Intelligent Traveller: Tips And Tricks To Help You Travel Smarter

Javanese Jewel - As Indonesia opens to visitors again, KAYLA STEWART returns to the island where she lived years ago-and remembers why the enchanting, energetic Yogyakarta region is an essential stop.

- Kayla Stewart

WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF Indonesia, they often picture Bali and its picturesque beaches. But as I sat aboard a train on the neighbouring island of Java, passing rice terraces, ancient temples, and glorious expanses of forest overlooked by towering mountains, I wondered: why not here, too?

Java is home to more than 140 million people, making it the world’s most populous island. In 2016 I spent a year living in the province of Central Java, where I taught English at a military boarding school in Semarang, a port city on the northern coast. During my time there, I fell in love with Java’s national parks, ancient temples, and dynamic cities—and I returned for the first time this past August, seeking to reconnect.

Some of my most memorable experiences had occurred in Yogyakarta, a storied city about 563 kilometres east of Jakarta, Indonesia’s densely populated capital. In “Jogja,” as locals call it, I found a compelling amalgam of historic architecture, resilient Javanese culinary traditions, and creative spirit—with a burgeoning population of young people eager to revamp the status quo.

Here, street food is culture, and culture is king. It seemed only right that I would begin my return trip on the hunt for jajan pasar, the traditional Javanese cakes so delightful they’ve become synonymous with the city. My friend, the Indonesian food scholar Kevindra Prianto Soemantri, explained that the sweets come in a range of colours but are usually made from a four-ingredient foundation: cassava, palm sugar, coconut, and sticky rice or rice flour.