Cirebon

Asia

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Indonesia

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Cirebon

Located on the north coast of Indonesia's West Java province, Cirebon is an attractive tourist destination with a mix of profound historical significance and vibrant cultural heritage, notably embodied by the distinctive batik tradition.

Cirebon batik is renowned for its two unique styles: batik pesisir (coastal batik), which is dominated by bright colors and nature-inspired patterns, like flowers and animals, and batik keraton, which has darker colors like black, brown, or red and unique, three layered horizontal patterns.

Beyond its batik, Cirebo is also rich in historical treasures that show a glimpse of its royal past, like the majestic Kasepuhan Palace, Kanoman Palace, and Kacilbonan Palace. Meanwhile, the ancient temple of Cangkuang and Cipta Rasa Grand Mosque offer a tranquil spiritual journey.

Cirebon’s natural landscape is also not to be missed, like the Sunyaragi Cave which will offer you the opportunity to enjoy a peaceful coastal retreat. Don’t forget to also enjoy the city’s gastronomic scene, with local specialties like nasi lengko and docan.

Cirebon's appeal lies in its ability to seamlessly blend tradition and modernity, making it an attractive destination for those seeking cultural discovery and historical wonder.

Travel Tips for Cirebon

What you need to know before traveling here

Getting Around Cirebon

A guide to Cirebon's local transportation

BRT Trans Cirebon

Angkot

Online Taxis

Car or motorbike rental

The Cirebon Transportation Service provides public transportation called BRT (Rapid Transit Bus) called Trans Cirebon, which can take you around Cirebon City and Regency. Ticket fare ranges from IDR 5,000 for adults and around IDR 3,000 for students. The operating hours for this bus are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Payment can be done via cash or cashless methods.

Practical Tips for Cirebon

Things to prepare and best way to visit

Where is Cirebon?

Perhaps those of you who are still unfamiliar with this area might wonder, where is Cirebon? Cirebon consists of a regency and a city. Cirebon Regency is part of the easternmost region of West Java Province, Indonesia. Therefore, Cirebon directly borders Central Java. The city is flanked by the vast Cirebon Regency. North of Cirebon City is the Java Sea. In this city, there is a route that connects the areas of Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya. This route is known as Pantura.

Based on its geographical location, Cirebon borders Indramayu Regency to the north, Majalengka Regency to the northwest, Kuningan Regency to the south, and Central Java (Brebes) to the east.

What is the best time to visit Cirebon?

Cirebon, being located in Indonesia, has a tropical climate. This means that Cirebon has two seasons, namely the dry and rainy seasons. The temperature in Cirebon is quite stable from month to month, which is around the range of 22 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius. However, because Cirebon is close to the sea and most of the area is lowland, the weather there will be quite hot.

In the rainy season, Cirebon will usually be cloudy and wetter, lasting from late October to early May. Meanwhile, in the dry season, it is usually hot and cloudy. If you want to go on holiday and visit Cirebon, the best time is from mid-June to the end of September, which is the dry season.

How to get from Jakarta to Cirebon?

To get to Cirebon from Jakarta, you can use modes of transportation such as bus, car or train. Choosing the train option will take approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes. Meanwhile, traveling by bus or car from Jakarta can take 3 hours via the Cikopo-Palimanan toll road.

What is Cirebon Famous for?

Cirebon is famous for shrimp and batik. Cirebon batik is one of the region’s cultural heritage that still survives to this date. Cirebon batik has its own uniqueness. It is divided into two types, which are batik pesisir and batik keraton. Coastal batik is dominated by bright colors like blue, red and green. Meanwhile, palace batik has colors that tend to be darker, such as black, brown and red.

What to eat in Cirebon?

In Cirebon, you can enjoy regional specialties such as bubur suro, nasi lengko and docang. Bubur Suro is a congee usually served in ceremonies or celebrations during the Islamic New Year. Bubur Suro is made at the Paseban Keraton Kanoman Cirebon.

In Cirebon, you also shouldn't miss its specialty dish called nasi lengko. Nasi lengko is a simple and healthy meal consisting of rice, vegetables, vegetable protein, and usually tofu, with savory, thick, and sweet peanut sauce sprinkled on top.

If you want to try docang, you can find many sellers selling it in the morning. Docang is a traditional Cirebon food containing lontong, vegetables, and oncom sauce. This dish is usually enjoyed as breakfast by Cirebon residents.