Yogyakarta Travel Forum

Dear all,
I am going to Java Island on 1st June 2008. I'll be there for a week ,leaving on 7th June via Jakarta. My plan is to travel to Bandung from Jakarta. Then take a train from Bandung to either Solo or Jogjakarta. Then return to Jakarta for a flight back to Malaysia.
Would appreciate if someone can advise me on:

1. Places to visit in Jakarta, Banding, Solo and Jogjakarta
2. Cheap hotel or preferably homestay where I can taste the Indonesian way of life.
3. Cheap mode of transport from these towns.
Thank you

Hi, I have been in Yogyakarta in March, and stayed in hotel Kota, Jalan Agran Lor 1, (at the West-end of Jalan Pasar Kembang). The price for a room for 2 persons is between 120.000 and 260.000 Rp (for the best one). Every room has a private bathroom with hot shower. Airco and a fan. It's an old kolonial building (Dutch) and a small hotel, only about 10 rooms. There are rooms in the front of the hotel (noisy) and there are rooms in the back (very quiet). You can ask to show you some rooms first. It is runned by Javanese people, they are very friendly and won't try to disturb you by trying to sell you tours. But they will call you a taxi if you ask for it, or help you with whatever you need. A few of them speak English, the woman speaks it very good. I have only seen Indonesian guests. It is a safe hotel. Close to Malioborostreet (about 15 min. walking), and on the opposite of the trainstation "stasiun Tugu".
A lot of becakdrivers are always waiting in the Jalan Pasar Kembang and in the Jalan Malioboro.
I think you can take the train to Jakarta, Solo and Bandung.
Have a nice journey!
Selma.

Again, a traveller wanting to do see and do too much in just one week.
I would skip Solo and just concentrate on Bandung and Yogjakarta.

On arrival at the airport it might be best timewise for you to get a bus the Primajasa to Bandung- the ticket office for Primajasa is just outside the exit door to your right- they leave every hour and take just on 3 hrs to get to Bandung.
Be aware they will drop you at the new Supermal in Bandung and then you will need to get a taxi to wherever you are staying.
Make sure you have the correct address of your accomodation place because many of the taxi drivers do not know where the places are.
I just recently experienced this on May 2nd.
I stayed at By Moritz in Bandung in the room at the top with the private garden and inside bathroom- cost 100,000/night. Just loved it there.
Will try to find the address for you.
After Bandung suggest a train to Yogjakarta leaving at 7.30am and arriving about 3.30pm.
Have travelled from Bandung to Yogjakarta by train before in 2006. Left at 7.30am and arrived in Yogja at 3.30 pm- nice pleasant trip- great scenery to look at on the way.

Trains are the best way to travel in Java- very comfortable, loads of space and you can air con as well if you want- but be aware it is extremely cold.
On May 6th I travelled from Bandung to Jakarta on a train left 7.30am arrived Gambir station 10.35am- was on time and only cost 45,000 rp.
They have a special promotion on at this time- not sure if it will still be on in June.

When you are leaving Yogajkarta suggest you get the OVERNIGHT train direct to Gambir Train Station in Jakarta as it is much quicker than the day train.
This will save you so much time.
There are Damri buses from Gambir station to take you out to the airport- they leave about every hour, cost 20,000 rupiah and take about an hour to get to the airport.
Hope I have been of some help and have not confused you.
Willing to answer any other questions you might have.
Pamela.

If you want to see jakarta. You can select from this website
http://www.jakarta-tourism.go.id/. To travel in the city take transjakarta, this BRT is anti traffic jam.

I have got no idea about theplace to visit in bandung. but check this out.
http://www.bandungtourism.com/ or this http://www.visitbandung.net/
If yogya just check this.
http://www.jogjatourism.com/
http://www.jogja.com/tourism/
http://www.yogyes.com/

About hotel, the cheap one in Jakarta at Jalan Jaksa, but you have to be selective not to choose wrong one.

If in Jogja, the most comfortable budget hotel is at Prawirotaman Street (as more quite and so homy), but if you want to go to the city (Malioboro and others) you have to walk. But do not worry as there is transjogja which operates till 10 pm. But from Prawirotaman you have to walk to its closest bus stop which is around POJOK BENTENG (Kraton wall corner). But if you want to stay at Malioboro street, there are alots hostel there. But for me its not so convy and many people there. In Jogja I recommed to use Transjogja as it safe, clean, airconditioned. Compared with the normal city bus. check this out
www.transjogja.net

Im sorry I cant give you info about Solo, but if you want to go there it willjust take 1 hour from Jogja main train station (Station Tugu). Use pramex (prambanan express), it a commuter train and will cost you just 7.000 rps. The frequence of this train is every 2 hour. Check the schedule here
http://www.friendster.com/photos/13490700/253223835/61037
In Solo you can visit the palace, pasar klewer (for batik shoping, the priceis really cheap).

If you travel from Jakarta to Bandung, there are some train schedule. From Bandung to Yogyakarta the cheap one is use Parahyangan Train. Its the cheap business class, it will cost you around 60.000 to 80.000 rps (I do not know the actual price). Dont ever take economy class, unless you willbe suffereing with the crowd and the safety. Better you stay in Jogja as from Jogja, to go to solo just take 1 hour. The thing is, all the cities you choose has a train line, and you can arrange the schedule to travel with train. But find out the schedule and time table of those trains to maximize your trip.
ABout the whole train schedule in Indonesia check this out.
http://infoka.kereta-api.com/

It will be tiring as you have to come back to jakarta to get your flight to Malaysia. As actuall there is a direct flight from YOgyakarta to Malaysia with Malaysian airline and Air Asia.

Have a nice trip.

Hi,
while in Yogyakarta you can getting around easily with Transjogja. Right now they have 6 route, but the perfect one for sightseeing is number 1A. This bus also go to Prambanan temple and Adi Sucipto Airport.
The fare for 1 trip is Rp 3.000, and as long as you dont go out from the shelter, you dont have to pay for the next ride.
For more information about Yogya try to visit www.gudeg.net
Happy travelling...