"Jogja!" Top 5 Page for this destination Yogyakarta by rite_of_spring

Yogyakarta Travel Guide: 729 reviews and 1,847 photos

Yogyakarta, or Yogya for short (pronounced as Jogja), is the cultural hub of Java. It is also an intellectual centre, with many prestigious universities and academies around.

As Java premiere tourist centre, this city is an easy access for an insight into Javanese culture, such as batik, silver, wayang kulit, pottery and performing arts (eg. the famous Ramayana Ballet).

Geographically it lies between 2 of Java's most mystical symbols -- Mount Merapi in the north and the Indian Ocean in the south.

Yogya is an ideal base to explore nearby star attractions: including the UNESCO-listed world heritage sites -- Borobudur and Prambanan temples.

I visited Yogya during Chinese New Year, travelled solo. Without a clear idea of what to do, my initial plan was to visit Borobudur, Prambanan, and trek the Mount Merapi. Unfortunately I got terrible diarrhoea (it happened again!) before boarding, thanks for the breakfast that I took in Changi Airport. I spent the first day of my trip in Jakarta airport, due to the delay in domestic flight. This had cut down my actual days into 3 full days, which is pretty short for detailed exploration. Due to my poor tummy, I had to give up the plan of trekking Mount Merapi, only managed to appreciate its beauty from a great distance. Nevertheless, I'd got something which I would never think of doing it if I got good tummy and the weather was good (ie. sunny day), stay tuned.....:)

Borobudur

Prambanan

Pros and Cons

Pros:The people--friendly and easy-going; delicious food; rich culture.
Cons:'Pay and pay' country, especially for tourists.
In a nutshell:A country with great diversity. Should not miss it!

Last visit to Yogyakarta: Jan 2004
Intro Updated Feb 8, 2004
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Reviews (24)

Batik? Silver? Tourist Traps (2)

It's very common for the trishaw riders to try to persuade you to visit the batik shop or silver galery nearby as... more travel advice

Prambanan (2) Things to Do (11)

The ornamented bas-reliefs depict the great Hindu epic: Ramayana. more travel advice

Prambanan Temple Things to Do (11)

Another star attraction of Central Java. It is a group of temples with the largest temple dedicated to Shiva, two other... more travel advice

Batik course with Viavia Cafe Off The Beaten Path (3)

I signed up this 1-day course on the last day of my trip. Initially I was interested in doing bicycling to one of the... more travel advice

What to Pack (1)
Must have items
Hotels (1)
Cozy and affordable
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Comments (8)

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autaze Oct 20, 2006 at 4:36 AM

Use the second exit gate, instead the first. It's faster
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luckyzen Feb 11, 2006 at 10:11 PM

You stayed in a nice place here, Lee. Thank you for all the other info. Hoping you are doing ok these days. Regards!
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RoyJava Nov 20, 2005 at 2:20 PM

Wonderful cybering trip you created of VT Yogya... terimakasih Greetzzz RoyJava
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Nemorino Nov 8, 2005 at 2:23 PM

Still, you did a lot in those three days. Nice tips and photos. (Happy birthday, by the way -- it's mine, too.)
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muddybok Dec 19, 2004 at 6:38 AM

No kidding!! Your batik is very nice. I think i gonna make one myself... you wait til i show off mine. ;-) Oh!! Very nice page, esp the Borobudur.
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VincentJJ Sep 10, 2004 at 4:13 AM

Great info. Been in Yogy. in '95. He, My greatgrandmother from father side was malayan born chineese,so are we family?? byebye from sunny Holland(now).
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Jim_Eliason Sep 2, 2004 at 6:02 PM

Great photos with good Info!
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belgianchocolate Feb 11, 2004 at 4:12 AM

Hey , we crossed eachother there....I didn't knew the person from via via was belgian. We got a few via via cafés here in belgium. :-) It's a small world.