While in Surakarta, aka, Solo, we went $2.82 over our daily budget and…at the same time, stayed in our first FIVE-star hotel. There was no travel hacking, free stays, or craftiness involved. It’s simply what it cost with our Agoda “VIP Platinum” status (which anyone can get simply by using the app regularly). Needless to say, life can be very good…
Now that we had completed our three-week tour of Central and Eastern Java, we could more accurately evaluate the cities we visited and of them, Surakarta, also known as Solo, easily ranked in as our favorite, and one we’d love to return to. Granted, this is based on first impressions because we only spent one night, but it had a…
Getting to Malang from Surakarta (Solo) Despite its swarming roads and bustling cities, the miles between them can be a simply ravishing and serene journey while traversing Java, which we did in August 2024. And perhaps there’s no better way to see it than on the rails. Our longest train journey would take us six-hours from Solo to Malang through…
East Java’s Tumpak Sewu is one of the most impressive waterfalls in Indonesia. It tumbles down in a semi-circle sheet from the perch of a precipitous cliff, creating a marvelous curtain of water. And, even better….when you research blogs on things to do in Java, supposedly Tumpak Sewu is a stunning “off the beaten path” site you can see as…
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia>>>>>Surabaya, Indonesia After a month of much needed kitty, kitchen and komfort (oh yes, I did spell it like that!) time in KL, it was finally the day to repack the freshly bathed non-jungle-smelling backpacks and hit the jetway again. This time we were bound for the most populous island nation on earth on our maiden voyage. We were…
One Night in Semarang Semarang is a steamy port city on Java’s north coast of 1.3 million people, which most travelers don’t make it to, unless they’re on their way to or from Karimunjawa. This is a bit of a shame because its Old Quarter, or Kota Lama, currently being renovated, is dripping with Dutch colonial charm blended with a…
Getting to Karimunjawa Many of the best places we’ve been have also been a bit arduous to get to, and arriving to Java’s off-the-beaten path northern isle of Karimunjawa was certainly no exception. But, after five hours by train, three hours by bus, and two hours by ferry, we arrived to find a glittering aquamarine paradise awaiting us in the middle…