I silently sigh every time someone tells me they’re going to Indonesia, but it turns out they’re only staying in Bali. Indonesia has over 17000 different islands for crying out loud! Right next to Bali is the most populous island in the world – Java! Oh, it’s not only people there. This Java backpacking guide…
Kawah Ijen is an extraordinary place in Java, Indonesia the all of Indonesia and the Mount Ijen Crater houses the largest acidic lake in the world! Moreover, it’s one of the very few places in the world where you can see the fabled Blue Fire. Don’t get me started about the awesome sunrise at the…
Indonesian food is amazing! In my efforts to find better and better meals, I’ve tried dozens of warungs, angkringans, rumah makans, cafes, etc. Especially in Yogyakarta where I lived for 8 months, I dare say I am an expert on where to find the best food. Let me prove it to you with these authentic…
Borobudur is the most visited attraction in all of Indonesia. It’s spectacular and is the biggest Buddhist temple in the entire world! The rules for visiting it change so often that all the conflicting information can easily confuse you. So here is up-to-date, checked on-site, reliable information about visiting Borobudur in 2025, including climbing up…
Surakarta is home to Javanese arts, batik, shadow puppet shows, serabi pancakes, and ancient history! This curation of things to do in Solo (as the city is more commonly called by the locals) aims to give you a bit of each and convince you NOT to skip the city during your tour of Java. Did…
Semarang is a city often overlooked in favor of its bigger sisters Jakarta and Surabaya, its better-located brothers Malang and Bandung, and its culturally rich aunt Yogyakarta. I just listed all the big cities on Java, I know. Hear me out though – Semarang is cool, has a nice vibe, and is well worth a…
In East Java, very close to the ultra-popular Mount Bromo and tucked away in thick jungle and dramatic cliffs is a rather secret natural wonder – The Madakaripura Waterfall. Madakaripura Waterfall (called Air Terjun Madakaripura in Indonesian) is an impressive 200-meter drop of a single column of water. The second highest in Indonesia! You can…