Visiting Solo, Central Java Indonesia

There is no place like your own hometown. Solo will always be my favorite destination for holiday. You will always come back to your hometown, visiting families, relatives, hanging out with old buddies, visiting local tourism spots and enjoying your favorite meals or dishes.

Solo or Surakarta lies in Central Java, Indonesia. The weather is quite hot, the average temperature is 25 to 33 Celsius. Most of the people used to talk in Javanese. Solo is a modern city, not so big or crowded compared to Jakarta, Surabaya, or Bandung, but Solo also still has many traditional spots like The Mangkunegaran Palace and The Kasunanan Palace.

There are also many traditional art performances like traditional Javanese dance, traditional ethnic musical performances, wayang kulit or leather puppet performances, and many more. Oh, and you will find many kind of Batik producers and stores here. A mixture between old and modern city. You may enjoy traveling around the city by taking "becak" a traditional transportation tricycle. Like taxi only without machine, but it uses human machine :) the becak driver.

Here are some of Solo Attractions :

1. Nature Tourism Spots
2. Solo Palaces
3. Antique Market
4. Batik
5. Traditional Performances
6. Traditional Food

Grojogan Sewu Waterfall

Only 35 km from Solo, one hour and a half by car, there is a nice waterfall, Grojogan Sewu Waterfall. Located in Tawangmangu a recreation resort. 1000 meter from sea level. Enjoy the fresh water and cool weather, an escape from Solo heat. The highest waterfall at Grojogan Sewu is 81 metres and there is also a monkey forest near this area. Yes, there are many monkeys living in that forest.

Existing facility here are animal garden, swimming pool, shelter, food booths, and fruit stalls.


Candi Sukuh or Sukuh Temple

Not far from Grojogan Sewu waterfall, there is an ancient Java temple. Well, I have to say an erotic ancient temple. Why? there is a headless statue that exposes male sex organ. It has a distinctive reliefs and different with other temples in Indonesia. The main theme is about life before birth and sexual education.

Located in Lawu Mountain slope, 6 ft high. Built in 15th century, Sukuh temple has a similarity with Chichen Itza pyramid, an ancient pyramid by Yucatec Maya tribe in Yucatan, Mexico.

There are two Palaces in Solo, Mangkunegaran Palace and Kasunanan Palace.

Mangkunegaran Palace

This Palace was built by Raden Mas Said in 1757. It was built right after the Salatiga Agreement and Raden Mas Said was then crowned as the Pangeran Mangkunegoro 1 or 1st Mangkunegoro Prince.

Mangkunegaran Palace is divided into two main buildings, the first one is Pendopo and the other is called Dalem. Pendopo is the Main Hall of the Palace, where they receive guests while Dalem is the residence of the King family.

The eastern part called Bale Peni is the Prince's residence
The western part called Bale Warni is the Princess' residence.

Mangkunegaran Palace is near my parent house, it lies among Ronggo Warsito street, Kartini Street, Siswa street and Teuku Umar street. Those streets are circling the palace. There are many priceless treasures and beautiful collection in Mangkunegaran Palace. Like the classical mask dance, wayang orang or traditional performance, leather puppets, wooden puppets, jewelries, antiques, most of them from Majapahit and Mataram era around year 1293 to 1755.

There is also Reksopustoko Museum inside the Palace, where ancient manuscripts about philosophy and religion are kept. Most of the manuscripts are written in Javanese alphabet.

Kasunanan Palace
This palace was built in 1744 by Susuhunan Pakubuwono II or King Pakubuwono II. The last Mataram Palace in Sala or Solo village. Now that village become Surakarta or Solo, one of the big city in Central Java. Kasunanan Palace is lies in Alun-alun Utara or North Plaza.

You may visit the Palace Museum, open daily Monday to Thursday at 09.00 to 14.00, Weekend days at 09.00 to 13.00. Close in Friday. The entrance fee is cheap about $ 0.50.

The Museum has historical treasures collection like the war weapons and arts. Every guest has to be dressed properly, at least wear courteous clothes and shoes.  

If you love antiques and have plenty of time, just visit Triwindu Antique market, where you may find antique treasures in a really cheap price and still open for bargaining. If you're lucky, you may find really wonderful gemstone here.

There are also Solo traditional antique things like, ancient toys, masks, wooden puppets, miniatures, many kind of old European, Chinese, and Javanese furniture, paintings, coins, statues made from bronze or stone. Even old musical instruments.

Located near Mangkunegaran Palace.

There are two big Batik center in Solo, Laweyan and Kauman. Laweyan is at South West of Solo. You may stay in one of the houses there and learn how to make a Batik cloth. There is a learning center here called Laweyan Batik Training Center.

Kauman Batik Center is in Pasar Kliwon area, near Slamet Riyadi Street. Almost similar with Laweyan area, in Kauman area, you may learn how to make your own Batik cloth. There are many local people who open their houses for homestay with low rate. There is also Batik Museum in Kauman.

Well, there are so many traditional performances in Solo throughout the year like :

Wayang Kulit or Leather Puppet performances :
Every Rebo Legi (Javanese Calendar, Rebo means Wednesday and Legi means sweet) night in Pondok Timasan Makam Haji, Pajang.
Every Jumat Kliwon (Kliwon-Friday) night in Pendapa Ageng Taman Budaya, Solo

Wayang Orang or Javanese stage show :
Every night from Monday to Saturday in GWO Sriwedari Park, Solo
Every 2nd week of the month in RRI Surakarta (Indonesian Radio, Surakarta)

Cultural Performance
Every 26th day of the month in SMKI/SMKN 8 Surakarta.

Ramayana Dance Performance and Ketoprak (Javanese traditional theater)
Every full moon in Balekambang Park. The audiences can enjoy music and traditional performances.

If you visit Solo in this month (July, 2010) there are at least two big International events,
1. Solo International Contemporary Ethnic Music festival 2010
7-11 July 2010 every 20.00 to 23.00 in R Maladi Stadium, Sriwedari.

There are many ethnic music performance from Indonesia and other country like Singapore, Dubai, Taiwan, Zimbabwe.

2. Keraton Art Festival or Palace Art Festival
09-10 July 2010 in Kasunanan Palace

You may enjoy all the heritage of the Palace, like traditional dances, ceremonies, traditional palace outfits, traditional weapons, and many more.

1. Nasi Liwet or Rice cooked with chicken stock. Serve with spicy chayote soup, boiled egg, chicken and thick coconut milk.
Nasi Liwet seller : Nasi Liwet Wongso Lemu, Keprabon, open from 18.00
 
2. Tengkleng or Lamb curry
Well, actually it's similar with Lamb curry, without coconut milk. The content of tengkleng are lamb bones, brain, eyes, feet, and many more. Sound scary huh?
Tengkleng seller : Ibu Ediyem, near Klewer Market, open daily.

3. Sate Buntel or Lamb Barbecue
This one is really delicious. Just lamb barbeque with spices, serve with soy sauce, tomatoes, chili, and onion.
The seller : Sate Kambing or Lamb barbeque in Tambak Segaran or 39 Sutan Syahrir Street. Open daily from 09.00

Snacks
1. Orion store in Urip Sumohardjo Street, you may buy many kind of traditional to modern snacks here.
2. Serabi Notosuman, a typical sweet pancake, in Notosuman Street. It has many variety of flavors.