An old fashioned ride on Yogyakarta streets

On all long drives, when I am not behind the steering wheel, I will normally sit on the seat adjacent to driver. I have two reasons, one I will like to have full view of the road ahead, secondly and most importantly, I will like to keep a close eye on the driving to keep it safe. I will like to ensure, driver is comfortable, not sleepy, attentive and careful. Well, Becak ride in Yogyakarta didn’t give me the option for the second one. 

Actually, Becak ride was one of the most unusual one in a sense. The passenger is right in front and the one who controls the ride is behind. You have no idea at all about what the person is upto. So, as a passenger I was sitting in upfront with full uninterrupted view of the road ahead—without any intention of doubting the attentiveness of the man—I would often wonder that how would I know if for any reason his attention gets diverted to any other thing for a while! Well, that was not supposed to be. All of them are very humble, careful and attentive.

Also read: Wonderful Journeys: Bandung to Yogyakarta on train

Becaks are actually Indonesian version of cycle-rickshaw. I always believe them to be one of the best ways to have a feel of the city. They take you more close to the people. Becaks are three wheeled pedal powered bike. They are said to be derived from original hand-pulled rickshaws that were common in many parts of south, south east and east Asia. Every country and region had different designs for these tricycles. They were phased out from larger parts with increasing motorised traffic on roads, which Becaks were not to compete with. Many cities altogether turned them out or they were restricted to inner streets or in suburbs. Even the name kept evolving. 

Even in Indonesia, Jakarta doesn’t have Becaks but other main cities of Java island such as Yogyakarta and Surabaya do have them and they actually are very popular among the tourists. They are considered to be a symbol of original Indonesian street culture. Yogyakarta is specially known as a Becak stronghold. People visiting this city are so fond of becaks that many hotels in the city have their own with their branding to cater to their guests. Just as, when we were in Yogyakarta we had a Becak ride from The Phoenix Hotel, our place of stay to Purawisata, where we watched the Ramayana Dance performance. 

Also read: A bit of old world charm at Yogyakarta

As a support transportation, they are perfect as they take you right to your doorstep. While, as a tourist vehicle they take you deep inside the culture of the city. They are the showcase. The way they are numbered, their pictured mudguards, colour patterns, designs- everything is reflective of something specific.

You can watch this band play live on the streets of Yogyakarta on my YouTube channel by clicking on the thumbnail below-

Also read: Amazing Ramayana ballet of Java

Around Yogyakarta: Spectacular Borobudur Buddhist temples

You can also watch a video of this Becak ride on streets of Yogyakarta on my YouTube channel by clicking on the thumbnail below-

Have you ever had the experience of Becak Ride in Indonesia? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

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Any questions? Write to me and I will be back with best of my knowledge.