Java Indonesia – Your Quick Travel Guide

In a nutshell

Java is known as the central district of Indonesia and all the main cities are located here including big hitters like the capital Jakarta as well as cultural gems in the form of Yogyakarta and Bandung.

Where to go to Java

When it comes to where to go in Java you will be spoiled for choice as there are a huge range of places for you to check out as part of your trip.

Jakarta

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and is a throbbing metropolis that is also one of the most vibrant cities in the country. Some of the best nightclubs and bars are located here, and you can also check out the old district known as Kota Tua which is where you will find gorgeous architecture which dates from the colonial period. This is also the home of some of the most famous tourist attractions and monuments in Indonesia such as Monas, the monument to independence, as well as the Presidential Palace.

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is always said to be the cultural capital of Indonesia and part of this is down to it being a university town. This means that you can spend time here learning about ancient Indonesian arts and crafts such as batik making which is the art of making patterns on material using wax. You can also visit a wealth of historical monuments here such as the Kraton which is the home of the local Royal Family as well as quirky attractions like the local bird market which has colourful avians from all over the region.

Bandung

The city of Bandung is one of the less well known in Indonesia but it is also a great place to come to enjoy the local food scene and the dynamic cultural scene. Bandung is known for its delicious local street food and you can pick up snacks on every street corner such as spring rolls and local pancakes, and you can also use your time here to shop up a storm. Locals flock to Bandung in order to buy clothes as this part of Indonesia is known for its cutting edge fashion and abundance of denim stores.

When to go to Java

The best time to visit Java is in the dry season. The rainy season in this part of Indonesia is usually over the autumn and winter months but it can last from October until around April. At this time it can rain every single day although this usually only lasts for a few hours. The summer season, from June to August experiences the best weather but temperatures can be around 30°C which may be rather hot for some travellers.

Where to stay in Java

As you would expect, you will find a huge range of places to stay in Java, particularly in the capital city of Jakarta. In Jakarta you can choose from budget backpacker options to high end hotels which are usually five star international chains.

Outside of the main cities however you may find it a little more difficult to find a wide range of options, although all cities in Java like Bandung and Yogyakarta also have budget and mid-range hotels.

If you plan to go off the beaten track however outside these cities then you may find that you only have local hotels to choose from which are cheap but may not have a full range of amenities like hot water.

Where and what to eat in Java

Java has a delicious food scene but it is also rather different than other parts of the country. One of the issues is that the majority of residents in Java are Muslim so you may struggle to find pork products here. Another issue is that alcohol is not readily available in many places in Java, although you can still find it in big cities like Jakarta and Yogyakarta. On the whole, Java is known for its delicious food such as curries and soups which are usually served with rice. Some of the most famous dishes in Java are rawon, a kind of soup as well as soto which is chicken soup served with noodles.

How to get around Java

If you want to get around Java then fortunately you will have a lot of options. In most cases you may want to fly as this is arguably the quickest way to get between major cities like Jakarta and Bandung or Surabaya. Domestic tickets are also cheap and you can usually fly internally across Java for around IDR 500,000.

There is also a good bus system on the island and many people use overnight buses to get around as tickets are around IDR 200,000 depending on where you are going, so this is the cheaper option although you need to balance time versus money if you are planning a short trip to Indonesia.

How to get in and from Java

By air

Most people choose to get to Java by flying in to the capital which is Jakarta. This offers you the highest number of flight options as there are a number of both international and domestic routes available.

From Jakarta you can then either fly internally or make you way overland across Java.

It is also possible to fly internationally and domestically to Surabaya and Yogyakarta although you will not have such a wide variety of international routes to choose from.

By ferry

Another option if you are coming from Bali is to take the ferry from Bali across to Banyuwangi in Java. From here you can then travel to local points of interest on the island such as the Ijen Crater, Mount Bromo and also the city of Malang.

By bus and bus&ferry

If you are coming to Java from another island like Sumatra then you can also take a ferry across and this is usually included as part of a bus ticket if you choose to take the bus down through Sumatra and into Java. How much you will need to pay for a ticket depends on where you are coming from but even an overnight bus from the city of Medan in North Sumatra to Jakarta is only around IDR 200,000 making this a very affordable option, albeit a time consuming one. The buses are also usually rather old and can be uncomfortable although they usually come with air conditioning and a toilet on board.

As such, the best way to get to Java is probably by flying in to a major city as you can still get tickets for around IDR 500,000 for a domestic flight, or an international flight from a close destination such as Kuala Lumpur in the low season. Even in the high season, the time you save on travel still makes flying a competitive option if you use a low cost carrier such as Air Asia.

Is Java a safe place to visit?

Java is a relatively safe region to visit and violent crime is rare. There is some petty crime such as snatch theft which happens across all of Indonesia and you also need to be aware of mosquito borne diseases here such as dengue fever.

Technically some rural parts of Java also have malaria although it is unlikely that you will be bitten by a malarial mosquito unless you plan to travel to extremely remote areas.