Semarang: Central Java

If you travel to Java then the northern coastal harbour-city of Semarang is one place you should not miss out on seeing. It is the capital of the province of Central Java and has a population of roughly1.5 million people making it the Indonesia’s fifth largest city. It was a major port during the Dutch colonial era and is still important today.

The city is well known in Indonesia for its large ethnically Chinese population and this is evident with the numerous Chinese temples, especially in Chinatown. It is a divided city – the old and the new: the old, being located on a coastal plain between two Banjir Canals, and the most interesting to explore and, the new being located in the Southern Candi hills, is the newer residential area and where most of the wealthy people live – the cool air preferable to the heat of the coastal plain.

Being in the northern part of central Java, the weather is quite hot and humid during the dry season and even more humid during the wet season. The best time to visit this remarkable city is, well, anytime!. Looser cotton clothing is the best to wear when checking out the numerous places to visit within the city, but, it is important that you respect places like mosques (mesjid) and temples, so its best to dress politely and wear long trousers and a shirt.

There are many banks and money-changers and when using the latter beware of the scam of unlicensed changers. Please note that in practice, money changer and banks are not accepting US$ bank notes with issuance year 1999 backwards because of the experience in Indonesia mostly found US$ with issuance year 1999 backward had been forged. Banks are open between 8.30 a.m to 3.00 p.m. The Post offices are easy to find if you want to use DHL, TNT, Fedex and other international couriers.

The very first time I visited Semarang decades ago I walked around instead of using becaks. You tend to see much more and do make sure that you drink heaps of water to avoid dehydration. It’s only common sense.

Semarang has a good bus system but untrustworthy, so, when riding on public transportation don’t encourage the petty thieves by wearing jewelry or gaudy and branded designer watches. Petty thieves are common and they do not strike when it isn’t obvious. There are plenty of taxis when you want to get to the outer places and bemos are prevalent if you wish to hire one of those.

There is a multitude of accommodation in both parts of the city from losmens to hostels and 5 star hotels. I actually stayed in the Metro Hotel on Simpang lima opposite the Pasar Johar and found this to be a great central point for investigating the city.

Getting Around:

By Taxi

Make sure you understand the route or ask your friend. Make sure the driver use the meter (argo). If he refused to use the meter, use other taxis.

Here is a list of the taxi companies:

Astria, Jl Jatisari 1, Semarang 50235. Tel.: (62)(24)7460940.

Centris Multipersada, Jl Majapahit 583. Tel.: (62)(24) 6723624.

Kosti, Jl Pamularsih 15, Semarang 50148. Tel.: (62)(24) 7613333. Good service.

Pandu Persada Saranamukti, Jl Kaligawe Km 4/46. Tel.: (62)(24) 6591234.

Puri Kencana, Jl Rogojembangan Raya 68. Tel.: (62)(24) 6705050.

Useful Information:

Tourism Information Centre TIC:

Jalan Madukoro Blok BB. Tel.: (62)(24) 7608570.

Jalan Pemuda 147. Tel.: (62)(24) 3515451. Next to Novotel Hotel.

Emergency

Ambulance: 118.

Police: 110.
Central Java Police HQ. Jl. Pahlawan 1. Tel.: (62)(24) 831-1382.

Semarang Police HQ. Jl. Dr Sutomo 19. Tel.: (62)(24) 844-4444, (62)(24) 8418400.

Police stations:

Central Semarang. Jl. Brumbungan Tengah 41. Tel.: (62)(24) 354-5175

North Semarang. Jl. Letjen Suprapto 45. Tel.: (62)(24) 6921275

South Semarang. Jl. Sultan Agung 103. Tel.: (62)(24) 8315123.

West Semarang. : Jl. Ronggolawe Selatan. Tel.: (62)(24) 7610698

East Semarang. Jl. Majapahit. Tel.: (62)(24) 6710863

Here is a list of hospitals with 24 hours emergency room (ER):

RS Umum Pusat Dr. Kariadi, Jl. Dr. Sutomo No. 16, Tel.: (62)(24) 413993, (62)(24) 413764, (62)(24) 413476.

RS. St. Elizabeth, Jl. Kawi No 1. Tel.: (62)(24) 831 0035

RS. Telogorejo, Jl. K.H. Achmad Dahlan, Tel.: (62)(24)446000.

RS. Panti Wilasa Cipto, Jl. Dr.Cipto 50, Tel.: (62)(24) 546040.

RS. Panti Wilasa Citarum, Jl. Citarum No. 98. Tel.: (62)(24)3542224.