Sited just 65 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Yogyakarta, the city of Solo, formally known as Surakarta was also a center of power during the great Javanese kingdoms. Although larger than Yogya, Solo has more of a small town feel and is not as visited as its neighbor. Which is not to say there isn't plenty to see. The royal city boasts two palaces, and the surrounding countryside is home to some of Indonesia's more unusual ancient temples.
Historical Background
Surakarta's founding dates to 1745, when the susuhunan, Pakubuwono II, is said to have heard voices telling him the city of Solo was where the court should be established after the old capital of Kartsasura was sacked. It didn't work, as the kingdom crumbled within 10 years of the city's founding, with the susuhunan's own brother founding a court at Yogyakarta.
Sights of Solo
A stall full of collectables in Pasar Triwindu
Solo is usually visited as a day trip from Yogyakarta, but these usually leave a number of interesting sights unseen. To really take in all that the city has to offer, you should plan on spending one or two nights in town. Withing the city the major sights are the two palaces, the newer, smaller Mangkunegaran Palace and the older Kasunanan Palace, which also houses a museum. Near the Mangkunegaran Palace is the antiques market, where can find old batik stamps and other collectables. Lastly, take a stroll through the relatively quiet lanes of the Batik Kampung, a section of old shops and houses near the Kasunanan Palace where batik is still made and sold.
Candi Ceto temple
Tucked away in the mountains near Solo in central Java are some of the more interesting Hindu temples in all of Southeast Asia. The temple of Candi Sukuh is unique not only in overall design, but also in decoration. Further up the same mountain where Candi Sukuh is sited, through tea plantation covered hills, is the temple of Candi Ceto. On the other side of Mount Lewu are the Grojogan Sewu falls, a spectacular 80-meter high waterfall that makes a good scenic stop after a day visiting the temples. About 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of Solo is the archaeological excavation of Sangiran. This is where the prehistoric 'Java Man' was unearthed in 1936. A small museum is open on the site, but it doesn't seem to figure much on the tourist trail as I couldn't find anyone to take me there.
Being slightly off the main tourist trail, Solo is not well connected to the other main tourist and business cities of Indonesia, although it is a relatively short drive from Yogyakarta.
By Air The national carrier, Garuda, offers limited flights between Jakarta and Solo. Silk Air also offers some flights from Singapore, or you can reach there from Kuala Lumpur via the low cost carrier Air Asia.
Solo's busy train station By Train Solo is on the main line running from Jakarta to Surabuya, so it's easy to get a train to Solo.
If you pick your hotel wisely, you can get around to most of the sights of Solo on foot. It's a very walk-able city, with wide sidewalks and the main streets have side roadways that provide additional space for walking.
The traditional pedicabs, called becak, still ply the streets of Solo. You'll need to negotiate hard to get a good price, as they will start with a very high fare when they see western tourists.
The old market before its current incarnation Solo's flea market is just a short distance from the Mangkunegaran Palace. The market was once a dusty collection of stalls selling old collectibles, but it got a big upgrade a few years ago and is now a clean and very presentable place, looking more like a tourist trap than a traditional market. It sells antiques and all sorts of other junk, in addition to car parts!
Candi Ceto sits on the slopes of Mount Lawu, about 15 kilometers away from Candi Sukuh, or 40 kilometers from Solo. The drive to Ceto is quite nice, as you move through steep hills covered with tea bushes. Unlike Candi Sukuh, which was built around the same time, Ceto looks more like the kinds of Hindu temples you will still see today in Bali. As at Sukuh, sexual images can be seen in some of the decorations of this temple, although they don't dominate here like they do at Sukuh.
Tucked away in the mountains near Solo in central Java is one of the more interesting Hindu temples in all of Southeast Asia. The temple of Candi Sukuh is unique not only in overall design, but also in decoration. This place isn't exactly off the map. It's in all the guidebooks, but is definitely off the tourist trail. From the guest book kept by the gatekeeper, it appears that it only receives a dozen or so visitors a week.
The main building of the House of Danar Hadi Danar Hadi is a weaver and printer of batik clothing. The museum is housed in a complex of buildings that dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, and was built by the grandson of one sultan who was also the son-in-law of the current sultan. The house and other buildings have been restored and now house a batik shop, cafe, museum, workshops and an event venue.
The crowd of people around the base of the falls The Grojogan Sewu waterfall is one of the more spectacular of Central Java. The falls are on the southern side of Mount Lewu, more or less opposite to the Sukuh and Ceto temples. It's a popular destination for the locals, and seems to have been developed with them in mind. Despite the spectacular natural beauty of the falls, several western style swimming pools, and even an entire water park, have been built into the landscape around the base of the falls.
The swimming pool of the Ibis Solo, with the Novotel in the background. Although somewhat off the tourist trail, Solo does have quite a nice selection of hotels in all price ranges. In fact, at the high end there are generally a lot more rooms than there are tourists, so heavy discounts are quite common. This makes it quite easy to spend a whole day and night, at least, in Solo, giving you lots of time to explore.
One of the ornate entry signs to the Batik Kampung While people flock to Yogya to buy batik from the stalls lining Malioboro street, Solo has its own big batik production facility (and probably makes most of the stuff sold in Yogya). The main batik 'market' in Solo is actually a maze of narrow streets near the Kasunanan Palace called Kampung Batik, or the 'batik village'. Unlike the crowded stalls of Yogya, the batik village is rather sedate, with over 40 shops and boutiques to browse through.
The Sultan (king) Pakubuwono II moved his court to the newly built Kasunanan Palace (also called Karaton Surakarta) in 1745. The palace was significantly expanded at the turn of the twentieth century by his descendant Pakubuwono X. However, many of the structures were destroyed by fire in 1985 and have been reconstructed.
The kraton is still home to the Sultan of Surakarta, which means that much of the residence is off limits.
Close to the center of the modern city is the smaller palace of the Kraton Mangkunegaran. Built in 1757 after a bitter struggle against the founder of Surakarta, Pakubuwono II, by his nephew Raden Mas Said, who was later crowned Pangeran mangkunegoro I. Although smaller, this kraton is more intact and is a bit more interesting that its bigger neighbor.
The royal family still lives in the back of the palace, but most of the rest is open to the public for guided tours.
Most of the sights of Solo city are within a relatively small area that can be walked. The two palaces are the main items of interest, and there are some interesting market and shopping areas in between the two. The other two museums are places you can see if you have the time and interest. The sights can be seen comfortably in a day and a half or so.
The shadow puppet display Radya Pustaka Museum is the local historical museum for Solo. In it's many small rooms are displayed some fine examples of shadow puppets, keris knives and other cultural artifacts. The displays are rather old fashioned and dusty, and there are no signs in English, so unless you're a real museum buff I'd suggest giving the place a miss.
Admission to the museum is 5,000 Rupiah. There's an additional 5,000 Rupiah fee for a camera if you want to take pictures.
Some nice carts on the streets of Solo One potential drawback to using Solo as a base for sightseeing is a shortage of traveler-friendly dining options. Which is not to say there isn't a lot to eat around town. Like any Indonesian city, there are street stalls everywhere, selling meatball soups, fried noodles and other standards. These are generally only for the adventurous with at least some command of Indonesian.
The old Klewar Market near the Kasunanan Palace While it's not nearly as well known for shopping as its neighbor Yogyakarta, Solo does have some rather good shopping opportunities, and without the crowds that make Yogya such a zoo. There are several traditional markets as well as modern shopping malls. The most well-known of the traditional markets is Pasar Triwindu, or the 'Antique Market'. Less well known but well worth a visit is the Kampung Batik, or 'Batik Village'.
September 2011
The Ibis, along with its sister property the Novotel right next door, are probably the most well-sited hotels in Solo for tourists. The hotel is right in the middle of town, and you can walk to most of the city's tourist sights, as well as shops and restaurants.
I had one of the standard rooms. It was on the small side, but very well laid out. Internet access was freely available through a wired connection in the room.
