Java Garden Spa: The Javanese Healing Art

Daily routines that consume your time, energy and mind will subconsciously result in imbalance between physical and mental condition that ultimately cause some health problems. It is a must, therefore, to restore the balance of the body, mind and soul.

Located among the green rice field in Sariharjo area of Sleman Regency, Java Garden Spa has very comfortable atmosphere with fresh, natural air and quiet surrounding. The location, which is around 10 minutes drive from the center of Yogyakarta city, makes this spa resort the best in its class to release tiredness.

The beauty of the building as well as the garden reflects the harmony of Balinese and Javanese culture. Balinese gate and Japanese frangipani are combined with Kasongan lamps and the aroma of special Javanese spices and some photographs describe that the art of messaging had been popular among Javanese noble since long ago.

'Back to nature' concept can be seen from those semi-open treatment rooms both for men and women where there is Balinese garden with the sound of water flowing in each room. Decorated with fine arts, the rooms offer distinctive sense of art for the guests who are enjoying the treatment.

One of the favorite menus in Java Garden Spa is 'Taman Sari Herbal Massage'. During 120 minutes, the body will be spoiled with combination of various massage techniques with herbal treatment that will give comfort and warmth, smooth blood circulation and give nutrition for skin as well as omitting bacteria and fungi.

Some spa packages such as 'Touch of Harmony', 'Jojga Breeze', 'Jogja Memories', 'Exotic Jogja', 'Jogja Serenity' and 'Perfect Hand and Foot Care' are available and will be given by trained therapists, both male and female.

Java Garden Spa has a very experienced consultant from Abian Biu Bali with international standard since he works in world tourism destinations like Bali. Essential oil, message oil and some herbal materials made by Java Garden Spa that are used here meet the international standard.

There is a certain lounge provided for you to enjoy cinnamon tea - Java Garden Spa's special drink - after the treatment while gathering with your friends or members of your family in a more relax and fresh condition. This is a new alternative for you to make your relationship with partners closer.

Get special membership fee during March and special discount during promotion month.

Steamed Snacks, from Wajik to Jadah Manten

The culinary creation by Yogyakarta society in the forms of these steamed snacks can be enjoyed in many traditional markets all over the city. Some of the steamed snacks are still used for sacred rituals held by spiritual communities and Yogyakarta kingdom. The others are purely intended for sale.

Reflecting the richness of Yogyakarta natural resources, most of the steamed snacks are made from sticky rice, rice flour and cassava or cassava flour. The flavors enrichment is done by using the available natural resources such as palm sugar as sweetener, pandanus leaf as coloring agent and grated coconut or meshed soybean as the fillers. The combination of rich and sweet flavors reflects the taste of Yogyakarta society.

One of the steamed snacks that is popular is wajik, which is made from sticky rice steamed with palm sugar. Originally, the utilized sugar was palm sugar to produce brown color. Later, there are other variations using sugar from sugarcane and pandanus leaf to create green wajik. Until now, wajik is still used in the ceremony of Tumplak Wajik that is held some days after the ceremony of Muhammad's birthday.

Other snack that still decorates some ceremonies is apem, which usually is used in Ruwah month of Javanese calendar. Apem combined with steamed sticky rice and kolak is shared to relatives, used as offering and to send prayer to the ancestors. This snack is made from rice flour, palm sugar and eggs added with yeast or tape that is fermented cassava.

If you are not satisfied yet with the steamed snacks of different rituals, you can still try other snacks. Mata kebo, for example, is a round cake resembling the buffalo eyes in green or red color. It is made from rice flour and sticky-rice flour with the outer part is added with white pasta from rice flour added with coconut milk to taste rich, while the inner part is filled with grated coconut cooked with sugar.

Kue Ku is also worth trying. Made from the same materials as mata kebo, ku snack is filled with sweet, smoothly meshed soybean. Initially, ku snack was flat and round in red color with banana leaf as the base, but now it is in the form of fruits in different colors and is packed in interesting container. Because of more composition of the sticky rice flour, it tastes a bit tough.

If you walk around the market, you will also find a funny steamed cake, namely jadah manten that means the sticky-rice cake for bride and bridegroom. The cake is made from sticky rice that is lumped to make a round shape filled with chicken or mince of beef. The outer part is wrapped with mixture of flour and eggs then it is clamped with two pieces of thin bamboo stick to make it beautiful. Different from other snacks that taste sweet, jadah manten is dominant with rich flavor.

Other kind of jadah or the sticky-rice cake is sold in the markets in the shape of flat and round or square. Usually, it comes with sweetened soybean tempe. The tempe is boiled with laurellike leaf, palm sugar, onion and garlic then it is fried in medium oil to get brown color.

If you go the market in at around 06:00a.m. - 08:00a.m., you will find other special snacks of Yogyakarta such as thiwul, and gatot as the original snacks from Gunung Kidul Regency, cenil, gethuk and lopis. To serve thiwul, it is usually mixed with palm sugar to taste sweet. Gatot that is made from cassava, the colorful cenil from starch and gethuk from meshed cassava are usually served with raw grated coconut. Meanwhile, lopis is served on banana-leaf plate (called pincuk) and added with grated coconut with palm sugar sauce.

All of the steamed cakes are sold at cheap prices. One piece of steamed snack is sold at around IDR 600 to IDR 2,000. For gethuk, lapis, and cenil they are sold at around IDR 1,500 to IDR 3,000. Several markets such as Beringharjo, Kranggan, Kotagede, Giwangan and Demangan sell complete choice of the snacks.

Text: Yunanto Wiji UtomoPhoto & Artistic: Agung Sulistiono MabruronCopyright © 2007 YogYES.COM

Special Drink and Porridge of Yogyakarta, the Healthy Freshness

When you have been satisfied with various traditional snacks such as lumpia and other steamed snacks, you must long for something refreshing. You do not have to worry since traditional markets provide you with fresh drinks and delicious porridge. You only have to spend less than IDR 3,000 to enjoy each of the menus.

Es Dawet is the right choice when you get to the market on a hot day. Combination of sweet and cold taste will clench your thirst after taking a long walk. This drink is made from cendol as the main material. There are two kinds of cendol; the green one is made from starch and the white one is from rice flour. Both of them will taste smooth and rich on our tongue.

As complement, es cendol is added with cam cao that will give unique sensation to the tongue. Cam cao is natural jelly made from the squeeze of cam cao leaf to make a solid, green jelly. This cam cao differentiates es dawet of Yogyakarta from other dawets from other areas in Indonesia. Generally, es cendol from other parts of Indonesia contains only one cendol.

Two kinds of smooth cendol and the fresh cam cao will combine with the sweet taste of the mixture of thick coconut milk and palm sugar syrup with the aroma of Jackfruit mixed in it. The sweet sensation will not only clench your thirst but it will also cool you down for a while. They use pure palm sugar as the sweetener instead of artificial one.

In addition to cendol, other fresh drinks are of Javanese herbs and ingredients. One of the drinks is beras kencur made from pounded rice and soak for one night and it is added with squeezed galingale. In addition to refreshing, beras kencur is also advantageous for health. The warm effect from the galingale will prevent the throat from experiencing inflammatory and it is believed to make our voice more melodious.

Other choice of traditional drink from Javanese ingredients is kunyit asam, made from grate of turmeric that is squeezed and mixed with tamarind and palm sugar. There is also similar drink composed of tamarind and palm sugar only. All are healthy for our body; turmeric that is rich in antioxidant will refresh the skin and smoothen blood circulation, while tamarind that is rich in vitamin C will increase our stamina.

While es dawet and the Javanese herbs drinks will give freshness on the hot day, various porridge will warm you in the morning or evening time. Usually, the porridge sellers will start selling at around 06:00a.m. to 09:00a.m. or 03:00p.m to 05:00p.m in the afternoon. Generally, porridge is made from rice flour that comes in different variations and it is mixed with thick coconut milk and sometimes is added with liquid palm sugar.

Jenang Mutiara or the Pearl Porridge is one form of the porridge that you can find in Kotagede and Beringharjo markets in the morning. This porridge is made from perl-like grains with white color in the inner part and clean red in the outer part. The porridge comes with thick coconut milk that tastes rich. Combination of sweet taste and the rich flavor of the pearl grains that are often called monte is suitably served warm.

Jenang Gempol is another choice worth trying even though less people sell this kind of porridge now. The main material of this porridge is the 'gempol', the steamed, round lump of rice flour mixed with coconut milk. As complement, mixture of porridge from rice flour and palm sugar with thick coconut milk is added. Usually, this porridge is served in a small cup.

Text: Yunanto Wiji UtomoPhoto & Artistic: Agung Sulistiono Mabruron

Copyright © 2007 YogYES.COM

BALE RAOS - Royal Cuisine Restaurant

Bale Raos is the only restaurant that serves the favorite cuisines of Sultan Yogyakarta (The King of Yogyakarta).

The Sultan Royal Palace of Yogyakarta (Kraton Yogyakarta) is the center of culture, which is rich of various kinds of glorious cultures which are quite exist until now. One of them is the culture of food. Now, people can try various special foods of Kraton Yogyakarta which are served by Bale Raos.

Bale Raos is located around Kraton Yogyakarta, in the nuance of Javanese architecture. Joglo building that stands gloriously, and strong royal palace aura make you enjoy the food in Bale Raos.

Bale Raos Restaurant has the indoor capacity of 80 seats which are divided into two joglos and up to 200 seats capacity in the forms of indoor and outdoor party combination. The opening hour is at 09.30 - 21.30 WIB (except Monday, at 09.30 - 15.00 WIB).

The dish of food in Bale Raos can be enjoyed as:
A'la Carte, buffet lunch or dinner.
Menu set dish (full serve waiters).
Pretentious riztaffel dish.

Beside enjoying special dish of food, on certain days, there are live gamelan orchestra and classic Javanese dance (beksan), and every Saturday night, Bale Raos serves live performance of keroncong music.

Trained cooks will serve high tasted dish of food, that is the favourite food of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono VII to Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and various foods of the family of Kraton Yogyakarta.

Bale Raos is the right choice for various formal and informal programs. The examples are family programs, serving guests, gathering, private party, and as the special and authentic culinary tour.

The authentic menus from Keraton Yogyakarta:
Bebek Suwir Suwir (Sultan HB X)Special menu of Kraton Yogyakarta, made from slices of duck meat which is served with fried pineapple slices and rasped kedondong sauce.

Semur Piyik (Sultan HB IX)Unique dish made of pigeon.

Urip Urip Gulung (Sultan HB VII)Fillet freshwater catfish which is rolled then roasted and served with mangut sauce.

Sanggar (Sultan HB VIII - HB X)Original menu from Kraton Yogyakarta, made from sliced beef with the spice flavor, which is roasted with coconut fiber and held by bamboo.

Soup Timlo (Sultan HB X)Classic Javanese soup which is the combination of ginger and ketchup, along with various combination of ingredients.

Beer Jawa (Sultan HB VIII)Original drink from Kraton Yogyakarta which is made from ginger, secang wood, clove, citrus fruit, etc.

Various exotic menus in Bale Raos:
Roasted goat
Bestik LidahThe variation of tongue beefsteak with thick sauce, served with pierced potato and serces (a kind of vegetable stoop, favourite food of Sri Sultan HB IX).

Bestik JawaGrinded beef with sweet gravy served together with potato puree and sauted vegetables.

Bebek Ungkep GorengDuck dish which is boiled in coconut sugar with spices and fried sweetly.

Price:
Price of drink: IDR 5,000 - IDR 11,000
Price of food: IDR 13,500 - IDR 35,000

For the comfort of service, we hope that you can reserve first at +62 274 415550

BALE RAOS

Jl. Magangan Kulon No.1Kraton Yogyakarta (Close to Pasar Ngasem)

Phone/Fax: +62 274 415550

Shortcut URL:http://www.yogyes.com/bale-raos

Unique dan Beautiful Handbags

All of bags are made of chosen natural stuffs which are processed by the professional staffs. Eceng gondok which has been chosen then is dried in the sun on the sands in order that the colour is spread evenly and plaited by the skilled hands. Whilst for the pandanus stuff, after the selection of pandanus, it is dried with the appropriate heat so that it reduces the risk of the fungi growth. The bag products have been plaited carefully, neatly, and strongly.

To keep the quality of goods during the dispatch period, a layer that is resistant to fungi to prevent the damage of the products.

Home Decor

Find your home decor suppliers in Yogyakarta - Indonesia.

Enjoy exploring hundreds of home decor products that will add beauty and style to your home; including colorful boxes made of natural fibre, elegant candle holder made of sonokeling wood and exotic tropical lamp.

Anna Craft: Handicraft and FurnitureAnna Craft : Handicraft and furniture

http://www.yogyes.com/en/shopping/home-decor/anna-craft/

Minimalist Interior Furniture from Arkananta - Practical, Modern, and BeautifulMinimalist nuanced room will look beautiful if it is added by series of interior furniture from Arkananta, from flower vase, candle holder, decoration, to small table.

PICTURE FRAME, TABLE LAMP, CANDLE HOLDER, and TRAY from Bongo ArtBongo Art focuses on the home décor products such as picture frame, table lamps, candle holder, and tray which are made of sonokeling wood.

BOROBUDUR RELIEF & GANESHA STATUES - Exotic Home Decor from Emji StonePerhaps you have ever thought to have a Borobudur relief in your house. Or you have a dream to have Ganesha statues and Buddha statues. Emji carves statue art based on your order.

WOODEN BATIK BOWL, JEWELRY BOX, PLACEMATS - The Beauty of Wooden Batik by Rizki AyuIt has been more than ten years of experience that Rizki Ayu gains in making wooden batik. The beauty of wooden batik bowl, jewelry box, placemats made by Rizki Ayu have been spread to European and American continents.

Cheap and Comfortable Hotels in Yogyakarta

As a tourist destination, Jogja provides many kinds of lodgings for the night; from star hotel to cheap hotel. The following is the complete information on cheap hotel, homestay, and bed & breakfast in Yogyakarta with the price under $10 per night.

Hotels at the tariff below $10 per night are suitable for backpackers, group of students, and travelers who expect to save cost of lodging in order to be able to stay longer or to allocate it for other trip necessities.

List of cheap hotel, homestay, and bed & breakfast below surely will make you happy for cheap yet merry reason. Being cheap does NOT mean bad, moreover all of the following lodging places are favorites among foreigners and they have sufficient facilities, even completed with swimming pool. In fact, some others only offer basic facilities. Thus, be keen on selecting and adjusting it with your needs.

Delta Homestay, Yogyakarta, IndonesiaDelta Homestay, Yogyakarta, Indonesia: The homestay with a beautiful garden setting.Class: Starts from IDR 65,000Location: Prawirotaman

Wisma Martha, A Guesthouse Close to JEC & Kotagede
WISMA MARTHA has been on operation since early of 2005 with its entirely new building. This guesthouse looks just beautiful.

Martha RoomRp. 70,0001 room for 1 or 2 persons, maximum capacity of 8 peopleAdditional fee of IDR 35,000,- is charged for every addition of 1 person in the same room.The rate includes breakfast, tax and services.

WISMA MARTHAJl. Rejowinangun No. 15a Kotagede, YogyakartaPhone: +62 274 7496373Shortcut URL:http://www.yogyes.com/wisma-martha

Unique Hotels in Yogyakarta

Hyatt Regency-Resort-Hotel, Yogyakarta

Elegantly set in 24 hectares of beautifully landscaped hotel gardens, the seven-storey Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta is built on the concept of the 'Legacy of a Misty Tropical Ruin Village', an ancient ruin and supporting village sitting in the midst of a tropical jungle. The theme incorporates the same axis and many architectural details of the renowned Borobudur Temple.Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta's public areas repeat the images of an Indonesian village, consisting of a collection of pavilions roofed in the Javanese style, and housing the hotel communication centre, café-restaurant, Lobby Lounge, Lobby Court and the hotel Ballroom. The versatile Ballroom can be configured to host a wide range of Yogyakarta social gatherings and corporate events.Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta's guest rooms and hotel suites offer a wealth of luxuries and amenities to ensure that hotel guests enjoy a comfortable and relaxing stay in Yogyakarta.Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta is situated in the scenic outskirts of north-western Yogyakarta. The idyllic location affords stunning views of Mount Merapi (the sacred mountain of Java), Seribu Mountain and Java's beautiful landscape.In addition, it is also strategically situated near the main highway with convenient access to Borobudur Temple, the city centre and many other places of interest. Adisucipto Airport Yogyakarta is just a 15-minute journey by car.

Dusun Jogja Village Inn hotel Yogyakarta

One of the best Hotels in Yogyakarta in Indonesia, Dusun Jogja Village Inn offers a relaxed and tranquil holiday experience. Dusun Jogja Village Inn in Yogyakarta is a boutique hotel offering a unique vacation experience. The convenient Location of Dusun Jogja Village Innin Yogyakarta along the Karangkajen, makes it easily accessible from the city centre, Adi Sucipto air port, famous Hindu temple Prambanan and the world famous Buddhist temple Borobudur.
Room Facilities at Dusun Jogja Village Inn in Yogyakarta
24 exquisitely designed rooms at Dusun Jogja Village Inn in Yogyakarta are synonymous with luxury, comfort and style. You can choose from an array of rooms and suites-ranging from Standard rooms to Deluxe rooms, Superior rooms, VIP rooms and J Suite.
Dining at Dusun Jogja Village Inn in Yogyakarta
Dusun Jogja Village Inn in Yogyakarta offers you a sophisticated range of dishes and beverages. Dining at Joglo Open air dining Pavilion at Dusun Jogja Village Inn at Yogyakarta is a memorable experience. You can feast on Javanese, Indonesian and international cuisine. The exotic pool bar is the best place to unwind after a hard day’s work

Kalyana Resort

Rest in Kaliurang Highland with beautiful scenery of Mount Merapi and siginificant infinite panaromic view of the surrounding peaceful hills, mountain, and tropical forests across the cliff. We are offering more than just rooms, we are offering peaceful atmosphere in harmony with nature. We take great pride in providing our guests with the highest level of professional service and hospitality, and it is our unspoken goal to exceed your expectations.

Kalyana Resort Jl. Kaliurang Km 22,38 Dusun Banteng, Hargobinangun Yogyakarta Indonesia fax: (62 274) 895 558 - ph: (62 274) 897 931, 897 932, 747 9600, 747 9507, 0815 7870 7187e-mail: info@kalyanaresort.com

The Cangkringan Jogja Spa & Villa
Jl Raya Merapi Golf, Desa Umbulharjo, YOGYAKARTA
Reflecting traditional Javanese architecture, the Cangkringan Jogja Spa & Villa stands in the foothills of Gunung Merapi, the ferociously active volcano. Situated in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, a city often referred to as "Handicraft Heaven," guests are within 25 kilometers of the Kasongan handicraft center. The Sultan Palace and the 10th-century Prambanan Temple rest 30 kilometers away. The ninth-century Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist monument on earth that features intricately carved stone blocks, is 45 kilometers from the hotel. Adisutjipto Airport sits 30 kilometers away, and the hotel offers complimentary shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. Guests must contact the hotel at least 48 hours prior to arrival in order to give the staff an estimated time of arrival. Guests can enjoy complimentary breakfasts each morning and order room service 24 hours a day. Guests can also relax by the pool or play rounds of golf at the Merapi Golf Course, located 100 meters from the hotel. Complimentary valet and self parking is available to guests. Each of the 16 villas and two suites at The Cangkringan Jogja Spa and Villa offers a private pool, separate lounge area with cable television and butler services. Other amenities include multi-line telephones, minibars, refrigerators, shared bathrooms, in-room safes, balconies, turndown services and wireless high-speed Internet access.

Official Theme Song A Mild Live Soundrenaline 2008 “Free Your Voice”

“Free Your Voice”
Chorus

Gotta free your body and your mind and your soulGotta free your body and your mind and your soulGotta free your body and your mind… free your voice
Gotta free your body and your mind and your soulGotta free your body and your mind and your soulGotta free your body and your mind… free your voice

verse

This is the time like none beforeDon’t stand still scream some moreListen to your heart that beat so fastGet into the groove let’s make it last
Repeat Chorus 2x

Gotta free your body and your mind and your soulC’mon everybody c’mon let’s free your voice

Too Much Painting will Kill You

Painting Exhibition that will be held on 14-21 September 2008

Place: Tujuh Bintang Art Space, Jl.Sukonandi Yogyakarta



Please welcome and enjoy the art.

Jogja Fashion Week 2008

The Great Fashion Festival in Yogyakarta

Jogja Fashion Week (JFW) 2008 was held at 27-31 August 2008 in Pagelaran Keraton Yogyakarta perform local ethnic fashion. Many batik fashion as a symbol of culture in Indonesia.

Jogja Street Carnival as a carrnival that present fashion followed by marching band and art perfomance from many schools and universities in Yogyakarta. This carnival take the destination from Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat - Jl. Panembahan Senopati - Jl. Mataram - Jl. Malioboro - Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

Indonesian cooking

Indonesian cuisine could be classified among the world's great cuisines.

As Indonesia was and is still on the route of the trade between Asia and the Middle East, foreign cuisine was blended with the islands' own cooking secret. This is in addition to traditional Indonesian meals.
Traders, immigrants, adventurers, and even pirates have been drawn by the the riches of Spice Islands (The Maluku Islands).

From India came curries, cucumber, eggplant, and cowpeas. From the Americas, chili, pepper, vanilla, soursop, pawpaw, and pineapple. From China , mustard and vagetables as brassica and cabbage. From Arabia, kebab, goat stews. The European have introduced peanuts, avocado, guava, papaya, tomato, squash, pumpkin, cacao, and soybeans.

Wayang Kulit, the Indonesian shadow puppets

Wayang Kulit in Central Java is probably one of the oldest continuous traditions of storytelling in the world, and certainly among the most highly developed.

The wayang is a flat or round puppets used for shows in Java.The wayang kulit is the flat one and it is made with buffalo leather. They are maipulated behind a white screen with a back light, so the attendance can see them as shadow puppets.

Wayang is well integrated in Javanese society, and it is considered to be a highlight of Javanese culture.

Wayang Kulit was already established in the East Javanese kingdoms one thousand years ago.

The art of batik

The art of "batiking" is similar to the one of drawing or painting on a piece of cloth.

The main tool, the canting ('tjanting'), is used in staed of a pencil or brush, and liquid wax (see paragraph here below)in stead of paint.
A canting with more than a spout (it can be up to seven) is used for patterns with dot forms. Basically, as an art, batiking is painting. The canting is used to produce the picture; its size depending on the type and degree of fineness of the lines or points desired

Indonesian Batik has a worldwide recognition.

The word "batik" is Indonesian in origin, even if the concept was known by Egyptians and Indians. It is known to be more than a millenium old, and there are evidences that cloth decorated through some form of resist technique was in use in the early centuries AD in several West African, Middle-Eastern and Asian communities. The word Batik is originally an Idonesian-Malay word and means to dot .This art of textile is spread in the hindu and malay world, but Indonesia is certainly the heart of the Batik.This way of painting and coloring textile has reached its higher degree of excellence in the Island of Java , in cities like Solo, Yogyakarta, Pekalongan or Cirebon. From Java this 'batik' cloth was exported to other islands of the archipelago and to the Malay peninsula. On the 17th century, the Javanese sultanate of Mataram accorded important ceremonial functions to the Batik clothes. Sultan Agung of Mataram is known to have dressed in white cotton decorated with Indigo blue, and his court dancers wore kain kembangan colored with a red organic dye. During the past two or three centuries batik has become one of the principal means of expression of the spiritual and cultural values of Southeast Asia.

the heart of the Indonesian Batik.

Yogyakarta the capital city of the most powerful and respected Kingdom of Java, is also at the heart of the Batik art.

All the old Traditions and customs are observed, as well as in Solo, and one can still find many symbols that are related to Hindu-Javanese culture.

The combination of motifs in Yogya batik is unique, and there is a tendency to combine a number of large geometric motifs.

The Grompol motif is a distinctively Yogya design customarily used for wedding ceremonies. Grompol, which means gather together symbolizes the coming together of all goods things, such as luck, happiness, children, and harmonious married life.



The Nitik motif is found in great numbers in this area. During a colonial annual fair (Jaarbeurs) during the Dutch period, a batik producer gave the name Nitik Jaarbeurs to a motif which received an award.

Yogyakarta in General

Yogyakarta is one of the supreme cultural centers of Java. Full Gamelan orchestras visions from the past, classical and contemporary Javanese dances exhibit beautiful control and poise, wayang kulit-leather puppet theaters come to life and hundreds of other traditional illustrations of art keep locals and visitors spellbound. It is as if the city itself has an extraordinary life force and charms, which seldom fails to captivate.

Geographic
Geographically, Yogyakarta Special Province is situated in the Southern part of Central Java and lies between 7 degree 33' and 8 degree 12' South altitude and between 110 degree 50' East longitude. The administrative boundaries of this region are surrounded by some regencies of central Java Province:

Southern East	:	Wonogiri Regency
Eastern	:	Klaten Regency
Northwestern	:	Magelang Regency
Western	:	Purworejo Regency

The Indonesian Ocean borders the Southern part of Yogyakarta. The borderline of the seashore stretches from West to East of which the length is around 100 km, started from Congot Beach in Kulon Progo Regency and ended at Sadeng Beach in Gunung Kidul Regency. Because of its location,

Yogyakarta is strategically positioned for the economic activity network in Java as well as for the tourist destination area. The special region of Yogyakarta lies midway on the axis of several main tourist destination areas, Jakarta and West Java westward. Central Java northward, East Java and Bali eastward. It is linked by regular rail, road and air services to other parts of Indonesian archipelago.

Sepanjang, The Old Kuta Beach

If you want to enjoy the nostalgia of Kuta Beach in the past time, Sepanjang Beach is the right place. Sepanjang has long coastal lines, clean water sands, and medium waves. You can just choose: sun bathing under the bright sun, surfing, or just enjoy the beach beauty. You can enjoy all the things when you come to the beach that lies some kilometers from Sundak Beach.

Sepanjang Beach is one of newly opened beaches. The name 'Sepanjang' which means 'long' derives from the characteristic of the beach that has the longest coastal lines of all beaches in Gunung Kidul. The atmosphere of this beach is so natural. The seaside is decorated with palm trees and huts roofed with dry leaves. The coral reef in the rise and fall of tides area is kept well. The dashes of waves reflect blue color signaling uncontaminated sea water. With such a situation, it is not false if the local government and investors plan to make this beach the second Kuta Beach.

The natural atmosphere makes Sepanjang Beach superior to Kuta Beach. Sepanjang does not offer such cliché things as beach café and luxurious cottages, but closeness to nature. You can still dig out coral reef to find mollusk and starfish (Echinodermata). You can also pull out seaweed from the coral. However, you must be careful in order not to stick the sea urchin's spines. You will not find those all in Kuta, will you?

Sepanjang also has a historical site, namely Banyusepuh. 'Banyu' means 'water' and 'sepuh' means to wash. Thus, the name means that the place that used to be a water spring is used to wash or to bathe. Those who used the place were Islamic pious leaders who washed their sacred weapons. You must ask local people to locate this site.

Sosrowijayan Street

Walking about 200 meters southwards from Tugu railway station, along Malioboro Street, you will find Sosrowijayan kampong. A plank at the corner of the small street with the same name on it leads you to the area. Connecting Dagen Street and Malioboro Street, Sosrowijayan is split into two areas, namely East Sosrowijayan and West Sosrowijayan. Later, East Sosrowijayan is known as the second famous tourist kampong in Yogyakarta after Prawirotaman.

Arriving at the T-junction of the street named after the past authority of the area (Sosrowijoyo), you will be greeted friendly by pedicab drivers. Usually, they will assist you to get lodgings or take a mini tour along Malioboro Street or to get bakpia (the special snack of this city) at Pathok area by riding their pedicab. Many guides will readily assist you to get lodgings, for example. They will tell you many things about places of interests in Yogyakarta, too.

Entering Sosrowijayan area, you will see an old building functioning as a lodging, namely Aziatic Hotel. The building that was built during the Dutch colonization has typical European architecture. The building has white wall with three doors and some supporting pillars on the front side, while the name of the hotel is directly embossed to the wall in black color. Once, this hotel was used as the shooting location of 'Daun di Atas Bantal (The Leaf on A Pillow)' film that was shown in Cannes Film Festival.

Entering the first alley, there are two bookshops. Most of the works sold there are novels in English; some of them are in Indonesian language. You can freely select or just take a quick reading of the content since they are all unwrapped. Even though most of them are used ones, physical quality of the books is preserved so well that they are worth collecting. The prices vary but they are definitely cheaper than those in bookshops.

If you want to be able to make batik, you can take a course offered by a lodging in the second alley. Close to the lodging, there is a batik studio managed by a local inhabitant. The style of the batik in this studio is painting batik, just like the ones you find in Taman kampong, near Tamansari Water Castle. The superiority of painting batik lies of its colors and temporary design.

As a kampong for tourists, there must be many guesthouses there. Different from the ones in Prawirotaman, the guesthouses and lodgings in this kampong are among local people's houses since most of them are in the alleys of the kampong. If you want to stay in more a private lodging, you can choose one among many hotels alongside Sosrowijayan Street. The tariff of the lodgings in this kampong that is located to the south of Pasar Kembang area is not different from that in Prawirotaman.

In the afternoon, while relaxing after wandering about Yogyakarta, you can enjoy the life of local children. Usually, girls will play rope jump or other traditional children games and boys gather in a certain place to have a chat. Meanwhile, the young people play guitar while singing Indonesian hit songs. They are members of Maliboro Art Community that in certain occasions they perform on stages.

Tour travels are also available in Sosrowijayan. Moneychanger, internet connection, telecommunication booth, motorcycle and car rental are all available for your convenience. When you are hungry, you can just go to dining places opened by local inhabitants. At the end of the first alley, for example, there is a simple dining place yet many foreign tourists come to have meals. Traditional cuisine such as fried noodle, stir-fried vegetables with chili and other delicious dishes are served. Some restaurants serve steak and other menus at affordable prices.

In the evening time, Sosrowijayan gets more vivid. Many young people gather at the street sides while some cafes tune live music as an alternative amusement. In combination with the nightlife of Malioboro Street, Sosrowijayan becomes vivid. A small warong under an orange tent that local people call angkringan is a nice place to have a talk. While chatting, you can enjoy tea, ginger beverage, or the other delicious menus at very cheap prices.

An Old City as Center of Silver Handicrafts

Kotagede

Located around 10 kilometers at the southeastern part of Yogyakarta city center, the area is now well known as Kotagede as the center of silver handicrafts in Yogyakarta. Keeping around 170 old buildings built in 1700 to 1930, "Kotagede is not only named Silver City but an Old Capital City" as Achmad Charris Zubair, a Kotagede cultural observer, said.

Entering Kotagede from the north through Gedong Kuning, a small street framed with classical buildings along both sides look like an exotic opening for tourists after going through the gate.

Since entering Kotagede area, tourists begin to enjoy various kinds silver handicrafts at various prices sold at the front part of local people's house functioning as the gallery at the same time. Most of the houses are in traditional Javanese architecture called Joglo.

Yogyakata Exotic Beach

Sundak Beach

The name Sundak turns to experience evolution of which evidences can be traced geologically.In order to know its evolution, visitors must know first the condition the sea sides of Sundak Beach in the past and at present time. At the west side of the beach there is a mosque and a vacant space that is now utilized as a parking area. On the east side, there is a cave made of coral reef as high as around 12 meters. Entering the cave, there is a spring from which local people get fresh water.

Before 1930 the above area was still under sea water. The story tells that sea water reached the area where the mosque stands now and the cave was submerged in sea water. In line with geological process in the south sea, the sea water level decreased and sea water stood out more to the sea. The coral reef and the area around the mosque became new land that later coastal people used it for economy activities until today.

There was unique, natural phenomenon of the activity that finally served as starting point of naming this beach. When rainy season came, there was much water from the land flowing to the sea. Consequently, the land on east side of the beach split to make a river-look form. The flowing water looked like splitting the sand. When dry season came, the crevice disappeared since the sea water came ashore and drag away the sand. The name Wedibelah (the split sand) originated from this natural phenomenon.

Tens of years later the name changed. In 1976, there was an interesting occurrence. In an afternoon, there was a dog running about the seaside and entered the cave where it met a sea urchin. Being starving, the dog tried to prey on the sea urchin but the sea urchin avoided. Then, the fight happened and finally the dog succeeded in eating half of the sea urchin body and the dog got out of the cave proudly. The owner of the dog, Arjasangku, saw half of the sea urchin body was still in the dog's mouth. Since then, the name Wedibedah was changed into Sundak as an abbreviation of asu (Javanese language for dog) and landak (Javanese language for sea urchin).

The quarrel turned to bring fortune for local people. After being short of water for years, local people finally found a spring. Initially, the owner of the dog was astonished that his dog was soaking wet after getting out of the cave. The hypothesis was that there was a spring inside the cave and the dog might fall in it while hunting the sea urchin. After some investigations, the prediction turned out to be true. Now, the spring functions as source of fresh water for local inhabitants. Pipes are now installed from the cave to distribute water to the community. The finding of the spring consoled the community who were disappointed because the wells that they dug were inundated by sea water.

Just imagine the condition of the area hundreds of years ago when we know its condition in 1930s. There had to be many organisms that utilized the lower part of the coral reef that now functions as a cave. For the reason, many archeologists believe that as the consequence of the occurring geological process, there were many sea organisms were left and piled up as fossils. Not many researches reveal what fossils exist in the area.

In addition to offering its silent historical witnesses, Sundak also offers enjoyable night atmosphere. You can enjoy the breeze of the night wind while ordering fresh fish to be grilled together with your friends. You only have to pay some thousands Rupiah for the firewood. If you are reluctant to do so, just order ready-to-eat grilled fish. To spend the night, you can just sleep anywhere; you can put up your tent or just lying on the bench of food sellers that are not used at night.

Yogyakarta The Performing Arts

Wayang Kulit

The most famous of all performance art in Yogyakarta (and for that matter in Java and much of the rest of Indonesia as well) is the ancient art of wayang kulit. The word wayang literally translates to theatre and the wayang kulit performances are theater performances of shadow puppet plays. This beautiful art began as a method of storytelling as far back as the first century and has continued to develop ever since. There are wayang kulit performances nearly every night somewhere in the city of Yogyakarta .
Another popular form of performance art in Yogyakarta is the unique style of music developed there called the Gamelan Yogyakarta. Gamelan music is made up of the sounds of unique instruments such as gongs and xylophones; Gamelan Yogyakarta is a variation of the traditional gamelan sound. Travelers should ask their local hotel representatives where they can hear gamelan yogyakarta during their stay in the area.
Travelers should also consider checking out more traditional forms of performance art. For example, the Ramayana Ballet is an option for travelers. Various other performing arts events take place throughout the year.

The Beautiful Night in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta Nightlife

Before heading out to see any of the local pubs and clubs, visitors should make sure to catch a performance of the famous wayang kulit shadow puppet theatre performances which play nightly at locations all throughout Yogyakarta. See for more information. After completing this cultural experience, travelers can head out to enjoy the area’s nightlife scene. Most night spots are open from ten in the evening until three in the morning athough times vary by venue. Places worth checking out may include:

Blatz Lounge – Travelers interested in checking their email while sipping some wine can do so at this location.

Junction – This club is known for its DJ music.

Malioboro Street – Visitors getting tired of being indoors should head over to this street on weekends to see nightlife moved outside.

Papillon – This location is great for getting out on the dance floor.

Sheraton Mustika Resort and Spa Complex – This resort is home to several different bars and nightclubs which keep guests of varied interests entertained.

Hugo’s is a popular club here which is known for its midnight bar performance as well as its live music. Embassy is another nightclub frequently enjoyed by guests in the area.

Soda Lounge – Travelers interested in meeting up with others in the area for things such as talking about books will find that this is a place to do so.

TJ’s – The name is short for The Jetsets, a bar which offers live music as well as local DJ’s.

Yogyakarta Museums & Attractions

There area approximately one dozen major museums located throughout Yogyakarta . These museums serve to explain and share the culture of the Javanese people with the tourists who come to the area. They also serve to preserve and commemorate the history of the area. Some of the museums to see while in Yogyakarta include:

Batik Museum – This museum is entirely devoted to the ancient batik art which has spread throughout the world in recent decades.

Dirgantara Air Museum – World War II was an important time in this area; the museum showcases World War II military airplanes, including rare Russian airplanes, as well as airplanes from other times.

Kekayon – This is the most famous of the museums which display the wayang puppets which are central to the performing arts culture of the area.

Kraton (or Keraton)

This historic site include a museum which describes the area. Perhaps of more interest is that it includes an exhibit of chariots belonging to the sultan who lived here.

Sonobudoyo Museum – Travelers interested in exploring exhibits of the famous wayang puppets which make up a great part of the area’s creative culture should head here. Other artifacts include statues and ancient weaponry.