Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Where: Yogyakarta
Who: Mr & Mrs Wanderlust, Papi, Mita, Aaron, Lexi
When: Jan 2013
What: Yogyakarta tour
For more info click read more

Yogyakarta is a city and the capital of Yogyakarta Special Regionin Java, Indonesia. It is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. Yogya means 'suitable, fit, proper', and karta, 'prosperous, flourishing' (i.e., 'a city that is fit to prosper'). The place is also rich in history as it is home to the 8th to 10th century Javanese Hindu-Buddhist temples, Borobudur and Prambanan.

How to get there:

Yogyakarta can easily be accessed by air, which would obviously the quickest, but most expensive way.
Another option is bus, it can be cheap but longer travel time. We got to Yogyakarta from Bandung via express train.

Things to do:

1. See Prambanan Temple 
Candi Rara Jonggrang, is a well known ancient Hindu Temple in Indonesia. It is built during the 9th century for Trimurti as an expression that God is the Creator (Brahma), Preserver (Vishnu) and also the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple compound lies just 18km east of Yogyakarta and can be easily reached with the Transjogja public bus, which is by far the cheapest and best option to visit Prambanan. It is one of the Indonesia UNESCO World Heritage Site, being one of the largest Hindu temple architecture in Southeast Asia.

2. Shop at Jalan Malioboro and Pasar Beringharjo
A lot of cheap things to buy. At the streets of Malioboro and at the Beringharjo market you will find lots of stalls line up selling anything you can think of from clothes to bags to rattan products and silver jewelries, food and anything you thought you might find in Indonesia.

3. Visit Taman Sari (Water Temple)
Once you get in, you will find yourself in mazes of underground water holes, secret chambers and gardens and pools. This castle is a huge complex that use to be a former royal garden of Sultanate of Yogyakarta used for various functions including bathing place. You heard me right, bathing place, which personally I find the most intriguing, with a calm blue pool surrounded starkingly by pink buildings. (by the way legend has it that the sultanate just likes his visitors, mostly women, swimming in his pools and he likes to watch on his hiding spot above with a nice view).

4. Chill out at a cafe
At the end of a long day walking and exploring Yogyakarta, you can have your evening chilling out at one of the many cafes, there are many to choose from at Jalan Prawirotaman (road) . Here you will find good atmosphere to just sit for a long time and probably catch up on that email or with friends. Food choices among the cafes are a mix of local and international of main meals and snacks. Drinks may range from local sweet drinks to lassi and of course coffee. Get to one of the cafes here to mingle with people or just sit at a corner all tuck in by yourself.

5. See Borobudur
Technically not in Yogyakarta but many will definitely do this day trip (only 1 hour drive from Yogyakarta to Borobudur) or few days trip out of Jogja just for a visit to Borobudur (better choice if you have the time). Yes it is worth the trip and it is even better if you can stay the night nearby and catch the temple at the dawn of light (if you pay for the sunrise tour) or at least be the first to go in when it opens at 8am. This is how to best enjoy it, when it is at its most quiet, with just a trickle of travelers like you who appreciate the silence and marvels at the beauty with respect. This 9th century temple is an Indonesia UNESCO Heritage site and one of the largest Buddhist temple in the world, consisting of six square platforms with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha status.

6. Try Kopi Luwak (Civet coffee)
Refers to the seeds of coffee berries once they have been eaten and egested by the Asian palm civet (which is a cat like creature). Tasted the coffee and really gave me a higher rush compared to other coffee.

More Pics: Borobudur & Kopi Luwak experience...