Top places to visit in Semarang

• Lawang Sewu

  colonial building · 4.6 rating · about 1.3 h · entry Rp30,000 (≈ ₹160)

  Lawang Sewu, meaning "Thousand Doors" in Javanese, was built between 1904 and 1907 as the headquarters of the Dutch East Indies railway company, its name reflecting the building's dense rows of tall windows and doors designed for…

• Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah

  grand mosque · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah, the Great Mosque of Central Java, opened in 2006 as one of Indonesia's largest and most architecturally ambitious mosques, blending Javanese joglo roof forms with Middle Eastern and Roman-inspired courtyard…

• Sam Poo Kong Temple (Gedong Batu)

  chinese temple · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sam Poo Kong is Semarang's oldest Chinese temple, built to honor Admiral Zheng He (also known as Cheng Ho), the Muslim Chinese explorer who led massive Ming dynasty fleets through Southeast Asia in the early 1400s and is said to have…

• Kota Lama Semarang (Old Town)

  colonial district · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · free entry

  Kota Lama, Semarang's Old Town, was the fortified Dutch trading quarter of the city from the 1700s onward, once nicknamed "Little Netherlands" for its canals, drawbridges, and European-style townhouses built for VOC merchants. At its…

• Simpang Lima Square

  city square · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Simpang Lima, meaning "Five Junctions," is the modern civic heart of Semarang, a vast open square where five major roads converge, ringed by shopping centers, the regional mosque, and government buildings. By day it functions as an…

• Tugu Muda

  monument · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h · free entry

  Landmark monument commemorating the 1945 Five-Day Battle of Semarang, facing Lawang Sewu.

• Kampung Pelangi

  painted village · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  A hillside "rainbow village" of brightly painted houses, a popular photo spot near Kalisari.

• Gereja Blenduk

  colonial church · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The oldest church in Central Java (1753), a copper-domed landmark of Semarang Old Town.

• Pagoda Avalokitesvara (Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong)

  buddhist pagoda · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  A seven-tier Buddhist pagoda (Indonesia's tallest) in the Watugong temple complex.

Things to do

• Sam Poo Kong Klenteng Temple Visit & Chinese Heritage Walk Cultural · 2 h · from IDR 40,000 per person
• Lawang Sewu (Thousand Doors) Night Tour Cultural · 1.5 h · from IDR 30,000 per person
• Kota Lama Night Walking Tour Cultural · 2 h · from IDR 150,000 per person

Day trips and tours

• Semarang: Kota Lama + Sam Poo Kong + Lawang Sewu 9 h · from IDR 350,000

Where to stay in Semarang

• City Center about IDR 1,800 per night

  Central Java city with accommodation

Hotels

• Gumaya Tower Hotel 5-star · IDR 1,400,000 to IDR 4,000,000 per night
• Ibis Semarang Simpang Lima 3-star · IDR 450,000 to IDR 900,000 per night
• Hotel Ciputra Semarang managed by Swiss-Belhotel 4-star
• PO Hotel Semarang 4-star
• Grand Candi Hotel Semarang 4-star

Where to eat

• Ikan Bakar Cianjur Semarang Indonesian, Seafood · about IDR 85,000 per person
• Toko Oen Semarang European, Dutch-Indonesian, Ice Cream · about IDR 45,000 per person
• Warung Makan Pak Ndut Javanese, Indonesian · about IDR 30,000 per person
• Lumpia Gang Lombok indonesian, chinese · about IDR 45,000 per person
• Tahu Gimbal Lumayan Pak Man indonesian · about IDR 45,000 per person
• Warung Pak H Edy (Tahu Gimbal) indonesian · about IDR 45,000 per person

Getting to Semarang

Airport: Semarang (SRG)

How visitors arrive in Semarang

• Fly from Jakarta or Surabaya By air from Jakarta · common

  Achmad Yani Airport is close to the centre, with flights from Jakarta, Surabaya and other cities, plus Kuala Lumpur. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Train on the north coast line By train from Jakarta / Surabaya · common

  Tawang and Poncol stations are on the Jakarta-Surabaya north coast line. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Bus or toll road from Java cities By road from Yogyakarta / Solo · common

  Buses use Mangkang terminal; tourist buses and shuttles run from Yogyakarta and Solo, and the Trans-Java toll road serves Jakarta and Surabaya. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Ship to Tanjung Emas Port By ferry from Kalimantan · possible

  The port mainly handles ships to Kalimantan. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• TransSemarang BRT from the airport

  TransSemarang Line 5 serves the airport; change at Karangayu to Line 1 for the centre, or ride toward Tawang station. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Official airport taxi counter

  The official taxi counter is outside arrivals and uses zone-based fixed fares. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Getting around

• Ride Hail

  Gojek and Grab ride-hailing apps are available in Semarang, with Grab offering cars and bikes and Gojek also able to book Bluebird taxis through its app.

  Get the Grab app

• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Scooter rental damage claim

  Simpang Lima rental shops · Kota Lama (Old Town) district hawkers · Semarang–Borobudur tour price inflation

  Pre-existing damage is invoiced when you return the scooter — often Rp 2–5M.

  How to avoid it: Video the scooter on pickup. Rent only via your hotel.

Best time to visit Semarang

• Jan 31°C
• Feb 31°C
• Mar 32°C
• Apr 32°C
• May 33°C
• Jun 33°C
• Jul 33°C
• Aug 33°C
• Sep 34°C
• Oct 34°C
• Nov 33°C
• Dec 32°C

More in Indonesia

• Jakarta
• Bali
• Yogyakarta
• Bandung
• Surabaya
• Labuan Bajo

Frequently asked questions about Semarang

How many days do you need in Semarang?

A typical trip to Semarang is 1-2 days.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Semarang?

The highest-rated places in our Semarang guide are Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah, Sam Poo Kong Temple (Gedong Batu), Kota Lama Semarang (Old Town), Tugu Muda, Pagoda Avalokitesvara (Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong).

Where should I stay in Semarang?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Semarang: City Center.

How do I get around Semarang?

Ways to get around Semarang covered in our guide: Ride-hailing app, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Semarang?

Scams reported to us for Semarang include Scooter rental damage claim. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Semarang?

Average daytime highs in Semarang run from 31°C in Feb to 34°C in Sep.

Which airport is nearest to Semarang?

The nearest airport to Semarang has the code SRG.