Rembang

Rembang is a town and regency on the northeast coast of Central Java, on the island of Java, Indonesia. It is well-known for its significant Chinese heritage.

Understand

Climate

The rainy season in the Rembang area lasts from November to April as a result of the westerly monsoon winds that are wet, humid, and carry a lot of water vapor. Meanwhile, the dry season in Rembang occurs in the period from May to October as a result of the easterly monsoon wind which is dry and carries very little water vapor. The air temperature in the Rembang area ranges from 23°–34 °C with a relative humidity level of 60% to 90%.

Get in

By bus

• 1 Rembang Bus Terminal (Terminal Rembang). A small bus terminal but is located at the town center, next to the town square. There are buses to Jakarta. Buses from and to Semarang and Surabaya do not enter the terminal, so you should wait at the road in front of the terminal. (updated May 2020)

By car

Rembang is on the north coast road connecting Semarang and Surabaya which is part of the Great Post Road.

Get around

Going to some tourist attractions is more flexible to use a rented car or motorbike.

See

• 1 Dampo Awang Beach (Pantai Dampo Awang, formerly Taman Rekreasi Pantai Kartini (Kartini Beach Recreation Park)). Here you can see the big Dampo Awang anchor. The story is when Sam Phoo Khong sailed in the Java Sea, his ship was hit by a big wave, heavily damaging the ship. The anchor chain is detached and stranded in Rembang. (updated May 2020)
• 2 Rembang Town Square (Alun-Alun Kota Rembang). (updated May 2020)
• 3 Rembang Great Mosque (Masjid Agung Rembang). This mosque was built in 1814. There is a cemetery of the dukes of Rembang at the west side of the mosque. (updated May 2020)
• 4 R.A. Kartini Museum (Museum R.A. Kartini). R.A. Kartini was an Indonesian women's rights activist from Jepara and wife of the Regent of Rembang. The museum was the house of the Regent of Rembang. It contains Kartini's original writings and a painting of Kartini by his only son RM Susalit. (updated May 2020)
• 5 Grave of R.A. Kartini (Makam R.A. Kartini) (17.5 km south of Rembang, on the road to Blora). (updated May 2020)
• 6 Pasir Putih Wates Beach (Pantai Pasir Putih Wates). A white sand beach. (updated Sep 2022)
• Traditional house of Rembang. It is called Joglo Rembang/Bocokan. (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 Ancient Boat Punjulharjo (Situs Kapal Kuno Punjulharjo), Jetakbelah, Punjulharjo. 07:30-16:30. The Punjulharjo boat has a length of 17.9 meters with a remaining width of 4.6 meters. Estimated from the year 660-780 AD. It was discovered in July 2008 by local residents. (updated Sep 2022)

Lasem District

Lasem District is known as Tiongkok kecil (Little Chinatown) because it was the town where the Chinese people first landed on Java and there were a large number of Chinese settlements scattered in the district. Besides that, it is also known as kota santri (the town of Islamic students) because there are many Islamic boarding schools.

• 8 Tiongkok Kecil Heritage Lasem. Traditional old Chinese complex. (updated Sep 2022)
• 9 Lawang Ombo Rumah Candu, Jl. Sunan Bonang No.70, Pereng, Soditan, Lasem. An old house built in the 1860s was used as an opium warehouse during the Dutch colonial period. (updated Sep 2022)
• 10 Tjo An Kiong Temple (Kelenteng Cu An Kiong). (updated Sep 2022)
• 11 Gie Yong Bio Temple (Kelenteng Gie Yong Bio). (updated Sep 2022)
• 12 Caruban Beach (Pantai Caruban). (updated Sep 2022)
• 13 Jami' Baiturrahman Lasem Mosque, Kauman, Mahbong, Karangturi. It was built in 1588. (updated Sep 2022)
• 14 Po An Bio Temple (Kelenteng Po An Bio), Jl. Karangturi Gg. 7 No.15, Karangturi. (updated Sep 2022)
• 15 Ratanavana Arama Temple (Vihara Ratanavana Arama), Dukuh Tluweng, RT.01/RW.01, Ngasingan, Sendangcoyo, ☏ +62 812 288 01548. There is a Gold-plated reclining Buddha statue in this Buddhist temple. (updated Dec 2022)

Do

• Boating to the small island on the north of Rembang such as 1 Gede Island, 2 Karang Gosong Island, and 3 Siwalan Island.
• Hiking on 4 Mount Lasem (806 masl).

Buy

Batik Lasem

Textile

• Batik Lasem, well known for its typical bright red color, shown here, called abang getih pithik (chicken blood red).

Food souvenirs

• Dumbeg, a snack made from rice flour, coconut milk, and brown sugar, wrapped with palm leaves from the siwalan (toddy palm) tree.
• Kaoya dudul, a snack made from made from glutinous rice flour, green beans and palm sugar.

Eat

Rembang food

Sate serepeh served with nasi tahu, laid on a teak leaf plate

Rembang has numerous local dishes.

• Lontong Tuyuhan, a Rembang specialty dish of rice cakes with chicken in reddish coconut milk soup.
• Sayur merica, a Rembang of pepper fish soup.
• Sate serepeh/srepeh, a typical Rembang spicy chicken satay.
• Urap latoh, seagrapes with spiced grated coconut.

Budget

• 1 Kawasan Kuliner Lontong Tuyuhan Pancur. Serves lontong Tuyuhan. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Nasi Tahu Sate Serepeh Bu Slamet, Jl. KS Tubun, Rembangan, Tasikagung. 06:30-10:00. Serves nasi tahu and sate serepeh. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Warung Apung Dasun, Lasem, ☏ +62 822 254 19973. T-Su 11:00-21:00. Serves chicken and freshwater fish dishes, also urap latoh. From Rp10,000. (updated Sep 2022)
• 4 Warung Sayur Mrico Bu Warsih, Jl. Pemuda, Rambutmalang, Leteh. Daily 06:30-20:00. Serves sayur merica. (updated Sep 2022)

Drink

Try a sirup kawista drink made from syrup of the kawista fruit (Limonia acidissima), at least once anyway. This large, woody fruit thrives in the dry climate around the town. Tooth-achingly sweet, the syrup can be made palatable by cutting with soda, and maybe a squeeze of lime, to create a drink not dissimilar to Red Fanta.

Sleep

• 1 favehotel Rembang, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman No.8, Kutoharjo, Pandean, Kec. Rembang, ☏ +62 295 693030, fax: +62 295 693303, RembangInfo@favehotels.com. Located next to the town square from Rp310,000. (updated May 2020)
• 2 Pollos Hotel & Gallery, Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 158, Kabongan Lor, ☏ +62 295 3202888. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A 3-star hotel with a swimming pool. Featuring views of the Java Sea, this informal hotel is 2 km from Dampo Awang Beach. From Rp519,558. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Rumah Oei, Jl. Jatirogo No.10, Pandeyan, Karangturi, Lasem. Check-in: 14:00-22:00, check-out: 12:00. Traditional old Chinese architecture homestay. 5 bed in one room, Rp750,000. (updated Sep 2022)

Connect

The telephone area code for Rembang is 0295.

Go next

• Blora
• Tuban
• Pati

Routes through Rembang

Anyer ← Pati ←

W  E

→ Tuban → Panarukan