Traditional Market in Bukittinggi

Traditional Market in Bukittinggi

Traditional market in Bukittinggi City, West Sumatra Province, comprises Pasar Atas, Pasar Bawah, and Pasar Aung Kuning. As the centre for economic activities in Bukittinggi, many people come to the location for selling, trading and having social relationship with other people.

The local government of Bukittinggi has been planned those traditional markets as clothing grocery centre and economic activity centre considering that Bukittinggi City is a gateway of West Sumatera Province connecting with other provinces.

To actualize such plan, the local government of Bukittinggi attempt to build some trading centres and other supporting facilities. It is proposed to give the best services such as quick services and comfortable location for trade and sell activity. In addition, for you who want to buy some goods there, please do not be hesitate to bargain first. The price will be higher than usual when you do not bargain for a lower price.

You can find a number of goods that you want such as clothes, household appliances, books, and other items there. You can buy them either by wholesale or by retail. As it lies in the downtown of Bukittinggi City, you can easily find those three traditional markets. Public transportations can also be easily found there.

Location Traditional Market in Bukittinngi

Those three traditional markets are situated in Bukittinggi City, West Sumatra Province. Indonesia.
Just take land transportation to reach the locations. It is around two hours from Padang to Bukittinggi. Its cost range from IDR 15.000 to IDR 20.000 per person (February 2008). After being in Bukittinggi, continue the trip to those locations by angkot (typical of public transportation in Bukittinggi).  Considering the locations which lies in the centre of Bukittinggi City, you will easily find lodgements or hotels around the locations. For food and beverages, Rumah Makan Padang is the right place for you, and do not forget to try Nasi Kapau.

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Ngasem, Bird Market

In the past, amongst the Javanese community especially the noble community (priyayi), the possession of material symbols identified social status and prestige. One of the symbols was birds. For Javanese people, having birds as pets was a symbol of klangenan and social status. This also identified one`s high taste on hobby.

Where the belief came from, when it was started, and why the Javanese noble men liked to raise birds, is still a mystery. The birds were usually the ones that had beautiful chirp, especially perkutut and other high selling price birds. However, the fact that raising beautiful chirp birds became tradition and that certain birds became the measurement of social status, had become special everyday life of Javanese people.

Thus, a bird market was built. As a bird market, Pasar Ngasem (Ngasem Market) has operated since 1809. This makes Pasar Ngasem the oldest bird market in Yogyakarta. But, that time, Pasar Ngasem had not yet been the center of bird trading, because the bird sellers were still spread all over the place in Yogyakarta.

Far after that, in 1960`s there was a policy from the city government that all birds sellers in Yogyakarta, including those who were in Pasar Beringharjo (Beringharjo Market) to move their business to Pasar Ngasem. Now, Pasar Ngasem is the center of birds trading. Besides perkutut, there are also kutilang,  kepodang, emprit, prenjak, jalak, and parkit, that the buyers hunt or are sold out with high price.

Besides the historical and cultural values above, the market has a certain atmosphere making it different from the other bird markets. The chirps of hundreds of birds and the noise of the people inside the market can already be heard once visitors step their feet in front of the market. Besides seeing the trading activity, visitors can also listen to the conversation/transaction between the seller and the buyer which is done in Yogyakarta special terms. To understand the conversation, visitors can ask their guide to translate it for them.

In this market, visitors can enjoy a few shows held by bird lovers. Some of the shows are skill performance by pigeons to fly out and back in to the cage, and chirp competition of kinds of birds. Because of that show, the buyers are very impressed and interested in the birds and willingly pay no matter how much the cost. The sellers sometimes also train the birds to sing or chirp beautifully, and share some tips on how to raise birds.

Although Ngasem is a bird market, we can also find snakes, fish (at the west part), iguanas, dogs, cats, civets, rabbits, and roosters of all kinds there.

Just like any other traditional market, Ngasem also provides market snacks. One of the special snacks is jenang gempol (made of rice flour that tastes salty mixed with coconut gravy and sweet java sugar syrup) that can be found in front part of the market. Other snacks are getuk, lupis, thiwul, and gatot. Besides the bird kiosks, there are also food stalls (warung) that offer soto and nasi rames. Besides that, visitors can also find Yogyakarta special jamu gendong (jamu: tonic made of medicinal herbs. There are kinds of tonic, and each of them has special function. The sellers put the tonics in bottles inside a basket and carry the basket on their back around the market.

Pasar Ngasem Location

Pasar Ngasem is located in Jalan Polowijan, Keraton, Yogyakarta City, D.I Yogyakarta Province. The market is around 400 meters west of Keraton Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Palace). From Taman Sari (Water Castle), which is right at the south of Pasar Ngasem, we can see the market very clearly. 

From the center of the city, that is Malioboro or Keraton Yogyakarta, visitors can take becak (pedicab) or andong (Yogyakarta carriage) to get to Pasar Ngasem. With andong, it will cost around IDR 10.000, while with becak, it will cost IDR 15.000 . Both transportation means will take 10 to 15 minutes to get to the location.

Around the market, there are food stalls (warung) that offer kinds of food such as: sate, soto, lotek, gado-gado, gudeg-yogya, etc.  Souvenir shops that sell Yogyakarta crafts can also be found there. If visitors need any information about Yogyakarta, they can get it from Polisi Pariwisata (Tourism Police) who wears brown uniform and maroon tie that stands by at the tourism place.

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Muara Kuin Floating Market in Banjarmasin City

Muara Kuin Floating Market


Muara Kuin Floating Market is one kind of trading interaction patterns of people who live above the water. The sellers and buyers conduct the trade on boats called Jukung (Banjar Language). The trade activities start after morning prayer and usually end when the sun has moved up about 9 a.m. (Middle Indonesia Time). Late that that, the market is deserted by the traders who go along the river, selling their stuff to the inhabitants living along the river.  
This floating market has existed since more than 400 years ago and this is the proof about the trading activities of people who live above the water. Like markets in the land, on this floating market, trading commodities, such as vegetables, fruits, fishes, and other household needs are also sold. The first buyer is called dukuh while the second buyer who buys from the first hand to be sold again is called panyambangan. In this market, visitors can watch the trading transaction which is done traditionally by bartering amongst boating traders. In Banjar Language, it is called bapanduk.
Unfortunately, the attractive condition of trading activities on boat gradually loses its fame, not only because of the decreasing amount of the local traders, but also because of traders‘ attitude which is not friendly anymore and the lack of support from the government of Banjarmasin City. The government policy to build market in the land nearby Muara Kuin floating market and hundreds of low bridges which block the river traffic access directly or indirectly, is one the causes make the trading activities disappear in this floating market.





Visiting Muara Kuin floating market will give unforgettable memories about how the people who live above the water complete their daily needs. Besides, visitors will also know the trading transaction pattern which have existed since more than 400 years. Because this market has become a witness of economic activity journey of South Kalimantan society, a familiar saying appears that “if you have not yet visited Muara Kuin floating market, you have not gone toBanjarmasin”. The jostling situation between big boats in this floating market is pretty unique and special. The jukung drivers with his skill of chasing the buyers or the sellers who hang around and oaring their boat which often shakes because ofBarito River wave. Tourists who come from big cities will feel different sensation when seeing woman traders with their wide hat riding in a boat to sell garden products or food made by themselves. Floating market does not have organization as market in land, so it is not recorded how many traders and visitors, the traders division based on commodity, and places to sell which always move. Visitors who only want to relax can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and food/cookies from Banjar, while enjoying the shaking wave which spring upon the klotok (motorboat) that is ridden. Visitors can also see floating houses (Lanting House) which are located along the river side.



How to Muara Kuin Floating Market Access Location?

Muara Kuin floating market is located in the current of Barito River, exactly in the estuary of Kuin River, North Banjarmasin Sub-district, Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan Province.If leaving from the center of Banjarmasin by using motorboat or usually called klotok, it needs about 45 minutes to reach the market which is located in the current of Barito River.If you want to reach it earlier, visitors can use land transportation by taking Banjarmasin City – Alalak Village route. From Alalak Village to the location of floating market which is not really far, visitors can charter klotok which costs 70.000,00 IDR (based on charters‘ ability to bargain). By renting klotok, visitors are not only able watch the activity in the floating market, but also invited to picnic to Kembang Island. This place provides renting place for klotok boat, restaurants, stall which sell food and soft drinks. Besides, in this market, visitors can spend the night in Lanting House which stands in a line in the river side.

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