By Ayu Wulandari, Contributor, Surakarta | Feb 28, 2014

Pasar Gawok, a traditional market on the outskirts of the city of Surakarta, more commonly known as Solo, in Central Java, is one of the city’s last remaining genuine traditional markets.

Also known as Pasar Pon (Pon Market), it only opens on Pon, the third day of the five-day week of the Javanese calendar, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. There are no market activities the rest of the week.

As you can expect from a traditional market, Pasar Gawok is a great destination for tourists who are looking for delicious and affordable local cuisine. But it also offers plenty of unexpected things that set it apart from most traditional markets in the country.

Livestock

Livestock merchants selling various animals such as chickens, ducks, goats and birds are one of the things you can find at Pasar Gawok. Head to the middle area of the market, as well as outside, not far from the nearby bridge.

Utensils and kitchen tools

Customers looking to buy classic tin tea sets and plates as souvenirs will happily find them in this market. Other using them as cutlery, these things can also add an elegant vintage atmosphere in your home.

Gardening tools

Other than finding gardening tools such as hoes, grass cutters, shovels and cleavers in this market, visitors can also see how they are made. The iron forging activity by local blacksmiths is so interesting that it has become a popular photo-hunting object among photographers.

Tobacco

Did you know that tobacco can be used as a natural insecticide, to prevent you from getting leech bites and to treat wounds? With a particular dose and after going through an extraction process, it also offers the healthy benefit of lowering diabetes risks as well as strengthening the immune system.

Local residents who know about all these benefits regularly buy unrolled tobacco in grams or kilograms at the market from an old lady wearing a traditional kebaya and jarik (long cloth).

Antique bicycles and accessories

Are you a fan of antique bicycles? Do you want to add something new to your collection of spare parts? Pasar Gawok is a great place to start.

From bicycle saddles to any brands of bicycle bells or vintage hats and bags, all are available here at an affordable price if you can drive a good bargain.

Local cuisine

Coming to this market on an empty stomach can be a good thing since it means you can taste various local dishes.

If you aren’t hungry, start with traditional Javanese snacks such as getuk (a sweet, finely mashed steamed cassava available in various colors and flavors), jenang (sticky-rice taffy), jadah (a traditional snack made of glutinous rice) and ginger chips. To satisfy your stomach even more, try the main dishes such as soto kuali (a Solo style soup), sate kambing (mutton satay) and kupat tahu (rice cake with tofu).

How to get there

There’s no direct public transportation to reach Pasar Gawok, which is situated in Geneng village, Gatak district, Sukoharjo regency – about 2 kilometers from Gawok Railway Station.

To get there, one of the options is to take a Sendang Mulyo bus from Kartosuro Terminal to Gawok Railway Station and continue the journey by ojek (motorcycle taxi) or becak (three-wheeled pedicab). Or you can hop on any bus coming from Tirtonadi Terminal to Daleman or Baki, get off at Daleman Terminal and then ride an ojek to the market.

 

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Media: The Jakarta Post Travel