A Yogyakarta and Borobudur weekend getaway
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To be fair, Yogyakarta, West Java, Indonesia, is perhaps not a weekend getaway for everyone! But we visited Yogyakarta, including the Borobudur and Prambanan complexes, while living in nearby Singapore. The flight times were ideal, making this a great exploration over the weekend!…
Living further away, no despair!… Just include it as part of your longer Indonesia visit, travel eastwards past Surabaya and Mount Bromo on East Java, continue to Bali and even fly on to Komodo and Kanawa Island.
Yogyakarta: Arts and cultural heritage
Yogyakarta, often called “Jogja”, is located on West Java, Indonesia and known for its traditional arts and cultural heritage. Its ornate 18th-century royal complex, or kraton, is the key sight of Jogja and it encompasses the still-inhabited Sultan’s Palace. Also within the kraton are numerous open-air pavilions that host classical Javanese dance shows and concerts of gamelan music, characterized by gongs, chimes and plucked string instruments. Hence, this is the must visit of Yogyakarta, simply browse around and you will stumble on various dance and music performances. If unsure about timings, check with your hotel on the best time of the day to visit.
Top Tip: Choose your accommodation in central Yogyakarta, close to the Kraton as a reference point. This is also where you find most nice restaurants and bars!
The Dutch colonial heritage of Yogyakarta is less apparent than in some other places in Indonesia, like Surabaya. However, similar to other places in Indonesia, we did stumble on some Dutch dishes and typical deep-fried snacks!… Have a look out for these!…
Borobodur
Leaving Yogyakarta behind, it is time for the main reason of this trip: visiting the impressive Borobudur complex! It is the world’s largest Buddhist temple. The temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome.
It is hard to explain how massive this temple complex is! Just incredible, especially when you realize this is built in the 9th century. It is more like a beautifully decorated man made hill than a building!…
The temple is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa.
Prambanan
Our next stop is the beautiful 9th century Hindu temple complex of Prambanan. The temple compound, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia and the second-largest in Southeast Asia.
The Prambanan temple complex is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu architecture, and by the towering 47-metre-high central building inside a large complex of individual temples. All dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the Transformer (Shiva).
The similarities with Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the largest Hindu temple complex in the world, are striking!… Do follow the link for top tips on that, even more impressive, must-visit site!…
Top Tip: We booked a guided tour to both the Borobudur and Prambanan. It is a nice way to get more insights in these key religious sites. However, in my opinion the sites do not really require this. You could also just arrange transport and browse around both sites yourself!…
That finishes this Indonesian Ghost around the Globe weekend getaway… As mentioned, if planning to travel to Indonesia, do include this in your wider itinerary and combine it with your visits to Surabaya and Mount Bromo on East Java, Bali, Komodo and Kanawa Island!