Solo Batik CarnivalCULTURAL
Annual carnival in late June with processions, fashion shows and performances in the R Maladi stadium.
4Sleeping
Solo has a few good budget hotels. Almost all offer travel information, tours, bus bookings, bicycles for rent, breakfast, and free tea/coffee. The midrange choices are excellent too.
Warung Baru HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-656369; Jl Banda; r incl breakfast with fan/air-con from 100,000/150,000Rp; a)
This new guesthouse offers four great-value rooms set around a courtyard garden in a lovely home set down a small gang (alley). The more expensive rooms have hot water and bathtubs. Check in at their restaurant.
Cakra HomestayHOMESTAY$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-634743; Jl Cakra II 15; r with shared bath 150,000Rp, with private bath 200,000-250,000Rp; aWs)
This atmospheric place scores highly for those interested in Javanese culture (and the welcoming staff are keen to promote it). There's an amazing gamelan room with free performances on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. It also has a gorgeous pool area. However, the rooms are pretty simple. Breakfast is included. Shared bathrooms are Western and mandi style.
Red PlanetHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-788 9333; www.redplanethotels.com; Jl Dr Supomo 49; r from 220,000Rp; aiW)
Another competitively priced, dressed-up three-star chain with branches in a handful of Indonesian cities. Rooms have wood floors, high ceilings, wall-mounted flat-screens, rain showers and security boxes, but they aren't huge and can feel slightly soulless despite the good value.
Istana Griya 2GUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-661118; Jl Imam Bonjol 35; r incl breakfast 225,000-350,000Rp; aW)
In a good central location, this renovated place is a sister hotel to the original around the corner. It's more upmarket, with large modern rooms and hot-water showers.
Rumah TuriBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.rumahturi.com; Jl Srigading II 12, Turisari; r incl breakfast from 360,000Rp; aW)
A reclaimed and re-imagined old property draped with plants – there is no hotel quite like this deconstructed lodge where the restaurant is lit with bare bulbs and the garden is a work of art. Plants are stacked and set in metallic grids that climb along every wall. The rooftop also sprouts with life as does every ledge.
Standard rooms offer wood floors and furnishings, including unique designer desks, but are otherwise rather basic. Deluxe rooms (from 450,000Rp) have one glass wall, flat-screens and big beds, and are plenty comfortable.
De SoloHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-714887; www.de-soloboutiquehotel.com; Jl Dr Supomo 8; r incl breakfast from 350,000Rp; aW)
An expanding modern hotel (boutique is pushing it) with a selection of uncluttered but smallish rooms in a quiet, convenient location. There’s an attractive little garden cafe and a reasonably priced spa (massages from 150,000Rp per hour). Some rooms have been contaminated by smokers. Sniff before you sleep.
Novotel SoloHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-724555; www.novotel.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi 272; r from 441,000Rp; aiWs)
In the heart of the city, with most attractions within walking distance, the Novotel has an enviable central location, and its 4-star amenities are a steal. Rooms are spacious and modern, staff are professional and helpful, and you'll find two pools, a spa and a fitness centre.
Omah Sinten Heritage HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-641160; omahsinten.com; Jl Diponegoro 34/54; r 550,000Rp; aW)
Better known for its restaurant, however rooms are lovely in this three-floor, wood and brick walk-up. Think high ceilings, ceramic tiled floors, tasteful wood furniture and exposed brick in the bathrooms.
RoemahkoeHISTORIC HOTEL$$
(%0271-714024; www.roemahkoe.info; Jl Dr Rajiman 501; standard/deluxe d incl breakfast from 650,000/970,000Rp; aW)
This remarkable art deco hotel is rich in history and loaded with atmosphere. Most of the 14 rooms feature wood panelling and stained-glass windows plus all the modern facilities you'd expect. Deluxe rooms have marble baths, raised platforms for the bed, wood floors and furnishings, and high ceilings with crown mouldings. Boutique in every way.
The restaurant, set in the rear of the property, comes highly recommended.
5Eating & Drinking
Solo has a superb street-food tradition and a traffic-free area called Galabo ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Slamet Riyadi; h5-11pm), a kind of open-air food court with dozens of stalls. Local specialities such as nasi gudeg (unripe jackfruit served with rice, chicken and spices), nasi liwet (rice cooked in coconut milk and eaten with a host of side dishes) or timlo solo (beef noodle soup) can be found here.
There is no bar scene in Solo.
Warung BaruINTERNATIONAL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-656369; Jl Ahmad Dahlan 23; mains 10,000-18,000Rp; h7.30am-10pm Mon-Sat, 5-10pm Sun; v)
An old-school backpackers' hang-out, the Baru bakes great bread and caters quite well to vegetarians, but the rest of the enormous menu is a bit forgettable. Still, the friendly owners arrange tours and batik classes.
Nasi Liwet Wongso LemuINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Teuku Umar; meals 12,000-18,000Rp; h4pm-1am)
Solo street dining at its best, this evening-only stall, run by an ibu in traditional batik, specialises in nasi liwet: coconut-flavoured rice served on a banana leaf topped with shredded chicken, chicken liver (optional), egg, turmeric-cooked tofu and special seasonings. Tables are set up with pickled vegetables, tofu fried in turmeric and chicken feet. This is cultural dining deluxe!
Adem AyemINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-716992; Jl Slamet Riyadi 342; mains 14,000-60,000Rp; h7am-10pm)
Huge canteen-like place with swirling fans and photos of ye olde Surakarta. Grab one of the plastic-fantastic chairs and order the chicken – souped, fried or served up gudeg-style.
Omah SintenINDONESIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.omahsinten.com; Jl Diponegoro 34-54; mains 25,000-55,000Rp; h8am-10pm)
At this restaurant you can dine on quality Javanese fare including lots of local Solonese specialities, like beef sliced and stewed in herbs and green chillies, or duck stewed in coconut milk. Why not enjoy both while listening to the tinkle of fountains and the calming waft of classical Javanese music? It's opposite the entrance to the Istana Mangkunegaran.
LarasINDONESIAN, INTERNATIONAL$$
(%0271-714024; www.roemahkoe.com; Roemahkoe Hotel, Dr Rajiman 501; mains 35,000-65,000Rp; h7am-10pm; iW)
A classy hotel-restaurant where you can savour the unique surrounds of this historic building, which was once a batik factory. It's particularly evocative at night when candlelit, and on Saturdays when a gamelan orchestra plays. Specials include selat Solo (a local sliced-beef salad served with a boiled egg).
O Solo MioITALIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-727264; Jl Slamet Riyadi 253; mains 29,000-139,000Rp)
Homemade pasta, fresh-baked bread and wood-fired pizzas are served in a Dutch colonial building with original tiling in the front room and a lovely covered back patio.
RalanaINDONESIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.ralanaeatery.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi 301; mains 30,000-130,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
Most notable for the setting in a restored Dutch colonial compound (with some puzzling modern touches). The menu includes the usual Indonesian and international staples with some fun departures, like oxtail fried rice and an Asian fusion lasagne. It hosts live bands on weekends.
SogaINDONESIAN, INTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-727020; www.sogaresto.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi 261; mains 40,000-115,000Rp; h11am-10pm; W)
This upmarket Indonesian and fusion restaurant is part of the luxuriant Danar Hadi complex, where you'll find the museum and showroom too. Mains include short rib stewed in coconut milk, as well as a range of pasta dishes, steaks and chops at reasona
ble prices.
VivereCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Dr Supomo; h8am-10pm)
A cute new cafe serving coffee, pancakes, pasta and...coffee. OK, it's mostly a caffeine refueling station for local hipsters, owned by a local hipster, but if you come by on Tuesday evening you can help members of the English club practise their budding language skills. They will love it!
3Entertainment
Solo is an excellent place to see traditional Javanese performing arts; Istana Mangkunegaran and Kraton Surakarta both have traditional Javanese dance practice.
Contact the tourist office for the latest schedules for all events.
Sriwedari TheatreTHEATRE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; admission 3000Rp; hperformances 8-10pm Tue-Sat)
At the back of Sriwedari amusement park, Sriwedari Theatre has a long-running wayang orang troupe – it’s well worth dropping by to experience this masked dance-drama; you can come and go as you please.
RRI AuditoriumPERFORMING ARTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-641178; Jl Abdul Rahman Saleh 51)
RRI holds an eclectic program of cultural performances, including wayang orang and ketoprak (folk theatre). There's a free wayang orang event on the second Tuesday of each month at 8pm.
Taman Budaya SurakartaPERFORMING ARTS
(TBS; %0271-635414; Jl Ir Sutami 57)
This cultural centre hosts all-night wayang kulit performances; private dance lessons are also available.
7Shopping
Solo is one of Indonesia’s main textile centres, producing not only its own unique, traditional batik but also every kind of fabric.
For everyday shopping, check out the markets or the malls, including Solo Grand Mall ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Slamet Riyadi) and Paragon Mall ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.solo-paragon.com; Jl Cipto Mangunkusumo; W).
Batik
Solo has two urban batik villages, narrow streets full of family-run workshops that are a delight to explore. Kampung Batik Kauman is just south of Jl Slamet Riyadi, around Jl Cakra, in one of the main backpacker districts. Jl Cakra itself is a cute tiled lane lined with home-industry batik shops set in old mouldering Dutch-era relics. Even if you aren't into textiles, these narrow lanes and buildings dressed in faded pastels and shedding stucco make for some amazing photo ops.
Kampung Batik Laweyan (www.kampoenglaweyan.com) is centred in the lanes south of the Roemahkoe hotel (which was once a batik workshop). Residents in both areas are normally very welcoming to visitors and eager to sell a piece or two.
There are also some well-established manufacturers with showrooms displaying their range of sophisticated work.
Batik Keris FactoryCLOTHING
(%0271-714400; Jl Batik Keris; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat)
This factory, in Kampung Batik Laweyan, allows you to see the batik process up close. Its shop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Yos Sudarso 62) has icy air-con and two full floors of fixed-price batik bags, skirts and shirts.
Batik Danar HadiCLOTHING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.houseofdanarhadi.com; Jl Slamet Riyadi 261; h9am-7pm)
Danar Hadi is an important Solonese batik manufacturer and has a beautiful showroom.
Curios
Kris and other souvenirs can be purchased from street vendors found at the eastern side of the alun-alun near Kraton Surakarta. The gem sellers have a mind-boggling array of semi-precious stones. Jl Dr Rajiman (Secoyudan), which runs along the southern edge of the alun-alun, is the goldsmith street.
Markets
Pasar TriwinduMARKET
(Windujenar Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Diponegoro; h9am-4pm)
Solo’s flea market is the place to search for antiques including wayang puppets, old batik and ceramics, as well as clocks, vinyl records, coins and vintage cameras.
Pasar GedeMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Urip Sumoharjo; h8am-6pm)
This is the city’s largest general market, selling all manner of produce, particularly fruit and vegetables.
Pasar KlewerMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Secoyudan)
This wonderfully rootsy textile market burned in a fire in 2015 and was being rebuilt when we stopped by. It's worth checking to see if it's back to grace.
8Information
Many of Solo's hotels, guesthouses and restaurants have wi-fi.
BCA BankBANK
( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Jl Dr Rajiman & Jl Gatot Subroto; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat)
Has currency-exchange facilities.
Main Post OfficePOST OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Jenderal Sudirman; h8am-2pm Mon-Sat)
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-716501; Jl Slamet Riyadi 275; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat)
Staff are only moderately helpful here. They have maps, brochures and information on cultural events. They also peddle (slightly pricey) tours.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Solo’s Adi Sumarmo airport offers regular flights to Jakarta with Garuda ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0271-737500; www.garuda-indonesia.com; Hotel Riyadi Palace, Jl Slamet Riyadi 335), Lion Air (www.lionair.co.id) and Citilink (www.citilink.co.id).
Bus
The Tirtonadi bus terminal is 3km from the centre of the city. Only economy buses leave from here to destinations such as Prambanan (14,000Rp, 1½ hours) and Semarang (30,000Rp, 3¼ hours), plus Surabaya and Malang. Near the bus terminal, the Gilingan minibus terminal has express air-con travel minibuses to Semarang (55,000Rp), Surabaya and Malang (both 80,000Rp). It's easiest to reach Yogyakarta by train.
Train
Solo is located on the main Jakarta–Yogyakarta–Surabaya train line and most trains stop at Balapan (%0271-714039), the principal train station. Jebres train station, in the northeast of Solo, has a few very slow economy-class services to Surabaya and Jakarta. Trains to Yogyakarta cost 6000Rp to 20,000Rp.
TRAINS FROM SOLO
Destination Fare (Rp) Duration (hr) Frequency
Jakarta 90,000-535,000 8¼-9 4 daily
Surabaya 115,000–285,000 3½-4 6 daily
8Getting Around
Air-conditioned Batik Solo Trans buses connect Adi Sumarmo airport, 10km northwest of the centre, with Jl Slamet Riyadi. A taxi costs around 70,000Rp; Kosti Solo taxis (%0271-856300) are reliable. Becak cost about 10,000Rp from the train station or bus terminal into the centre. Homestays can arrange bike hire for around 20,000Rp or a motorcycle for around 70,000Rp per day.
To set up car hire (per day 500,000Rp), call Jogja Trans in Yogyakarta. It can easily arrange pickup in Solo and shuttle you around the region.
Sangiran
Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site (so important it gained World Heritage status in 1996), where some of the best examples of fossilised skulls of the prehistoric ‘Java Man’ (Pithecanthropus erectus) were unearthed by a Dutch professor in 1936.
The town’s main (well, only) attraction is its small museum (admission 7500Rp; h8am-4pm Tue-Sun), with a few skulls (one of Homo erectus), various pig and hippopotamus teeth, and fossil exhibits, including huge mammoth bones and tusks. Guides will also offer to take you to the area where shells and other fossils have been found in the crumbling slopes of the hill.
Take a Purwodadi-bound bus from Solo’s bus terminal and ask to be dropped off at the Sangiran turn-off (5000Rp), 15km from Solo. It's then 4km to the museum (around 10,000Rp by ojek).
Gunung Lawu
Towering Gunung Lawu (3265m), lying on the border of Central and East Java, is one of the holiest mountains in Java. Mysterious Hindu temples dot its slopes, terraced with rice, tea and potato fields, and each year thousands of pilgrims seeking spiritual enlightenment climb its peak.
Although popular history has it that when Majapahit fell to Islam, the Hindu elite all fled east to Bali, Javanese lore relates that Brawijaya V, the last king of Majapahit, went west. Brawijaya’s son, Raden Patah, was the leader of Demak and led the conquering forces of Islam against Majapahit, but rather than fight his own son, Brawijaya retreate
d to Gunung Lawu to seek spiritual enlightenment. There he achieved nirvana as Sunan Lawu, and today pilgrims come to the mountain to seek his spiritual guidance or to achieve magic powers.
The unique temples on the mountain – some of the last Hindu temples built in Java before the region converted to Islam – show the influence of the later wayang style of East Java, though they incorporate elements of fertility worship. The most famous temple is Candi Sukuh. Candi Cetho is another large complex that still attracts Hindu worshippers.
The small tea-farming village of Kemuning makes a pleasant gateway to both temples, with a few teahouses with tasty kitchens and one rather alluring guesthouse to consider, if you just can't bear to leave.
WORTH A TRIP
SUHARTO'S MAUSOLEUM
Astana GiribangunTOMB
(admission by donation; h8am-5pm)
In a commanding hilltop location 34km southeast of Solo, the mausoleum of former president Suharto is a curious sight. Suharto planned this monument to himself well in advance of his death, securing the land and appointing an architect back in 1998. The resulting building is curiously low-key and lacking the gaudy excesses favoured by many ex-dictators – an unadorned mosque-like structure built on traditional Javanese pendopo (open-sided pavilion) lines.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 25