EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Yogya is Java's souvenir centre, and you'll find crafts from all over the archipelago here. Jalan Malioboro is the place to come for inexpensive souvenirs like batik pictures, leather bags, woodcarvings and silver rings. The more upmarket souvenir emporiums which sell tasteful local craft items include Sosro's Going Bananas and Something Different in Prawirotaman. Another good place is the Desa Kerajinan, the government's craft centre opposite the Ambarrukmo Palace Hotel at Jl Adisucipto 66. Harto has several specialist outlets around Jalan Tirtodipuran, including one selling woodcarvings and another dealing in wayang kulit puppets . There are also a couple of puppet shops on Jalan Prawirotaman, and two at the northern end of Malioboro. Shops on Jalan Malioboro and at the Beringharjo market sell both traditional indigo-and-brown batik clothing, as well as tourist-oriented chocolate-box batik painting. If your knowledge of batik is shaky, start off at the Balai Penelitian Kerajinan dan Batik (Batik and Handicraft Research Centre) at Jl Kusumanegara 2 (Mon-Thurs 9-11.30am, Fri 9-10.30am). From here, head west to the galleries in the Kraton, most of them in the grounds of the old Taman Sari. For top quality batiks in town, head to Jalan Tirtodipuran, west of Jalan Prawirotaman, home of renowned artists Tulus Warsito (at 19a) and Slamet Riyanto (61a). The suburb of Kota Gede is the home of Central Java's silver industry . It's famous for its fine filigree work and some workshops, such as the huge Tom's Silver at Jl Ngeksigondo 60 (daily 8.30am-7.30pm), allow you to watch the smiths at work. Borobudur Silver on the way to Kota Gede at Jl Menteri Supeno 41 (daily 8am-8pm) gives discounts to HI and ISIC card-holders.