Out of the over 17.000 islands that form Indonesia, two stand out the most when it comes to tourism: Bali and Java. Bali, the world-famous holiday destination is a compact packing of beaches, surfing, Hindu culture, waterfalls, and an international crowd. On the other hand, Java, the most populous island, offers a more rugged travel…
What is it that makes people visit Yogyakarta? Three words: Culture, Temples, Adventure. This 3-day itinerary devotes 1 day to each of them. I first went to Jogja (Yogyakarta’s nickname) as a tourist, returned as a traveler 3 years later, and then stayed as a local for 8 months. I know what you must visit…
Yogyakarta has the highest density of cultural and historical places in Java. You can visit tens of ancient temples, century-old markets, history museums, royal Javanese architecture, you name it. There are also so many different activities you can partake in while in the city of culture and education (it’s often called Kota Belajar – the…
No visit to Yogyakarta is complete without watching the sunrise at Borobudur and the sunset at Prambanan. What’s so special about the Prambanan temple sunset? It combines being surrounded by over a hundred Hindu shrines, a clear view towards Mount Merapi on one side, and the unobstructed sun on the other. In this quick guide,…
The island of Java has had multiple empires throughout the ages. Some we know little of, others almost nothing but the one most shrouded in religious mysticism is the Sultanate of Mataram. The third sultan of Mataram, Sultan Agung the Great, unified most of Java under his rule, vehemently fought against the Dutch colonizers in…
The Ramayana ballet at Prambanan Temple is a popular cultural performance in Indonesia that retells the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, through traditional Javanese dance and music. It takes place at Prambanan Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located near Yogyakarta on the island of Java. The temple complex is dedicated to the…
Traveling from Jakarta to Yogyakarta is one of the most popular routes on Java. Of the ways to travel between the two cities, the trains stand out as the best combination of speed, comfort, and price. The best way to get from Jakarta to Yogyakarta is indisputably by train. Trains can be a bit confusing…
I silently sigh every time someone tells me they’re going to Indonesia, but it turns out they’re only staying in Bali. Indonesia has over 17000 different islands for crying out loud! Right next to Bali is the most populous island in the world – Java! Oh, it’s not only people there. This Java backpacking guide…