Ambarawa is a small town located in the highlands of Central Java. It lies at the junction of several larger cities, such as Semarang, Yogyakarta, Salatiga, and Surakarta. It is directly adjacent to several districts including Bawen, Banyubiru, and Jambu. It has served as an economic and military hub town for centuries. The town is large enough to have a shopping center of its own, yet small enough that the shopping center lies less than a mile away from rice paddy fields.

The town is at the edge of a natural depression between Mount Telomoyo, Merbabu, and Ungaran that centers on Rawa Pening Lake. The town's climate is somewhat cooler than the low-lying Semarang in the north. The town is divided in two, with the urban north having a hilly terrain, and the agricultural south being much flatter, and in rainy seasons, occasionally turning into a swamp (rawa).

To the north, you can see Mount Ungaran, while to the south, Mount Telomoyo and Merbabu are also visible, especially in the morning, before clouds move in to cover their peaks. You can also see Rawa Pening Lake and the wide paddy fields to the south and southeast.

Ambarawa is Semarang. Visitors coming from Semarang to Yogyakarta or Magelang (or vice versa) will pass this particular town en route to their destination. Visitors from Salatiga will be provided road signs to Ambarawa. If you use Trans-Java Toll Road, you may exit at Bawen toll gate to go to downtown of Ambarawa.

There are three options for getting to Ambarawa via buses:

• -7.260518110.4005711 Ambarawa Terminal (Terminal Ambarawa). A bus terminal serving local public transportation vehicles and travel buses from other cities, such as Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Surakarta. (updated May 2018)
• -7.24543110.433682 Bawen Terminal (Terminal Bawen). A larger bus station which serves as a transportation hub between intercity, and inter-provincial transportation. It's outside of Ambarawa, and visitors may continue to Ambarawa via Prona/Isuzu (listed below). Visitors coming from Semarang may get here using a TransJateng bus. (updated May 2018)
• Local, un-ticketed buses where one pays on the spot for a ride. Smaller buses can pick-up or drop passengers anywhere, while larger buses usually stops at haltes (bus stops). Common routes for these buses include: Ambarawa-Ungaran, Semarang-Bawen, Semarang-Salatiga, Semarang-Magelang.

A prona/isuzu is the local term for a large angkot (an Indonesian type of shared taxi, not unlike the Philippine jeepney) which, despite the name, is made from repurposed Mitsubishi shuttle vehicles. Visitors to Ambarawa may directly hitch a ride with one of these at roads where they pass through. Routes passing Ambarawa (or nearby places) are: Ungaran-Ambarawa-Jambu, Ungaran-Bawen-Salatiga, Salatiga-Banyubiru-Ambarawa.

Angkots are an Indonesian type of shared taxi, not unlike the Philippine jeepney. A ride costs around Rp5,000 to Rp10,000 in cash (paid directly when one arrives at the destination), depending on the distance taken and the types of angkot used (regular or prona/isuzu). There are several regular angkot routes in Ambarawa, differentiated by color, listed below:

• Yellow angkot with red bottom: Praja Market - Dr. Cipto Statue - Gamblok - General Sudirman Square - Indonesian Railway Museum - Ambarawa Police Precinct - Palagan Museum - Ambarawa Terminal and Grand Mosque - St. Joseph's Catholic Church - Jambu - Palagan Museum - Hok Tik Bio Chinese Temple - Dr. Cipto Statue - Praja Market
• Yellow angkot with blue bottom A*: Praja Market - Dr. Cipto Statue - Gamblok - General Sudirman Square - Banyubiru - Brongkol - Banyubiru - General Sudirman Square - Indonesian Railway Museum - Ambarawa Police Precinct - Palagan Museum - Hok Tik Bio Chinese Temple - Dr. Cipto Statue - Praja Market
• Yellow angkot with blue bottom B*: Bawen - Praja Market - Dr. Cipto Statue - Gamblok - General Sudirman Square - Indonesian Railway Museum - Palagan Museum - Hok Tik Bio Chinese Temple - Dr. Cipto Statue - Praja Market
• Light Blue Angkot: Kebonsari - Kerep Marian Cave - Ambarawa Terminal and Grand Mosque - Palagan Museum - Ambarawa Police Precinct - Indonesian Railway Museum - General Sudirman Square - Ambarawa Hospital (and vice versa)

as well as two Prona/Isuzu (large angkot) routes, listed on the angkot's windshield:

• Ambarawa-Banyubiru-Salatiga route
• Ungaran-Ambarawa-Jambu route

Ask the driver "Banyubiru" or "Bawen" to determine route. Route A is for "Banyubiru," and route B is for "Bawen".

Ojeks are an Indonesian motorcycle taxi, whose service can be obtained at local ojek stops (Pos/Pangkalan Ojek) where drivers rest. As with the angkot, ojek drivers accept cash on arrival, with prices being dependant on how long the route is. However, nearly all ojek drivers have very limited knowledge on English, and many usually spike prices up on foreign tourists. An online version of ojek exists, as listed below.

Two online ride-hailing services operate in Ambarawa, Go-Jek and Grab, known to locals as "Ojek Online". Visitors may use to hail a motorcycle or automobile taxi, and both accept cash or in-app payments. As the price for a trip is set before the driver is hailed, the price of a trip is fixed and constant, and is known to locals for being cheap. Both apps are available in English.

Rickshaws can be commonly found at Lanang Market (Pasar Lanang), in front of the entrance to the Indonesian Railway Museum. Rickshaw rides provide a touristy, old-timey feel to Ambarawa, yet since the seat is in front of the driver, one must consider whether the motorcycle and car exhaust is worth it, especially if one's route passes through a lot of large roads. Not to mention how

Horse carriages, much like rickshaws, can be found near the entrance to the Indonesian Railway Museum. As another 'vintage' way to travel around Ambarawa, a horse carriage is a better, although a more expensive, alternative to a rickshaw, since a passenger won't be the direct target of a car's exhaust.

Walking around Ambarawa presents some challenges of its own. Although Ambarawa is somewhat cooler than the rest of Indonesia, midday temperatures are still high enough for one to have heat stroke if one does not take rest. Walking a short distance, on the other hand, is okay, since there are quite a lot of trees providing some shade in the streets. However, as with much of Indonesia, the sidewalks are very narrow and may be a shock to those who are not used to it.

• -7.313562110.3325621 Banaran 9 Coffee & Tea, Krajan, Gemawang, Jambu, ☏ +62 298 599606. 07:00-21:00. Serve hot and iced both coffee and tea. Operated by state-owned, PTPN 9. There is a coffee factory and Museum Kopi Banaran (Banaran coffee museum). (updated Jul 2022)
• -7.304187110.3573132 Eva Coffee House, Jl. Raya Bedono, Jambu, ☏ +62 812 985 91155. 07:00-21:00. A coffee shop whose coffee comes from a local farm of the same owner. They also sell gudeg manggar (young coconut flowers stewed with coconut milk and some herbs). (updated May 2020)

• -7.25585110.399331 Hotel Griya Wijaya, Jl. Tentara Pelajar No.90, Kerep, Panjang, ☏ +62 298 591974. Rp270,000. (updated Jan 2022)
• -7.25652110.399742 Griya Katarina, Jalan Tentara Pelajar, Panjang, Ambarawa, Kerep, Panjang, ☏ +62 298 591940. Rp390,000. (updated Jan 2022)

• -7.239187110.4329383 Dusun The Villas, Dusun Semilir, Jl. Soekarno - Hatta No.49, Bawen, ☏ +62 822 199 91737. Start from Rp1,200,000. (updated Jul 2022)