Yogyakarta is always in my bucket list in terms of visiting Indonesia . Along with the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia which I never had a chance to see because I spent all my time in Phnom Penh last year, Borobodur is one of the ultimate temple in Asia I really dream of seeing. After our art and shopping getaway in Bandung, we took a 1 – hour flight to reach Yogyakarta. We only spent a day plus two nights so everything was paced but something to remember. Below are the things to do / places to visit in Yogyakarta:
Sunrise in Borobodur
You got to really wake up very early in the morning to catch the sunrise in Borobodur. Not only time is your greatest enemy to get there but the big hordes of crowd also wishing the same as yours. We arrived by 4am but there is a long line at the main entrance and a huge number of people who woke up way earlier than us. You’ll need to have lots of patience when taking photos because there are people everywhere. If you are a blogger, photographer or Instagrammer, you have no choice but stay longer until the crowd fades way or be quick to snap photos when there is a good opportunity.
Borobodur temple is the world’s biggest Buddhist monument and one of the world’s seven wonders. It sits on a hilltop with a lush view of green fields and distant hills. It was built in the 9th century during the reign of Syailendra dynasty reflecting the Gupta architecture that originated in India. It is made of 2, 672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. It is said that Borobodur is a genius work because it was built without using any kind of cement or mortar. Decorated with stone carvings representing images of Buddha’s life, it is an unsurpassed artistic work in the world.
You can hire a tour guide for 50, 000 rupiah who can walk you around the site while explaining the history of the temple. This is often overlooked - surrounding the Borobodur site is a massive green grass area which is also free to be explored.
Sunset in Ratu Boko Temple
Ratu Boko Temple is an exact opposite of Borobodur. It has lesser crowd and with very simple structure. Ratu Boko is an archeological site located on plateau, about 3 kilometers south of Lara Jonggrang Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta Indonesia. The site covers 16 hectares in two hamlets (Dawung and Sambireja) of the village of Bokoharjo and Prambanan, Sleman regency. In striking contrast to other Classic-period sites in Central Java and Yogyakarta.
Ratu Boko actually is a remains of a palace, not a temple nor building with religious nature. This complex consists of gopura (gates), paseban, pools, pendopo, pringgitan, kaputren (women’s quarter), and a meditation caves.
Other things to do / What to do in Borobodur
Cycling around Borobodur. This is the best time to enjoy the scenery of Magelang city with its roads lined with big shady trees. You will be able to see the backdrop of the Menoreh mountain range that surroundsBorobodur. Unfortunately, I cannot ride a bike that time so opted to ride on a carriage pulled by horse. We passed by green rice paddies, crystal clear river, sugar cane and tobacco plantation. We are so delighted for every locals we passed b specially the kids because they waved their hands and smiled to us. We also learned how to make Batik and pottery in a local village.
Where to stay in Yogyakarta
If money is not your problem, stay at Royal Ambarrukmo it is a 5-star hotel built in 18th century and used to be the home of the royal family in Indonesia. A living museum hotel and a home of well maintained visual art masterpieces dating as early as 1964. Royal Ambarrukmo is home to luxurious travelers.
Address: Jl. Laksda Adisucipto No.81, Caturtunggal, Kec. Depok, Kabupaten Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Contact number:+62 274 488488
No comments