bigtravelbuzzYogyakarta is the creative capital of Java, Indonesia. Popular with both Indonesian and international students, the city is brimming with ancient Javanese art, boasts stunning attractions such as Prambanan and Borobudur, and has a population of just 400,000. Jogja has an international airport and is a great city to visit from Bali or Singapore. Plan about 3 days with these 11 must do things in Yogyakarta.
Day 1 – Yogyakarta City
Spend your first day in Yogyakarta exploring the highlights of the city. In Indonesia, the influence of the Dutch colonial period can be seen a lot. What surprised us most about Yogya was the low number of foreign tourists. Read Everything about Komodo Islands: How to Tour Komodo National Park
1. Sumur Gumuling (Underground Mosque)
One of his most interesting places in Yogyakarta is Sumur Gumuling, better known as an underground mosque. As you enter the mosque, passages lead you to the center. At the center of the mosque are four staircases forming a pyramid shape and a huge circular ceiling with beautiful natural light. The underground mosque is part of a larger complex Taman Sari, your next destination in Yogyakarta.
Tips: The complex opens at 9am. Please arrive here as early as possible to avoid crowds.
2. Taman sari (Water castle)
Taman Sari is a former bath complex with a beautiful blend of Dutch and Javanese architecture. The area has many beautiful murals, souvenir shops, cafes and artisans. Taman Sari and Semur Gumling takes 60-90 minutes.
Taman Sari and Semur Gumling are open from 9am to 3pm and cost IDR 15,000 (US$1) per person to enter.
3. Exploring street art
As already mentioned, Yogyakarta is a creative hub. There are many murals in popular areas of Mantrijeron. It’s great to walk around and see the best murals in Yogyakarta.
4. Malioboro street
Malioboro Street, perfect for shopping. A huge street in the heart of Yogyakarta with small street vendors, art shops and everything from clothes to souvenirs. Once a week there is Chinatown with all local food.
Avoid the art shops in this area. It’s often a scam.
For those interested in the history of Yogyakarta, a visit to Fort Frederburg at the end of Malioboro Street is recommended. Want to know about Labuan Bajo, Flores? Check out here.
Day 2 – Prambanan and Borobudur
Wake up at 4am to watch the sunrise at Borobudur Temple. 90 minutes drive from Yogyakarta City to Borobudur Temple. It takes about 1.5 hours for both sites. PS: Do not try to fly your drone over these temples.
5. Borobudur Temple
The Borobudur Temple is his four-tiered structure and is 34 meters high. There are many small stupas on the top floor and one large one in the middle. Take a good look at these stupas and see the Buddha statue inside. Combined tickets for Borobudur and Prambanan can be purchased for 550,000 (US$35) per person.
Tips: Are you a student? Bring your student ID card or its copy to get discount.
6. The best thing to do in Yogyakarta is Prambanan!
Prambanan is the largest temple complex in Indonesia. Unlike Borobudur, it is a Hindu temple rather than a Buddhist temple. There are three main temples: Shiva Mahadeva, Candi Vishnu and Candi Sewu. The entire complex has about 240 large and small temples. Shiva Mahadeva is 47 meters tall! It takes about 1.5 hours by car from Borobudur to Prambanan.
Book Borobudur + Prambanan Temple Tour
The easiest way is to book the tour at a hostel/hotel in Yogyakarta. This will cost around 130,000-150,000 for a shared van. Taking a grab taxi is also a good option. Both sites have official grab stalls.
7. Discover the best cafes and restaurants
Rest for the rest of the day and head again to Yogyakarta’s Mantrijeron district. There are many great little cafes and restaurants here. Some are very much hidden in compare to others. Most of them are located on Jalan Prawirotaman Road. These are our favorites:
- SateBar
- Sade tropical kitchen
- ViaVia
- Move on
- Nanamia Pizzaria
Day 3 – Mountains and Beaches
Hire a full day driver for your last day in Yogyakarta. This should be somewhere between 450K and 650K in 12 hours. Visit the cool mountains and beautiful beaches of Yogyakarta.
8. Sukorama rice field
A 300-meter-long bamboo bridge over rice fields. Before planning your trip here, ask the locals if the rice fields are green. Summer from June to August is usually dry and not green. 2021 update:
This place appears to be closed.
An entrance ticket to the bridge is 2500 IDR (0.15 USD).
9. Viewpoints
Drive up the mountain from Yogyakarta. There are many vantage points and amazing sunrises and breathtaking views. Whether or not you want to experience this is up to you.
Bukit Panguk Kediwung and Becici Peak are our most favourite viewpoints. Both viewpoints require an entrance fee of IDR 10,000.
10. Taman Gumuk Pasir (Love Yogyakarta)
One of Yogyakarta’s creative minds he created this beautiful heart near the beach. This work is best viewed from above. The artist must have expected drones to come here to take pictures and videos.
11. Serebu Batu
Sereb Batu is like a small amusement park. Houses, statues, hobbit houses, etc. made of all kinds of wood. All places in the hills have a much more pleasant climate.
How to reach Yogyakarta?
Yogyakarta is connected in every way. There are many stations, airports and highways.
Flights to Yogyakarta
The best way to reach Yogyakarta is by plane. Yogyakarta has an international airport with direct flights from Singapore and Bali, for example.
Train to Yogyakarta
You can go to Yogyakarta by train from anywhere in Java. From the capital, Jakarta or Malang are both 8 hours by train. We will highly recommend Malioboro Express train from Malang to Yogyakarta! A train takes about as long as a car.
Hotels in Yogyakarta
Guest houses and hotels in Yogyakarta have different price ranges. Hostels range from $5 to $30 per night. Guesthouses and hotels in Yogyakarta from $12 per night with breakfast.