A mid-sized city in the western part of Central Java, Purwokerto is a transit point for travelers heading to the scenic Dieng Plateau or the south coast beaches around Cilacap. The surrounding countryside is lush and green, with rice terraces and the slopes of Mount Slamet — Java's second highest volcano — providing a dramatic backdrop.
The city itself is a university town with a busy commercial centre, anchored by the Alun-Alun and its two giant banyan trees. The local dish to try is mendoan, a lightly fried soy tempeh that's a specialty of the Banyumas region; the snack town of Sokaraja just east of Purwokerto is the place to buy edible souvenirs. Baturraden, a cool highland resort area on the slopes of Mount Slamet, is just 14 km north and popular with Javanese families on weekends — head up to Pancuran Pitu for the sulphurous hot springs.