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great vacation doesn'€™t mean that you have to break the bank.The Jakarta Post Travel asked five travel bloggers to share their suggestions for budget cities nationwide.

Semarang

HarinFda Bama chooses Semarang, as reviewed on his website harindabama.com.

International brands and fancy coffee shops have only recently come to this Central Java'€™s capital with the construction of new malls. And the city would surprise any first-time visitors because of how little they have to pay for food.

Semarang also offers a host of tourist attractions, from its old-town area providing a glimpse of how the harbor town used to look during the Dutch colonial period and the Grand Mosque of Central Java to the Watu Gong pagoda and the Lawang Sewu '€” a beautiful and ornate Dutch building in the heart of the city.

Yogyakarta

Situated on the southern coast of Central Java, this cultural center offers an abundance of cheap food and accommodations, according to Teddy Wijaya and Maesy Angelina, the duo behind thedustysneakers.com.

'€œYou can find a variety of youth hostels in Yogyakarta for as low as Rp 100,000 per night and the angkringan stalls there make it easy to find cheap and tasty street food,'€ he explained.

Yogyakarta is also home to a comprehensive range of art spaces such as Lir Space, Kedai Kebun Forum and Cemeti Art House. Other popular hotspots include Klinik Kopi in Sanata Dharma University and Lifepatch, a group that periodically hosts public workshops on art, science and technology.

Tanjung Pandan

Belitung, off the east coast of Sumatra, is gradually becoming a famous tourist destination, thanks in part to its dramatic coastal scenery studded with gigantic rocks. Tanjung Pandan is the biggest city on the island.

Belitung is also a budget-friendly destination, according to Andre Tri Nugraha Handoyo, who frequently blogs on andrehandoyo.com; especially when compared with the more famous Bali.

'€œWe can visit Belitung for a weekend of island hopping, visiting the breathtakingly beautiful beaches and enjoying the magnificent ocean scenery from the top of an old lighthouse on Lengkuas Island.'€

Visitors to Belitung can also visit a turtle conservation area and admire the stunning turquoise water of the Kaolin mining lake.

Rent a motored wooden boat at US$40 for a one-day island-hopping trip, or a car with a driver for $60 per day.

Malang

Offers good food, accommodations, transportation and plenty of activities that won'€™t dent your budget, according to Firsta Yunida who manages travel website discoveryourindonesia.com

Finding budget accommodations in the region is indeed easy. Malang has a range of places to stay, from dormitories and guest houses to budget hotels.

To get around, you can rent a scooter for Rp 50,000 for the whole day, explore on public buses or simply wander around on foot.

You can visit the Museum Angkut, a unique museum that displays various kinds of vehicles from around the world.

Don'€™t forget to stop by at Toko Oen, a Dutch-style coffee shop with vintage furniture, delicious Western food and ice cream, as well as a laid-back atmosphere.

Visitors should also not miss out witnessing an incredibly beautiful sunrise with the sculpted Mount Bromo as the backdrop, or a hike up Mount Semeru for more adventurous experience.

Cirebon

Awan Yulianto lists Cirebon on his website travelawan.com as a destination with great sights and a unique culture.

Aside from the city'€™s beautiful views of green paddy fields and Mount Ciremai, Cirebon has a unique culture thanks to its location on the border between West and Central Java, as well as on the north coast of the island.

'€œMuch of its old architecture was influenced by Sundanese, Javanese styles, Chinese and Islamic styles,'€ Awan said.

Cirebon'€™s must-visit spots include the Kasepuhan Palace, the oldest palace in Cirebon, built in 1447. If you have more time, you could also visit the Kanoman Palace and the Kacirebonan Palace.

For food lovers, delicious traditional dishes are available across the city.

No less interesting is the batik Trusmi village for a cheap batik shopping spree. '€œCirebon'€™s batik is different from that you would find in Yogyakarta and Surakarta because of its bright color and different patterns,'€ Awan explained. (Novani Nugrahani/jakpost.travel)