Jogjakarta Travel Guide: Explore the Ancient City of Java and Feel Time’s Touch

Jogjakarta is one of the oldest cities on the island of Java and is now Indonesia’s most important university city. From ancient times to the present day, it has been a center of Javanese culture and art. Various civilizations have continuously clashed and merged in Jogjakarta. During the independence war of 1945-1949, Jogjakarta was the capital of Indonesia, and it is still the only province in Indonesia ruled by a Sultan king. If you have been to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar, Jogjakarta in Indonesia will surely be your next ideal destination.

About Jogjakarta

Jogjakarta is an ancient city in Indonesia, also known as Yogyakarta. It is the capital of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, located in southern Central Java, near Mount Merapi. It borders the Indian Ocean to the south and is one of the three provincial special regions in the country, directly under the jurisdiction of the central government. The city covers an area of 32.5 square kilometers and has a population of about 430,000. It is an important cultural and educational center in Indonesia and a window to traditional Javanese culture.

Where is Jogjakarta?

Jogjakarta (Jogyakarta/Yogya/Jogja) is a special region in the south-central part of Java, Indonesia. It faces the Indian Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 3,169 square kilometers (1,224 square miles). The western part is a coastal plain, up to 24 kilometers (15 miles) wide, with soil formed from lava and volcanic ash. The eastern part is an extension of the Kendang Plateau, running east-west, reaching the coast. The main rivers in the region are the Ojo River (including its tributary, the Opak River) and the Progo River, which flow south into the Indian Ocean.

How to get to Jogjakarta

Currently, there are no direct flights from China to Jogjakarta. Garuda Indonesia operates flights from Beijing and Shanghai via Jakarta to and from Jogjakarta, as well as flights from Guangzhou via Jakarta and Denpasar to and from Jogjakarta. Air Asia operates flights from Chengdu and Hangzhou via Kuala Lumpur to and from Jogjakarta. There are many flights from Bali to the island every day, at different times and at relatively affordable prices.

Why go to Jogjakarta

The ancient city of Jogjakarta is peaceful and elegant, full of Indonesian national style. The climate is mild with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. As the birthplace of Javanese culture and art, the ancient capital is very developed in literature and dance, with numerous reliefs and sculptures. It has many universities, the most famous being Gadjah Mada University, one of the earliest law and political science universities in Indonesia. There are also castles, palaces, and towers left by Dutch colonialists in the city. There are many historical sites in the suburbs, including the world-famous giant artistic building, Borobudur, and the exquisite Hindu temple complex of Prambanan, which are favorites among tourists. It is worth mentioning that Jogjakarta attracts over 1 million tourists every year, and only it can compete with Bali’s appeal in Indonesia.

Borobudur

Borobudur is located about 40 kilometers northwest of Jogjakarta. It is the largest Buddhist architectural complex in the world and is listed as a World Heritage Site. Borobudur means “Buddhist stupa on the hill.” It was probably built in 800 AD, but there are no written records of who built it for what purpose, which is very mysterious. Based on the reliefs and royal inscriptions on the stupa, it is speculated that it was built by the rulers of the Sailendra Dynasty, who ruled Java at that time.

Sailendra, translated as “Emperor of the Mountains,” later sank into the dense tropical jungle due to a volcanic eruption, hiding for a millennium. It was not until the early 19th century that it was excavated by Dutch explorers. When you arrive at the front of the Borobudur stupa, you will be amazed by it. This grand stupa is built with local volcanic rock. The body of the stupa is divided into 10 levels, consisting of 6 huge square platforms, 3 round platforms, and a central dome. The base is over 100 meters long and the total height is over 40 meters, making it quite magnificent. The stupa has over 2,600 reliefs and over 500 Buddha statues. You can climb the steps to take a closer look. The stone walls of each level are covered with vivid reliefs, exquisitely carved and with a variety of patterns. Some depict Buddhist scriptures, while others vividly reflect people’s daily lives, various livestock, flowers, birds, fish, insects, etc. The large and small Buddha statues have different expressions and postures, enough to look at for a long time.

Climbing to the top, you can see the central pointed dome. It is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated in openwork reliquaries, a truly awe-inspiring sight. You can see the Buddha statues inside through the openwork reliquaries. A few Buddha statues are half exposed, taller than humans, and particularly eye-catching. On a clear day, you can see Mount Merapi from the top of the stupa, while these seated Buddha statues seem to be gazing at the distance with you, creating a very poetic scene.

Borobudur is also an excellent place to watch the sunrise. Many people come here specially in the quiet morning to wait for the sun to rise and the sunlight to illuminate the stupa and Buddha statues. The scenery is peaceful and magnificent, touching the heart. But if you want to see a beautiful sunrise, you need to leave the city of Jogjakarta around 4:00 AM, because if you go too late, you won’t be able to find a good spot. Also, check the weather beforehand and go on a clear, fog-free day. There is a museum north of the grand stupa that is included in the Borobudur ticket price. The museum explains the meaning of these reliefs, so if you know them in advance, you will find the stupa even more interesting. In addition, every June, a grand performance called The Mahakarya is held here. It is performed in an open-air theater, using traditional Javanese-style dances to interpret the concept and construction process of Borobudur.

1. If you want to see the sunrise or sunset at Borobudur, you need to buy a Tour Package ticket at the Manohara Hotel near the attraction. The staff will take you to visit the temple. The itinerary includes breakfast or afternoon tea, and a light meal. The sunrise tour allows entry at 4:30 AM, while the sunset tour allows departure at the latest at 6:30 PM. You can also sign up for a sunrise tour in the city of Jogjakarta, which will take you back and forth. For details, please consult the hotel you are staying at.

2. The Mendut Temple, about 3.5 kilometers east of Borobudur, is also worth seeing. You can take a public bus there.

Prambanan

Prambanan is the most magnificent Hindu temple in Indonesia. It has been damaged by numerous volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, and now only about 50 temples remain. Prambanan was built in the 8th to 10th centuries AD. It is from the same period as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It shares many similarities with Angkor Wat in terms of architectural form and sculptural themes. The temple has three courtyards. The outer two courtyards are mostly in ruins, while the innermost courtyard preserves several temples. Three majestic main temples are dedicated to Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, respectively. Another three smaller temples are dedicated to their mounts, the bull, the goose, and the eagle, respectively.

Like Borobudur, Prambanan Temple is also built with volcanic rock. The walls are covered with exquisite reliefs, but the content is mostly taken from the Indian epic Ramayana. Compared to Angkor Wat, although the story told is the same, the art style and character images are quite different. Prambanan Temple is also called the Lorojonggrang Temple, which is the name of an ancient princess. Legend has it that a mighty god wanted to marry the princess. The princess refused, so she asked him to build 1,000 temples in one night. The mighty god, with the help of his friends, finished 999 temples before dawn. The princess hurriedly crowed to hasten the arrival of dawn. In desperation, the mighty god turned the princess into a temple, finally making 1,000. From this legend, it can be seen that the scale of Prambanan Temple in its heyday was grand.

1. Be careful of pickpockets on the public bus to Prambanan. Remember not to carry too much cash or valuables. Do not leave your backpack unattended.

2. Prambanan is famous for its sunset and is suitable for visiting in the evening.

3. There is an open-air theater in the temple. A dance drama, Ramayana, is performed every few days around the full moon. It is worth watching.

4. Everyone will be given a local sarong upon entering. Remember to return it when you leave.

5. The main tower has a limit on the number of people and requires queuing. You also need to wear a green helmet when entering.

Jogjakarta Palace

Jogjakarta Palace was built in 1756 and is located in the heart of Jogjakarta. It was designed and built by Hamengkubuwono I, the first king of the Jogjakarta Sultanate. The entire palace is not large, but it is a symbol of Javanese royal architecture. The palace and courtyard have luxurious decorations. The Golden Pavilion (Bangsal Kencana) in the center is imposing, but the entire palace is somewhat old. To this day, the royal family still lives in the palace. They employ local residents to serve them and live a life of ease. At 10:00 AM every day, there is an art performance here, the cost of which is included in the ticket price and does not need to be paid separately.

There are many fake tour guides and scammers near Jogjakarta Palace. They will lie and claim that they can take you to visit the unopened palace. But in reality, they will take you to an art gallery and then force you to buy goods to earn commissions. The palace has two entrances and ticket booths. The official entrance is located on the northwest side of the palace. These fake tour guides and scammers are at the unofficial entrance, where the ticket price is 5,000 rupiah.

Water Castle

The water palace is located southwest of the Jogjakarta Sultan’s Palace. It is a complex of canals, ponds, and palaces. It was once a luxurious entertainment park for the palace, a swimming pool, and a waterway for the Sultan and his entourage to travel on. This carefully designed resting place was built between 1758 and 1765 and was designed and built by a Portuguese architect. It was initially destroyed in the Javanese war of Diponegoro, but a devastating earthquake in 1865 completely destroyed it. Today, most of what we can see are the remains of the past. The most representative landscape of the water palace, the bathing pool, was rebuilt later.

When visiting the water city, be careful of the fake tour guides and batik scammers near the entrance.

Sumur Gumuling Temple

Entering the garden from the underground corridor of the water city, you will encounter this building called Sumur Gumuling. This round building with an open center was once a mosque. In the center of the building is a unique elevated platform with five sets of stairs leading to it.

Sumur Gumuling Temple is very hidden. Make sure to find an experienced driver to guide you when you go.

Depok Island

This coral island located in the southern suburbs of Jogjakarta is basically not found in any information in China, but it is a very popular attraction abroad. Even the Korean Running Man has been there for filming.

To reach this small island, you need to use a wooden cable car or a suspension bridge and cross a 100-meter-wide strait. The cable car, built in 1997 and fully manually operated, is called Adrenaline Gondola. When tourists ride the cable car, the huge waves can splash up to their feet. The Gondola can only carry 2 people at a time and is operated with simple tools. Despite its simplicity, the staff maintains it every month and inspects the cable car operation every day. Thanks to this, there has not been a single accident in the past 20 years of operation. This is all thanks to 54-year-old Siswanto and his colleagues, who help tourists reach Depok Island in a primitive yet rigorous way.

Depok Island is abundant in lobster. You can enjoy a lobster feast at the most affordable price here.

The Light of Heaven

Michio Hoshino said, “In one’s life, one always walks a long road in pursuit of the light in life.” This is a recently developed attraction in Jogjakarta. To receive the baptism of the light of heaven in the cave, you must hang from a harness and descend rapidly to a cave over 50 meters deep. You must traverse streams and muddy underground tunnels to see the “light of life.”

The sinkhole is located in Semanu, a 3-hour drive from Jogjakarta. Only about 40 people are allowed to enter the sinkhole each day.

Mount Merapi

Mount Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The crater is constantly shrouded in smoke, as if it is ready to erupt at any moment. It towers into the clouds at an altitude of 2,911 meters, overlooking Jogjakarta, Borobudur, and Prambanan. This enormous volcano is a huge threat to the thousands of people who live nearby, quite unsettling. In the past century, the volcano has erupted dozens of times, the most recent being in 2006. Mount Merapi’s eruptions have brought endless disasters to Jogjakarta. Borobudur and Prambanan were not destroyed by human destruction or erosion but swallowed by the volcano.

However, the frequent volcanic eruptions have not stopped people from continuing to live in the mountainous area. The population density here is 690 people per square kilometer. There are hundreds of towns around Mount Merapi. Among them, Kaliurang is the closest settlement to Mount Merapi. Several hotels in the town organize volcanic tours. Some shop owners are knowledgeable about the volcano, and some have balconies with views of the mountain.

Merapi is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia. Its eruptions are surprisingly regular. When the volcano is relatively calm, it can be easily climbed from the north via Selo Town, but during periods of activity, climbing is prohibited from any direction.

Like many other volcanoes in Indonesia, climbing Merapi can be done either in the middle of the night, climbing for 4-5 hours before sunrise to the top of the mountain and then taking 3-4 hours to descend, or climbing during the day and camping overnight on the mountain, and then climbing to the top during the day and then descending to see both the sunrise and sunset on the top of the mountain.

3. Some parts of the Merapi summit are quite steep, but there are no crowds where you can place your feet. There are many large rocks and small patches of ground where you can stand. The slope of the entire summit is moderate. Even if you slip, you will at most fall on your buttocks, making it difficult to roll or fall.

4. Kaliurang, a scenic mountain resort area on the side of Mount Merapi, is also a good starting point for the volcano viewpoint. The group tour price is about $15 per person.

Pine Forest on Instagram

This is a popular check-in point on Instagram. It is located southeast of Jogjakarta’s old city. You can enjoy panoramic views of Jogjakarta from here. Since unique artistic installations made of branches were added to the towering pine forest, it has attracted a large number of European and American tourists every day. The best time to travel is from April to November, with little rainfall and an average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius. It is perfect for picnics, camping, and outings.

Pinus Pengger is free to enter. You only need to pay a parking fee. It is 3,000 rupiah (about 2 yuan) for motorcycles and 10,000 rupiah (about 6 yuan) for private cars.

In Jogjakarta, time seems to stand still. The clothing and duties of the palace guards have not changed much in hundreds of years. The ancient palace gate is still congested during peak hours. Gentle gamelan music and lively disco music echo in the city. Although 95% of the residents are Muslims, the miracles created by other religions, Borobudur and Prambanan, are also carefully protected. In Jogjakarta, you can truly touch every line carved by time.