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the side, while the bajaj is found only in Jakarta. Becaks, or
bicycle rickshaws, operate mainly in the suburbs of Jakarta
and Surabaya, and are increasingly being banned from the
central areas of major cities.
In Bali, Yogyakarta and many other centres you can hire
self-drive cars, bicycles or motorbikes. Taxis are available in
Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Solo, Semarang, Medan and
Bali. Fares are generally low, and most taxis use their meters.
If you choose not to use the meter make sure to agree on a
price with the driver before you set out for the destination.
Food and entertainment
As with the cuisine throughout Asia, Indonesian food is
largely based on rice. Nasi goreng, fried rice with an egg on
top, is one of the most popular dishes. Seafood, including
fish, lobster, oysters, prawns, shrimp, squid and crab feature
prominently in the Indonesian diet and the cuisine is bold,
rich in f lavour and heavily spiced. Coconut is also very
common and is produced for its cooking oil as well as its milk
and white f lesh that are used as ingredients in many dishes.
A rumah makan, 'house to eat', is generally the cheaper
equivalent of a restaurant.
Markets are a good food source, especially night markets.
Jakarta and Bali have a wide range of excellent restaurants
offering all types of cuisine from ethnic Indonesian to
Chinese, Japanese, and also Western and European fare.
There's entertainment in Bali almost every day with
exhibitions of Balinese dancing either in villages or at hotels.
