Central Java
Over the last 50 years, the stonework of this once-substantial fort has been pillaged, but the site has good views across town to the Java Sea. The small…
Must-see attractions in Java
Surabaya
A holdover from the early 20th century, the former governor's residence, with its front porch colonnade and touches of gold paint, fronts an expanse of…
East Java
Visits to this coffee plantation include a wander through coffee groves and an informal tour of the plantation’s factory. It also has thermal pools and a…
West Java
Pantai Karang Hawu, 4km west of Cimaja, is a towering cliff with caves, rocks and pools created by a large lava flow. According to legend, it was here…
East Java
The small village of Sumber Brantas, far above Selekta resort, and in a gorgeous misty mountain setting, is at the source of the Sungai Brantas (Brantas…
Yogyakarta
In the northwest of the city, this museum honours the Indonesian hero, Prince Pangeran Diponegoro, who was leader of the bloody but futile rebellion of…
East Java
Ambunten is the largest settlement on the north coast and has a bustling market. Just over the bridge, you can walk along the picturesque river, which is…
West Java
The chief landmark of Banten is the 16th-century mosque Mesjid Agung, which was once a good example of early Islamic architecture; its great white…
Jakarta
One of the more impressive buildings in Kota is the red-tiled facade of Toko Merah (or 'Red Shop'), which dates back to 1730. It was once the home of…
East Java
Bull races are held in and around Pamekasan every Sunday from the end of July until early October; during October each year the city throbs with the…
Jakarta
Barack Obama attended this government-run elementary school from 1969 to 1971. It's in a fairly posh neighbourhood and is known as the school of choice…
Jakarta
You can still see vestiges of the 18th-century Dutch shipyards and warehouses that stood on this site. The main building dates to 1628 and has been…
Yogyakarta
This small museum includes a pendopo (large, open-sided pavilion) that can hold a full gamelan orchestra. One of the main attractions here is the pretty…
West Java
If you want to visit a tea plantation, head for the Malabar Tea Estate, where you can tour the grounds and stay at the creaky, colonial guesthouse, the…
Yogyakarta
When it comes to street art, Yogya is one giant gallery with every wall covered in graffiti, stencils, murals and paste-ups. A good spot to see some of…
East Java
The village of Tanjung Bumi is situated on the northwest coast of Madura, about 60km from Kamal. Although primarily a fishing village, it is also a…
Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta
Just east of Merdeka Square, Lapangan Banteng is surrounded by some of Jakarta’s best colonial architecture. It was first designed by the Dutch in the…
Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta
This Roman Catholic cathedral is an impressive height, with lacy twin spires made from wrought iron, each 60m tall. It was built in 1901 to replace an…
Jalan Jaksa Area
A post-independence and appealingly bombastic statue depicting a farmer who became a soldier in the fight for independence from the Dutch. It shows the…
Semarang
Built in 1753, this elegant church is graced with a huge cupola and marks the centre of the old colonial quarter of Semarang. The interior sports a…
East Java
Located in the same building as the tourist office, this small museum is devoted to culture from the area, with batik and traditional costumes, ceramics…
West Java
The Garut region is famed for its dodol – a confectionery of coconut milk, palm sugar and sticky rice. The Picnic brand (from 30,000Rp) is the best…
East Java
Near Arosbaya, 27km north of Kamal, the tombs of the Cakraningrat royalty are at Air Mata (Tears) cemetery, superbly situated on the edge of a small…
East Java
The stunning white sands of Pantai Lombang, 30km northeast of Sumenep, make it the best beach in Madura; there’s no development here to spoil the idyllic…
East Java
The small town of Bangkalan hosts occasional bull races. If you’ve time to kill before a race, see the Museum Cakraningrat.
East Java
This museum at Bangkalan will entertain you for an hour or so with displays on Madurese history and culture and exhibits that include a gamelan and…
Yogyakarta
This wonderful old carriage house exhibits the opulent chariots of the sultan. The leather-upholstered and intricately painted carriages tell their own…
Jakarta Planetarium & Observatory
Jakarta
Travel the galaxy in only an hour at this popular planetarium that's part of the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural complex. There are two to four shows each…
Jakarta
Shielded by a narrow opening, this backstreet temple feels like a secret discovery. It is heavily scented with the smells of incense and burning offerings…
Malang
Close to the city centre, the Balai Kota is an immense Dutch administrative building, built in a hybrid of Dutch and Indonesian architectural styles with…
East Java
Opposite the kraton, the Royal Carriage-House Museum contains the throne of Queen Tirtonegoro, a Chinese-style bed, which is reputedly 300 years old, and…
Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta
This classic church dates from 1834. The interior is smaller than you'd think but it has an evocative round dome and an organ from 1843. Ask to see the…
West Java
A traditional tofu factory where you can watch tofu being made and fried in coconut oil and then, the best bit, devour it in the cafe. It's a half-hour…
Central Java
The remains of this 9th-century Buddhist temple are 1.5km southeast of Prambaban. Around the temple’s base are carvings from the Jataka (episodes from the…
East Java
Sampang stages bull races and is the centre of the regency (administrative sub-division) of the same name.
Malang
Malang's largest public market. Expect fruit, beef, fish and more, much more. Busiest in the morning, it's worth a trawl for the people-watching as much…
East Java
From Pancur, a trail heads 2km inland through some good forest to Gua Istana, a small cave, and another 2km further on to Gua Padepokan. Both contain…
Surabaya
Pasar Pabean is a sprawling, darkly lit market, which links the Chinese and Arab Quarters, where you can buy everything from Madurese chickens to Chinese…
East Java
Hot springs high in the mountains. While the jungly surrounds are attractive, the springs themselves are a little run-down, and there's quite a lot of…
East Java
The tall and narrow single waterfall of Air Terjun Cubanrondo drops off the cliffs 5km southwest of Songgoriti.
