Yogyakarta

Health & safety

Dangers & annoyances

Yogya has its fair share of thieves – be particularly wary when catching buses to Borobudur and Prambanan.

More obvious (and often more annoying) are batik salespeople who’ll strike up a conversation pretending to be guides or simply instant friends. Inevitably you’ll end up at a gallery where you’ll get the hard sell and they’ll rake in a big commission if you buy. A time-honoured scam is the special batik exhibition that is being shipped to Southeast Asia – this is your ‘last chance’ to buy, at maybe 50 times the real price. Another is the only government-sponsored shop in Yogya where students from the Fine Arts school display their wares: there are no official shops or galleries in the city.

Becak drivers offering ‘special rates’ of 500Rp or 1000Rp for one hour are also trying to get you into a batik gallery.

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While you're there

Medical services

Ludira Husada Tama Hospital (620333; Jl Wiratama 4; 24hr)

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