In Reply to: Need Help re: JAVA posted by angelica on Sunday, 20. February 2005 at 13:10 Bali Time:
I could say that Solo is a great place for making business deals, but only if you're a wholesale business that deals in shoes, bags or furniture. If you're looking to import palm oil, then that would be useless information.
I'm also surprised that you want to do business in a place you know nothing about, to the extent that you don't seem to have even looked at a map to see how big it is. And you seem to have a preconceived mistrust of the whole island. If you're already involved in a business, don't you have access to industry-related information (including wholesalers in various countries)? Wouldn't it be better to consult that information rather than asking on a forum that consists mainly of tourists who have no idea what business you are in?
As far as the best way to travel goes, it depends on how much time you have and how much sightseeing you want to do. If you just want to do business, then fly to Surabaya, fly or go by train to Yogya or Solo (and take the train to the other one), then fly to Jakarta.
The most popular destinations are Yogya (for the temples and groovy people), Solo (for the most traditional culture, the Puras and the fertility caves), Bandung (for the climate and flowers), and Jakarta (for the nightlife and coz it has something for everyone except surfers).
If your going with a Javanese friend, he/she can probably guide you better than we can. What exactly are you worried about getting yourself into? If you've been to Bali nine times already you must have already met a bunch of Javanese people, and been within a few kilometers of Java. It shouldn't be that mysterious.