Livia

Trying to list top 5 best Indonesian food is not easy, and I realised that most of our favourites are Javanese dishes, but it makes sense, we have spent most of our time on Java when being in Indonesia, as most of our friends live there, and we absolutely love Java and still have so much to explore on this Island alone.

Indonesian food is amazing! I could go to Indonesia just to eat. Saying Indonesian food includes a lot of different food tho. All regions, all cities, have their own cuisine and speciality. Whenever I go somewhere in Indonesia and talk to my Indonesian friends about it, they tell me what to eat in that place. Food is very important in Indonesia and you will never have to go hungry!

Between the two of us, these were the top 5 Indonesian dishes we agreed upon:

1. Bakso

We both absolutely love this simple noodle soup with meatballs – it’s both of ours favourite Indonesian dish! The best Bakso, you will find on the street. I’ve only seen it once in a restaurant, and it wasn’t very good. It’s a central Javaneese food, so the really amazing ones, you will find in Central Java, around Yogyakarta. M favourite Bakso place is in Mendut (see blog post about it here LINK!). It’s not a spicy dish in itself, but at all Bakso stalls there will be sambal (chili), which you are supposed to add in the soup to your liking as well as kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). So if you find yourself in central Java make sure to try Bakso at a street stall, it’s super cheap and yummy!

Bakso at it’s best at street stall Pak Min Wonogiri in Mendut.

2. Tongseng

Tongseng has been a favourite of mine from my first trip to Indonesia. It was the first street food I tried at a stall outside my work in Jakarta. From that moment I was sold on street food in Indonesia and Tongseng! Again, this is a central Javanese dish, from Solo I think, and also a soup. Tongseng is made with a coconut milk base and traditionally with goat or lamb, but in most places you can choose chicken instead. I prefer it with lamb, while Sam usually goes for the chicken. It’s also super spicy and so rich in flavour! The best Tongseng you will definitely find at the street, and as with Bakso, you won’t find many restaurants serving it, and if they do it won’t be as good as on the street. Trust me!

A beautiful bowl of Tongseng!

3. Ayam taliwang

All chicken in Indonesia is pretty fantastic, but Ayam Taliwang is one of Sam’s favourite dishes. A very spicy chicken dish with loads of chili on top, originally from Lombok. This is more of a restaurant or warung dish rather than something you will find in street stalls.

Not a traditional Ayam Taliwang, but still really good!

4. Sate

You won’t be able to travel to Indonesia without seeing sate stands. On Bali or in Manado they will most likely serve pork, chicken or fish, on Java and Lombok you will instead find beef, chicken and fish sates. This is the ultimate street food. You can find it anywhere and it will probably be great anywhere.

Chicken sate at Sate Taichan Senayan in Yogyakarta.

5. Nasi uduk

Nasi Uduk is not really a dish in itself, it’s rice cooked in coconut milk and spices. But you will see Nasi Uduk Komplit at many restaurants, where you will get chicken, tempe etc. and Nasi Uduk. It’s originally from Jakarta, but you will find it across Indonesia. I absolutely love this super fragrant rice. I’m a rice person in general, and love rice – but Nasi Uduk is playing in it’s own league of rices.

6. Extra: Sambals

Sambal is basically a sauce based on chili. There are so many different types of sambal, and all regions, cities, places have their own local version. We love trying different types of Sambals when we travel in Indonesia. My favourite sambal is Colo Colo – from Maluku, I haven’t seen it in many places outside Maluku. Should be served with fish, but works as good with chicken! We could probably make a whole blog post about sambals alone, but we will spare you that, for now.

Three different types of sambal at restaurant Bebek Bengil, in Jakarta.

So difficult to choose just 5 dishes.. there are so many other great dishes, I mean just all the pork and duck dishes you find on Bali, or the super spicy kitchen of Manado. Mmm…

When you think of Borobudur you think about the temple. It is a truly magnificent temple for sure, beautiful and definitely worth a visit. It’s also quite romantic, and where Sam proposed to me. Make sure to do the sunrise tour if you come, it is very beautiful! Even if it might be full of people, it’s still definitely worth it!

Sunrise from Borobudur temple

Sunrise at Borobudur temple

Most tourists just go to their hotels for a night and do the sunrise tour of the temple, but I definitely think this area is worth staying in for longer. But there is so much more to this area than the temple. It’s actually one of my favourite areas in Indonesia, with loads of greenery and small villages to explore, and extremely friendly people. 

Earlier this year, we stayed in this area for a week. We did do a lot of relaxing by the pool as well during this time, as we needed some rest, but we did explore quite a bit as well. I’ve been to Borobudur twice now, but for Sam it was the first time. The first time I was there, I did what most people are doing, 1 night at a hotel, the sunrise tour of Borobudur, a horse carriage ride around the closest village of Borobudur temple and then left. But I really felt like I wanted to come back to this place. I saw so much beauty during this trip so I was very happy to come back and spend some more time. 

What to Do in Borobudur off the Beaten Track

This area is so beautiful, the nature, the people – it’s all a but magical. Don’t be afraid to venture out from the hotel areas into the villages. My favourite thing to do is just to stroll through the village around the temples, walk on the small back streets. You will meet people who will talk to you and it’s super easy to interact with anyone you meet. They might not speak English but gestures and a few words in Bahasa will help. When we did this we ran into all sort of things happening, like a little local festival, some nice coffee places etc.

You can also rent a bicycle at some places and bike around the villages. Don’t do this midday like we did… it’s going to be too hot and you will burn. I managed to burn my hands for the first time in my life.

Also check out the small temple, Mendut. Many tourist do this on their way to and from Borobudur. It’s super small, just one room with a huge Buddha in it. But it is quite pretty.

Inside Mendut temple

Where to Eat Like a Local, Borobudur off the Beaten Path

We had some of the best food we’ve ever had in Indonesia here, especially Bakso and Tongseng (see our blog post about Indonesian food for more info). There places are all close to the Mendut Temple, for exact location see our Indonesia travel page.

Bakso & Mie Ayam Pak Min Wonogiri

This little street stall styled Bakso place is where we had lunch everyday. It’s the best Bakso I’ve tried to so far in Indonesia and it will only set you back around 0,60Euro for a portion. Don’t be scared by the very rough interior, we ate there plenty of times without having any issues with our tummies. The staff doesn’t speak English but are super helpful and friendly.

Interior of Pak Min

Amazing Bakso!

Rumah Makan Sate Dan Tongseng Mbak Ning

Possibly the best Tongseng in the area! It’s a very local restaurant, but again, don’t be scared by the look from it. The food is well prepared and the Sate is made on order. It’s very cheap and you won’t leave hungry!

Making Sate

Nak Djadi

This place serves Tongseng and Sate. The man running it is super friendly and came up to check we had a good time and enjoyed the food, which we did! This place looks a little bit nicer than some of the other places on this street and if I don’t remember wrong it was also a little bit more expensive than Mbak Ning for example. However, this does not mean much, as for a Westerner it is still very cheap.

As with many places, the best thing to do is just to walk around and see what you stumble upon. That’s how we like to travel, and when we do that – that’s when we have the best days! Rather than trying to plan everything. 

Where to Stay near Borobudur

There are loads of options of where to stay around Borobudur for all budgets. Try to choose an option in one of the villages to get a more real feel how it is to live here. We stayed at Amata Resort Borobudur, which was great! A midrange option, with great value for money. We really enjoyed our time there and the staff was super friendly and helpful.

The pool at Amata Resort Borobudur

Yogyakarta, Yogya, or Jogja (Kärt barn har många namn*) is a cool laid back city. We only spent two nights in Yogyakarta, and didn’t hit any of the main tourist attraction. So our guide will not feature any of these, but more off the beaten track things to do in Yogyakarta. It’s quite small and easily accessible by foot. If you like to get a bit lost, like we do, just start walking in a random direction, or towards a simple destination like a coffee house or ATM and you will find something interesting.

Most people only stay a night or two in Yogya, like we did, to head out to Borobudur temple and/or Merapi volcano. But you could definitely stay for longer in Yogyakarta and have loads of things to do and see.

*Swedish expression, roughly translated to “Loved child has many names”.

Graffiti Walk

You will see street are everywhere in Yogyakarta. But there is one area that has more of it. Head down to the Cemeti – Institute for Art and Society to see some great work by upcoming and well established artists. All round this area is plastered in graffiti everywhere. Follow your eyes and and don’t be afraid wander off the beaten track, into the small paths in the residential areas.

Street art in a small alley way in a residential area

Street art in Yogya

Talking With the Locals

School children who interviewed us, and as a thank you we got a gift

When you walk around a city where you are obviously a tourist, the chances of being talked to are quite high. Indonesians love to get to know tourists and get a selfie with you, of course. It’s lovely, most people don’t want to actually sell you anything, they’re just interested in why you want to visit their city/country and where you’re from. Yogya, like most of Indonesia is super friendly and the locals love speaking with tourists. As it is a university city, people are, in general, really good in English as well.

However, if you are on Malioboro street, people will more likely try to sell you stuff or take you to a batik shop where they get commission. But it’s all done in a nice way, and you can always have a chat without taking the offer.

Batik Shopping

Yogyakarta is a batik heaven. There are loads of shops and galleries around the city. You will meet manypeople on the streets, especially in very touristy areas, such as Malioboro street, who wants to take you to a specific batik gallery. Most of the times, these people gets a commission if you buy something there. Which can mean that the price is a little higher than normal.

Batik heaven in Yogyakarta

There is one gallery on a back street, which does not pay out any commission to anyone, Purnomo Batik art group. It’s actually a really nice place to just go around and look at the thousands of paintings. There are also women showing you the process of how they make batik paintings, which is quite interesting. And of course, you can buy any of the paintings. The prices depends on the painter, and not the size, if you buy from a student, it’s cheaper, and if you buy from a master it will cost you more.

Both times I’ve been there, the people working there has been super friendly and nice. They have no problems showing you around and showing you different paintings, without being annoyed if you don’t buy anything in the end.

Souvenir Shopping

Jogja has loads of shops. Many of them filled with batik clothes and Indonesian souvenirs. If you want a lot of soverniers for your buck, make sure to head to Hamzah Batik on Malioboro street. The ground flood is filled with batik clothing and the upper floor only sells Indonesian souvenirs. You can walk for hours looking around and you will probably end up buying a mask or two.

Many people ask themselves “Should I visit Jakarta?”. In the end, most tourists might have a layover in Jakarta on their way to Bali, or skip Jakarta completely, just staying at the airport. Don’t! In this post I will argue why you should visit Jakarta.

Jakarta is an amazing city! I know it has a bad rep – smelly, big, non tourist friendly, bad traffic, etc.. some is true, the traffic can be bad, it can be a bit smelly, but so are most cities. Jakarta does not deserve it’s bad reputation and it is definitely worth a visit.

Yes, it can be difficult coming as a tourist to Jakarta, I will be honest, my first impression with Jakarta wasn’t great, and it took me a while to understand it and see the beauty of this city. However, this was mainly because I ended up in the wrong area and stayed on the main roads. If you know where to look and have some adventure in you, you will experience the beauty Jakarta has to offer. It is not just about malls, I do admit, there are a lot, and they’re hard to skip completely, but there is so much more to “The Big Durian”. These are some of my reasons why you should visit Jakarta:

The People

Indonesian people in general are extremely friendly, at least from my experiences. In Jakarta, they are too, but they’re not ’on you’ like on Bali for example. You don’t get hassled walking down the street. People will try to talk to you, or at least say hello. Younger people will probably want to take a selfie with you. But you’re not bothered by sellers or tour guides, just people who are genuinely interested in you. This is, for me, a big argument for why you should visit Jakarta.

The Atmosphere

Jakarta might not be architecturally beautiful, or visually beautiful.. the beauty of Jakarta lies in its people, in the atmosphere of the city. It’s difficult to explain a feeling, but it’s just such a nice feel to this city. Even if it’s huge and noisy, I never feel stressed in Jakarta, and there’s always time to exchange some polite words with people you walk by.

Walking Around

This ties in with my previous point, just walking around in Jakarta (yes you can walk in Jakarta), is such a treat! This is my absolute favourite thing to do when visiting, just choosing an area and walk around, interact with people, see life go by, eat at street stalls, just be in it, experience the different atmospheres in different areas of this huge city.

The Food

Indonesian food is great! Food in Jakarta, amazing! Especially the street food and ’Warungs’ which you can find everywhere. What’s also great about Jakarta is that you can find food from all over the country. Don’t be scared to go to local places, just use your common sense, eat where the locals are eating.
We have a special post for just food in Jakarta, check it out here.

The Diversity

Jakarta has everything. You can find 5 star hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, but also local joints. Western and asian places. There is food and accommodation fitting every wallet and there’s more to do and see than you have time for. Enjoy skybars and modern skyscrapers or get into one of the small areas tucked in between the skyscrapers and got lost in the alleys, eat at local warungs and watch life go by.

For more specific tips on what to do in Jakarta, check out this blog post.

I have been back every year since I moved from Jakarta, and planning on going back many, many more times. Not just to see my friends, but to experience more of this amazing city.

The Jakarta skyline – overlooking Thamrin

If you came this far, I guess you have some interest in visiting Jakarta, and I hope I might have convinced you why you should visit Jakarta. It really is worth a visit, just have some patience and when you start to scratch the surface, you might fall in love with this city as I have.

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia, a huge city with a million things to see and do. It can be quite difficult and daunting for first timers in Jakarta. It can feel difficult to know how to get from a to b and what to do. So we thought we should write a little post about things to do in Jakarta, as we have been there 5 times now, and fall more and more in love with it each time.

Jakarta do not have many tourists visiting, which we think is ashamed, it has got something of a bad reputation, but we say it’s definitely worth a visit. Read more about why you should visit Jakarta.

1. Stroll Through China Town

Located north of central Jakarta, or a 20 minute taxi ride from Grand Indonesia, is Glodok, Jakarta’s very own China Town. Like most of Jakarta, it’s a bit run down, but inside the covered walkways and round the winding streets you find a wealth of busy market stalls, food hawkers and mini malls dedicated to electronics and/or medical equipment. Strolling through China towns historical busy streets is definitely on the top of  things to do in Jakarta.

There are two main Chinese temples in Glodok, which are well worth to visit. It’s permitted to enter and take pictures if you like. Remember to wash your hands at the entrance, but the friendly monks will guide you where to go. You don’t have to pay or tip anyone. Inside there is a small garden which has a big tree offering some cool shade from the busy sweaty street outside.

In China town you can also find one of the oldest coffee roasters Kopi Es Tak Kie. It’s not fancy, but serves a wicked cup of iced coffee. You can read more in our Best Coffee in Jakarta post. Bringing us nicely onto our next topic.

Jin De Yuan Temple in Glodok, Jakarta

2. Watch the World go by at Coffee Shops

Coffee and Indonesia, I can only say: expect some of the best coffee you have ever had. There’s so much variety, Ache coffee is slightly sour, Java coffee is round and mellow and Kopi Luwak (“Civet poo coffee”) actually surprised me more than anything. Whilst in Jakarta (and if you’re a coffee lover) you are spoiled for choice on where to get your daily fix. Yes, most the malls have the regular Starbucks and/or <insert generic coffee bar names here> but there is much more to find once you get off the main drag. Read more in our Best Coffee in Jakarta post.

Kopi Es Tak Kie in Glodok, Jakarta

3. Indulge in Street Food

Warung Warteg in Glodok, Jakarta

The next thing on our list is street food. Jakarta is famous for its street food and hunting down the best street food is our absolute favourite thing to do in Jakarta. There are millions of street stalls which all serves different types of Indonesian food, but they have one thing in common: it’s all delicious! All of our best meals in Indonesia has been at street stalls

Don’t be afraid to try the street food, in general it’s safe. Just use your common sense. Read more about how to avoid get food poisoning in this blog post and for more tips on where to go in Jakarta check our this blog post. LINK!

4. Enjoy Jakarta’s Skyline at one of the Many Sky Bars

Jakarta is one of the cities in Asia with most skyscrapers. These are mainly in the centre of the city and gives a very modern look to the skyline. This also means there are numerous of sky bars, lounges and restaurants which are great to hang out at to see the skyline in full. It’s quite humbling to be among the skyscrapers and the views are amazing.

One of the more famous sky bars is Skye, located on the 56th floor of the BCA building in Thamrin with a great view over the whole city, but there are so many others, and more are built every year. The biggest downside of these sky bars are that the prices goes up as soon as the word “sky” is in there and some are quite pretentious with dress codes etc, like Skye. But at most places you can grab a bear, something non alcoholic or something small to eat to enjoy the views without having to pay a fortune.

View of Jakarta’s skyline from the Four Seasons

Jakarta skyline, view over Thamrin

5. Meet the Colonial History in Old town

If there is one touristy area in Jakarta that would be Old town, or Kota tua, the area around Fatahillah square. This area still has many of the houses the dutch built. Fatahillah square is the main area, with many museums and Cafe Batavia, which restaurant in colonial style. It’s actually a quite nice place to sit down for a coffee and look out at the square.

The houses around the square are in pretty good shape, however, as soon as you start walking away from the square and towards the harbour most of the old houses are in ruins. Except for the the old Dutch draw bridge, which the government keep in good condition. It’s a weird contrast to the poor family houses around the bridge and the ruins along the way. But that is Jakarta, a city of contrasts.

Taman Fatahillah, Jakarta

6. The Malls

Love it or hate it, but you will not be able to escape the malls completely. Jakarta is supposed to have most malls per capita in the world. There are the local malls, like ITC, which is more like a huge market and then you have the western malls, such as Grand Indonesia, with air con and Starbucks.

In the western malls you will find everything, cinemas, restaurants, food court, arcade and of course lots of shops. I’ve always seen the malls as a bit of a safe haven when I can’t deal with the noisy streets or the heat anymore and just want something western, we all have those days and the western malls are perfect for that.

ITC Mangga Dua, local mall in Jakarta

7. Explore all of Indonesia at Taman Mini

Taman Mini, or small park, is an amusement park in the South East of Jakarta. It’s pretty far from the city centre, but a nice thing to in Jakarta as it entails information about all of the Indonesian regions. Each region has a part of the park with traditional houses built in life size form that region. All houses are like mini museums where you can see traditional clothing and learn more about that region.

As Indonesia has many regions, you can imagine that this park is quite big. So make sure to rent a motorbike or car or something to get around the park. You will need a full day to see the park.

Suci and I at Taman Mini, Jakarta

Maluku part of Taman Mini, Jakarta

There are so many guides on Bali out there. So this guide will not include any of the usual tourist attractions, instead this is our guide to Bali off the beaten path.

The first time I went to Bali, I hated it. I’ve been living in Jakarta for four months at the time and met up with my dad and his wife in Sanur on Bali. And really didn’t like it. Everything was so expensive, I saw sides of Indonesia I hadn’t seen before, such as prostitution, and people just wanted to sell you stuff. I missed the genuine people of Jakarta (and other areas of Indonesia) and even though Jakarta is so big, I found Bali almost more hectic. At the end of my week there I ventured out to less visited areas, and the second time I went I skipped the tourist spots completely, and finally saw the charm of Bali.

If you do not want over priced resorts and food, fight with all the other tourists on Bali and want to see a more genuine side of Bali, keep away from Kuta and the other areas in the South, plus Ubud centrum. However, if what you’re looking for is partying, other tourists and backpackers to swap stories with then the southern parts and Ubud centre is what you’re looking for.

When I travel I want to see a place for what it is, how locals live, and not the tourist side of places. I have far from visited all areas of Bali, but I will list a few places worth visiting, that’s off most tourists lists.

Jatiluwih Rice Fields

Yes, this is a tourist attraction. However, when we were there, it was completely empty. From what I understand, most tourists go to the rice fields close to Ubud, instead of venturing out to Jatiluwih. Even if it would be many tourists it’s such a big area so you’d probably end up by your own sooner or later. And it is beautiful! Definitely worth a visit.

Man working in his field at Jatiluwih rice paddies

Beautiful Jatiluwih

Ubud off the Beaten Path

To beat the crowds in Ubud, do not stay in the city of Ubud or the close to it. Venture a bit outside. Ubud is beautiful so I would not miss this area. If you have money to spend, there are some truly amazing resorts just outside the city. But if you’re on a budget, try to venture a little outside.

We stayed in a beautiful small place last year, Hati Padi Cottages. It was just outside a small village in the middle of a rice field. We were the only guests there at the time, but even if it’s fully booked it would probably still be very peaceful, as they only have a few rooms.

Our cottage at Hati Padi cottages

Beautiful sunsets over the rice fields

The most serene morning coffee

I have never been to a more serene place (this is not a sponsored post, just fyi). It’s run by two young french guys and a local woman. They were all super helpful and friendly, and we had some really yummy food there.

Lunch at Hati Padi Cottages

Beautiful Views in Sideman

When I went to Sideman I didn’t plan to. The driver we had for the day told us about Sideman road and how beautiful it was. And he was right. There are a few hotels and resorts there now, and I think more is being built. So make sure to head up there before it gets too touristy.

Harvest time in Sideman

We just went out of the car and watched the surroundings, locals harvesting their fields, quietness, clean air, very peaceful. We only went through it and had lunch, but my net visit to Bali, I will definitely stay in Sideman.

Children making their way home from school through the rice fields in Sideman

The Sleepy Town of Klungkung

When I told the driver I wanted to go to Klungkung he looked and me and asked why. He had never got a request form a Westerner to go there before. The reason I wanted to go, is because I have a friend from there, she wasn’t there at the time, but I wanted to see her hometown.

The hindu temple in Klungkung

It’s a really cute, sleepy little town. With a beautiful Hindu temple next to a big local market. I didn’t see any other tourists. If you want to see a normal Balinese town, without any tourists, this is the place for you. And it’s not very far from the touristy places in the South either. Plus it’s close to Sideman road.

The Hindu temple in Klungkung