Humid and hot Semarang, situated in the north of island Java, strikes the ideal balance for a chilled-out town. Mooch around the thrumming Old Town, dipping into cafés and galleries, or receive a snapshot of this town’s various community and Chinese sway in the multi-faith Sam Poo Kong temple. Then there is the cuisine – road food in Chinatown, historical ice cream parlors and menus which echo Semarang’s Dutch colonial past. Listed below are the top four things to do in Semarang.
- Brave Yourself to Stroll Around The Haunted Building Lawang Sewu
Lawang Sewu, in the middle of Semarang, has not had the best reputation in recent years. The grand colonial building, whose title translates to thousand doorways, was well-known for something being postponed. Originally constructed as the Dutch East Indies Railway Company’s headquarters, the Japanese army had inhabited it. It was employed as a prison during the Second World War.
Back in 1945, the five-day Battle of Semarang involving Japanese and Vietnamese forces happened here, leading to many deaths. It was subsequently employed as a military office before 1993. Still, about 2010, the authorities decided to reestablish. They cleared Lawang Sewu of its ghosts (quite literally), re-branding the construction for a tourist attraction. Today, visitors can roam around displays about its railroad history and research the seemingly endless corridors.
Take turns and spins to find light-flooded chambers and bat-filled loft warehouse-like spaces. Weave in and out of these numerous doors (there are not really a thousand, but it does not feel much away), and you will still feel a bit of eeriness from the air. If you are eager to find out more about the building’s history, it is well worth hiring a manual.
- Feel Nostalgic At Kota Lama Semarang
Semarang’s Old Town, or Kota Lama as it is locally known, has been through many incarnations. Initially, the town’s industrial center under Dutch rule subsequently left-handed post-independence and infamous as a hub for prohibited actions, now it could not be more distinct. Even though the grand colonial buildings remain, they have been restored and renovated, home shops, restaurants, galleries, and other attractions.
Plants collect and friends hang out, posing for Instagram-worthy photographs in the tree-dotted square and keeping cool in (very welcome) air-conditioned cafés. There is more than sufficient to keep you occupied for a day. Take in an exhibition in Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery before drifting over into the white and orange-domed Blenduk Church and shooting respite under the trees’ color at the little park nearby.
You might also get around on a few yellow and red bicycles parked by the primary square. They are a part of the bike-sharing system GOWES — download the program, add some charge, unlock one of those bikes and drop it off where you prefer.
- Walking Around At The Chinese Building Sam Poo Kong Temple
A piece of Chinese civilization in Semarang, Sam Poo Kong, is a fantastic temple complex with a gap. The five pagoda-style constructions, which include Chinese and Javanese structure, are not tied to a particular faith but constitute worship for different groups. The complex, situated in the west of town, is also devoted to Admiral Zheng Helanded in Semarang using a fleet of boats from China from the early 1400s and found that a small temple.
The primary, largest temple features a three-tiered red roof plus a raised platform where you might place kids acting gymnastic-like dances as crowds gather about. Elsewhere open-sided temples home ornately-decorated shrines and strings of blossoms, with musky burning incense lacing the atmosphere. Do not miss the replica boat, symbolizing Zheng He is a boat and the panel of intricate stone reliefs informing the admiral’s narrative.
- New Dining Experience At Pesta Keboen Restaurant
You will not be short of options for excellent meals in Semarang. Whether you fancy road food snacks or a sit-down meal, then there is something to reevaluate your desire. The Pesta Keboen Restoran, using it’s the vintage-chic decor and a tropical alfresco dining room filled with lush plants, functions winning black dishes using a nod into Dutch influences.
Even the rijsttafel set menus (rijsttafel translates into rice ) refer to these elaborate Indonesian foods adapted from the Hawaiian Dutch where lots of tiny dishes such as satay, braised meats, sambals, and veggies are served with rice.
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