Yogyakarta Things to Do

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Mount Merapi is one of the many naughty children of Java with the added intrigue of close proximity to a center of civilization of the magnitude of Yogyakarta and an impressive track record of eruption and other mischief. Last eruption happened October 2010, and almost a year later the reeling towns and vegetation in the path of destruction are still in a “sorry” state. Attempts are being made to bring life to normal by planting new trees in the fertile volcanic ash, building bamboo shacks and charge extra for some tourist activities such as bike rides to the closest possible view point (that makes sense if you are lucky with the weather). Curiously, the sheer annihilation of the living matter along the path of the lava is difficult to comprehend considering that what is seen on these” trails” is just the ash, probably the lava itself is hidden underneath. One can only imagine what a sight the crater of this monster must be and surely the brave who dare reach its rim are rewarded for this suicidal valour with views of a lifetime.

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Thank God, Yogya has some remnants of Dutch presence that have been kept up unlike Jakarta where the Dutch heritage is sentenced to oblivion. The major compound of the governor is still intact and being renovated as this text is being written. Inside and beside though there are editions that speak unequivocally who the boss is now. That’s fine if there weren’t the comical resemblance of the Java heroes to their oppressors in the form of military uniforms and what is more important in the desire to incorporate ALL the possessions of the imperialists into an empire of their own called Indonesia. They say there is nothing new in the world just well-forgotten past. Anyway, most of the buildings are breeding new life in different capacities such as post office, local administrative buildings and even a museum in the case of the Dutch administrative compound. There are other places of Dutch architecture speckles in downtown area that curiously juxtapose the pagoda-like structures for the sheer joy of the traveller.

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Taman Sari is a cute little landmark of life in old Java when the sultans were in their prime. The well-maintained and manned site includes the former pools of head and pinnacle of society. It includes a couple of sections located opposite each other divided by a watch tower. On one side is the pool for the wives and the children, actually there are two pools with a path separating them, and on the other side of the tower is the “sultan’s” pool. It is rather obvious what the favourite past time of a sultan with many wives was. Looking through the barred windows of the tower he was plunged into the uneasy dilemma of which one of the many beauties to pick for the next round of monarchy proliferation. Presumably the ones who were not in the right condition to conceive were even not in the pool to start with. So aiming was not that difficult. Once identified the blessed female would be summoned over to the opposite pool for some intimacy and one can only guess what was coming next indirectly by the number of children each of the sultans fathered. The champion had seventy eight! These bits if insider information are provided by official/non-official/non-invited guides who would not leave you for a second till all the program has been followed including stalls for batik and puppet sales. So, greasing his hands at the end with a tip is highly expected despite the fact that he is presumably already on a salary from the museum and receives a cut from the vendors. C’est la vie!

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BOROBODUR
When in Yogyakarta a visit to the huge Buddhist Temple of Borobodur is a must see. This rates along with Angkor Wat as being one of the greatest Buddhist Temples in South East Asia. "Borobodur" is one of the Worlds Ten Great Temples".with six levels to see ,a lot of climbing.
I travelled out to Borobodur in a (shared rental taxi with six other travellers).this was booked easily at local agent...upon arrival , as usual the driver waited at a designated place and pick up time.the cost for the day hire was very cheap.
Take along plenty of water as this can be very hot as there is no shade..There is a reasonable entry fee mainly for "sarong hire (as this is a temple) make sure that you dress appropriately when visiting these Temples..

This is a "UNESCO"World Heritage site

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I beleive this huge Temple complex of over 50 Temple sights to see..Prambanan located just 17 kilometers east of the city of Yogyakarta is the biggest and finest Hindu Temple complex in Java , definately a must to see and visit while in Yogyakarta..Some visitors choose to take accomodation close to the Temple Complex enabling them to watch both sunrise and sunsets over the Temples.This area suffered huge damage in the 2006 earthquake and has left a huge rebuilding programme to be addressed by Unesco and partners.Make sure that you have comfortable shoes when visiting here as you will do a really lot of walking..also carry water with you....There is an entry fee..
NOTE :Also it is possible to do a dawn trip to Prambanan and an evening sunset trip to Borobodur easily in the one day....
This Temple of Prambanan is a "UNESCO" World Heritage site

This active volcano may be one of the most notorious volcanoes in the world.

If you like, you can visit Kaliurang, a popular mountain resort in the north of Yogya.
On a clear day, you will be able to see the lava coming down from its top.
Or you can visit Plawangan, the observatory resort for a closer look of this mountain.

You can see this mountain at distant from the Borobudur Temple.

Check the website below for fantastic photos of Mt Merapi

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Prambanan is one of Java's most important tourist attractions, and rightfully so. It's a stunning example of ancient Hindu architecture and is a truly marvellous sight. It was built in the 10th century AD, and is the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia. Rising above the center of the last of these concentric squares are three temples decorated with reliefs illustrating the epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to the three great Hindu divinities (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma) and three temples dedicated to the animals who serve them. It is a mesmerizing experience to walk around the temples and observe the reliefs, and it is well worth it to hire a guide to tell you about the stories of the Ramayana being depicted.

Tours to the temple are easy to arrange through any tour guide on Malioboro Street; if you like, you can also arrange to see Borobudur on the same day.

Stars glitter in black velvet overhead... bats swoop above the open stage as Indonesian gamelan and percussion music provides a backdrop for the ancient Hindu story of Ramayana, with the three spires of a 9th century Hindu temple standing majestically in the background. My favorite thing was the music - it's lilting, moving, inspiring, and completely spellbinding.

Tickets to the event are easily bought in Yogyakarta through any tourist or travel guide company. They will also arrange transport to the temples for the evening of the show.