Major city · Indonesia
Ngawiꦔꦮꦶ
One night is enough: see Fort Van Den Bosch and Ngawioboro Street, eat tahu tepo, then move on to Solo, Yogyakarta or Surabaya.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- IDR
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (dry season)
- avoid Nov–Mar (wet season, heaviest Dec–Feb)
- Airports
- SOC · YIA
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Indonesia ↗Buy the visa on arrival or e-visa only on the official Immigration portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
- Indonesia ↗Complete the All Indonesia digital arrival and customs form before landing; it is free.
- Indonesia ↗Foreign visitors to Bali pay a one-off tourist levy; keep the payment proof on your phone.
- Indonesia ↗Riding a motorbike needs a valid licence that covers motorbikes (an international permit alongside your own) and a helmet; check your insurance covers it.
Ngawi is a small East Java town on the Solo–Madiun river junction, halfway between Solo and Surabaya on the main rail and bus lines. It is a trade town, not a resort: the draw is a Dutch colonial fort, a pedestrian street, batik and cheap Javanese food. Most travellers pass through in a day or use it as a one-night stop between Yogyakarta and Surabaya.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Ngawi, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.Indonesia-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckTelkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.Indonesia-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.Indonesia-wide
- TippingRestaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.Indonesia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Indonesia-wide
- SafetyNgawi is a quiet, low-crime town and generally safe for visitors.
- RestroomsWestern in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.Indonesia-wide
- Emergency numbers112 General emergency · 110 police · 113 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysBali shuts completely for Nyepi; government offices close Friday midday for prayer; Lebaran slows the country for two weeks.Indonesia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckSOC Adisumarmo International, Solo (About 93 km west; taxi or bus onward to Ngawi (check)).SOC Adisumarmo International, Solo (About 58 mi west; taxi or bus onward to Ngawi (check)).
- Getting aroundThe centre is small and walkable.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or tea at a warungRp5,000–15,000 (≈ under US$1)
- Street or quick mealNasi lethok breakfastFrom Rp6,000 (≈ under US$1)
- Museum or sight ticketFort Van Den Bosch entryRp10,000 (≈ under US$1) (check)
- Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personRp100,000 (≈ US$7)
- Mid-range bedBudget-hotel double room, a night, per roomRp350,000 (≈ US$25)
- High-end bedBudget-hotel double room, a night, per roomRp700,000 (≈ US$45)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget Rp300,000 (≈ US$19) · Mid Rp600,000 (≈ US$40) · High Rp1,200,000 (≈ US$75)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- SOC Adisumarmo International, Solo (About 93 km west; taxi or bus onward to Ngawi (check)) · YIA Yogyakarta International, Kulon Progo (About 190 km; roughly 4 h by road plus a bus from Giwangan terminal (check))SOC Adisumarmo International, Solo (About 58 mi west; taxi or bus onward to Ngawi (check)) · YIA Yogyakarta International, Kulon Progo (About 118 mi; roughly 4 h by road plus a bus from Giwangan terminal (check))
Weather and climate
Ngawi: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
28°C82°F
24°C75°F
19 rd
Feb
29°C83°F
24°C76°F
17 rd
Mar
29°C85°F
25°C76°F
15 rd
Apr
30°C86°F
25°C77°F
11 rd
May
29°C84°F
25°C76°F
9 rd
Jun
30°C85°F
24°C75°F
7 rd
Jul
29°C85°F
23°C74°F
5 rd
Aug
30°C86°F
24°C74°F
3 rd
Sep
31°C88°F
25°C77°F
3 rd
Oct
32°C90°F
26°C78°F
6 rd
Nov
31°C87°F
26°C79°F
13 rd
Dec
31°C87°F
26°C78°F
18 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is small and walkable. Grab and Gojek ride-hailing work in the town, and becak (pedicabs) cover short hops. Bicycles are common for locals and visitors. For the fort and the parks outside the centre, take a ride-hailing car or a becak.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Solo (Surakarta)
goDoor to door: About 2–3 h
Intercity bus from Terminal Kertonegoro, or train from Ngawi station
Easy half-day or full-day trip; buses run through the day.
Madiun
goDoor to door: About 1–1.5 h
Bus or car west on the main road
Nearest larger town for shopping and rail connections.
Yogyakarta
overnightDoor to door: About 4–5 h
Bus from Terminal Kertonegoro via Solo, or train
Too far for a return day; sleep there instead.
Surabaya
overnightDoor to door: About 4–5 h
Train or intercity bus east
A full travel day; plan it as the next stop, not a day trip.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre near the alun-alun
Walkable to Ngawioboro Street, the mosque and the market; best for one night.
Around Terminal Kertonegoro
Convenient if you arrive or leave by intercity bus.
Near Ngawi railway station (Paron)
Quiet and outside the centre; only useful for an early train.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- Rp250,000–450,000 (≈ US$16–30) excl. bed
- Mid
- Rp450,000–900,000 (≈ US$30–55) excl. bed
- High
- Rp900,000 (≈ US$55)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Budget-hotel double room1 × 1 night × Rp350,000 | Rp350,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × Rp600,000 | Rp1,200,000 |
| Becak or short ride-hailing hop in town2 × Rp20,000 · check | Rp40,000 |
| Fort Van Den Bosch entry2 × Rp10,000 · check | Rp20,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × Rp100,000 | Rp200,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | Rp181,000 |
| Trip total≈ Rp996,000 per person per day, bed included | Rp1,991,000≈ US$130 |
2026 estimate in rupiah; flights and long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or tea at a warung | Rp5,000–15,000 (≈ under US$1) |
| Tahu tepo or tepo tahu | Rp12,000–25,000 (≈ US$1–2) |
| Nasi lethok breakfast | From Rp6,000 (≈ under US$1) |
| Bakso or mie ayam | From Rp10,000 (≈ under US$1) |
| Restaurant main dish | Rp25,000–60,000 (≈ US$2–4) |
| Gethuk Anyar box | Rp12,000–15,000 (≈ under US$1) |
| Fort Van Den Bosch entry | Rp10,000 (≈ under US$1) (check) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Wet season Nov–Mar brings heavy rain and flooded roads; check conditions before travelling by car.
- Some sights sit outside the centre with no pavement: use a ride-hailing car after dark.
- Carry cash: small warungs and becak drivers rarely take cards.
- The fort is a heritage site with uneven ground; wear shoes you can walk in.
Emergency numbers
- General emergency
- 112
- Police
- 110
- Fire
- 113
Pocket card
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Ngawiꦔꦮꦶ
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Ke alamat ini, yaTo this address, please
Emergency
- General emergency112
- Police110
- Fire113
Embassy
Most embassies are in Jakarta; the nearest consulates-general are in Surabaya and Yogyakarta (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Becak short hop in town: Rp10,000–25,000 (≈ US$1–2), agree the price first (check)
- Ride-hailing car across town: Rp15,000–35,000 (≈ US$1–3) (check)
- Bus Ngawi → Solo: Rp30,000–60,000 (≈ US$2–4), about 2–3 h (check)
Say or show
- Permisi / Maaf — Excuse me / Sorry (per-mee-see / ma-af)
- Terima kasih — Thank you (te-ree-ma ka-see)
- Berapa harganya? — How much is it? (be-ra-pa har-ga-nya)
- Bisa bayar pakai kartu? — Can I pay by card? (bee-sa ba-yar pa-kai kar-too)
- Di mana toilet? — Where is the toilet? (dee ma-na toy-let)
- Tidak, terima kasih — I don't want it, thank you (tee-dak, te-ree-ma ka-see)
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ngawi. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Oct (dry season) · avoid Nov–Mar (wet season, heaviest Dec–Feb) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for SOC and YIA: last bus and train departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: alun-alun and Ngawioboro Street, the fort and Kali Tempuk, the batik and food streets.
- Place pages with verified opening hours (fort, Kepatihan, temples) and eat pages with last orders.
- Wet-season and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
- officialNgawi Regency government
- secondaryWikidata — Ngawi
- secondaryWikivoyage: Ngawi, revision 5291316 (CC BY-SA 4.0)