JOGJAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Jogjakarta has always been my top local travel destinations in Indonesia, when I am writing these travel guide stories, I find it hard for me to start with them, not only because each place is different, they are also charming in their own way, if you ask me what I truly love the most about Jogjakarta, then it's most likely the humbleness of the overall, and the people. As an Indonesian myself, I must say that I find Indonesians to generally be friendly (and it's normal to sometimes meet the insane-rude jerks), but Jogjakarta people are what you call "friendly times 100".
This post is going to be your guide to travelling in Jogjakarta, and if this is your first time planning a trip here, I hope this post can help you plan a good one. This is certainly not a complete list because I'm here on a limited time and I do need more to surf Jogjakarta and around, I have been to Jogjakarta five times in my life and there is just something so mysterious about Jogjakarta that I find each visit to be quite different.
CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATE
Jogjakarta is a part of the Republic of Indonesia and our only currency is Indonesian Rupiah (IDR or Rp). By August 22nd, 1 USD = IDR 13.800 and changing on a daily basis, visit this website for exchange rate update.
WEATHER
Indonesia is located in the Southeast Asia, meaning we are one of the tropical countries where weather is either rainy, hot or hotter. Indonesia is overall hot and humid with a chance of rain. Dry season in Indonesia occurs from April-September and rainy season from October-May. I personally won't say this is valid anymore because it's currently August and it rains almost every single day during the moment this post is being typed.
COMMUNICATION
Some of the top telecommunication providers in Indonesia are Telkomsel, XL, Indosat and 3. I personally am a user of XL and Telkomsel so I can't really give much details on Indosat and 3, but what I can tell you is that XL and Telkomsel each has their plus and minus. If you happen to be living and having a trip to Jakarta, XL is what I would recommend due to the faster internet and cheaper (and worth the value) internet in general, but when you're actually travelling outside the big cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan or Bali, then you're going to need Telkomsel FOR SURE. PERIOD. It's the only provider with the largest scope of mobile data signal.
ACCOMMODATION
EVERYTHING in Jogjakarta is either cheap or OMFG cheap, and accommodation is included. I was pretty shocked when I only need to pay barely $60 per night for a 4-star hotel here in Jogjakarta (with breakfast). The accommodation in Jogjakarta is very affordable and reasonably priced with proper size room.
Average cost for:
Hostels in Jogjakarta: IDR 100k/night
Boutique hotels: IDR 200-350k/night
4&5-star hotels: IDR 600k-IDR 1.5 mil/night
TRANSPORTATION
There are some local transportations that are commonly used: angkot (humble communal van with no AC), local bus, taxi, becak, delman and Trans Jogja. Trans Jogja is basically the humble and less glam version of Jakarta's Trans Jakarta but with the same function which is as the mass road transport. I wouldn't recommend taking angkot, becak, delman or local bus here (especially if you're a tourist), taxis here are quite cheap to me (because I live in Jakarta and I know how expensive the taxis here are) and since Jogjakarta now supports Uber, Grab Car, Go Car and Gojek, it literally made all my travelling here WAY easier.
FOOD AND EATING OUT
"Ramai kaki lima menjajakan sajian khas berselera orang duduk bersila"
KLA PROJECT - JOGJAKARTA
Quoting KLA Project's famous 90s hit "Jogjakarta" and it perfectly describes Malioboro's food scene where it's packed with food stalls Lesehan style where people sit on the floor shoeless. In no way this single post can cover what to eat in Jogjakarta as there are A LOT and I obviously have to make another individual post just for the food. Eating out in Jogjakarta is super cheap, just how Jogjakarta is in general. When In Jogjakarta, I highly recommend you guys to surf the local F&B scene if you're a first timer here rather than the cafes and restaurants because most Java island provinces outside Jakarta are the champs when it comes to local food. Some of the must try Jogja local food are Gudeg (for sure), Lotek, Sate Klathak, Sate Petir, Mangut Lele, Ayam Geprek, humble Angkringan & Lesehan food and many more. Believe me I am going to abuse the word "humble" in the best way A LOT here. A portion of Gudeg or Lotek can go as cheap as IDR 12k and local orange juice can go as cheap as IDR 4k. DAMN!
Hip cafes and coffee shops are located along Sudirman and Prawirotaman area, if you're a sweet tooth don't forget to visit Il Tempo del Gelato in Prawirotaman, to me it's the best gelato shop in Jogjakarta with flavor, quality and price very close to Bali's Gusto, also in Prawirotaman: Sellie Coffee, Warung Bu Ageng and Via Via, a coffee shop and restaurants used as as the set for Ada Apa Dengan Cinta 2 that's popular among locals.
MONEY SAVING TIPS
Jogjakarta is super cheap already that I don't know if you need to save anymore money. IDR 1 mil should be enough for four days FOR TWO (but again depends on how you manage spending it), but still I am giving you the picture on how to save more when travelling in Jogjakarta.
Take public transportations
The most convenient way to explore Jogjakarta is either by renting a car (if you come in groups) or just go take the Uber, Grab cars or Gojek if you travel alone (or with someone), but if you really want to save up for more, then take local public transportations such as Trans Jogja or public bus to browse the city, and you only need to learn the mapping to know where you're going. For the sake of experience, you can take becak or delman here, but I don't recommend them because they mostly cooperate with some local tenants and they will tour you around the assigned stores and will make you shop there! Well to me it's quite irritating.
Eat local traditional food
As mentioned, Jogjakarta local food is AMAZING, and they're mostly hideously cheap too for Jakarta standard (sometimes I found them to be too cheap it's so unreal). Local food like Ayam Geprek Bu Rum with rice and drink should cost you around IDR 10k, where in the world can you find a food that cheap? Surely not in Jakarta.
SPOTS TO CHECK OUT
Alun-Alun Jogjakarta
Alun-Alun Jogjakarta is certainly the top notch night entertainment in Jogjakarta. Forget about the night clubs and alcohols, you can party here with a lot of joy, togetherness, musics and perfect ambience. Alun-Alun Jogjakarta is divided into two: the north and the south Alun-Alun. The southern part is certainly where the "more fun" part is, and also the home for the "Mysterious Trees". The old belief mentioned that whoever succeed in passing the alley in between the two trees can get whatever the wish they have, some also said that the person must have a good and pure heart. Well, I hope it's true because I friggin succeed, even better, on my first trial!!! (Gotta highlight that one). Kind heart (check), I hope my wishes come true! Things like this make me believe in the power of the trees *major LOL*.
Benteng Vredeburg
Benteng Vredeburg is like the mini and better-organized version of Jakarta's Fatahillah and built by the Dutch government back in 1765 when Indonesia was still under them. Inside the complex are white ports and traditional houses and locals treat the complex as their very own local park where they can chill around with their friends here sitting on the grass, I also noticed a group of students did their yearbook photoshoot here. It might be smaller, but I personally prefer this than Fatahillah.
Benteng Vredeburg is located around the Malioboro and near to Kraton Yogyakarta and Gedung Agung.
Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko temples
Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia and once featured as one of the top 7 wonders of the world. I have been here 3 times in my life and while I normally give up and has the least interest towards cultural site craps, Borobudur is an exception. It is beautiful, it is pretty and most importantly, it is rich (cultural value wise). Ticket price for Borobudur runs at IDR 30k/person (locals and Indonesian citizens) and IDR 135k (international tourists). You can book the Borobudur Sunrise package to experience the gorgeous sunrise with Borobudur in the frame (make sure you have a good wide lens to capture that) just like the ones you see on Google.
If you visit Prambanan temple, they also provide this package to have a little tour of "Ratu Boko", it's a different area and you need vans to take you there (but since I bought the package, there's a travel car). Ratu Boko provides super gorgeous sky view as well as the hills, they were bluer than water and greener than Iceberg lettuce.
Kebun Buah Mangunan
Kebun Buah Mangunan is technically a fruit farm and if you've been to Tebing Keraton before, this looks just like Tebing Keraton and people often wake up super early and pack the venue before sunrise house to capture and experience the super pretty sunrise scene. It was raining quite hard on my visit that I lost the chance!
Kota Gede
Kota Gede is Jogjakarta's very own silver district and it's the top tourist area to shop for silvers to carry home for personal use or as gifts. Kota Gede is also the complex of Mataram king tombs and people are more than welcome to enter the tomb complex with voluntary fund. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed.
Malioboro
Malioboro is the largest shopping district in Jogjakarta here you can find traditional clothings, accessories and hand-crafts in this area. I recommend going by night for the ambience is quite different (and better IMHO), it's a lot more free but in a good way, music everywhere, people dancing on the street like there's no tomorrow. It's just a refreshing scene to the eye!
Malioboro is where Mirota Batik is, a huge shop where you can purchase clothings, gifts, food, beverages, beauty products, it's sort of a department store/gift shop. Mirota Batik is also the home of Raminten, a local restaurant that's popular to locals and tourists for its one of a kind Cabaret show (on Friday and Saturday night) featuring Jogjakarta's version of drag queens.
Malioboro is just charming at night and photo below is the common scene of people having fun dancing to gamelan on the street!
Merapi
Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia and during the non-active years, locals take advantage and create the "Merapi Lava Tour" where visitors can book the Merapi tour and enjoy a short to long haul Merapi jeep tour including the visit to affected sites post eruption. I will talk about Merapi in a different post, but let me tell you something, I find it naturally beautiful.
Monumen Jogja Kembali
Monumen Jogja Kembali or also known as Monjali is a monument and museum which features the historical evidences of Indonesia's struggle for independence! Around the area is a very humble theme park featuring low budget Spongebob Squarepants and Doraemon that haunts me for days (for the lack of better English is friggin ugly auntie nay).
Pantai Parangtritis
Jogjakarta is the home of two gorgeous beaches: Parangtritis and Indrayanti beach, even though I didn't go to the Indrayanti due to the distance and the limited time, but I am still going to recommend the beach for what I've googled, as it's also another top recommendation from my lovely readers. Thank you guys! Enjoy those moments swept by the sea breeze and white windmill here, the wind blew quite hard making the beach hardly hot, Parangtritis might not have a lot to see but a good one or two hours here just sitting and strolling around should be a nice time.
Warung Kopi Klotok
Ah this traditional coffee shop that I have been missing lately. Anyway read the full review of Warung Kopi Klotok HERE.
Yogyakarta is beautiful in every possible way, it has this beautiful blend of everlasting old culture and young soul. It's the smile and kind heart of the people that leaves the biggest love in my heart. Can't wait to go back to Jogjakarta soon! I hope you enjoy reading this post and I hope this is beneficial for you too. Drop your comments below if you have anymore recommendations or in case I miss something. I look forward to see & read your Jogjakarta travel story. Tag me on Instagram please ;)
THANK YOU FOR READING!!!
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