianak in Kalimantan. Prices and schedules change frequently so check with Pelni near to your departure date.
BUS
Semarang’s Terboyo bus terminal (www.bosbis.com; Jl Terminal Terboyo) is 4km east of town, just off the road to Kudus. Air-con minibuses also travel to destinations across the island, including Wonosobo (60,000Rp), Solo (50,000Rp), Yogyakarta (70,000Rp) and Surabaya (from 55,000Rp for economy). Agents for luxury buses and air-conditioned minibuses include Rahayu (%024-354 3935; Jl Let Jenderal Haryono 9; h7am-8pm) and Nusantara Indah (%024-355 4981; Jl Sudirman 75).
TRAIN
Semarang lies on the main north coast Jakarta–Cirebon–Surabaya train route. Tawang (%024-354 4544; www.entiket.com; Jl Taman Tawang 1) is Semarang’s main station for all exclusive- and business-class services. Economy-class trains depart from Semarang’s Poncol (www.entiket.com; Jl Imam Bonjol, Purwosari) train station.
TRANSPORT FROM SEMARANG
Bus
| DESTINATION | FARE (RP) | DURATION (HR) |
|---|---|---|
| Jepara | 60,000 | 2½ |
| Kudus | 50,000 | 1¼ |
| Pekalongan | 65,000 | 3 |
| Wonosobo | 60,000 | 2½ |
| Yogyakarta | 70,000 | 4 |
Train
| DESTINATION | FARE (RP) | DURATION (HR) | FREQUENCY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jakarta | from 220,000 | 6 | 10 daily |
| Pekalongan | from 40,000 | 1¼ | 6 daily |
8Getting Around
City buses charge a fixed 3000Rp fare and terminate at the Terboyo bus terminal. Buses 1, 2 and 3 run south along Jl Pemuda to Candi Baru. Short becak rides cost around 8000Rp; a ride of more than 3km costs around 15,000Rp. Semarang has plenty of metered taxis, including Bluebird (%024-670 1234) and Kosti Taxis (%024-761 3333).
Semarang’s Ahmad Yani Airport is 6km west of the city centre. Taxis into town cost from 35,000Rp (there’s an official desk at arrivals), and around 40,000Rp when returning to the airport using the taxi meter.
Ambarawa
%0298 / Pop 58,000 / Elev 481m
The market town of Ambarawa, 28km south of Semarang, is of interest to trainspotters as the home of the excellent Ambarawa Train Station Museum. The town was once the site of a Japanese internment camp, where up to 15,000 Europeans were held during WWII – a monument and park commemorate the spot. Today, the town is a jolly place with neatly painted tree trunks and forests of flags around Independence Day.
Ambarawa has hotels, or the Mesa Stila Resort in an old coffee plantation in the nearby foothills makes for a highly memorable experience.
1Sights
Ambarawa Train Station MuseumMUSEUM
(Museum Kereta Api Ambarawa; %0298-591035; www.internationalsteam.co.uk/ambarawa/museum; Jl Stasiun 1; adult/child 3-12 yrs 10,000/5000Rp; h8am-5pm)
Fans of vintage railways will love this museum, located in the premises of the old Koening Willem I station, a couple of kilometres outside of town on the road to Magelang. The station opened in 1873 and still sports a tiled passenger terminal, old clocks, conductor offices filled with vintage typewriters and ticket windows stocked with telegraph machines. The stars of the show, however, are the 22 turn-of-the-century steam engines.
4Sleeping
oMesa Stila ResortHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%0298-596333; www.mesahotelsandresorts.com/mesastila; Jl Losari, Rw 3, Pingit; villa from 2,600,000Rp; pnaiWs)
Nestled in a 22-hectare coffee plantation, the Mesa Stila Resort is one of Indonesia’s most magical hotels. At an altitude of 900m, the forest gives way to inspiring vistas from the villa-style rooms and a classically conical volcano looms over the neatly trimmed lawns and red-tiled joglos. It’s some 12km southwest of Ambarawa; a taxi from town (60,000Rp) passes beautiful rice terraces.
8Getting There & Away
Ambarawa can be reached by public city bus (Transjateng) from Semarang (3500Rp, one hour). There are several services to Yogyakarta (50,000Rp, three hours) via Magelang; the last bus leaves at around 6pm.
Demak
%0291 / Pop 27,500 / Elev 12m
Demak, 25km east of Semarang, marks the point at which it is claimed that Islam was introduced into Java. As the capital of the island’s first Islamic state, it was from here that the Hindu Majapahit kingdom was conquered and much of Java’s interior converted.
The town’s economic heyday has now passed and even the sea has retreated several kilometres, leaving this former port landlocked. But the role this small town once played has not been forgotten and the old mosque here is highly revered. In a lingering sense of the town’s illustrious past, Demak is locally regarded as one of the most beautiful and well-tended in Java; indeed, the streets are litter-free, the tree trunks painted in harmonious two-tone colours, and even the andong (cart) horses are adorned with extra-elaborate headdress feathers.
Buses from either Semarang or Kudus (both 10,000Rp) stop right outside the great mosque.
1Sights
Mesjid AgungMOSQUE
(Jl Sultan Fattah, Bintoro) F
Demak’s venerable Mesjid Agung (circa 1466), notable for its triple-tiered roof, is Java’s oldest mosque and one of the archipelago’s foremost Muslim pilgrimage sites. Legend has it that it was built from wood by the wali songo (nine holy men) in a single night. Four main pillars in the central hall were originally made by four of the Muslim saints, and one pillar, erected by Sunan Kalijaga, is said to be made from scraps of timber magically fused together.
Kudus
%0291 / Pop 95,000 / Elev 52m
Kudus takes its name from the word al-Quds – the Arabic name for Jerusalem. Founded by the Muslim saint Sunan Kudus and with a venerable mosque dating from the 16th century, it remains an important pilgrimage site. Despite its strong Muslim identity, and in common with much of Java, Kudus retains links with a Hindu past and the slaughter of cows is still forbidden here.
The town is moderately attractive, with an elongated main street dominated by a huge tobacco factory. This is where the first kretek (clove cigarettes) were produced, and today Kudus is still a stronghold of kretek production – there are said to be 25 factories in the town and panniers of green leaves seem to be bulging from every truck in the dry season. Sukun, a manufacturer outside of town, still produces rokok klobot (clove tobacco rolled in corn leaves).
1Sights
Kudus retains a delightful old quarter, or Kauman, with narrow streets where merchants in small kiosks sell religious souvenirs, dates, prayer beads and caps. On Fridays, men dressed in white robes and women in jilbab (head coverings) of all hues make their way on foot to pray at the Mesjid Al-Manar.
oSunan Kudus TombTOMB
(Mesjid al-Manar, Jl Menara 3-5, Kauman; donations welcome)
From the courtyards behind the mesjid (mosque), a palm-lined path leads to the imposing tomb of the Muslim saint Sunan Kudus, shrouded behind a curtain of lace. The narrow doorway, draped with heavy gold-embroidered curtains, leads to an inner chamber and the grave. It makes a particularly impressive sight when lit up at night, and energised by the faith of pilgrims. A generous sense of welcome is extended to curious non-Muslims.
Mesjid Al-ManarMOSQUE
(Al-Aqsa Menera; Jl Menara 3-5, Kauman)
This beautiful old mosque, built in 1549 by Sunan Kudus, is famous for its red-brick menara (minaret). This minaret may have originally been the watchtower of a Hindu temple – the curiously squat form and flared sides of the mosque certainly have more in common with Balinese temples than with traditional Islamic architecture. Inside the main prayer hall, Muslim worshippers pray in the shadow of a Hindu-style brick gateway, a fascinating juxtaposition of Javanese religious heritage.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
SOUP FOR THE SOUL
Kudus is famed for its delicious soto kudus, a rich chicken soup, which is served with a variety of entrails and crackers. Depending on the amount of turmeric used, it can range from pale brown to bright yellow and is flavoured with lots of garlic. The other delicacy in town is Jenang kudus, a sweet made of glutinous rice, brown sugar and coconut.
4Sleeping
Wisma Karima HotelGUESTHOUSE$
(%0852 9170 5111; Jl Museum Kretek Jati Kulon 3; r incl breakfast 65,000-120,000Rp; a)
Just off the highway on the south side of town, this guesthouse is run by a welcoming family and has nine rooms, some quite spacious and with air-con, but all a little old-fashioned. No English is spoken.
Hotel Kenari AsriHOTEL$$
(%0291-446200; Jl Kenari II; r incl breakfast 350,000-500,000Rp, ste 700,000Rp; aW)
This decent, two-storey hotel sports a rather grand entrance and has serviceable and clean (if rather small) rooms with functioning air-con. Some rooms smell heavily of smoke. The hotel has two strong assets though: the staff, who speak English, are especially hospitable; and the kitchen musters an excellent breakfast.
5Eating & Drinking
oSoto BujatmiJAVANESE$
(%0291-446170; Jl Wahid Hasyim 43; bowl of soto kudus 14,000Rp; h7am-9.30pm)
This is the very best place to try the famed chicken soup of Kudus. Cooks stir up cauldrons of the brew over a log-fired oven and diners pack round simple tables decorated with jars of rice crackers. Soto kudus is served with optional extras, such as sate (satay) comprising entrails and cow-skin. Bean-curd wafers are another accompaniment to the broth.
Sari Lembur KuringINDONESIAN$
(%0291-439770; Jl Agil Kusumadya 35; mains 18,000-50,000Rp; h9am-10pm)
A large, pleasant restaurant complete with a koi pond, offering tasty Sundanese and Javanese food under a shady pagoda. It’s popular with local families enjoying a night out.
Chocobean KudusCAFE
(Jl Sunan Kudus 154; h9am-11pm)
This eye-catching cafe, decorated with giant cartoons, is a popular place for a juice or coffee in the evening. For those wanting to try durian without the anti-social effect of handling this obnoxious fruit, the cafe serves up a durian pancake. The flavour is wonderful once the fruit gets past your nose.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
COTTAGE INDUSTRIES
This part of Central Java is home to a number of key craft industries. Intricately carved jati (teak) and mahogany furniture and relief panels are on display at shops and factories all around Jepara, but the main carpentry centre is in fact the village of Tahunan, 4km south of Jepara on the road to Kudus.
Brightly coloured, Sumba-style ikat (a kind of woven cloth), using traditional motifs, are woven and sold in the village of Troso, situated 14km south of Jepara and 2km off the main road. Unusually for Java, men predominantly do the weaving. Pecangaan, 18km south of Jepara, produces rings, bracelets and other jewellery from monel (stainless-steel alloy).
8Information
The HSBC Bank (Jl Ahmed Yani 9; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat) has an ATM, and there are several more on Jl Ahmed Yani beside the Taman Bojana food complex.
8Getting There & Away
Kudus is on the main Semarang–Surabaya road. The bus terminal is around 4km south of town. City minibuses run from behind the bus terminal to the town centre (5000Rp), or take a becak. Buses go from Kudus to Demak (20,000Rp, 50 minutes) and Semarang (30,000Rp, 1½ hours). Buses to Jepara (35,000Rp, 1¼ hours) leave from the Jetak subterminal, 4km west of town (5000Rp by minibus).
Jepara
%0291 / Pop 20,000 / Elev 9m
Famed as Java’s best woodcarving centre, Jepara has a long history of furniture production, which has contributed greatly to its evident prosperity. The town’s fortunes inevitably wax and wane with the fashion for ‘brown goods’ (wood furniture) but dozens of furniture showrooms continue to make a living from the industry. Contemporary styles are possible to spot among the more ubiquitous heavy carved panels designed for the home market.
With the decline in demand from international furniture outlets, there are fewer resident expats in town, but Jepara still hosts buyers from all over the world. As a result, this is one of the more cosmopolitan towns in rural Java.
The town’s broad avenues and small gangs (alleys) lined with homes that open onto back-door canals, together with the nearby beaches, make it a tranquil spot to take a break from the road. Jepara is also a major gateway to the Karimunjawa Islands.
1Sights
Market ApungCANAL
(cnr Jl Suprapto & Jl Pesajen)
This character-filled fish and produce market is housed in some old Dutch godowns (warehouses) on a bridge close to the sea. The main attraction is really the assemblage of old fishing boats sheltering in the canal alongside. Near sunset, it’s a riot of colour.
Museum RA KartiniMUSEUM
(%0291-591169; Jl Wolter Monginsidi; 3000Rp; h8am-4pm)
On the north side of Jepara’s attractive alun-alun, this museum is dedicated to one of Indonesia’s most celebrated women. One room is devoted to Kartini and contains portraits and memorabilia of this pioneer of women’s rights and her family. Other rooms contain assorted archaeological findings, including a yoni and lingam, local art and artefacts, such as fine woodcarvings and ceramics. There’s also a 16m skeleton of a whale. Troso weaving is for sale in the gift shop (from 130,000Rp).
Pantai BandenganBEACH
(Tirta Samudra; Jl Raya Tirta Samudra)
Jepara has some fine white-sand beaches, including Pantai Bandengan, 7km northeast of town. It’s one of the best beaches on the north coast – an arc of gently shelving white sand, which is beautiful at sunset. The main public section is littered, but just a short walk along this gives way to clean sand, clear water and safe swimming. A bemo (minibus; 5000Rp) to here can be hailed from Jl Pattimura in Jepara.
Pantai KartiniBEACH
(Permandian; Jl AE Suryani; adult/child 10,000/5000Rp; h24hr) Close to the ferry port, this is Jepara’s most popular beach. With funfair rides, souvenir stalls, tethered goats, shell shops and mosques, it’s a good place to relax in the company of locals on leave. Boats are available for rent (from around 180,000Rp return) to nearby Pulau Panjang, which has excellent white-sand beaches. Permandian also has the Kura Kura Ocean Park
(admission 12,500Rp, open 9am to 4pm); occupying a giant turtle-shaped concrete structure, it contains a modest aquarium.
4Sleeping
NusantaraHOTEL$
(%0291-1426 0610; nstrhotel@gmail.com; Jl Kolonel Sugiono 20; r 180,000Rp; aW)
A beautifully carved wooden boat and an attractive pergola distinguish the outside of this otherwise ordinary hotel. The air-con is somewhat under-functioning and the mosquitoes take revenge at night, but the friendly staff ensure guests are up in time for the early-morning ferry and are helpful in arranging transport around town. Rooms are clean and comfortable if cramped.
Bayfront VillaINN$$
(%0821 3634 6151; www.bayfronthotel.blogspot.com; Jl Universitas Diponegoro, Teluk Awur; r/ste from 550,000/950,000Rp; aWs)
This attractive hotel on a clean, narrow stretch of beach offers a handful of homely rooms, set around a delightful pool. The upper rooms open onto a common terrace with sea views. There is also a little bar on the beach.
Ocean View ResidenceHOTEL$$
(%0291-429 9022; www.facebook.com/oceanviewjepara; Jl Tegalsambi, Tahunan; r standard/superior/deluxe incl breakfast 770,000/875,000/900,000Rp; aWs)
Down a narrow lane that zigzags through backstreets, this modernist beachside resort comprises 23 rooms and attracts a youthful clientele. Deluxe rooms represent the best value, with full kitchens, ocean views and some interesting artwork on the walls. The sunset barbeque from 4pm to 8pm (15,000Rp) is popular, although the loud music somewhat spoils the ambience.
KARTINI: AN INDO ICON
Raden Ajeng Kartini, a writer, feminist and progressive thinker, was born in 1879, the daughter of the bupati (regent) of Jepara. She grew up in the bupati’s residence, on the eastern side of the alun-alun, excelled at school and learnt to speak fluent Dutch by the age of 12. It was in this residence that Kartini spent her pingit (‘confinement’ in Javanese), when girls from 12 to 16 are kept in virtual imprisonment and forbidden to venture outside the family home. Kartini later used her education to campaign for women’s rights and to petition against colonialism, before dying at the age of 24 just after the birth of her first child. A national holiday is held on 21 April, known as Kartini Day, in recognition of her pioneering work for women’s rights, and a museum in the heart of town is dedicated to her life and work. Traditional local Troso weaving is for sale in the museum gift shop (from 130,000Rp).
5Eating
Pondok RasaINDONESIAN$
(%0291-591025; Jl Pahlawan II; mains 25,000-85,000Rp; h9am-9pm Sat-Thu; v)
Just across the river from the alun-alun, Rasa is a traditional Javanese restaurant with a pleasant garden setting and Indonesian food served lesahan style. There’s lots of choice for vegetarians.
oYam-YamSEAFOOD$$
(%0291-598755; Jl Pantai Karang Kebagusan, Km5; mains 25,000-78,000Rp; h8am-11pm)
This stylish beachfront restaurant is the indisputable top choice in Jepara. Dining is in the garden, around a pool or on tables so close to the sea that the fish almost swim up to the plate. Candlelight lends romance to the evening, while the thatched brick-house kitchen delivers the catch of the day with delicious lemon dressing, tender steaks, Thai dishes and Italian favourites.
8Information
The tourist office (%0291-591169; www.gojepara.com; Jl AR Hakim 51; h7.30am-2.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat & Sun) is in the western part of town. It has very helpful staff and runs a particularly informative website.
8Getting There & Away
Frequent buses make the trip from Jepara to Kudus (35,000Rp, 1¼ hours) and Semarang (from 50,000Rp, 2½ hours). A few buses also go to Surabaya (105,000Rp, 6½ hours), but Kudus has more connections.
8Getting Around
Taxis are plentiful and charge similar prices. A fare within the town centre costs around 12,000Rp, including to the Kartini harbour for boats to Karimunjawa.
Karimunjawa Islands
The dazzling offshore archipelago of Karimunjawa, a marine national park, consists of 27 coral-fringed islands – only five of which are inhabited. Most islanders are Javanese but there are a few Bugis and Madurese families, who make a living from fishing, seaweed cultivation and, increasingly, tourism. Lying about 90km north of Jepara, the islands are a tropical haven of white-sand beaches, turquoise seas and relaxed retreats.
Holidaying Indonesians account for most of the visitors here, although a growing number of foreign travellers now brave the rough seas (which can occur at any time of year) for a few days of R&R. Independent travellers head almost exclusively for the main island, Pulau Karimunjawa; this lush, mountainous little landmass, ringed with coral reefs, is home to most of the archipelago’s facilities and the only town of any size, also named (somewhat confusingly) Karimunjawa.
1Sights
oPantai AnnoraBEACH
(East Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; 5000Rp)
This public beach on the east coast of Pulau Karimunjawa is the gateway to the island’s most exquisite ocean view. A rough path leads along the headland to a series of stunning vistas, where the sea appears as a patchwork of interlacing blues from deep indigo to aquamarine. A couple of simple swings at the end of the promontory give the best vantage point, but go soon: developers have their eye on the spot.
Mangrove BoardwalkNATIONAL PARK
(North Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; 155,000Rp; h8am-5pm)
A boardwalk leads through the mangrove swamps that typify the coastal fringe of Pulau Karimunjawa and other islands in the archipelago. This unique habitat is home to a number of birds including kingfishers and a variety of waders. A tiered hide halfway along the boardwalk provides a perfect vantage point for birdwatching. Interpretative boards in English explain the different mangrove species that make up this intriguing landscape. Watch out for the red crosses on the boardwalk indicating rotten timbers!
Pantai Batu TopengBEACH
(West Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; parking 5000Rp; p)
There’s cold beer on the go at the tiny beach bar, or mie goreng (fried noodles) rustled up in a basic warung, at this friendly little beach. Even when a gale whips up a cappuccino of an ocean on the east coast, the west coast is invariably flat white with long slow rollers sliding into the shore.
Bukit LoveVIEWPOINT
(Love HIll; West Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; 10,000Rp)
This hillside viewpoint is a favourite selfie station for locals, complete with a giant love heart framing the view. With a wonderful vantage on the sinking sun, strategically positioned behind a coconut palm, this venue boasts a variety of perfect spots to capture the day’s end – including a thatched hut and a hilltop bar.
Pantai Tanjung GelamBEACH
(Sunset Beach; West Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; admission incl parking 5000Rp; p)
This beautiful beach is hemmed with palm trees and, beyond the lilac and emerald water, white horses charge across a coral reef. Small warungs serve basic noodles and people gather here to watch the sunset.
2Activities
oDunia Bintang Tour & TravelDIVING
(World Star; %0822 2111 4504; www.karimunjawapackage.com; Jl Jenderal Sudirman, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; island hopping with 2 snorkelling sites incl equipment & lunch 200,000Rp; h8am-9pm)
Dunia Bintang is run by a delightful Karimun-British couple. They organise diving (the most popular dive site focuses on a 100-year-old Norwegian wreck that plunges to 25m), snorkelling and island-hopping trips in boats with a maximum of 17 on board. They can also advise about the current ferry schedule.
Salma Dive ShopDIVING
(Karimunjawa Dive Centre; %0852 2533 3677; www.karimunjawadivecentre.com; Pulau Karimunjawa; 2-dive package with equipment per person 875,000Rp; h6am-midnight)
This dive centre comes recommended by resident expatriates. It offers a two-dive package, available only with a minimum of two people. Also offers rental of a range of equipment, including masks and fins, wetsuits and underwater cameras.
zFestivals & Events
oIndependence Day CarnivalCARNIVAL
(Alun-Alun, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; hAug)
Every year, costumed islanders from across Palau Karimunjawa congregate in the main town to celebrate Independence Day. Tiny tots dress up in police uniforms, beauty queens grace Ramayana-style chariots and young men cross-dress as women in this pageant of colour and dance. The parade makes a couple of laps of the tiny town centre, before assembling for prize-giving in the alun-alun.
4Sleeping
Accommodation is limited so it’s important to book well in advance, particularly if staying over on a Saturday night or during peak holiday times. Many hotels offer package deals that include transport from Jepara or Semarang.
Other than the places listed here, all on Pulau Karimunjawa, guests can stay on Pulau Menyawakan, where the Kura Kura Resort (%in Semarang 024-7663 2510; www.kurakuraresort.com; Pulau Menyawakan; half board s/d US$225; hMay-Oct; aWs) offers a luxury escape with sea-view cottages and private pools. The island is reached by the resort’s own plane.
oSamsara HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0822 2051 1588; Jl Kapuran, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; incl breakfast 4-bed dm with fan 100,000Rp, r with fan & bathroom 220,000Rp; W)
This super-friendly budget homestay works a kind of magic on guests: those who check in for a night invariably end up staying two or more. The friendly, younger crowd gathers round a wooden boat that doubles as a bar in the evening – a typical travellers’ watering hole.
Bodhi Tree HostelGUESTHOUSE$
(%0812 3922 2203; Jl Diponegoro, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; r with shower & air-con incl breakfast 350,000Rp, mixed dm 90,000-100,000Rp)
This tastefully decorated guesthouse caters largely for budget travellers in eight-person dorms, but has some attractive rooms with air-con too. In the heart of town, guests can either eat in or stroll out for warung fare in the nearby alun-alun.
Coconut HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 9267 8888, 0297-414431; Jl Sutomo, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; r incl breakfast with fan/air-con 165,000/250,000Rp; a)
Popular with backpackers, this village homestay has lots of personality with doors made of reclaimed wood, a Ganesha mural in the corridor and tiled rooms with canopied beds. Bathrooms are shared and there’s a fun sense of communal living, with beanbags and a hammock swing on the porch.
Coco HutsBUNGALOW$$
(%0812 3556 3136; www.cocohutskarimunjawa.com; Jl Danang Jaya, East Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; r incl breakfast 300,000-600,000Rp; W)
Owned by a well-known German footballer-turned-commentator and his brother, who were born in Indonesia, this hotel comprises a series of wooden cottages with traditional tiled roofs on a steep inland hillside. It’s quite a climb to their Best View Resto, but the effort is rewarded with an expansive view of the east coast’s wild ocean and its racing white horses.
Hotel EscapeHOTEL$$
(%0813 2574 8481; www.escapekarimun.com; Jl Danang Jaya, South Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; r incl breakfast from 300,000Rp; aW)
A five-minute walk from the ferry terminal, this two-storey brick lodge is right by the sea. There’s no beach as such, but a wide lawn shaded by coconut palms gives a pleasant sense of space. Rooms are no-nonsense, and modern and simple fare is available in the restaurant. The ugly concrete access road is unfortunate. Trips and bike rental available.
Puri KarimunHOTEL$$
(%0813 2645 9910; www.purikarimunhotel.com/en-us; Jl Slamet Ryadi Km0, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; r incl breakfast 325,000Rp; aW)
Distinctive for its bright red paintwork, this hotel has around 30 rooms, each similarly brightly painted, with en-suite bathrooms. Tables and chairs under thatched awnings give the garden courtyard a certain flourish. There’s a restaurant or the night market is a short stroll away.
oBreve AzurineRESORT$$$
(%0297-319 1059; www.breveazurine.com; Jl Danang Jaya, RT 4, East Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; r incl breakfast from 2,280,000Rp; aiWs)
With a private beach, this gorgeous hillside resort offers a genuine island welcome. Rustic cottages with open-air bathrooms have magnificent sea views or there’s a main lodge with a hardwood verandah that serves as the common area. The restaurant is nested above a tropical garden and candlelit suppers can be arranged under the rustling palms.
Transfers from the jetty are included in the tariff, and the use of kayaks and snorkelling gear is free. A helpful service desk organises island-hopping, hiking and diving excursions for those who just can’t sit still.
MAKING THE MOST OF KARIMUNJAWA ISLANDS
Most visitors to the islands are immediately seduced by the relaxed atmosphere and the most activity they are likely to muster is a stroll from room to sea and back. For those willing to tear themselves away from the beach, however, the main island offers some fun activities.
Scooter Touring
Biking around the main island of Pulau Karimunjawa by scooter is a popular pastime, with stops possible at various beauty spots along the way. The mountainous terrain doesn’t lend itself to first-time bikers, although many give it a go regardless; rental prices are generally 75,000Rp per day.
Island Hopping
The most popular activity from the main island of Pulau Karimunjawa is island hopping, which involves a half- or whole-day boat trip with opportunities to swim, snorkel on the reef and land on one or two nearby deserted tropical islands. The uninhabited islands of Menjangan Besar and Menjangan Kecil both have magnificent sweeping white sands and offshore snorkelling, and are within easy reach of Pulau Karimunjawa.
Chartering a boat costs 1,500,000Rp for a half day for two people or 1,700,000Rp for a full day. Hotel owners often ring round to muster a group, saving costs for their guests. For a place in a boat (maximum 15 people), it costs 175,000Rp for a half day or 225,000Rp for a full day.
As a marine park, many parts of Karimunjawa – including Pulau Burung and Pulau Geleang – are officially off limits (although this protected status is unfortunately not always strictly enforced). It helps if visitors respect the off-limits zone to minimise the negative impact of increased tourism.
Swimming & Snorkelling
It’s not necessary to put out to sea to enjoy the crystal-clear water surrounding Palau Karimunjawa: two excellent beaches with snorkelling opportunities lie just a 7km ride by motor scooter from the island’s main town.
There’s a modest fee for parking at these sandy beaches – Batu Topeng and Pantai Tanjung Gelam – which helps to keep them clean of litter that washes up. A handful of warungs and bars, set up beneath the coconut trees, collect an assembly of like-minded souls at sunset.
Diving
The reefs around many of the islands offer decent diving. The most popular dive site centres on a 100-year-old Norwegian wreck that plunges to 25m. Dives can be organised through Dunia Bintang Tour & Travel and Salma Dive Centre.
Hiking & Birdwatching
While it’s hard to pull yourself away from the shore, park rangers can help organise a hike up Pulau Karimunjawa’s 600m peak, Gunung Gendero, and guesthouses can usually arrange this on behalf of their guests.
On the north coast of the island there’s a circuit of wooden walkways, which allow an exploration of the extensive mangroves that fringe Pulau Karimunjawa (just mind the rotten slats!). At dawn and dusk it’s a haven for birds and there’s a multi-tiered hide on the edge of the grove for excellent birdwatching.
5Eating
Most visitors eat either at their lodging or at a neighbouring hotel, but there are extra options in the main town of Karimunjawa, where a growing number of restaurants and bars offer typical Indonesian dishes and grilled fish. Standard international fare such as pizzas is also available and the odd cafe is making an appearance.
Cafe AmoreINTERNATIONAL$
(Jl Sutomo, Karimunjara Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; mains 25,000Rp; h4-10pm; W)
Occupying a lovely spot among reconstructed wooden joglo fronting the marina, this atmospheric restaurant, with its palm-tree garden and mowed lawns, is a perfect place for a sundowner. Food is served after 7pm.
Night MarketINDONESIAN$
(Alun-Alun, Jl Diponegoro, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; meals 50,000Rp; h6-9pm)
A local favourite for dinner is the night market on the alun-alun in the centre of Karimunjawa town. Over a dozen stalls offer tasty ikan bakar (grilled fish), grilled corn, fried bananas, fresh juice and more. Diners sit lesahan-style on a mat on the grass field.
Eat & MeetINTERNATIONAL$$
(%0297-319 1103; Jl Sutomo, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; burgers 70,000Rp; h4-11pm)
A very popular restaurant in the middle of town, Eat & Meet brings out delicious thin-crust pizzas from an on-site oven. Interesting local dishes include marinated fish wrapped in a banana leaf (65,000Rp), but most travellers are attracted by the burgers and familiar Western favourites.
Best View RestoINTERNATIONAL$$
(%0812 3556 3136; Coco Huts, Jl Danang Jaya, East Coast, Pulau Karimunjawa; mains 30,000-65,000Rp; h5-10pm Mon-Sat)
In common with several hotels on Pulau Karimunjawa, non-residents are welcome for dinner, offering a different experience to eating in town. It’s worth arriving early as it has commanding views over the sea. Fresh pizza gives some variety to the menu.
7Shopping
DewandaruGIFTS & SOUVENIRS
(%0856 4010 1008; Jl Diponegoro, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa; h8am-11pm)
One of surprisingly few tourist shops in town, this small outlet sells official Karimunjawa National Park merchandise, including T-shirts (190,000Rp to 230,000Rp).
8Information
The small tourist information booth (%085 325 0673, 0297-312253; Ferry Terminal, Karimunjawa Town, Pulau Karimunjawa) at the harbour is usually open to greet boats. The Semarang tourist office can also help with practicalities.
There’s a BRI ATM in the village that takes MasterCard, but it can run out of money, so bring ample cash.
8Getting There & Away
Flights and ferries connect the mainland of Java with Pulau Karimunjawa (the main island). Violent weather between December and February, and high winds at any time of year, can disrupt travel, but in calm weather both function on schedule most of the time. Ferries are more frequently cancelled due to weather than flights.
It’s vital to book transport well ahead, especially on weekends and during high season.
AIR
It is possible to reach Pulau Karimunjawa by air from both Semarang (650,000Rp, 40 minutes, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and Surabaya (600,000Rp, 1½ hours, every Tuesday and Thursday) with Nam Air (www.sriwijayaair.co.id) or Air Fast (%0215-200696; www.airfastindonesia.com). Planes with Air Fast are tiny and seat just 12, so book ahead. The flight itself can be an adventure, but if winds are calm it’s a magical ride.
BOAT
Karimunjawa’s boat connections are fairly reliable, and there are links from both Semarang and Jepara. Check all schedules with the Semarang tourist office, which can also book tickets and make reservations.
At the time of research, from Jepara’s Kartini harbour, the Express Bahari boat (executive class 230,000Rp, two hours) sailed to Pulau Karimunjawa on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 9am and Saturdays at 10am, returning on Mondays at noon, Wednesdays at 11am, Saturdays at 7am and Sundays at 11am. The Siginjai (economy 150,000Rp) sails from Jepara on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 7am, but takes four to six hours. Be warned, economy tickets are cheaper but they are also below deck in often-choppy seas, where seasickness is more common than not – never pleasant.
8Getting Around
From Pulau Karimunjawa, it costs 1,500,000Rp to charter a wooden boat for a half-day trip. Hiring a moped (from 65,000Rp per day) is a good way to get around the main island’s 22km of reasonable roads for those who know how to manage a hill start.