Roundtrip 16 days Java by train

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Offerte

Round trip 19 days Java by train

During your train journey across Java, you will have the opportunity to visit various highlights along the way, such as the old harbor in Jakarta, the Art Deco buildings and angklung music school in Bandung, and of course, the Borobudur Temple and Mount Bromo. At the end of your trip, you’ll also visit the turtles in Sukamade. You can extend your trip with a stay in Bali, for example.

Java boasts an excellent railway network, allowing for comfortable travel between destinations. It is a fast and sustainable way to explore the island, with some trains even more luxurious than those in Europe. Onboard amenities include air conditioning, catering, and reserved seating, which is especially convenient for longer journeys. One of the well-known Indonesian expressions is “Jam Karet” or “rubber time”, meaning that not everything departs or arrives on schedule.

In most locations, you’ll arrange your own transportation between the station and your hotel. You can take a taxi or ask the hotel to drop you off at the station. If you prefer to have this arranged in advance, that can also be done!

During excursions in Bandung, Yogyakarta, Bromo, and Sukamade, you will have a car with a driver at your disposal.

At the end of your journey, you can travel from Kalibaru to Surabaya or Banyuwangi to return home or fly to your next destination. Alternatively, you can continue to Ketapang and take the ferry to Bali, where you can enjoy a few days of beach and culture.

It’s also possible to do the trip in reverse, starting from Bali or Surabaya and traveling by train to Jakarta, visiting the highlights along the way.

The program is a guide, but you are free to decide what to do at each destination. You can also pre-book the described day trips. For most station transfers, with a few exceptions, transportation is arranged independently.

If you are traveling with a guide, they will provide full attention and insights into the country and its customs. They will also handle local taxis and ensure everything runs smoothly.

This roundtrip is a sample how your trip could look like. The target prices are based on middle class hotels. Our Indonesia experts are happy to help you tailormade your trip to your demands.

Target prices 2025

€ 1.600 p.p. based on 2 persons in low season

Included and excluded

Including:
•Intercontinental and domestic flights
•Accommodations based on middle class hotels, including breakfast
•Mentioned transfers
•Mentioned train tickets
•Bromo excursion including entrance fee and jeep

Excluding:
•Excursions and entrance fees
•English speaking guide
•Other meals
•Tips and personal expenses
•Travel and cancellation insurance (mandatory)
•Booking costs € 30 per booking
•SGR contribution € 5 per person
•CO2 compensation € 22 per person

Offerte

Day 1 flight Amsterdam-Jakarta

Flight with Garuda Indonesia. Depart at the end of the morning with transfer in Medan. Arrival in the end of the morning.

Day 2 Arrival in Jakarta

Selamat Datang, welcome to Jakarta! After you have passed the immigration service and have taken your luggage off the belt, your driver or guide will be waiting for you at the exit with a name sign. Depending on the crowds, he will take you to your hotel in at least half an hour. Along the way you will see the skyline of Jakarta and the enormous bustle and activity of the city. In case of an early arrival you cannot check in directly to the hotel. You can already use the hotel facilities and acclimatize to the pool or enjoy a first "pijit" massage. Overnight in Jakarta.

Day 3 Jakarta city tour

Today we make a city tour through former Batavia. We visit among others the old harbour Sunda Kelapa where the beautiful and proud Buginese schooners are still loaded manually. We’ll also visit the old part of town, like the neighbourhood of Café Batavia where we’ll find the Fertility Canon. We also go to the Monas with its dome covered with gold leaf and the historic quarter surrounding the Fatahillah Square. Please note: Museums are closed on Monday Overnight in Jakarta city.

Day 4 Met de Whoosh hoge snelheidstrein naar Bandung

You will go to Gambir station on your own for the Argo Parahyangan train to Bandung. You have the train from 10:45 with arrival about 3 hours later. You will arrive in Bandung at around 2 PM. There you take a taxi to your hotel. Bandung is also known as the Paris of Java. It is a bit cooler here than Jakarta, for example. The city is located about 800 meters above sea level. Bandung still radiates much of the colonial past. Many buildings are built in Art Deco or Jugendstil. Overnight in Bandung.

Dag 5 Bandung daytrip Lembang, Tangkuban Perahu and Ciater hotspring

Today, you will have a car with a driver at your disposal for a full-day exploration of northern Bandung. Your journey begins with visits to the Geology Museum, Mandala Museum, and Villa Isola. You will then continue to the higher-altitude town of Lembang before reaching Tangkuban Perahu, a volcano whose name means "The Upside-Down Boat." Here, you can take a scenic walk along the crater and, for those looking for more adventure, extend the trek to Kawah Domas, a smaller, geyser-like crater. After visiting the volcano, you have the option to relax at the hot springs of Ciater. Some hotels in the area offer well-maintained pools where you can dip your feet or immerse yourself in the warm spring water. On the way back, you will stop at the Dago Tea House, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view over Bandung. If you feel like stretching your legs a bit more, you can also take a short walk to the 30-meter-high Curug Dago Waterfall.

Day 6 Bandung citytour and music at Saung Angklung Udjo

You can take a city tour today with the Bandros Bandung hop-on hop-off bus. The double-decker buses pass some highlights of Bandung. such as Art Deco Street Jalan Braga, the typical Gedung Saté building and various other monumental buildings. The bus also runs along the Cihanpelas, which is better known as Bandung Jeans street. Instead of the bus, you can also do a city tour by bicycle in the morning. Together with a guide you cycle through the quieter streets of Bandung to famous places. You start at the Gedung Sate, cycle along former Dutch streets such as the Jalan Riau, Jalan Cilaki and end at the Geological Museum. You will then be picked up from your hotel to go to the starting point. At the end of the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel or to the music school Saung Angklung Udjo. Led by the descendants of the late Pak Udjo, you can enjoy the Sundanese culture and a large group of enthusiastic children gives a dazzling show with a wayang performance, angklung music and dance. Overnight in Bandung.

Day 7 Bandung Borobudur Trein

An early wake-up for a beautiful journey by train from Bandung to Yogyakarta, a good 7-hour train ride.You travel comfortably seated in the air conditioned Kelas Eksekutif conditioning through the Preanger mountain area to Yogyakarta. There your driver is waiting for you to bring you to your hotel close to the Borobudur. 1 overnight in Borobudur area.

Day 8 Vrije dagen Magelang

Deze dagen staat er niets op het programma. Vanuit het Mesa Stila resort worden verschillende betaalde excursies georganiseerd en kunt u 's morgens les krijgen in traditionele Jamu (geneeskundige drankjes) maken, Yoga-cursues volgen, een plantagetour en in de middag een trekking naar lokale dorpjes maken. Dagelijks worden ook op wisselende dagen Batik-, Javaanse dans- en Janur (decoratie van kokosnootbladeren) cursussen gegeven.

Day 9 Borobudur and Yogyakarta city tour

Today, you will have a car with a driver and an English-speaking guide at your disposal for the entire day. After breakfast, your driver will take you to Borobudur, the world-famous and largest Buddhist temple complex in the world. A walk along over 1,400 reliefs will lead you to the highest terrace of the temple complex, where Buddha statues are seated under stupas. Following your visit, you will travel to the sultan city of Yogyakarta. You will visit attractions such as: The Kraton: The residence of the Sultan. The Water Palace. The Bird Market. A Batik Gallery: A typical Yogyakarta experience. Fort Vredeburg Museum. Malioboro Street: A bustling shopping street with numerous shops and stalls where you can enjoy delicious street food in the evening. You can also (optionally) attend a Ramayana ballet performance one evening at Prambanan Temple or Purawisata Yogyakarta (advance reservations recommended). 2 nights in Yogyakarta.

Day 10 Bicycle trip through the kampung and Yogyakarta streetfood

Enjoy one more day of Yogyakarta. In the early morning you will do a cycling excursion in the kampungs around Yogyakarta. You will pass rice fields, villages, temples and experience the middle Javanese life. Your local guide will be proud to explain. In the afternoon, around 2:30 PM, you will be picked up by motorbike taxi for the culinary Yogya tour. Take a peek into local kitchens and sample the specialties of Yogyakarta. You will return to the hotel around 7:00 PM.

Day 11 By train to Malang

You will arrange your own transfer to the station for the 10:50 AM Malioboro Express train to Malang. You are expected to arrive around 5:00 PM. Upon arrival at Malang station, you will arrange a taxi to your hotel. 1 overnight stay in Malang.

Day 12 From Malang to the Bromo vulcano

Today, you will have a car with a driver at your disposal for the entire day. After breakfast, you will explore the beautiful city of Malang. The former "mountain district" has largely remained the same since the Dutch colonial period. A visit to Kampung Warna Wira is highly recommended. Local students have revitalized this once-poor neighborhood with vibrant colors. To enter the kampung, you’ll cross a glass bridge. For lunch (at your own expense), you can visit the nostalgic restaurant Toko Oen, one of the few places in Java where you can order a Dutch-style kroket sandwich. After lunch, you will drive towards Mount Bromo, a journey of about three hours. For the more adventurous, there is an option to visit the Madakaripura Waterfall, located about 1.5 hours from Mount Bromo. If you wish to visit, discuss this with your driver the day before. Reaching the waterfall isn’t easy—after parking, you’ll take an ojek (motorbike taxi) 4 kilometers into the forest. The trek to the waterfall is challenging, involving wading through streams, muddy trails, passing smaller waterfalls, and scrambling over slippery rocks. After about half an hour, you will arrive at the magnificent waterfall, where you can take a dip. Slippers and a poncho are essential for this trek, and it’s advisable to wear shorts since you’ll be walking through water that can be more than knee-deep. After visiting the waterfall, you’ll continue your drive to Mount Bromo. Situated in the Tengger Mountains, Mount Bromo features four peaks and is one of the world’s most beautiful volcanic landscapes. The surrounding area is highly fertile. You will stay in a simple hotel on the edge of the Sea of Sand.

Day 13 Sunrise at Bromo and onwards to Kalibaru

Around three o'clock you will be awakened to make a trip to the Bromo. You will be taken by jeep to the viewing area on the edge of the Tengger kaldera. Although you are certainly not alone, in the high season there can be more than 500 visitors, there is a serene tranquility at the viewpoint. Everyone comes for the beautiful and mystical sunrise. From the platform you have a view of the sand sea and its four craters and in the background you can see the volcano Semeru regularly blowing a thrust into the air. Bring your sweater and windbreaker, it is very cold in the early morning! After the sunrise, return by jeep to the sandy sea. Here you can walk or on a horse (about 100,000 rupia) to the foot of the Bromo. Via about 300 steps you climb the Bromo crater to look from the crater rim into the crater of the volcano. After the Bromo, return to the hotel for breakfast. Your driver will then take you in an hour and a half to Probolinggo station for the 11:00 Mutiara Timur train to the rural village of Kalibaru. A train journey of over three hours. Overnight in Kalibaru.

Day 14 Sukamade plantation tour and the sea turtles in the Meru Betiri Park organized by Kalibaru cottages

After breakfast, depart by jeep to the Meru Betiri National Park. Along the way you will witness life on the rubber, cocoa and palm plantations and see how in the last century the irrigation works still prove their service. Lunch is taken in a fishing village on Rajekwesi Bay. In the afternoon you arrive in Sukamade, where you will stay in the very simple pondok Wisata Baru or the Sukamade Mess (no hot water, sometimes no shower but a mandibak, sometimes yes and sometimes no electricity. Take toilet paper from your hotel). You visit the turtle nursery here and you can usually release young turtles on the beach. Around six o'clock you will have a simple dinner in the Pondok. Then you travel by jeep for half an hour towards the beach. The last kilometer has to be covered by foot through the forest. The local guide goes looking for nests on the beach. Once he has found a nest he will pick you up. The turtles that come to lay eggs here range from 150 - 350 kilos and lay about 100 - 150 eggs in about two hours, which hatch after 8 weeks. To prevent poachers and increase the chances of survival of the young turtles, the eggs are dug up and transferred to a shed near the Pondok. After hatching, the young turtles keep strengthening for a few days before they are released into the sea. Very simple overnight stay in Sukamade!

Day 15 Back to Kalibaru

After breakfast, you will visit the old factory where latex is produced. Following this, you will return to the fishing village, where the fishermen typically arrive around that time to unload their catch. You will be back at your hotel in Kalibaru around 1:00 PM. 1 overnight stay in Kalibaru.

Day 16 By train to Surabaya or ferry to Bali

After breakfast, you will transfer from the guesthouse to Kalibaru station for the 11:20 Probowangi train to Ketapang. From there, you can take the ferry to cross over to Bali. Depending on your preferences, Merapi will arrange transportation by car or minibus to your destination in Bali. If you prefer to skip Bali, you take the 12:10 Wijayakusuma train to Surabaya. Upon arrival, you will take a taxi to your hotel. 2 overnights in Surabaya.

Day 17 Vrije dag in Surabaya

This day is free to spend as you wish. You can inquire at the reception about excursion options or book a car with a driver to explore the city. Surabaya boasts many interesting buildings from the Dutch colonial period, and the harbor is also well worth a visit!

Day 18 Vertrek vanaf Surabaya

vlucht Surabaya-Amsterdam via Jakarta

Surabaya-Amsterdam (Garuda)

Vertrek vanuit Surabaya in de avond naar Jakarta Hier stapt u over op de nachtvlucht naar Amsterdam. Aankomst op Schiphol in de loop van de ochtend.

Day 19 Arrival Amsterdam

In the morning arrival at Schiphol. The end of a beautiful trip...

Offerte

Mercure Batavia - Jakarta

ercure Jakarta Batavia is located in the old part of Jakarta (formerly Batavia), 500 meters from the Fatahillah Museum and Café Batavia. The nostalgic hotel has 376 modern rooms with a view over the city. The hotel offers free WiFi and features a restaurant and bars, a swimming pool and a fitness center. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Savoy Homann - Bandung

Selamat datang di tempo doeloe! The beautiful Art Deco-style Savoy Homann is located in one of the colonial neighbourhoods in the centre of Bandung on the old Post Road Jalan Asia Africa. The rooms have now been modernized but the public areas have luckily kept the Art Deco style. In the beautiful domed restaurant surrounded by galleries you can still see the small inside balconies and the glass elevator. All spacious rooms have air conditioning, TV, telephone, minibar, coffee and tea making facilities, marble bathroom and safe. Some rooms have a balcony. Very extensive breakfast buffet. Number of rooms: 185 Facilities: Swimming pool, Garden Restaurant (Asian and Western cuisine), Batavia bar and lounge (cocktails, regular live music), Sidewalk Café (cocktails, snacks), karaoke, game room (video games), fitness room, Spa, hairdresser, shop, laundry- and room service, meeting rooms and wifi. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Amata Borobudur resort

Op slechts 4 kilometer van de Borobudur liht het typisch Javaanse Amata Borobudur resort. Het kleinschaligre resort heeft kamers in een hoofdgebouw die wij niet aanbieden, bungalows van 35 m2, iets ruimere en luxere Deluxe bingalows en riante familiebungalows. Vanuit het resort worden diverse excursies en activiteiten aangeboden: meditatiesessies, village tours, rafting en de Andong (paard & wagen) tours door typisch Javaanse dorpjes. Het resort heeft een prima restaurant. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Puri Asri - Magelan

A lovely hotel with many outdoor facilities. Puri Asri is located just outside Magelan, about a 30 minute drive from the Borobudur, in a beautiful area between mountains and rice fields on a river where you can go rafting. From the veranda in front of your room you overlook the valley. Because the hotel is built in floors against a mountain slope, you can always call the reception to bring you up or down with the help of a golf cart. Children will have fun here at the beautiful pool, ponies and playground. A survival course is available on the site for the older children. If desired, you can stay here in a private villa with your own pool. All rooms have AC, telephone, TV, minibar, coffee and tea making facilities, bathroom, safe, wifi and private balcony / terrace. Number of rooms: 193 Facilities: 2 restaurants (Indonesian, Chinese and European cuisine), Café (drinks and snacks), 2 swimming pools, children's pool, fitness room, outdoor activities, volleyball and badminton court, playground, spa, souvenir shop, laundry and room service, business centre. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Dusun Yogya village Inn

Het kleinschalige (24 kamers) Dusun Yogya village Inn boutique hotel ligt op zo'n 15 minuten lopen van de gezellige Jalan Praworitaman. Het hotel is weids opgezet met de Deluxe kamers in een 2 verdiepingen tellend gebouw. Alle kamers beschikken over eigen badkamer/toilet, ruim zitje of balkon, airco, tv, föhn, telefoon, kluisje, gratis WiFi en waterkoker. De suite is nog wat ruimer opgezet en heeft als extra een espressomachine. Er is een ruim zwembad met een kinderbad. Het open restaurant serveert Aziatische en westerse gerechten. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Enny's Guesthouse - Malang

This cozy guesthouse is run by, how else, Enny. A somewhat older lady who speaks Dutch fluently. The simple clean guesthouse has 30 rooms, situated around a garden inspired by the Bromo landscape. The staff is very helpful. Enny's guesthouse is located in the centre of Malang, close to cafes, shops, restaurants, the market and supermarkets. There are still many colonial-era houses in the neighbourhood. All rooms have a bathroom with shower and toilet, TV and a seating in front of the room door. Economy rooms are equipped with a fan, most of the standard rooms and all deluxe rooms, as well as the exotic bamboo rooms, with AC. Number of rooms: 30. Facilities: Wifi in all rooms and lobby, free tea / coffee self-service 24 hours a day, drinks you get from the refrigerator, Continental and Indonesian breakfast in the kitchen / dining room, meals are on request by Enny, daughter and staff for you prepared, batik-shop, excursion possibilities and rental of lockers. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Lava View Cottages - Bromo

Lava View is a very simple hotel, but ideally located directly on the edge of the Caldera, about half an hour's drive from the viewpoint of the sunrise over the Bromo. With good weather you have a magnificent view of the Bromo and other volcanoes from the hotel. The sunset over the volcanic landscape is also very impressive. The hotel has various room types divided into superior, deluxe, family rooms and bungalows. The superior rooms are not recommended and only have twin beds. Number of rooms: 28 The simple rooms are equipped with bathroom, TV, coffee / tea making facilities and have a terrace. Facilities: Restaurant serving Asian and European dishes, breakfast buffet, Café, Wifi. There is often live music in the evening. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Margo Utomo I and II - Kalibaru

The plantation hotel Margo Utomo I is a simple guesthouse with a farm with Dutch cows and a mini plantation. When you stay at this hotel you can get a free guided tour of the plantation. Nutmeg, coffee, salak and palm oil are produced here in an eco-friendly way. You can also buy these products at the reception. The pool is a nice place to relax and you can eat inside or outside at the restaurant. All cottages are located in a beautiful garden, have a fan, private bathroom and terrace. The Superior and Deluxe rooms are located in the Margo Utomo II (Hill view) and are a bit further away. Number of rooms: 51 (I) and 30 (II) Facilities: Pool, restaurant, wifi (lobby), doctor, massage, Spa, tours-transport service and laundry service. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Rumah Senang - Kalibaru

Senang, you feel good, that's what you do while staying in Rumah Senang. The guesthouse with 4 rooms is located a few kilometers from the village of Kalibaru. At the front you have a view of the Gunung Raung (3,300 meters) and at the back on the Gunung Putri with the river Kalibaru and the jungle. You can walk here with or without a guide. Number of rooms: 4 Number of beds in separate back-packers location: 2 Facilities: Spacious sitting room for all guests. BVN DVD player with various films Private garden with beautiful views Safe in the room Coffee and tea facilities in the room Laundry and ironing service Hiking routes Cooking team with service Free WIFI Free afternoon tea Tour and Transport service Massage at home Swimming pool with separate children's pool (salt water - no problems with chlorine) Gazebo with electricity connection for the laptop and the like. Midnight swimming (evening swimming with the lights on) Bike rental Bed and breakfast Restaurant facilities meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Wisma Sukamade baru

This simple guesthouse is a three-quarter drive from the beach and turtle center, in the plantation village in the Meru Betiri nature reserve. There are 12 very simple rooms with three beds, bathroom with running cold water (some rooms have a shower, some a mandibak) and a simple western toilet. In the dining room, delicious dishes are served. There is no power between 23:00 and 05:00. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Rumah Senang - Kalibaru

Majapahit - Surabaya

Het voormalige Oranje hotel, gebouwd in 1910, is het tophotel in Surabaya. Het straalt nog steeds dezelfde klasse van weleer uit. Een klassiek symbool van nationale trots waar geschiedenis is verweven met romantiek en elegantie. De koloniale architectuur, de tot in de puntjes onderhouden tuinen met fonteinen en doorkijkjes in combinatie met het hedendaags comfort maken uw verblijf hier uniek. In de luxe suites vindt men zelfs nog met goud bedekte kranen! Alle kamers hebben een prachtig interieur, AC, telefoon, tv, badkamer, koffie-en theezetfaciliteiten, kluisje, wifi en een terras met uitzicht op de tuin. Aantal kamers: 143 Faciliteiten: Meerdere restaurants (Aziatische, westerse keuken en visrestaurant) winkels, bar/café (jazz muziek, DJ en bands), zwembad, spa, yoga, aerobics, gym, tennisbaan, wasserij/stomerij, room service, vergaderfaciliteiten, kapsalon, invalidenfaciliteiten, kinderopvang en geweldig personeel. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

the Shalimar - Malang

After a thorough renovation, the old Graha Cakra was reopened as the Shalimar hotel. The Shalimar is a 20-minute walk from the centre of Malang and was built in the 1930s by a Dutch architect. During a major renovation, special care was taken to preserve the authentic colonial style and an extra wing was built to create comfortable rooms for the guests. All comfortable stylish rooms have AC, telephone, TV, bathroom and balcony or terrace. Number of rooms: 44 Facilities: Swimming pool, restaurant (Indonesian, Chinese and Western cuisine), bar, elevator, laundry service, room service, wifi in public areas. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Offerte

Jakarta

Jakarta, The Big Durian, you either love it or you walk away from it. It is the hometown of my mother, then called Batavia. In 1993 I was still in her birth house, a privilege that few Indos can still experience, as Jakarta has grown into a metropolis with about 17 million inhabitants. A lot of low-rise buildings have had to make way for skyscrapers that define the skyline of Jakarta.

Only the old city, Kota Lama, still shows many traces from the Dutch period. Be sure to visit Fatahillah Square with the National Museum and drink a cup of coffee in the nostalgic Café Batavia. Glodok, Jakarta's China town is within walking distance of Kota Lama. The old VOC warehouses and the fish market Pasar Ikan are also worth a visit.

I find it difficult to name a favorite restaurant. What I write today will be obsolete tomorrow. I would say check the internet and selamat makan, enjoy your meal!

Bandung

Bandung was often called "Paris of Java". It was not until 2020 that I found out where that name came from: the many fashion shops, Mediterranean restaurants and other luxury boutiques gave Bandung a Parisian look at the beginning of the 20th century. Bandung no longer has that look, except perhaps in the famous Bragaweg, one of the best-preserved shopping streets in the world in Art Deco style.
It is a busy and modern student city, where many old buildings and houses from the colonial period have been preserved. There are architectural highlights such as the Gedung Sate, Villa Isola, the old Concordia, but also the hotels Savoy Homann and Grand Hotel Preanger take you back to the times when the planters came to enjoy their Sunday drink.

North of Bandung are the volcano Tangkuban Perahu, the mountain village of Lembang and the Dago Tea House are worth seeing. In the south you will find the Malabar tea plantation. Kawah Putih, the white crater, is also located in the south and together with Malabar is good for a full day trip. The golden crater Papandayan is more to the east and is special because of the many geysers and the golden rim at the top. The Papandayan is again good to combine in a day trip with the hot springs of Garut.
If you are on time, make sure to visit Saung Angklung Udjo in the afternoon: a dazzling performance of angklung music with dance and wayang golek performance by children from the neighborhood, accompanied and accompanied by descendants of the late Pak Udjo. He once founded a music school for the street children here, which has now grown into a beautiful stage for the children in the neighborhood. At some point you play along, despite your musical illiteracy.

Favourite restaurant

Just like in other big cities, good food is not hard to find. My favorite is Dapoer Pandan Wangi. Order the fried perch Gurame Goreng, not available in the Netherlands, with Terong Raos as a vegetable: aubergines baked in dough. You will never regret it!

Cimahi

South of Bandung is the town of Cimahi. During the Japanese occupation, the current barracks served as Jappenkamp, where my grandfather and father had been interned for several years. In Cimahi is also the honorary cemetery Leuwigajah.

Borobudur

The Borobudur is a famous temple complex built in the 9th century. It’s situated on a small hill near Yogyakarta and surrounded by other temples and volcanoes. The complex is 47 meters high and consists of nine stacked platforms. The platforms represent the Buddhist cosmos. On the top floors there are 72 small stupas, which are built around one large central stupa, which symbolizes Nirvana.

The Borobudur is best visited during sunrise. The Sarasvati Borobudur hotel is a 1.1 kilometer walk. There are several hotels and resorts within 10 minutes, of which both small scale Rumah Dharma I and II are our favorites. For the traveler with a well-filled wallet, the Plataran Borobudur resort & spa is the ultimate choice (not to be confused with the big brother Plataran Heritage hotel, which is mainly geared towards wealthy local tourists).

Magelang

Magelang is a pleasant cool place at 40km from Yogyakarta. It’s surrounded by mountains like the Merapi volcano and the Sumbing and Sindoro. On the one side Semarang and on the other side of the mountains Yogyakarta.
From Magelang you can make beautiful walks through the mountains or go rafting on the rivers. Magelan is very near the Borobudur, the biggest temple complex on Java.
Golf lovers can enjoy their favourite sport at the Borobudur Golf & Country club.

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is the cultural center of Java, the soul of the island. It is also one of the nicest and most interesting cities in Indonesia. Partly because of the walled royal palace, Kraton, which is already a town in itself. You will find countless historical works of art and paintings. The gamelan is rehearsed daily in the morning hours, some days with dance and / or singing. The current sultan still lives on the palace complex.
The Water Palace, which can only be visited in the morning, is within walking distance.

For shopping you can visit the Marlioboro street with numerous stalls during the day and tasty food stalls in the evenings. Also visit the bird market Pasar Burung, one of the many batik galleries or go to the silver town of Kota Gede. In the evening you can attend a performance of the Ramayana ballet in the center.

Yogya surroundings

An hour from Yogyakarta is Borobudur, the world-famous Buddhist temple from the 8th and 9th centuries.
Closer is the Hindu temple Prambanan, where the Ramayana ballet is regularly performed.

Towards the coast is the town of Imogiri. Here is the final resting place of the rulers of Mataram, the Susuhunans of Surakarta, the sultans of Yogyakarta and other high Javanese nobles. The name comes from Sanskrit and means "Snow Mountain". You can decide to visit the sultans graves on the spot.

Especially on Sunday go to the beach of Parangtritis. You will be amazed how the locals enjoy the beach and get through the day taking selfies (preferably with you)!

Favourite restaurant

Yogyakarta has a lot of delicious restaurants, from murah (cheap) to mahal sekali (very expensive). The latter category includes Gadjah Wong , but the choice is huge and I believe I've never eaten such a tasty sambal goreng tempe Nice ambiance too!

If you are staying in the Prawirotaman district you should definitely visit Via Via a > for lunch pr dinner. Very nice atmosphere, not expensive and very tasty and you can find a lot of information about Yogya. They also give cooking classes.

The most authentic is to eat Nasi Gudeg at one of the lesehan (food stalls) at the Jalan Malioboro, a jackfruit stewed in coconut milk.

Malang

Ninety kilometers south of Surabaya is the charming city of Malang. Malang owes its first riches to coffee cultivation, but is now known as an apple city. The apples from Malang are exported worldwide. There are several fruit orchards in the vicinity of Malang. Malang is truly a breath of fresh air with its clean, spacious streets and neighborhoods lined with old colonial houses. Those who have a connection with the former Dutch East Indies will quickly feel at home here and recognize the house style. The 'mountain neighborhood' with the main street the IJen Boulevard was the neighborhood where my father grew up in the 1940s.

The beautiful Tugu hotel with ancient Chinese art is definitely worth a cup of coffee or an ice cream.

Also special is a walk through Kampung Warna Wira: the drab poor neighborhood has been completely refreshed by students in all kinds of colors. To enter the kampung, cross the river via a glass bridge.

Malang surroundings

A day trip through the mountains, along the places Batu and Selecta, Prigen and Lawang will take you to beautiful panoramas, various waterfalls, fruit plantations, hot springs and other nice stops.

The Bromo volcano is more than three hours away; our advice when you want to visit the Bromo is to stay overnight near the Bromo.

Favourite restaurant

I will not say that Toko Oen has Malang's most culinary cuisine, but definitely go there for lunch! The interior has not changed in 80 years. In addition to Indonesian dishes, there are also traditional Dutch dishes on the menu such as Uitmijter and Wiener Schnitzel .

Bromo - Tosari

Bromo

The most famous volcano in Java, the Bromo, is located in the Tengger massif. Together with the craters of the Batok and Widodaren, the Brom crater is located in a sand sea of 80 square kilometers, which is surrounded by the caldera rim.
Before sunrise, numerous jeeps with tourists drive to the Pananjakan viewpoint to watch the sun rise over the Bromo from there, watch the clouds sink into the sand sea and regularly see the Semeru volcano blowing off steam.

During the high season it is very busy, but about 500 enthusiasts can shoot photos and videos in peace and quiet.

After sunrise, the jeeps drive into the sand sea, to the foot of the Bromo crater and you walk another fifteen minutes through the sand sea (you can also rent a horse) to climb the 300 high steps to the crater rim. Your reward awaits ..

Your reward...

Kalibaru

Kalibaru is most of the time your last stop on Java before you take the ferry to Bali. It’s a little village in the mountains close to the Raung Volcano near the Kawa Ijen plateau. The village is surrounded by plantations and it’s very pleasant to stay there.
You can make a trip with a Dokar (a small horse drawn carriage) or visit one of the plantations.

Sukamade

Sukamade is a fisher and plantation village at the south coast of East Java. It’s in the middle of the Meru Betiri natural park and only accessible by jeep.
The biggest attraction of Sukamade is the turtle centre. Almost every day giant turtles come ashore in the evening to lay their eggs on the beach. Accompanied by local rangers you can see this happen. During the day you can see the baby turtles in the nursery and release the turtles that are strong enough on the beach.

There are two reasonable accommodations at Sukamade, of which we use Wisma Sukamade Baru the most. It is about a three-quarter drive from the turtle center and is cleaner and better cared for than the Sukamade Mess. This is located in the grounds of the turtle center and is just a 10 minute walk from the beach. Both accommodations have cold running water and a simple western toilet.

Surabaya

Surabaya is named after a shark, Sura, and a crocodile, Baya, who should have fought in the river Kalimas (the Golden River). Neither of them survived, and the place where they died is the centre of Surabaya.
The harbour is the second biggest harbour in Indonesia, the biggest harbour is in Jakarta.
The old harbour is a nice place to visit when you’re driving to it through the colourful quarters.
Nowadays Surabaya is a real trading town with lots of big office buildings and shopping malls. Old buildings, like the post office are still there, though a bit neglected.
The zoo in Surabaya is certainly worth a visit

History

A month and 2 days after the Proklamasi, the proclamation of the Republic of Indonesia, the Dutch tricolor fluttered on the roof of the then Oranjehotel (Nu Majapahit). Some Pemudas (freedom fighters) climbed on the roof to pull the blue stripe from the flag. It was the beginning of the Bersiap period, where especially in Surabaya the struggle turned out in all its ferocity and cruelty.

My Grandmother, uncle and mother lived in Soerabaya at the time as so-called Buitenkampers (who could prove that 50% or more was Indonesian was not interned in a Jappenkamp). During the Bersiap my uncle was arrested and held in the Van der Werfstraat prison. After an English / Indian liberation action, he was released with a fright. Grandma, uncle and my mother just escaped the attack on the Goebeng transport, because the trucks were full of other refugees. 200 women, children and soldiers were killed in the attack.