Fast Fact of Indonesia Destination #2

Danau Toba (Toba Lake) Medan

Medan
The third largest city in Indonesia thrives on oil, palm oil and rubber.
* Airport: Polonia
* Local calling code: 61
* Taxi: Matra, tel 844 3333
* Unique stay: Hotel Garuda Plaza and a plethora of others offer international-standard accommodation.
* Restaurants: The night market yields a large selection of Chinese food, while vegetarians can go to Sumatera Vegetarian Restaurant.

Padang
Padang has been an active trading center since the 16th Century.
* Airport: Minangkabau International
* Local calling code: 751
* Taxi: Kosti, tel 705 0333
* Unique stays: Batang Arau Hotel, located in a refurbished Dutch bank building, offers a taste of the past.
* Restaurants: Padang cuisine, served buffet-style, has spread over the country; but stop by at Pagi Sore for the genuine article. Nelayan Restaurant has a reputation for good seafood.

Jogjakarta
Jogjakarta is a popular travel destination and site of the world-famous Borobudur monument. It is also famous for its dance, wayang and high-quality batik.
* Airport: Adi Sucipto
* Local calling code: 274
* Taxi: Centris, tel 544 977
* Unique stay: Amanjiwo provides luxury accommodation next to Borobudur. Another fun option is to arrange a bed-and-breakfast home stay with a local family (Indraloka Homestay Service, tel 544 428).
* Restaurants: Sample gudeg, a local curry made with young jackfruit that is unique to the region, at one of the many small warung restaurants around. Or a local favorite eatery is Suharti restaurant (Jl. Laksda Adisucipto 208).
* Fun fact: The Jogjakarta Sultanate is the highest-ranking court in Indonesia.

Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru’s economy was originally built on coffee and coal, but now relies on oil.
* Airport: Sultan Syarif Kasim II
* Local calling code: 761
* Taxi: Puskopa, tel 25500
* Experiences: Visit the Grand Mosque, dating back to the 18th Century, holding the graves of the fourth and fifth Sultans of Siak.
* Unique stays: Grand Jatra Hotel provides international level accommodation.
* Restaurants: Enjoy air-conditioned peace and great grilled chicken at Ayam Bakar Wong Solo.

Semarang
Semarang is Central Java’s main shipping port. Traditional pinisi boats can still be seen down at the harbor. The old Dutch area and the Sam Poo Kong Temple west of the city are worth a visit.
* Airport: Ahmad Yani
* Local calling code: 042
* Taxi: Centris, tel 672 3624
* Unique stay: Hotel Candi Baru offers accommodation housed in an old villa.
* Restaurants: Rumah Makan Permata MErah and Kedai Surya dish up good Chinese fare.

Surabaya
Home to Indonesia’s navy, Surabaya is rapidly becoming a city of malls. Historically some of the bloodiest battles of the independence war took place here, commemorating the supposed origins of the city’s name, a combination of sura (shark) and boyo (crocodile). Principal exports include sugar, tobacco and coffee.
* Airport: Juanda
* Local calling code: 31
* Taxi: Bluebird, tel 372 1234
* Unique stay: Must-sees include the Hotel Majapahit Mandarin Oriental, a gorgeous colonial establishment that resembles Singapore’s Raffles hotel on a smaller scale.
* Restaurants: New San Thauw (Jl.Raya Gubeng 64) offers fresh-cooked seafood of your choice. A cheaper option is Soto Ambengan Pak Sadi (Jl. Ambengan 3A) for local style food.
* Fun fact: The Suramadu Bridge being built between Surabaya and neighboring Madura will be the longest bridge in the country when completed.

Solo
Solo, formally known as Surakarta, is one of the great batik producers. Visit Pasar Klewer for Solo’s characteristically warm orange and yellow batik.
* Airport: Adi Sumarmo
* Local calling code: 271
* Taxi: Kosti, tel 856 300
* Unique stay: Mid-range Ramayana Guest House provides home-style atmosphere complete with garden courtyard.
* Restaurants: Hit Jalan Teuku Umar for a dizzying array of food choices including many small warungs.

Tarakan
Tarakan is primarily a trading and supply town, a stepping stone to other locations. There is a memorial to Australian soldiers on the grounds of the Indonesian military barracks.
* Airport: Juwata
* Local calling code: 551
* Taxi: Ask your hotel to arrange transportation, as taxis don’t run on meters.
* Unique stay: Horel Paradise is the closest thing to high-end accommodation. Its Bulungan Restoran serves up good Chinese, Western and Indonesian food.

Fast Fact of Indonesia Destination #1

Fast Fact of Indonesia Destinations #1

Sunset - Pantai Kuta, Bali

Bali
Bali is celebrated worldwide fro its tourism industry. The must see list is endless; popular pursuits include beach-bathing, shopping, surfing, partying, visiting historical monuments and witnessing numerous cultural festivals.
* Airport: Ngurah Rai
* Local calling code: 361
* Taxi: Bluebird, tel 701 111
* Unique stay: If you plan to stay more then two weeks, try renting a house.
* Diversion: Try a live-abroad ocean cruise on a traditional pinisi schooner.
* Restaurants: The Lotus Pond for the Balinese specialty bebek betutu (roast duck in banana leaf). The seafood grill restaurants on Jimbaran Bay, Casa Luna, and Made’s Warung are the tip of the gastronomic iceberg.
* Fun fact: Amed Beach produces top quality sea salt, said to be comparable in some cases to the celebrated French fleur de sel.

Banjarmasin
Floating markets and canal trips are unique. One of the busiest is Pasar Kuin at the junction of the Kuin and Barito rivers.
* Airport: Syamsudin Noor
* Local calling code: 511
* Taxi: Area, tel 7474 567
* Unique stay: Hotel SAS offers comfortable accommodation at a reasonable price.
* Restaurants: Kaganangan and Depot 59 are recommended.

Batam
Batam is a transit point and industrial zone. Waterfront City and Nongsa are two popular resort areas.
* Airport: Hang Nadim
* Local calling code: 778
* Taxi: Counter, tel 325 507. Ask your hotel to call one.
* Unique stay: The Goodway Hotel in Nagoya offers decent accommodation.
* Restaurants: For seafood, try the Golden Prawn, an open-air seafood restaurant considered one of the best on the island. Or head to the night market.

Balikpapan
Balikpapan is the gateway to East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The discovery of oil and gas transformed the region onto an industrial area. Timber is also exported from the two busy ports of this seaside city. Look for tankers and oil rigs dotting the waters as you fly in.
* Airport: Sepinggan
* Local calling code: 542
* Taxi: Mawar, tel 412 525
* Unique stay: Within the city, Hotel Budiman offers a central location and reasonable rates.
* Restaurants: Wisma Ikan Bakar (Jl. Sudirman) is good hole-in-the-wall offering sizzling fresh seafood. A more exclusive seafood option is Restoran Shangri-la (Jl. Ahmad Yani 29).
* Fun fact: Sepinggan airport is the second busiest airport in Indonesia.

Kupang
Kupang has many administrative and transport links to surrounding islands, as the capital and gateway to the East Nusa Tenggara Province.
* Airport: El Tari
* Local calling code: 380
* Taxi: Arrange taxi or car rental through your hotel.
* Unique stay: The renovated rooms of Pantai Timor, a hotel located on the seafront, offers good value.
* Restaurants: You can sample giant pancake-like martabak at Holland, Jl. Irian Jaya 8.

Malang
Malang has a cool climate and charming countryside. The Singosari temples, dating back to the 13th Century, ring the city some 12-18km away.
* Airport: Abdurahman Saleh
* Local calling code: 341
* Taxi: Citra, tel 490 555
* Unique stay: Hotel Tugu Malang, a wonderfully renovated hotel, is an obligatory stop. Its Melati restaurant is one f the best in town.

Jakarta
This sprawling metropolis is the heart of the financial industry; as well as seat of national governance. The city is made up of many distinctive neighborhoods, including the old Kota Dutch area.
* Airport: Soekarno-Hatta
* Local calling code: 21
* Taxi: Bluebird, tel 794 1234
* Unique stay: The Dharmawangsa Hotel requires deep pockets, but offers truly lovely rooms. On the other end of the spectrum Jl. Jaksa is famous as a cheap and backpacker haunt.
* Restaurants: Payon, Café Batavia and Dapur Babah are mid-range dining options for Indonesian food. Another good option is popular chain Sate House Senayan.
* Fun fact: The orange-colored three-wheeler bajaj vehicle originated in India.

Fast Fact of Indonesia Destination #2