Bekasi

Once trodden by the legendary king Purnawarman, who’s credited with producing the first inscriptions on the island of Java, the cityscape of Bekasi is now something of a dormitory for the megalopolis of Jakarta that throbs and thrives just to its west. A mass of new residential and industrial sectors, no fewer than two million people call this city home. Shopping malls like the Grand Metropolitan and the Bekasi Trade Center are the popular haunts of locals from morning until night, while a smattering of water parks and schools are fed by the endless streams of becak tricycle rickshaws and kuasis carrying commuters through the criss-crossing streets. This indelibly local vibe is further endorsed by local flavours as Bekasi tour guides reveal a wealth of earthy eateries where Javanese coffees mix with aromatic plates of nasi gudeg, jackfruit salads and tempe doused in chilli and peanut sauce.