Demak

Demak is regency in Central Java. The capital city has the same name. It was the center of the once-mighty Demak Sultanate.

Understand

Demak was the capital of the Demak Sultanate, the first Islamic kingdom in Java. The sultanate was founded in 1475 by Raden Patah and it played an important role in the spread of Islam in Java. It reached its peak during the reign of Trenggana when it expanded to East Java and conquered the last remnants of the Majapahit Empire. It declined because of succession conflicts and the capital was moved by Hadiwijaya to Pajang in 1568.

Get in

By bus

• 1 Terminal Bus Bintoro (Bintoro bus terminal). The bus terminal is served by buses to Jakarta, Surabaya, and other destinations in Java. (updated May 2020)

By car

The main road from Semarang to Kudus and Surabaya, which is part of the Great Post Road, passes through the capital city.

Get around

By ride hailing services

Served by Gojek.

See

Demak Great Mosque

• 1 Alun-Alun Demak (Demak Square). The central square of Demak. (updated May 2020)
• 2 Masjid Agung Demak (Demak Great Mosque). One of the oldest mosques in Java, it was built in 1479. Unlike Indonesian mosques built later, this mosque does not have a dome. Instead, it featured a tiered roof. It is said that one of the four original pillars (soko guru) was erected by Sunan Kalijaga from scraps of wood magically fused together. The mosque also contains the grave of Raden Patah, the first sultan of Demak. (updated May 2020)
• 3 Makam Sunan Kalijaga (Grave of Sunan Kalijaga). Sunan Kalijaga was one of the Wali Songo (Nine Saints) who helped spread Islam throughout Java. (updated May 2020)
• 4 Morosari Beach (Pantai Morosari), Jl. Semarang - Demak Km.9, Morosari, Bedono, Sayung. This beach offers the main attraction which is the neatly arranged mangrove forest area and a long bridge that juts out into the sea. When visiting this beach, you can do two excellent activities, namely walking around the mangrove forest area and enjoying the sunset in the afternoon. (updated Dec 2022)

Do

Mangrove trekking

• 1 Istambul, Karangtengah. 08:00-17:00. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Mangrove Babalan, Wedung. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Mangrove Morodemak, Bonang. 06:30-17:00. (updated Sep 2022)

Buy

Food souvenirs

• Kerupuk catak, a cracker made from fish lungs.

Handicraft

• Kerajinan Kaligrafi Demak, Arabic calligraphy craft.

Eat

Demak cuisine

• Asem-asem daging, a Demak sour clear beef soup.
• Botok/bothok telur asin, a steamed spiced salted egg wrapped in a banana leaf.
• Caos dahar lorogendhing, a chicken and airbreathing catfish in a peanut sauce served with lorogendhing (young noni leaves with grated coconut).
• Ingkung bandeng, a milkfish dish.
• Nasi kropokhan, rice with processed buffalo meat, young jackfruit, and June plum leaves in a coconut milk soup.
• Nasi ndoreng, rice with veggies such as kembang turi (the flower of Sesbania grandiflora), jenthut (banana blossom), pethet & lamtoro (Leucaena leucocephala), young cassava leaves, and glandir (sweet potato leaves) sprinkled with uyah goreng (roasted grated coconut with salt).
• Semur ikan kuthuk, a snakehead fish soup.
• Sop balungan Demak, a beef bone soup.

Budget

• 1 Rumah Makan Rahayu, Jl. Sultan Fatah No.41 A, Kauman, Bintoro, ☏ +62 291 685300. M-Sa, 08:30-17:00. Serves asem-asem daging and bothok telur asin. From Rp17,000. (updated Sep 2022)
• Sego Ndoreng Mbah Tianah, RT 06 RW 02, Desa Kalikondang. Serves nasi ndoreng. From Rp3,000. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Sop Balungan Babe, Jl. Raya Demak - Kudus No.100m, Sekaran, Mranak, Wonosalam. 09:00-22:00. Serves sop balungan Demak. From Rp25,000. (updated Sep 2022)
• Warung Makan Seger Waras, Jl. Bhayangkara Baru (Near RSUD Kalijaga hospital). Start 08:30. Serves nasi kropokhan. From Rp15,000. (updated Sep 2022)

Drink

Try local drink called wedang pekak, a drink made from ginger, cinnamon, lemongrass, palm sugar, sugar and pekak (star anise).

Sleep

• 1 Amantis Hotel, Jl. Lingkar Demak Km. 24, Rw. 2, Jogoloyo, Kec. Wonosalam, ☏ +62 291 690 5000, mail@amantishotel.com. from Rp350,000. (updated May 2020)

Connect

The dialing code for Demak is 0291.

Go next

• Semarang, capital of Central Java province
• Kudus, center of kretek cigarette production and home to Sunan Kudus, another Wali Songo
• Jepara, center of furniture production and gateway to Karimunjawa islands

Routes through Demak

Anyer ← Semarang ←

W  E

→ Kudus → Panarukan