MALIOBORO - YOGYAKARTA

Malioboro is a well-known shopping promenade and very popular among Indonesian as well as international tourists. Spans from the Tugu Station to the Sultan's square, Malioboro is 2 kilometers in length and home to hundreds of shops and street-stalls which offers various kind of handicrafts. Several notable places in Malioboro are:

• Pasar Beringharjo (Beringharjo Marketplace), Jalan Pabringan 1, Yogyakarta 55122 (north of Vredeburg Fort), +62 274 515871, 561510. Literally means slanted land, Beringaharjo is the largest traditional marketplace in Yogyakarta. The vendors sell many kind of goods, ranging from basic household items (vegetables, fruits, meats) to many kind of handicrafts. Haggle furiously.
• Mirota Batik (opp Pasar Beringharjo), Jalan Ahmad Yani 9, Yogyakarta 55122, +62 274 588524, 518127, 547016 . The large family-owned store offers plenty of handicrafts, not only from Yogyakarta but also from all part of Indonesia.
• Dagadu (lower ground floor Malioboro Mall). Offers funny contemporary t-shirts and souvenirs that revolves around Yogyakarta people's culture.

If travelling on foot is not your thing, you can ride the pedal-powered trishaw called becak, or the andong horsecart.

Warning: While Yogyakarta is safer than Jakarta, it's not free from pickpockets. Most of the time, Malioboro sidewalk is overcrowded, take standard precautions to protect your belongings.

Shopping Malls

While not as populated as Jakarta, Yogyakarta has several trendy malls which shows a glimpse of the alternate side of Yogyakarta culture.

• Malioboro Mall, Jalan Malioboro 52-58 Yogyakarta 55001, +62 274 551888 (fax: +62 274 588242). Yogyakarta's premier shopping mall for shopping in hassle-free, air-con comfort. Features a large Matahari department store, a Hero supermarket (B1F), a Periplus book store with a good English selection (B1F), and all the usual suspects of Western and Indonesian fast food (McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, EsTeler 77, etc). Home to the largest Dagadu outlet.
• Galleria Mall, Jalan Jendral Sudirman 99-101, Yogyakarta 55223, +62 274 583661 (fax: +62 274 583711). A compact mall anchored by Matahari department store. The food court at the basement is popular among the youths. Features many interesting restaurant including KFC, McDonald's Express, Thai Express, Bakso Gress (Chinese meatballs served with noodles), Mie Nusantara, Bee's (Japanese Bento), Es Teler 77, Cheers Cup (assortments of fresh drinks).
• Plaza Ambarrukmo (Amplaz), Jalan Laksda Adisucipto Yogyakarta 55281, +62 274 4331000, (fax: +62 274 4331001). Located next to the historical Ambarrukmo Hotel, the huge 5 floors shopping complex features a Centro Department Store, Carrefour Hypermarket, Gramedia Bookstore, Timezone, 21 Cineplex, Bread Talk, Starbucks Coffee, Dagadu, etc. The food court is located on the 3rd floor. ATM center is located on the lower ground floor.
• Saphir Square, Jalan Laksda Adisucipto 32-34 Yogyakarta 55001, +62 274-558777, (fax +62 274 558666). A large trade center located next to the Saphir Hotel consists of small shops. The shops int first floor sells many counterfeit goods like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Guess bags.

Handicrafts

• Saptohoedojo Art Gallery, Jalan Solo km 9 (500m from airport). This fascinatingly weird sprawling complex houses an utterly eclectic collection of Indonesian art, ranging from abstract modern paintings and batik shirts through gamelan instruments and stuffed tigers to Papuan tribal totems complete with the skulls of vanquished enemies. Everything is for sale and previous customers, pictures of whom are proudly pasted on the walls, include Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama. While the adjoining restaurant looks quite attractive, the food served is rather disappointing.

• Tjokrosuharto, Jalan Panembahan Angkurat 58, Yogyakarta 55131, +62 274 375208. This handicraft shop opens its door for business in 1954 and still operating today. It offers a large selection of javanese handicrafts such as wayang kulit (leather puppet), wayang golek (wooden puppet), batik, keris, silverware, sculptures, traditional outfits, etc.

Source: www.wikitravel.org