Malioboro is the most famous street in Yogyakarta. Located in the heart of the city, this is the main street and was once the ceremonial avenue for the Sultan to pass through on his way to and from the Keraton. Some say that the name Malioboro derives from the name of the British governor Marlborough from the era when Britain ruled the archipelago, between 1811-1816.
Malioboro is packed with shops selling curiosities, and street vendors offering souvenirs at affordable prices, so you’re bound to find something of interest in this street. If you’re after some batik to take home as a souvenir, then Malioboro is the right place for you. Batik can also be made into bags, table cloths, bed sheets, pillow covers, curtains, and a whole lot more.
Across the road is the Vredenburg fort, which used to be the barracks of Dutch soldiers and is now a center for arts and painting exhibitions. On the same side of the road is Beringharjo market, Yogyakarta’s crowded main market. On this street, you will also find Yogyakarta’s oldest hotel, the Garuda Hotel, built in Dutch colonial architecture.
At night, the street comes alive with merchants opening up tents serving all kinds of local cuisine. You need to sit down cross-legged in the tents, which the locals refer to as “lesehan”. Enjoy your meal while taking in Malioboro’s vibrant nightlife. It’s an experience you shall not forget.
History of Malioboro Yogyakarta
The word Malioboro also probably came from the word ‘Marlborough’, the name of English Duke who lived there in 1811-1816. In Sanskrit, the word ‘Malioboro’ means bouquet or wreath. It may be related to the past when Karaton had a big event then Malioboro would be full of flower.
In the colonial era, malioboro become the center of the Dutch government as strategy to maintain their domination by building Vredeburg Fort (1790) at the south end of Malioboro Street near to the existing traditional market, followed by the Dutch Club (1822), the Dutch Governor’s Residence (1830), Java Bank and the Post Office
Malioboro street also an important role in the independence era (post-1945), as the Indonesian people fought to defend their independence in battles that took place north-south along the street
- Shopping
That’s a reasonable impression when you’re plonked down in the middle of Yogyakarta’s Malioboro shopping district: a single street that runs north to south, crammed on each side with kiosks, department stores and markets selling batiks, traditional Javanese sculpture, artwork, and soon. Malioboro has plenty of shopping destinations and you will find everything from local markets to sophisticated malls. Get the best deals along the shopping streets of Malioboro, the cheap shopping area in the heart of Yogya!From bags, shirts, and more souvenir items, they have it all here! Price items from small store halls and street vendors doesn’t differ that much. Walking along Malioboro street is just like entering into a big craft market where crafts sellers sell handicraft to the visitors. There are hand-made crafts and batiks, also sandals, sarongs, hats and bags all made from leather, dry plants, shellfish, coconuts, and rattan. You can bargain the price for crafts and batiks and can purchase them for quarter of the price and often half the original asking price so don’t hesitate to bargain!.The holiday season during June – August is the busiest time in Malioboro street and it can get very crowded with international tourists as well as visitors from around Indonesia. Beringharjo market becomes part of Malioboro that is worth to visit. You will find lots of stalls line up selling anything you can think of from clothes to bags to rattan products and silver jewelries, food and anything you thought you might find in Indonesia. What a best way to end your trip in Yogya by getting real good cheap souvenirs in Malioboro, one of the best places to visit in Yogyakarta, Indonesia! - Local Food Culinary
If you are feeling hungry on Malioboro street there are many options of restaurants and places to eat and drink. Parade of street foods can also be found along the way. There are plenty of food vendors available in the night from 10pm-4am. Local food is sold on the side of the road and includes gudeg, steak, onion sauce, tea, coffee and juice. You can choose whatever food you like from the Lesehan Vendors, put it on a plate, then sit on the footpath and enjoy! - Accomodation
There are many places available to stay if you intend to visit overnight or for an extended period near Marlioboro street. At the northern end of Malioboro street there are two main streets; Pasar Kembang and Sosrowijayan where several hotels and motels open 24 hours for guests. It’s easy to get to Pasar Kembang and Sosrowijayan as you can walk to the north until near Tugu Railway Station. The hotels and motels are the most strategic places to stay as they are located in a central position and you can go anywhere from this point and there are many options for transportation available.
Location of Malioboro Yogyakarta
The street called Jalan Malioboro straddles a line with mystical import for the Javanese. From Mount Merapi in the north to Parangtritis Beach in the south, a straight line can be drawn with Yogyakarta placed right in its midsection. The Sultan’s Palace (Kraton) stands smack in the middle of this line, as does the Tugu Monument: the stretch of road we now know as Malioboro lies north of the former and south of the latter.
The Malioboro shopping district is generally thought to begin at the railway intersection at its north point (location on Google Maps) and end at Fort Vredeburg at the south.
Malioboro’s location in Yogyakarta’s city center makes it a convenient stop for travelers looking to buy a piece of the city to take home. Becak (cycle rickshaw) drivers can take you there for as little as IDR 10,000 (about 70 US cents; read about money in Indonesia) if you’re somewhere in the city center.
Can you walk to Malioboro? Probably, but it’s better not to. Yogyakarta is not very pedestrian-friendly, at least not in the Western sense. The streets are crowded with cars, becak and andong (horse-drawn carts); what little pedestrian areas exist are generally crowded with vendors, or otherwise unprotected from the elements. The humidity can also be quite stifling between 9 am and 4 pm
Nursita