Heritage Sites : Ambarawa

Ambarawa : Experience Rural Java’s Traditional Life

The hinterland of Semarang, capital of the province of Central Java is lush green: a beautiful scenic landscape of rising volcanoes, green valleys and fertile rice fields. Cruise lines call on Semarang to allow passengers to visit the nearby 9^th century Borobudur Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

One and a half hour’s driving from Semarang on a smooth road towards Salatiga, one enjoys the true Javanese rural life all the way to the town of Ambarawa , some 17 km north from Salatiga. This is the halfway mark to Borobudur.

Here in Ambarawa you can find Indonesia’s Railway Museum, home to 21 old steam locomotives, the oldest of which is the 1891 Hartmann Chemnitz, in use until the 1970’s when the railways here were closed. Nearby is also a natural grotto to the Virgin Mary and the Stations of the Cross, surrounded by flower gardens and fish ponds.

Slightly further west in the Dieng plateau are the ancient temples known as Gedong Songo, or "the nine buildings", constructed between 730 AD -780 AD during the Sanjaya Dynasty.

Also not far from Ambarawa are the Losari Coffee plantation and the hill town of Bandungan, favorite recreation area for people from Semarang and Yogyakarta.

But Ambarawa also has a grimmer side to its history when during World War II, the Japanese interned European families in camps here.

Recommended accommodations when you stay around Ambarawa are:

Losari Spa Retreat and Coffee Plantation

Phone: +62 298 596 333

Fax: +62 298 592 696

Email: info@losaricoffeeplantation.com

There are hotels and comfortable accommodations available in Semarang and surrounding. You are welcome to check it here

Eating in the rural area of Central Java is unforgettable, not just because of its mouth-watering taste in each bite of steamed vegetables, traditionally cooked curry, and succulent beefy satay, but also for its low prices that are often times baffling to visitors.

Serabi (also spelled surabi in other parts of the country) is taking Ambarawa to another level of its culinary delights, as Ngampin, or Serabi Ngampin, or Serabi Kucur, is famous for its sweet, tender Javanese pancake. The way it is cooked is traditional, which is how the pancake gains its savory taste. You can find it almost everywhere along the road bertween Semarang – Ambarawa. Rows of blue painted warungs, food stalls, are there for you to visit.

Semiyer rice cake is also a delicacy to sample. It is very thin, crispy, and tasty to the mouth and eyes. The main ingredient is cassava that grows abundant in the area.

Pecel Mbok Kami and Pecel Tukinem (founded by Veronica Tukinem) is said to be one of the most must-taste foods in Ambarawa. It is a portion of plain rice with steamed vegetables with coconut paste, plus some crackers that bring Javanese taste to the banana-leaf plate. If you wish to add some more add-ons, like friend chicken, chilly eggs, fish curry, and beef curry, then you are welcome to eat like the Javanese. To savour these, do not miss the operational hour between 7 in the morning to 12 at noon around Kantor Gotong Royong, and if you missed the time, go to Madam Veronica Tukinem’s house at Sanggrahan, close to a technical school of Dr. Cipto.

If you wish, buy Tahu Serasi, a readily packaged tofu from Serasi group. Here, the soybean is known to be one of the best in Central Java. A package of 8 pieces of Tahu Serasi is around IDR 10,000 (or around US$ 1.00). Deep fry it for several minutes and you know how tasty is the soybean from Ambarawa.

Ambarawa is around one and a half hour drive from Semarang, capital city of Central Java, or around two hours from Yogyakarta. Buses are available at the bus stations.

The bus terminal in Ambarawa is called Bawen Bus Terminal. If you are in Yogyakarta, go to Giwangan Bus Station, the largest type-A bus terminal in Indonesia. The bus to Ambarawa usually goes to Semarang. If you are in Semarang, proceed to theTerboyo Bus Terminal. Going to Ambarawa, the bus usually continues to Yogyakarta.

The recommended buses are: PO Raya, Kramat Djati, and Nusantara.

Posted in: Heritage Sites