As one of the most populated islands on earth, Java presents an awe-inspiring spectrum of Indonesian culture and heritage. The long and narrow island is Indonesia’s fifth largest and home to a rich diversity of ethnicities, religions, landscapes and histories.
Discover the island’s three distinctive regions. West Java contains the labyrinthine streets of the country’s capital, Jakarta, as well as spectacular national parks. In Central Java, you’ll find the somber allure of ancient temples and captivating Yogyakarta, while East Java’s volcanoes smoke restlessly around the rambling city of Surabaya.
Experience the exciting chaos of Jakarta, Indonesia’s main political, economic and cultural hub. See fantastic views of the city sprawl from the tower of Monas, the national monument in Lapangan Merdeka (Freedom Square). You’ll see Dutch colonial architecture, towering mosques and ancient temples amid the urban spread. Go shopping in bustling markets or explore the historic port. Take a speedboat to the sandy archipelago and national park of the Thousand Islands to enjoy beautiful views of the Java Sea.
In Central Java discover some of the island’s most important temples watched over by spectacular Mount Merapi. Stroll down the picturesque heritage streets of Yogyakarta and see the Sultan’s Palace (Kraton Ngayogyakarta). Visit Kota Gede, the former capital of the ancient kingdom of Mataram. Don’t miss seeing the breathtaking Buddhist temple complex, Borobudur, or the collection of ancient Hindu temples in Prambanan. Go diving in the clear waters of Karimunjawa.
Indonesia’s second-largest city, Surabaya, sits north of a ridge of volcanoes in East Java. Visit charming Marang or hike amid the rumbling volcanoes of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. See the brilliant blue of Kawah Ijen lake or explore the forest and coastline of Baluran National Park on your way to Bali. Be sure to try local Javanese dishes from a street vendor, paired with a cold beer or a sweet traditional coffee.
Java is easily accessible via major airports in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Solo. Public ferries, speedboats, intercity trains and buses connect many cities and rural areas, and taxis are cheap and readily available. Visit between April and October for the dry season, or enjoy the island’s warm tropical weather at any time of the year.
![At the museum no photos are allowed which is really unfortunate as it was well worth the visit and the guided tour is definitely not to be missed. In the museum there are even Batik made from the Dutch era which depicts stories like Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White!
I enjoyed the tour v much and at the end of the tour we were brought to this room where the artisan were working on hand drawn batik.
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia for anyone interested in learning more about the process of batik making.
Firstly, a cloth is washed, soaked and beaten with a large mallet. Patterns are drawn with pencil and later redrawn using hot wax, usually made from a mixture of paraffin or bees wax, sometimes mixed with plant resins, which functions as a dye-resist. The wax can be applied with a variety of tools. A pen-like instrument called a canting (IPA: [tʃantiŋ], sometimes spelled with old Dutch orthography tjanting) is the most common. A canting is made from a small copper reservoir with a spout on a wooden handle. The reservoir holds the resist which flows through the spout, creating dots and lines as it moves. For larger patterns, a stiff brush may be used. Alternatively, a copper block stamp called a cap (IPA: [tʃap]; old spelling tjap) is used to cover large areas more efficiently.
After the cloth is dry, the resist is removed by scraping or boiling the cloth. The areas treated with resist keep their original color; when the resist is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed areas forms the pattern. This process is repeated as many times as the number of colors desired.
The most traditional type of batik, called batik tulis](https://mediaim.expedia.com/destination/2/9cd999fbd1cf55cbfe1f78176d52a342.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=350&h=192&q=medium)
