Go Local | The real authentic Indonesia

go local indonesia

Go Local Indonesia

Pardi & Dwi, our story

Go local is the new way to travel. Not visiting as many places as possible in a short period and hurry from one tourist attraction to another, but really getting to know Indonesia.
Meet the local people. Not only watching, but also experiencing how they live.

Culture

Java has a rich cultural history. Up till today, the Javanese culture has been strongly connected with everyday life. With influences from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, but with a strong own character: batik, gamelan music, Jogja-silver, wayang puppetry, dance and tasty food.

Tolerance, mutual respect and care for each other are at the heart of the Javanese culture.

Small scale

Hospitality, friendliness and liveliness are present everywhere in Indonesia. No matter how difficult life may be, you will see everyone laughing and welcoming you. This makes it easy to get in touch with the Javanese people.
Small-scale excursions and personal encounters often lead to the most beautiful memories.

The passion and inspiration of Pardi & Dwi

Dadang Supardi and Dwi HapsariPardi, born and raised in a village in the Yogyakarta region, knows the real Javanese life from within. In the past years, he has built up his own small family business with his wife Dwi Hapsari by working hard and with great enthusiasm.

Pardi has a broad interest that goes beyond the world around him. As a boy, he dreamt of travelling the world and meeting other cultures. His heart was (and is) strongly connected to the village and the community, but his curiosity and his eager to learn made him dream of distant places. Because of his work he can welcome guests from all over the world and meet other cultures, without having to leave the beautiful Indonesia.

Dwi grew up in the center of Yogyakarta near the palace of Pakualaman (local royalty) in the heart of Javanese culture. She has a great passion for sharing the Javanese culture and keeping the tradition alive for future generations. Within their neighborhood, in the heart of the city, she shares her talent and engages in courses, performances, and children’s activities in the field of traditional music, crafts and dance.

Because of their passion and commitment Pardi and Dwi enjoy their encounters with other cultures. Their loyalty to their surroundings ensures that the community shares in their success. They are their own boss and have a clear vision of what they want to achieve with their small business.

Expertise

Go local Javanese tradition

Pardi has more than 25 years of experience in touring and driving tourists from all over the world. Thanks to his many years of experience, he is able to build bridges between his guests and the local community like no other. Through his experience, his ability to learn from practice and his talent to organise, he has become an expert in his field.

Dwi studied tourism at a university in Yogyakarta. As a result she not only has a lot of knowledge but is also fluent in English. She enjoys to implement her creativity in their business.

Together Pardi and Dwi complement each other very well. With great pleasure and pride they love to introduce you to their culture; the Javanese culture.

Because of their background, their philosophy and personal approach, Pardi and Dwi are able to give you the real “go local” experience like no other. What fits better with “go local”  than direct contact with an enthusiastic and experienced family-owned business in Yogyakarta, in the heart of Javanese culture?

Your interests, wishes and feedback are very important to Pardi and Dwi.
Do not hesitate to get in contact with all your questions or feedback–>

Care for each other

go local fishermen BaliFrom their Javanese background Pardi and Dwi believe it is very important that their business not only benefits themselves but also the community. This is in the DNA of their business.

They remain in close contact with other small businesses on Java and Bali and enjoy working with these businesses which are organized based on the same personal commitment.

Quality is leading. Their approach also focuses on a fair compensation for all co-workers, equal opportunities for women and care for the environment. They are convinced that content co-workers provide satisfied guests.

This underlines the uniqueness of their business and guarantees guest satisfaction.

The community

go local Jogjakarta

Pardi and all the drivers Pardi and Dwi work with, are members of the association for drivers in the tourist sector on Java and Bali. This association is important for the mutual exchange of information, to increase knowledge and to help each other. For example, courses are organised to learn a second foreign language or lectures are held about the Javanese culture. In case of long-term illness or adversity, the members receive support from the association.

In addition to taking care of each other, the association supports charities through the donations of members and sponsors. In recent years, for example, villages have been supported by supplying water in the dry period, trash cans have been purchased for tourist attractions, and school supplies have been distributed to underpriviliged children. Pardi is active within this organization and contributes to the community in this way as well.

Again, the strength of a personal approach and local knowledge makes sure tourism benefits to everyone in the community.

Tips and advice 

From this background Pardi and Dwi can recommend you the following if you are looking for the real “go local” experience:

Good food

Go local street food Indonesia

A visit to Java is not complete if you don’t try good food. If you not only enjoy good food, but also love cooking and trying out new recipes, a cooking class with a family at their home is a great idea. In the afternoon the family will take you to the local market to buy the fresh ingredients. Together you prepare the meal. A great way to get a look behind the scenes. You will enjoy dinner together. After this experience  you will be brought back to your hotel and you are new recipes and a beautiful experience richer.

If you do like good food, but don’t feel the need to cook yourself, a food-tour is a good alternative. Together with a guide you can walk or travel on (the back of) a motorbike or in the becak to the best food spots and food stalls in the city. You will receive an explanation about the food and its preparation if you like. You get a good taste of the real Indonesian food and visit places that you would never have found yourself.

Traditional handicrafts

In Indonesia, traditional handicrafts still exist. Craftsmen make many daily products that are still used, by hand. These products are not only practical but also good for the environment because they work with natural materials instead of plastic. They are often small pieces of art; every product is unique.
Take a tour in which you make a guided visit to a batik workshop or follow a course and make your own batik. The centuries-old batik process is interesting, but also the silversmiths, bamboo processors or tanners are happy to guide you around and teach you their skills. You not only will get a unique experience, but you will also have a chance to make your own souvenir.

Hidden neighborhoods

Go local Indonesia village lifeAs a tourist you do not easily get into the hidden neighborhoods where the “normal” Indonesians live. For those who are interested in the real Indonesia, a tour through these neighborhoods is highly recommended. Contrary to what you might think at first sight, the neighborhoods in the cities, like the villages in the countryside, are well organized. Since there are not many social provisions from the government, it is important that society takes care of each other. In Javanese this is called “Gotong royong”: doing voluntary work together within the local community, for the benefit of all. You will also find home factories; residents who make products at home. You will be amazed with all the activities and the volunteer work that is being done. The guide will give you an explanation and show you places you would never come yourself. You do not have to feel intruding.  In Indonesia people are very hospitable and they like to see you. However, it is not recommended to start sharing gifts to the children. Within the neighborhoods, everyone tries to make a contribution to the community from their own strength and with respect. If you would like to contribute (do not feel obliged!), you can do this through the organizations that are active in the neighborhood.

Village life

Go local Solo

Just like the city, the villages are certainly worth a visit. In some villages, the community has created a tourist site to contribute to the income in the village. It is inspiring to see how creative these places are made attractive and to experience this is really organized from within the community. These tourists sites are for example: viewpoints, waterfalls or caves that are well maintained and where sometimes nice extras are built (swings, “selfie-spots” or huts where a picnic can be held).

In addition to these local tourist spots, you can take a tour through a village and get acquainted with the local cuisine and customs. Furthermore, in this tour you will receive an explanation about the nature, the harvest, the fruits and you will learn how all kinds of natural products are used in daily life. Good stories which are told from generation to generation in the village can be shared. Often this tour can be combined with a home-cooked dinner at a family home.

Where and how?

These “go local” tours can be organised at various places on Java and Bali (sometimes also by bike). If you are interested, please get in contact, it is always possible to add a local tour to your itinerary depending on the time you have available. (The tours may vary slightly, depending on the location.) If you have special wishes, let us know, (almost) everything can be arranged. These local tours often lead to beautiful memories.

Get in contact –>


Great examples of Go Local tours

Nglanggeran volcano Yogyakarta
Ramayana ballet Yogyakarta
Bike tour Yogyakarta
Cooking Class
Street food tour

Water 

Tap water is not drinkable on Java and Bali. To be able to drink enough water every day, water is sold in plastic bottles. Plastic bottles are a one of the main causes of the waste problem in Indonesia. More and more plastic waste is found in the rivers and the sea.

To make a contribution to solve the waste problem, starting in 2022 we will  equip our rental cars with a water container, which means you no longer have to buy plastic bottles with water on the way. This will save a lot of empty plastic bottles, which will help to reduce the waste problem.

refill my bottleAre you not around the car but you still want to refill your bottle?
Download the app from Refill My Bottle and find all places where you can refill your bottle for free (or for a small fee). This can be a shop, cafe or for example a museum. RefillMyBottle promotes travelers and local companies to work together to reduce the waste problem.

Together for a cleaner world!


Pardi & Dwi:
Our core values:

High quality – Fair – Focused

Go local Java Indonesia

High quality: Our main goal is to make your holiday into a success; to provide you with the best service possible. We choose a personal approach, in which your wishes are leading. Your feedback is very important to us.

Fair: We make sure all the people involved, enjoy their work and enjoy working for you. Real care for each other, and a fair share in our success, is the basis of our company.

Focused: We are specialized in providing private tours on Java and Bali (multiple day tours and day tours). This specialization allows us to offer exclusive know-how and service. Knowledge which can only be built by many years of experience and by always being open for new developments and permanently acquiring new skills.