Yogyakarta

Introduction

Yogyakarta (commonly pronounced Jogjakarta or just Jogja) is a popular tourist destination on Java, Indonesia. The city is one of the oldest in Indonesia and has a great collection of monuments and old buildings. The highlight is the Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono's palace, also known as Kraton Ngayogyakarta.

Yogyakarta lies in one of the most seismically active parts of Java and has been repeatedly struck by earthquakes and volcano eruptions. The worst in recent times was the earthquake of 27 May 2006, which killed over 6,000 people and flattened over 300,000 houses. The epicentre was 25 kilometres south of the city, which avoided the worst of the quake. A surprisingly effective disaster recovery effort repaired most of the physical damage quickly. In October 2010, the nearby volcano of Mount Merapi erupted, spewing lava over nearby villages and killing 347 people. It quietened down by December 2010.

Neighbourhoods

The city (kota) of Yogyakarta is one of five districts in the semi-autonomous province of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY), the "Yogyakarta Special Region". The other districts are the regencies of:

• Sleman on the slopes of fiery Mount Merapi to the north
• Bantul all the way to the sea to the south
• The hills of Gunung Kidul to the east
• The lowlands of Kulon Progo to the west

This special status is thanks to the Sultanate of Hamengkubuwono, which has ruled the area since 1749 and steered the state through difficult times of occupation and revolution. During the Indonesian war of independence, Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX offered the fledgling Indonesian government his enclave as a capital city. Yogyakarta became the revolutionary capital of the republic from 1946 to 1949 when Jakarta was still occupied by the Dutch. As a result, the newly-independent Indonesia appointed the Sultan as the governor of the province of DIY - the only one in Indonesia that is not elected directly by the people. The Indonesian central government has tried to weaken the sultan's power by calling for direct elections for the governor. The present sultan, Hamengkubuwono X, was chosen by an overwhelming majority.

Sights and Activities

Being one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, Yogyakarta has many heritage buildings and monuments. The number one must-see attraction is Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono's palace, better known as Kraton Ngayogyakarta. Near the palace are a number of other heritage buildings : the BNI '46 building, the Central Post Office and Bank Indonesia. Other notable landmarks and attractions are:

• Benteng Vredeburg (Vredeburg Fort), Jl Jenderal Ahmad Yani No.6, ☎ +62 274 586934, +62 274 510996. A Dutch fort in front of Gedung Agung (the President's Palace). A great example of Dutch colonial architecture. A few military items are presented, including a twin cannon. edit
• Imogiri royal graves. Graveyard of the Sultan Agung and his descendants, the Yogyakarta and Surakarta royal families. It was damaged during an earthquake in 2006 but has been reopened.

Kotabaru. The Dutch officials' residential area has some heritage homes, a colonial style church, monastery (Gereja Kotabaru), and a stadium (Stadion Kridosono).

• Kotagede. The capital of the ancient Islamic Mataram kingdom. The tomb of its first king, Panembahan Senopati, is here in the royal graveyard. Before independence, Kotagede was Jogja's economic centre, as it had the largest market and was home to many wealthy batik merchants. Some of the older buildings have been modernised or replaced with newer buildings, but Kotagede remains a prime example of Javanese architecture and city structure. Check out the local silver handicrafts.
• Tugu Monument. A downtown landmark. Built by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono VI, the spire was originally a sphere representing the universe. During the colonial era, the spire was replaced with a golden cylinder.
• Masjid Gede Kauman. One of the oldest and largest mosque in Yogyakarta. Located on the west of Alun-alun Utara, this mosque was where the Sultan performs his religious rites and ceremonies.

The Kraton

The Sultan's palace or Kraton encompasses the main palace, the sultan's residential buildings, two alun-alun (palace squares), and a large residential area where the sultan's servants used to live.

• Northern alun-alun (Alun-alun utara). Built for training the Sultan's army, it was opened to the public during the reign of Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX. Now used for the quarterly Garebeg parade held in the months of Maulud, Besar and Sawal, according to the Javanese calendar. In the parade, the Sultan's servants carry huge cone-shaped offerings to the alun-alun. After the parade, attendees scramble to get a scrap of the offering as it is believed to bring good luck. Prior to the month of Maulud, a popular public fair is held here for 30 days, offers many kinds of goods from traditional handicrafts to Chinese ceramics. A snack associated with the fair is the doughnut-like galundeng. On weekend or holiday nights, pedal cars decorated with lights (gowes) can be hired to make a circuit of the square.
• Kraton Yogyakarta. Sa-Th 08:00–13:00, F 08:00–11:00. A calm and elegant example of Javanese heritage with two separate entrances; the Main Court (Pagilaran and Siti Hinggil) and the Residence. The Main Court showcases the grandeur of the Sultan's monarchy, while the Residence is more homely, showcasing the royal family's luxurious lifestyle. There are regular free performances of music and dance. Check out the times when you arrive in Yogajakarta. (Every Sunday at 11:00 as of Oct 2015). There are three gamelans in the palace, and the pavilion nearest the entrance houses one of them. If it is being played, feel free to take a seat and enjoy it for a while. The Residence: Rp12,500 (non-Indonesian resident) or Rp5,000 (Indonesian resident), Rp1,000 extra for a photo. The main court: half the price of the residence. A guide is part of the entrance fee, but they would appreciate a modest tip. You might be offered a trip to the 'sultan's servants' batik workshop'. This is a scam that will only bring you to a regular batik shop with inflated prices.
• Carriage Museum (Museum Kereta). Houses the Sultan's horse-drawn carriages, including two beautiful carriages imported from the Netherlands and known as Golden Carriages (kereta kencana).
• Water Castle (Taman Sari), Jl Taman, Kraton. daily 09:00–15:00. This is a partly-ruined complex built as a pleasure garden by the first Sultan in 1765. One of the bathing pools was dedicated to the sultan's harem, and he had a tower overlooking the area so he could take his pick. Towards the back is the original entrance to the pools, a small dock connected to a long-since-vanished river; a bit of snooping beyond this entrance will get you to a back street, where one can visit a fascinating network of tunnels and rooms, including an Escher-like series of interlacing staircases over what looks like a disused well. Rp7,000 for entrance, Rp1,000 for a photo permit. Entrance fee does not cover the guide, who will expect tips.
• Siti Hinggil Selatan. This somehow-muted palace is rarely used for formal occasion. You can catch a shadow puppet performance during weekend mornings and nights. There is no admission charge for the show and you can come and go as you please, which you may well want to do as the show is long and somewhat difficult to follow if you do not speak bahasa Indonesian.

Candi (ancient temples)

Candi (CHAN-dee) are ancient structures mainly built during the 7th-9th centuries. They are built from river stones or blocks of volcanic stone. The walls are often carved with reliefs depicting stories from either Buddhism or Hinduism, and a stone statue usually sits at the center. There are many candi in and around Yogyakarta, some have been restored and made accessible. The two most famous candi are both easily reached from Jogja. Buddhist Borobudur is a couple of hours to the northwest. The Hindu temple complex Prambanan is just to the east.

• Candi Kalasan (Kalasan Temple) (Around 2 km to the west of Prambanan, or 14 km to the east of Yogyakarta. To the south side of the main Prambanan-Yogyakarta road.). The oldest Buddhist candi in Yogyakarta. Built in 778 AD by Rakai Panangkaran of the Sanjaya dynasty. He was a Hindu but he built this Buddhist temple, reflecting the harmonious religious life during that time. The walls are covered with ancient white cement called bajralepa. It was built in honour of the goddess, Dewi Tara. A bronze statue of a Boddhisatva found in the candi has been removed.

Candi Sambisari

© theo1006

• Candi Sambisari mbiasri Temple) has for centuries lain buried under metres of volcanic ash. Rediscovered in the 1970ies the temple can nowbe visited in a dugout close to Adisucipto airport.The complex consists of one main candi and three supporting candis (perwara). You can see lingga and yoni, symbols of male and female sex, inside the main candi. There are three statues in the wall of the main candi, Agastya on the south side, Ganesha on the east, and Dewi Durga on the north. From the lingga, yoni, and the statues, it has been concluded that Sambisari was built to worship Siva. There is no definitive agreement about when and who built the candi. But from the Wanua III inscriptions, Candi Sambisari is considered to have been constructed between 812 and 838 AD).
• Candi Sari (Sari Temple) (600 m to the northeast of Candi Kalasan). Built as the dormitory for a Buddhist monastery. There are two floors with three rooms on each. The reliefs are similar to those at Candi Kalasan and the walls are also covered with bajralepa. There are Boddhisatvas and Dewi Tara carved beside the windows indicating the link between Candi Kalasan and Candi Sari. The roof consists of 9 stupas in a grid formation. The holes in the construction show how timbers were used as part of the building process. This candi is considered to have been built in the same era as Candi Kalasan.

Museums

• Affandi Museum, Jl Laksda Adisucipto No.167 (at the beginning of the road out to the airport), ☎ +62 274 562593, e-mail: [email protected]. Delightful museum built around the former home of the late Affandi, one of Indonesia's best-known painters. Several galleries, including one with 30 of Affandi's paintings from his early, impressionist and expressionist periods, and another with paintings by some of his 11 children. The artist designed some of the buildings (the central complex was originally his home and offices) himself, and the grounds themselves are worth the admission price. Helpful staff to show you around. Rp20,000 including a drink.
• Aircraft Museum (Museum Dirgantara), Jl Lettu TPA Supardal (behind Adi Sucipito Airport inside the Air Force base. You will need to deposit your passport (a paper copy might be sufficient) while you are inside.), ☎ +62 274 564465, +62 274 564466. M-Th 08:00-13:00, Sa 08:00-12:00. Holds several antique aircraft from World War II, a Badger bomber, MIG-15 to MIG-21, P-51 Mustang, Catalina flying boat, Auster MkII, Lavochkin LA-11, F-86 Sabre, T-33 Bird and an A6M5 Zero. There is also a P-51 airplane simulator but it was broken. Children on school trips will see you as a big attraction if you look western so smile and prepare to pose for many pictures. Rp5,000.

The hole in the wall

© theo1006

• Diponegoro Museum - Officially named Museum Sasana Wiratama, this museum is located in the grounds of the former residence of famous prince Dipoegoro, son of sultan Hamengku Buwana III of Yogyakarta, He waged a guerrilla war against the Dutch colonizers, known as the Java War (1825-1830). In 1830 he was treacherously arrested by the Dutch and banished to the island of Celebes (Sulawesi), where he died in 1855. Of his residence nothing remains, because it was burned to the ground by the Dutch. The present buildings in the 2 ha compound date from 1968. There are some authentic artefacts, e.g. andesit water troughs for Diponegoro's horses and cannon with Javanese script on them. Two rooms contain paintings, weaponry, furniture, musical instruments etc. supposedly having belonged to prince Diponegoro. Most famous is the hole in the wall through which Diponegoro is said to have fled with his family and followers when the Dutch tried to arrest him in 1825. Address: Jalan Tjokroaminoto TR.III/430, Tegalrejo, Yogyakarta. Hours: Officially daily except Sunday, from 8:00am till 01:00pm. However, the warden may open up at other times. Sign his guest book with a tip. ☎ +62.274.622668.

Another Diponegoro museum can be visited at Magelang. It is a room in the former Dutch headquarters where Diponegoro came to negotiate and was arrested.

• Kekayon Museum, Jl Laksamana Adi Sucipto, Demangan, Gondokusuman, Baturetno, Banguntapan, ☎ +62 274 379058, e-mail: [email protected]. M-F 08:30-14:00, Sa 09:00-12:00. A wayang (puppet) museum with a lush Javanese style garden. Divided into ten sections, where each holds a vast number of puppets from various places in Indonesia. Rp5,000.
• Sonobudoyo Museum (Museum Sonobudoyo), Jl Trikora No.6 (by the northern alun-alun), ☎ +62 274 76775, +62 274 373617, fax: +62 274 385664. Many Javanese artefacts like wayang puppets, masks, statues, textiles, weapons, and a full set of gamelan instruments. Worth a visit if you have some extra time in Yogya, or you are interested in Javanese culture study. Wayang kulit performances are given every night 20:00-22:00, accompanied by gamelan. Rp20,000. Rp3,000.

Borobudur

Borobudur

© Hawkson

Around 40 kilometres from Yogyakarta lies the Borobudur. The Borobudur is a giant Buddist temple complex in Central Java (Jawa Tengah), Indonesia. There is no written record of the construction and experts believe that it is most likely built between the 8th and 9th century during the Sailendra dynasty. The building sits on a mountain and has nine so-called stupas. The first 5 make up the piramidacal base of the structure, on top of that are 3 circular stupas and finally there is one big stupa on top of all the others. Around the 3 circular stupas are 72 open stupas with statues of Buddha inside. In the 10th of 11th century the temple was abandoned, and only rediscovered at the end of the 19th, after which the structure was cleared from the vegetation, and finally at the end of the 20th century it was restored with the help of the UNESCO. An hour's drive from Borobudur are the Hindu Prambanan Temples, which are also on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Weather

Climate in Yogyakarta features tropical wet and dry climate (Aw) as the precipitation in the driest month, August is below 60 millimetres. The wettest month in Yogyakarta is January with precipitation totalling 392 millimetres. The climate is influenced by the monsoon. The annual temperature is roughly about 26 to 27 °C. The hottest month is April.

Getting There

By Plane

Adisucipto International Airport (JOG) has a few international connections, including flights with Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
All other flights are domestic, including those to Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya (all on Java), Balikpapan, Banjarmasin. Pontianak (all on Kalimantan), Denpasar (Bali) and Makassar (Sulawesi).

By Train

There are two main train stations in Yogyakarta, namely Stasiun Tugu (Tugu Train Station) and Lempuyangan Station. Depending on the type of class of train you are taking, you will have to get on and off on either one of these station. Tugu Station serves all Executive (best class) class and business (second class) class trains and Lempuyangan serves local connections and economy class from other cities.

Yogyakarta and Solo are connected by the Prambanan Ekspres commuter service. Despite the name, few of the ten daily rides stop at Prambanan station, which lies at about half a kilometre from the Prambanan temple site. The Prambanan Ekspres does stop at Maguwo station for Yogyakarta airport.

Trains from Jakarta take at least seven hours. The Argo-class trains (Argo Lawu and Argo Dwipangga) are the fastest and most comfortable, Rp375,000 (8 hours, including mineral water and snacks). Taksaka is almost as good at Rp350,000. The line between Kroya and Prupuk is scenic, where the line crosses the main backbone mountains of Java. Business (Eksekutif) class trains from Jakarta (514 kilometres, 8 hours) now cost from Rp260,000 and from Surabaya from Rp110,000. A ticket on a 3rd class train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta costs from Rp85,000 and from Surabaya Rp50,000.
Passengers from Bandung should take the Argo Wilis or Lodaya expresses which cross a scenic part of Java during daylight. Lodaya departures at 7:20am and it takes 7 hours to Jogja, the fare starts from Rp 215,000. There is also an overnight Lodaya and the Turangga from Surabaya also travels overnight. The fare is from Rp180,000 including mineral water and snacks.
Passengers from Surabaya are served by the twice-daily Sancaka service departing in the morning and afternoon.

For reservations and schedule check the PT. KAI website.

By Car

It' s about 10 hours from Bandung, 2 hours from Surakarta, 12 hours from Jakarta and 10 hours from Surabaya.

By Bus

There are two bus stations in Yogyakarta, namely Giwangan Bus Station and Jombor Bus Station. If you want to go to Bandung, Surabaya, Surakarta and some place in East Java and West Java you should go to Giwangan Bus Station. But if you want to go to Jakarta, Sumatra, Bali and Semarang, you should go to Jombor Bus Station.

Getting Around

By Car

This is the best thing to use if you want to get around Yogyakarta. Only 45 minutes to Prambanan Temple, or 1 hour to Borobudur Temple if you'd like to go to temple. 1 hour to Parangtritis Beach (you can also visit Depok Beach to find some sea food and Parangkusumo Beach for some beautifull view to take picture with sand desert, its all before you're in to Parangtritis Beach). Then, 2 hours to Baron Beach (You can also visit Kukup, Krakal, Sundak, Indrayanti, Poktunggal and also Siung Beach in a row), in the middle of your trip you can also visiting Sri Gethuk Waterfall or Pindul Cave (it's all in a row).

Motorcycle taxis are widespread. They usually gather at designated spots (pangkalan), where you will haggle your way to a ride. Not comfortable or convenient for carrying luggage, but quicker if the traffic jammed.

Nowadays, organized ojek are strong competitors to taxis and ojek pangkalan. Pickup is free and you pay according to the printout from the meter

By Public Transport

Medium and small buses are the main public transport in Yogyakarta.

The TransJogja rapid transit system operates from 05:30 to 21:30 and stops only at designated shelters. They are air-conditioned and generally safe. Tickets can be bought at the kiosks, and the cost for single trip is Rp3,600. You can buy regular trip cards which cut the per trip cost to Rp3,000, and allows transit to other shelters. Get a free route map for the TransJogja buses at the Tourist Information Centre on Jl Malioboro.

Buses other than TransJogja normally operate 06:00 to 17:00, or 21:00 for some long routes. The cost for a single trip is Rp3,000 regardless of distance (within the city). Usually on a bus there will be a driver and a helper who will hang from the side of the bus and handle money and try to get passengers. The helper will usually tap you on the shoulder to indicate you should pay him. If there is no helper you can pay the driver directly. When you are ready to get off a bus, tell the driver or helper "kiri" (KIH-ree) which means left.

Three-wheeled pedal-powered trishaws or pedicabs, known as becak (BAY-cha'), can be found in most parts of Yogyakarta, for shortish journeys (remember there is some poor guy pedalling away behind you). Haggle furiously before getting in. Be sure to determine whether the price is for a one-way or return (pulang) trip and if you want the driver to wait while you conduct your shopping or business. The journey from within the city to the Malioboro shopping precinct should not cost more than Rp 10,000.

The two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage is still found in Jogja. While happy to do a tourist jaunt, they are mostly used by the Jogjanese for shortish trips around their neighbourhoods, to and from the market, for example.

By Foot

Yogyakarta is a small city, you can walk from one spot to another spot but dont forget to ask if you dont understand. Its healthy and cheaper way.

By Bike

Another alternatife sollution if you'd like to around city. Using motorbike also a good sollution, many places rent motorbike for usually 50k/day.

Eat

Yogyakarta food used to be known for its sweetness. However, as more and more people move to Jogja, the city starts seeing more diversity in flavor. Now you can find many kinds of interesting dishes, from sweet, spicy, to fiery. Sometimes a fusion from other cuisines such as Chinese or Western can be found. Restaurants in the center often close quite early by Western standards, with admission often refused after 21:00.

If you want to eat the traditional way, head to Malioboro for a lesehan dinner in front of the closed shophouses, similar to the Japanese eating style on a tatami, but you sit on a mat and eat with your hands (you can ask for cutlery though). The food is ready to serve, - vegetables, fried and grilled meat (satay, seafood) are the most common, served with white rice. You can also order traditional gudeg. While this is a favorite among locals for the mingle for hours, do not expect very cheap prices.

The following dishes are recommended:

• Gudeg, a curry of jackfruit, chicken and egg served with rice, and is the most famous local dish. Goopy slop in various shades of brown, the stuff does not look particularly appetizing, but it can be tasty if done right. There are many gudeg restaurants, but the most popular are: Gudeg Wijilan, Gudeg Juminten, Gudeg Bu Tjitro, Gudeg Tugu, Gudeg Bu Ahmad. If you can wake up early in the morning, you may find small stalls serving Gudeg just at the corner of the street, or close to traditional markets. If you can't sleep at night, you can go to Jalan Janturan and enjoy the Gudeg
• Pawon (enjoying gudeg inside the old style kitchen) that open in late night. Due to the heavy fiber content of young jackfruit and the thick coconut milk, those who have weak stomach may have trouble with gudeg.
• Ayam goreng Mbok Berek, (Mbok Berek's fried chicken). Fried free range chicken with mild garlic and coriander flavour served with crunchy crackers.
• Nasi langgi, locally known as sego langgi (langgi rice). Warm rice served with various side dishes. Can be found in small stall in Gandekan St.
• Kipo, bite-size snacks made of green tapioca dough filled with sweetened grated coconut. Can be found in Kotagede.
• Bakpia, another bite-size snack made from sweetened green bean paste wrapped with thin dough pastry. The most popular bakpia is known as Bakpia Patuk, which not surprisingly, are sold in Pathuk street, also known as Jl. Aip K.S. Tubun.
• Jadah tempe, sandwich of rice cake and sweet beancake. Can be found in Kaliurang.
• Es rujak or rujak es krim, a fruit salad made from mangos, papayas, apples, pineapples, cucumbers etc., mixed with palm sugar, lime juice, salt, chillies and (of course) ice cream (es krim). All flavours (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty) in one plate. In case you are at UGM campus, have a look along Jalan Kaliurang. Small foodstalls sell es rujak there (only very late morning to early afternoon). If you are not close to UGM, keep your eyes open.

Drink

Traditional alcoholic drinks are common in Yogyakarta, although they're illegal. Some of them are not distilled well, therefore they may contain methyl alcohol (methanol) instead of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) only. Methyl alcohol will likely make you blind and might even kill you. Sometimes vendors also mix the alcohol drinks with much cheaper industrial methyl alcohol. In two days only in February 2016, more than 40 people died in 2 regencies of Yogyakarta due to consumption of such. Don't try it. Beer in a can or bottle is safe, but avoid mixture alcohol drinks from unreliable cafes.

Sleep

There are hundreds of budget hotels in Jogja. Most are on Jl Sosrowijayan (adjacent to Jl Malioboro) and in the Jl Prawirotaman area, about 3 kilometres to the south of the centre.

Many backpackers find places to stay on the alleys around Gang Sosrowijayan, close to the Tugu train station and Jl Malioboro. Note that Gang-3 is a red light area. The 'losmen' tariff is from Rp100,000 a day in low season and up to Rp250,000 a day for a losmen with facilities: aircon, en-suite bathroom and TV. The gangs are 10-15 minutes walk from the train station. If you follow one of the touts advertising cheap accommodation your stay might be more expensive as they will get a commission for bringing you there.

Learn

• Gadjah Mada University

Jogja is a city of education as well as culture. It is home to at least four universities. Besides the pre-eminent Gadjah Mada University, it also hosts Yogyakarta State University (Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta), the Islamic University of Indonesia (Universitas Islam Indonesia) and the Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga).

Indonesia's largest art school, the Indonesian Institute of Art (Institut Seni Indonesia) is also in the city, offering undergradate and postgraduate degrees related to traditional arts such as Javanese dance, wayang performance and gamelan music, and to modern and contemporary arts like theatre, broadcast, and graphic design.

It may be possible for non-Indonesians to study at these universities through the Indonesian-government Dharmasiswa scheme. Studies in Indonesian performing arts are a particular focus for recipients of this support.

Jogja is well-know for its language schools.

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet is becoming more widely used in Indonesia, and warung Internet (warnet) - Internet cafés - are emerging everywhere. A lot of restaurants and cafés in big cities normally have wireless internet available for free. Internet connection speed in Indonesia varies between ISP and location. Prices vary considerably, and as usual you tend to get what you pay for, but you'll usually be looking at around Rp3,000 to Rp5,000 per hour with faster access than from your own mobile phone. In large cities, there are free WiFi hotspots in many shopping malls, McDonald restaurants, Starbucks cafes, 7 Eleven convenience stores, and in some restaurants and bars. Some hotels provide free hotspots in the lobby and/or in their restaurants and even in your rooms.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

You can use 112 as an emergency number through mobile phones. Other numbers include 110 (police), 113 (fire) and 118 (ambulance).
The international phone code is 62.

If you have GSM cellular phone, ask your local provider about "roaming agreement/facility" with local GSM operators in Indonesia (i.e.: PT Indosat, PT Telkomsel, PT XL Axiata). The cheapest way is buying a local SIM card, which would be much cheaper to call and especially use internet compared to your own cell phone's sim card.

The Indonesian mobile phone market is heavily competitive and prices are low: you can pick up a prepaid SIM card for less than Rp 10,000 and calls may cost as little as Rp 300 a minute to some other countries using certain carriers (subject to the usual host of restrictions). SMS (text message) service is generally very cheap, with local SMS as low as Rp129-165, and international SMS for Rp400-600. Indonesia is also the world's largest market for used phones, and basic models start from Rp 150,000, with used ones being even cheaper.

Post

Pos Indonesia provides the postal service in Indonesia. Pos Indonesia is government-owned and offers services ranging from sending letters and packages to money transfers (usually to remote areas which have no bank branch/ATM nearby) and selling postcards and stamps. Sending a postcards, letter or parcel is relatively expensive, but fairly reliable. It takes several days at least to send it within Indonesia, at least a week internationally. It is recommended to send letters from a Pos Indonesia branch, not by putting it inside orange mailbox (called Bis Surat) in the roadside, because some of the mailboxes are in very bad condition and aren't checked regularly by Pos Indonesia. Opening times of post offices usually tend to follow general business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm (sometimes shorter hours on Fridays), Saturdays from 8:00am to 1:00pm, closed on Sundays. Bigger cities, tourist areas and central post offices tend to keep longer hours, into the evenings.

Private postal services based in Indonesia include CV Titipan Kilat (CV TIKI), Jalur Nugraha Ekaputra (JNE), Caraka, and RPX. There are also foreign postal services that have branches in Indonesia, including DHL, TNT, UPS, and FedEx.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website