| Yogyakarta (also known as "Yogya") is a special city in Indonesia.
It has also a special region status (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta - DIY). For
tourists, Yogya is probably the second choice of city to visit after
Bali.
[I was born in this city, but have only visited twice. What
a shame. The last visit was September 2000, in which I gave a talk at Univeritas
Ahmad Dahlan. I'll write more on this when I have more time.]
Traditional food (such as "gudeg") is good and cheap. Many people
eat on the street, sitting on the floor. This is called "lesehan". Becareful
before you eat, ask first for the price. There are some bad food stalls who
charge you an arm and a leg. Another popular snack is "Bakpia Pathok". If
your stomach is very picky about the food you eat (like mine), then you'll
find Mc Donald's, KFC, Dunkin Dunuts shops.
There's a lot of hotels, houses to stay. The last time I stayed there
(September 2000), my hotel was around Rp 80.000/night (about US$10). A very
good hotel (3 or 4 stars, called Ibis hotel) is around Rp 200,000 (about
US$25).
Things to buy
Batik. You can find various type of Batik shirts, shorts, table
cloth, and more.
Silver. Close to Yogya there is a city called Kota Gede, which
is famous for its silvery.
What to visit
Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in existence
in the world. [Still in search for a legal picture of Borobudur.] Other than
the Borobudur, you can visit other famous temples such as Prambanan.
Malioboro street. The street where you can find things to buy.
Down town area. If you've never been to Malioboro street, then you've never
been in Yogya. You can ride "becak" (a pedalled 3-wheel thing) to go to this
street. In fact, there's also becak that can take your around Malioboro for
Rp 1,000 (US 15cents). Cheap! On this street you'll find people selling
souvenirs, batiks, and stuff. They are cheaper than things you'll find in
store. So buy them there. You may have to haggle to get the right price,
though. Walk around and you'll find the right price.
Dagadu. It's a popular
T-shirt maker with funny text (unfortunately in Indonesian language). The
real Dagadu T-shirts are sold in the Mall. You'll find lots of Dagadu
clones. |
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Related Links
Dagadu
I want pictures... Well, you'll just have to wait. |
