Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, usually shortened to Jogja, is Java's cultural heart: a royal city with a working sultan's palace, a busy arts scene and a huge student population. Borobudur and Prambanan are both within easy day trips. It suits remote workers on a budget, anyone interested in Javanese culture and language, and those who would rather live among Indonesians than in an expat enclave. Its street food, from gudeg to angkringan stalls, is among the cheapest and best on the island.

Prawirotaman, south of the palace, is the most international area, with guesthouses, galleries and cafés that are easy for newcomers. Kotabaru is quieter and leafier, while the areas around the universities in the north, such as Gejayan and Seturan, are cheaper and full of student coffee shops. Antologi Collaboractive Space and Kolektif are established coworking hubs in Sleman, and Genius Idea in Jetis offers a monthly desk for about IDR 1.1 million.

Ride-hailing bikes and cars are cheap and the easiest way around; there is little public transport that visitors use, and most nomads eventually rent a scooter. Internet is decent rather than fast, so pick accommodation with fibre and test it before committing. The dry season from about May to September is the most pleasant, while the rains from November to March are heavy in the afternoons. A comfortable month here is around US$1,050, with a furnished studio or one-bed for about US$350.

The nomad community is small and fragmented, so you will need to make an effort to meet people, and English drops off quickly outside the tourist streets. Mount Merapi, one of the world's most active volcanoes, sits just to the north and occasionally disrupts flights with ash. The new airport is an hour from the city, the climate is hot and humid all year, and nightlife is low-key and alcohol is harder to find than in Bali.