Solo has many exciting things to do in the city. Make sure not to miss to do these 3 things while you’re in Solo.

1. Learn the history and culture of batik — Museum Batik Danar Hadi

At Museum Batik Danar Hadi, the guide will take you to see the exhibition and describe to you the batik-making process, from applying the wax, to the dyeing procedure. You have to follow your design, use the dye to regions untouched by the wax, and then remove the darkened areas and then apply wax to the shaded areas. After which, you can dye into the areas where the wax is removed, and the previously dyed areas wouldn’t be affected since they are covered by the wax.

A complicated piece of batik can take up to months or even years to finish! Hats off to these dedicated batik-makers. The excursion lasted for more than an hour, make sure you have enough time.

The museum is showcasing batik from different regions (especially in Yogyakarta and Solo). Since it is essential to local Indonesian history and culture, the museum aims at preserving local batik culture. The museum also features their very own batik-making chemical which you can visit to learn about batik-making together with the locals!

Do not overlook the onsite shop also — there is an extensive collection of batik pieces, and we were surprised to discover affordable pieces! Danar Hadi additionally has department stores in Yogyakarta, Bali, Jakarta and other major cities in Indonesia.

2. Turn your plate into a rainbow — Pecel Solo

Indulge yourself in traditional local food at Pecel Solo. The place offers both buffet and à la carte choices, and also the attention is on the old-style menu — which is, no spin or fusion, just grandma’s recipes!

Obviously, we chose to choose the buffet so we could try a little bit of everything and the full range of food choices was terrific, with poultry, fish and distinct vegetables — from spicy to sweet!

If you have no clue what to do or how the thing works, follow our recommendation: try their Ayam Goreng (fried twice and super crispy!). In addition to the Garang Asem (chicken cooked in banana leaf with coconut milk, lemongrass, and starfruit). We loved them!

3. Bring home some traditional candy pancakes — Serabi Notosuman

If you’re looking for an authentic snack to bring back, Serabi has to be it. A stop at Serabi Notosuman was mandatory while visiting Solo. The legendary store sells traditional pancakes filled with coconut flakes or chocolate. Each box comes with 10 Serabi, and you can make them arrange the flavors for you. The Serabi is small blossoms with pure goodness — they are moist on the inside and so were served warm!