Solo City

Solo

Solo the short name for Surakarta, is a major city in Central Java, Indonesia. Together with Yogyakarta, these two cities are heirs of the Mataram kingdom that was split in 1755.

Understand

Solo lies some 100 kilometers south of Semarang and some 60 kilometers east of Yogyakarta. As the 'twin' sister of Yogyakarta, this city looks much like the later. But because Solo is not a provincial capital, this city has preserved much of its Javanese character. This also means that Solo is less touristy than Yogyakarta.

Today's Solo is a bustling economic center of some 800,000 (with the suburbs). It is in close proximity to the temples of Prambanan. The town is a center of art and education, offers some good shopping and has some range of tourist facilities.

Solo is very well known of its charming and soft-spoken people. It is said as the least westernized city in Central Java.

Get in

By plane

Solo's Adisumarmo International Airport (SOC), 10 km north of town, is a small airport. There are 8 flights a day to Jakarta. The "international" part of the name comes from Silk Air's direct services to Singapore. Malaysia's low cost airline Air Asia now flies daily to Kuala Lumpur. If using taxi, you should by a ticket in a ticket shelter. Just name your destination and pay the amount they ask, and you will be assigned to a registered taxi.

You can also fly to Yogyakarta's Adisucipto International Airport. The distance between Yogyakarta and Solo is only 60km and any taxi will be glad to take you.

By bus

The main bus station is actually not in Solo city itself, but in Kartasura, some 12 kilometers west of the center. There are regular services throughout the island, including Jakarta (10 hours) and Surabaya (5 hours).

There is however also a bus terminal in the city itself in Terminal Tirtonadi.

By train

Express trains to Jakarta take around 8 hours. Other trains take longer, sometimes much longer. Express trains serving Solo include Argo Lawu, Argo Dwipangga, Bima and Gajayana expresses (to/from Jakarta, all AC), Argo Wilis and Lodaya (to/from Bandung), Argo Wilis and Sancaka (to/from Surabaya).

The main station is Solobalapan. Other stations are present, i.e. Purwosari and Solojebres, but only used for ekonomi and local services to Yogyakarta.

Get around

By taxi

Taxi is the easiest way to go around. It is cheap, and you can even book it for the whole trip. You can negotiate for the price. Ask in your hotel reception if they can arrange one for you. Or they may also have a car to rent (mostly including the driver).

* Aravia. Jl Kratonan, Solo 57153. Tel.: (62)(271) 636468.

* Central, Jl Laksda Adisucipto 78. Solo 57144. Tel.: (62)(271) 728728.

* Kosti, Jl Ir Sutami 5-B RT 002/09. Solo 57127. Tel.: (62)(271) 664504.

* Mahkota Ratu. Jl Sungai Sambas 15 RT 001/02. Solo 57119. Tel.: (62)(271) 655666.

Car Rentals

* Citra Persada. Jl Pagelaran 69-B. Tel.: (62)(271) 780433.

* Riz. Jl Dr Rajiman 354. Solo 57141. Tel.: (62)(271) 742926.

* Solo. Jl Yosodipuro 38. Tel.: (62)(271) 7076610.

* Yan. Jl Sriwijaya 11 RT 002/03. Solo 57135. Tel.: (62)(271) 717541.

By horse cart

By becak

Very cheap and immersive.

See

* Kasunanan. Beautiful palace built in 1675. Facility: museum, art and cultural centre.

* Puro Mangkunegaran. Beautiful palace built in 1757. Facility: museum, art and cultural centre.

* Jurug Zoo. Facility: zoo, aquarium.

* Sriwedari Park. Facility: art and cultural centre (puppet show/wayang at night), children playground, food court (traditional javaneses restaurants).

* Sahasra Adhi Pura A new Hindu temple under construction 5 km east of Solo, it is a Kundalini yoga center that has 50 miniatures of sacred sites from around the world see [1]

Sunrise on September Equinox 2006, Sahasra Adhi Pura.

Sunrise on September Equinox 2006, Sahasra Adhi Pura.

* Museum Batik Danar Hadi

Do

* Mandi lulur, a traditional skin-care done by rubbing special spices to the skin to exfoliate it. Very relaxing. Many hotels offer this service. Or ask your hotel reception for a reputable place.

Buy

* Batik. You can buy anything made with batik in Solo. The fabrics range from silk to normal cotton. The ones made by hand (batik tulis) is of course more expensive than the ones made using the 'stamp' (batik cap). Beware though that most of batik will lose some color during first few washes -- washing with similar color is highly recommended.

o Danar Hadi, Jl Dr Rajiman 164, Solo 57111. Tel.: (62)(271) 644126.

o Keris, Desa Cemani Selatan Laweyan, Solo 57167. Tel.: (62)(271) 721217.

o Semar, Jl Laksda Adisucipto 101, Solo 57144. Tel.: (62)(271) 722937

o Kampung Batik, Jl. Dr. Rajiman Laweyan.

o Pasar Klewer, a traditional market for textile, mostly batik. Located off the west gate of Keraton's North Square. As in any other traditional markets in Indonesia, you will have to bargain.

Mall & Shopping Centers

* Solo Grand, Jalan Slamet Riyadi No. 313

* Solo Square, Jalan Slamet Riyadi No 451.

* Ciputra Sun, Jalan Ronggowarsito. (Proposed)

* Singosaren Plaza, Jalan Gatot Subroto

* Megaland, Jalan Slamet Riyadi

* Luwes Mall, Jalan Veteran

* Ratu Luwes, Jalan S. Parman

* Sami Luwes, Jalan Honggowongso

* Gading Luwes, Jalan Veteran

Eat

Western:

* Kentucky Fried Chicken, Jl Jend A Yani 234, Solo 57162. Tel.: (62)(271) 724797. American fastfood. Approx. US$ 4/person.

* McDonald. Jl Dr Rajiman 152, Solo 57151. Tel.: (62)(271) 630100. American fastfood.

* Pizza Hut, Jl Brigjen Slamet Riyadi 380, Solo 57142. Tel.: (62)(271) 721577. Italian restaurant. Approx. US$ 5/person.

Chinese:

* Diamond, Jl Brigjen Slamet Riyadi 392, Solo 57142. Tel.: (62)(271) 715007.

* Orient, Jl Brigjen Slamet Riyadi 397. Solo 57142. Tel.: (62)(271) 714963

Japanese:

* Oishi Bento. Jl Slamet Riyadi 273 Solo Grand Mall Kav 11 Bl B-2 Lt 3. Tel.: (62)(271) 718459.

Javanese:

* Kusuma Sari, Jl Yos Sudarso 81. Solo 57112. Tel.: (62)(271) 656406.

* Wong Solo, Jl Brigjen Slamet Riyadi 299, Solo 57141. Tel.: (62)(271) 713931.

Soto is a sort-of clear soup made from vegetables, spices, chicken or beef. You can find various kinds of soto in Solo:

* Bangkong, Jl Dr Rajiman 536 RT 002/05. Tel.: (62)(271)7073924.

* Gading, Jl Brigjen Katamso 75, Tel.: (62)(271) 665526.

* Kendit, Jl RM Said 227 RT 001/06, Solo 57139. Tel.: (62)(271) 712952

* Kuali, Jl Beteng Bl D/6, Solo 57113. Tel.: (62)(271) 657261.

* Prawit, Jl Kapt P Tendean 172. Solo 57135. Tel.: (62)(271) 722653.

Timlo Solo is a famous soup made from beef, white noodles, boiled potatoes, carrots, celery, and cabbages.

* Timlo Solo. Jl Jend Urip Sumoharjo 94, Solo 57124, (62)(271) 646180. Approx. US$ 5/person.

* Timlo Sastro. Jl Kapt Mulyadi 28, Tel.: (62)(271) 654820.

Gudeg is also worth to try, even though people said that gudeg originally comes from Jogja, however, Gudeg Solo is quite different from the one from Jogja. Gudeg Jogja is dried and sweet. While Gudeg Solo is usually served with sauce. Gudeg Margoyudan is one of the unique vendor. The specialty of it is its boiled chicken legs to accompany the complete Nasi Gudeg offers. The other unique feature is, it opens at the dawn around 01.00 in the morning. and by 05.00 it will close. After the night travel around Solo, warm NAsi Gudeg will be a great treat for stomach. Eventhough it is located at the strettside, most of the time you have to take the long line up before served. Gudeg cakar Margoyudan represents one symbol of sleepless life in Solo.

* Adem Ayem, Jl. Slamet Riyadi 342, Solo 57141. Tel.: (62)(271) 712891.

* Gudeg Cakar, Margoyudan Jl. Monginsidi

* Nini Thowong, Widuran

Nasi Liwet is almost similar to "Nasi Uduk" which is very famous in Jakarta or west Java. It is rice, which is cooked with 'santan' or coconut milk. The vendors for traditional nasi liwet easily be found in Keprabon street. The most famous vendor is Bu Lemu, but along the Keprabon you can find most of the vendor add the name Lemu after their own name.

* Serabi Notosuman ,is a popular traditional pancakes made from coconut milk, flour,sugar and other ingredients (often sprinkled with cocholate rices as a variation). They taste sweet. You may notice that in certain holidays often sold out quick, also often taken as a gift (oleh-oleh). You can find them in Notosuman street (most Solonese knows Serabi Notosuman) and several their other outlets.

Other than Serabi, Solo offers a rich varities of snack, ranged from dry snack, (onde-onde ceplus, kripik cakar, kripik paru, kerak nasi goreng) to keleman (fresh snack) (solo, wajik, jadah, kue ku, lapis, cara bikang). Sosis Solo has been identified as the specialty snack from Solo, is made of chopped beef combined with spices wrapped in by thin egg pancake. You can find the rich varities of traditional fresh snacks once you walk into Pasar Gede.

Drink

Dawet or called 'cendol' in west java/Jakarta tastes so good to cool you down during the hot days in Solo. This drink is made with coconut milk and brown-javanese sugar and sort-of gelatine. Thus this is sweet and usually served with ice-cubes.

Sleep, Budget

* Arini. Jl. Slamet Riyadi 361. Tel.: (62)(271) 716525, (62)(271) 739214. Rate: approx. US$ 15/night.

* Kusuma, Jl. Rajiman 374. Tel.: (62)(271) 712740, (62)(271) 726153. Rate: approx. US$ 18/night.

* Mulia Keprabon, Jl. Ahmad Dahlan 7.Tel.: (62)(271)661884. Rate: approx. US$ 10/night.

Mid-range

* Sahid Kusuma. Jl. Sugiopranoto 20. Tel.: (62)(271) 646356. Website: Sahid. Class: 4 stars.

* Sahid Raya. Jl. Jl. Gajah Mada 82. Tel. (62)(271) 644144. Website: Sahid. Class: 4 stars. Next to Solo Palace.

* Novotel. Jl. Slamet Riyadi 262. Tel.: (62)(271) 772455. Website: Novotel Solo. Class: 4 stars.

* Quality. Jl. Ahmad Yani 40. Tel.: (62)(271) 731322. Website: Quality. Class: 4 stars.

* Riyadi Palace. Jl. Slamet Riyadi 335. Tel.: (62)(271) 713300, (62)(271) 717181. Class: 3 stars.

Splurge

* Lor-in Solo Lor-in, Jl. Adisucipto 47. Tel. +62-271-724500, Fax +62-271-724400, email: sales@lor-in.com. A 5-star hotel located close to the airport. Offers several spa programs. Rates: US$90-1000.

Get out

* Yogyakarta is a more tourist city located close to Solo. The easiest is by car, or charter a taxi (approx. 30 min). Taking the train can also be an option, Prambanan Express (Prameks) leaves frequently during the day (usually catering for the commuter workers) from Solo Balapan and Purwosari Station. Ticket costs Rp. 7500 ($ 0.8) one way. Train ride is about one hour and the last stop will be Tugu Station in Yogyakarta right in the middle of Malioboro.

* Borobudur, the largest Buddhist structure in the world.

* Mount Merapi, an active volcano looming over the city