Visit the impressive Borobudur and Prambanan temples
Yogyakarta is the cultural capital of the island of Java, the most densely populated island in Indonesia. Here you can admire the world's largest Buddhist temple: Borobudur and a very impressive complex of Hindu temples: Prambanan. In addition, the city has many more interesting sights, which I will tell you more about below! Yogyakarta is a destination that you absolutely should not miss during your trip to Indonesia. Below I describe a perfect two-day planning for Yogyakarta! A stay of 3 nights is enough to see and do everything here!
Day 1: The Royal Palace (Kraton) and Prambanan Temple
After you have had a nice night's rest from your long journey from Jakarta to Yogykarta by train, it is time to discover Yogyakarta. On every corner of every street you will find plenty of Tuktuk drivers who are happy to take you through the entire city. First ask around about prices and then negotiate with one of the drivers for a ride to the Royal Palace, the Kraton Palace. This is the residence of the Sultan of Yogyakarta, who still has an important role in the city. During your visit you can enjoy beautiful architecture and traditional culture and traditions. The entrance fee was only 15,000 rupees (about €1). Please note that the palace is closed on Mondays and during official ceremonies. The palace closes at 2:00 PM so make sure you visit the palace on time! Next to the Kraton Palace you will find Taman Sari, the water castle. Also nice to have a look here (also only €1 entrance). Here you will also find the mysterious underground mosque, the Sumur Gumling. We were approached by a young local who studies tourism for a nice free tour! Of course we gave him a nice tip. Definitely recommended to respond to such requests.
After this it is time for a delicious lunch in a local warung (an Indonesian eatery). Your Tuktuk driver will probably be happy to take you to a warung where many locals eat. Believe me, you can get the tastiest Indonesian food here! Would you like to eat somewhere more fancy in a nice neighborhood? Then I recommend the neighborhoods Sosrowijayan and Jl Prawirotaman.
Around 3:00 PM it is time to take a tuk tuk to the Prambanan temple to visit the temples here during a beautiful sunset. Of course, a taxi (expect €5 to €8), the public bus (expect €0.50) or an organized tour are also options. The entrance fee to the temple is approximately €22, and it is possible to book a combination ticket for a visit to Borobudur. Please note that this combination ticket for the Borobudur sunrise is not valid! Separate tickets are available for this. Prambaban is an impressive Hindu complex built in the 9th century. The complex consists of several towers dedicated to different gods and goddesses from mythology. The complex is the largest Hindu temple in Southeast Asia. Very interesting to learn more about this. Here too, two local students approached us for a nice tour, so we learned a lot in a fun way! We were especially impressed by the immense, imposing towers (no less than 47 meters!). The complex consists of four large temple complexes (Loro Jonggrang, or the Prambanan Temple, Sewu Temple, Bubrah Temple and the Lumbung Temple) with a total of 244 temples, of which the Prambanan is the largest. Enjoy the beautiful sunset here before traveling back to your hotel. I would advise you to find a nice restaurant near your hotel, because the alarm goes off early the next day!
Day 2: Sunrise at Borobudur and enjoy the vibrant city life
Set the alarm very early, because it is time for a wonderful experience: the sunrise at Borobudur.After driving for an hour, you arrive at the entrance of the park around 4:30 am. Find a good spot and enjoy a beautiful sunrise (if it is not cloudy, unfortunately we were unlucky). Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple built in the 9th century. Enjoy the beautiful and magical sunrise with a lot fewer tourists (fortunately there are still a lot of tourists who arrive later), but unfortunately it was still quite busy during our visit. Borobudur is made up of nine platforms, the top three of which are round stupas. After you have walked around for a while and marveled at this impressive temple with many details, it is time for breakfast in the restaurant. The €30 entrance ticket also includes breakfast. By Indonesian standards, an entrance fee of €30 is very high, but it is well worth it! To visit Borobudur I would recommend arranging an organized tour or your own driver in advance. They can organize this for you upon arrival at your accommodation in Yogyakarta!
After returning to Yogyakarta it is time to relax in your hotel. Then it's time to enjoy the vibrant city life. Visit the night market in the area around Jl Malioboro, and be amazed: from colorful shops to many street artists. Yogyakarta is also known for its many arts and traditional crafts, such as batik and silverware. You will undoubtedly encounter many locals working on these crafts in workshops or on the street. A visit to the night market is definitely a nice end to your visit to Yogyakarta! Fancy a night out? Then you are at the streets Jl Sosrawijayan or Jl Prawirotaman at the right address.
More time in Yogyakarta?
Do you have more time to spare in Yogyakarta? Lucky you! Below I have added a list of some cool sights or activities:
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Take a workshop and learn the art of Batik. Batik is a way of decorating a woven fabric with paint. You can also buy these beautiful cloths in many local stores. Very useful for visiting temples where, as a woman, you have to cover your shoulders and knees.
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Take a taxi to the beautiful beach Parangtritis to enjoy peace and nature after the pleasant chaos of Yogyakarta.
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For the adventurous, a climb of Mount Merapi not missing. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has a height of almost 3000 meters. In Yogyakarta you can easily book a tour or arrange your own transport to the volcano. From here you can start the climb yourself with a guide.
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Drive with a driver through the mountains of Yogyakarta for beautiful viewpoints. There are two recommendations Becici Peak and Butik Panguk Kediwung.
How to get to Yogyakarta?
Several trains depart from Jakarta every day to Jakarta. Expect a travel time of approximately 6 to 9 hours, depending on the station you leave from. Economy and executive class trains depart from Pasar Senen Station. Tickets for economy cost around 10-15 euros and for executive class beyou speak about twice as much. From Pasar Senen Station it takes 8-9 hours. From Gambir Station you can get to Yogyakarta faster, namely in 6.5 hours. The tickets for this train are more expensive, starting from 30 euros. You can buy a ticket on location or in advance online.
Where to stay?
I would definitely recommend the Aloha Hotel Yogyakarta. Very friendly staff and a fantastic location, near the lively Malioboro street, but still located in peace and quiet. Don't expect any unnecessary luxury, but this is a super affordable accommodation with delicious food. We also booked several excursions from the hotel, which were well organised. Looking for an accommodation with a swimming pool to cool off? Adhisthana Hotel Yogyakarta or the luxury Melia Purosani Yogyakartaan option.
Continue your journey
Continue your journey through Indonesia to Probolinggo for a visit of to the Bromo volcano.
