Beyond the market, the original Chinese quarter begins, home to old temples such as Hong Tik Hian and Surabaya’s oldest Chinese shrine, the 18th-century Hok An Kiong. From late afternoon until early morning the western part of the market turns into an emporium for freshly caught fish. The mosque compound is approached via a narrow, covered bazaar with a decidedly Middle Eastern ambiance.įurther south, amidst crumbling colonial-era shop-houses, the vast Pasar Pabean market is a warren of stalls and alleys. The richly atmospheric Arab quarter, generally known simply as Ampel, is centred on the mosque and tomb of Sunan Ampel, one of the legendary saints said to have spread Islam in Java. The most interesting areas of the city are the old Arab, Chinese and colonial neighbourhoods in the north. Prambanan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia © Shutterstock #9 Wander Surabaya’s historic neighbourhoodsĮast Java’s provincial capital, Surabaya, is known as the ‘City of Heroes’ because of the momentous first battle of the Indonesian revolution which took place here in November 1945. The best thing to do here is to visit the museums that line the square: Museum Sejarah Jakarta (Jakarta History Museum), which houses memorabilia from the colonial period the Museum Wayang (Puppet Museum), home to many puppets and masks including rare buffalo hide shadow puppets and the Museum Seni Rupa (Fine Arts Museum), which features paintings and sculptures by modern Indonesian artists. The main square of Jakarta bustles at weekends with street entertainers, old-fashioned bicycle rentals, artists and food vendors. Adjacent colonial buildings have been converted into museums, and the whole neighbourhood has been considerably gentrified in recent years. Most of Old Batavia was demolished at the beginning of the 19th century, but the town square area survived and has been restored and renamed Taman Fatahillah (Fatahillah Square). Kota is the heart of the old 17th-century Dutch settlement at Batavia, originally a walled town modelled on Amsterdam. Here's what to do in Java: #1 Explore the great Fatahillah Square in Kota, Jakarta Attracting climbers, trekkers and birdwatchers, plus divers and those searching for cool, clean mountain air, Java is an island where you can stay in a traditional village one day and be sucked into the great cultural cities of Yogyakarta and Solo the next. © Fehmiu Roffytavare / Shutterstock Best things to do in JavaĬovered by forest, studded by volcanos, fringed by beautiful beaches and clear water, there is no shortage of things to do in Java. By 1900, the population had soared to 28 million and today stands at around 140 million. Then in the 19th century, a forced-labour cultivation system instigated by the Dutch to increase food supplies resulted in a spiralling birth rate. Wet-rice cultivation was the basis of civilisation, and as long as the population was small, farmers produced vast surpluses. For 1,000 years, from the time of the great Hindu-Buddhist empires up to the early 1800s, Java’s population of 3.5 million remained relatively stable. Two parks – Kepulauan Seribu and Karimunjawa – are marine preserves, luring water-lovers to their shores Alas Purwo has some of the best surfing this side of Hawaii.Īround half of Java’s inhabitants still live in rural areas, with many still making a living as farmers or fishermen. Trekking, climbing, birdwatching and wildlife-spotting at Gunung Bromo, Ujung Kulon and Gunung Merapi attract adventurers and naturalists. Outside its realm are Borobudur and Prambanan and countless smaller temples, remnants of glorious past kingdoms. Its rich courtly culture, refined manners, elevated language and proud traditions make it the traditional wellspring of Javanese culture. At the heart of Java is Yogyakarta, where painters, gamelan musicians, batik artists and dancers study and perform.
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