Java Yogyakarta
5
Day Itinerary •
Indonesia
Five days in Java and Yogyakarta takes you through the full extraordinary range of the world's most densely populated island, from the 9th-century Buddhist mandala of Borobudur and the Hindu towers of Prambanan to the volcanic moonscape of Mount Bromo at dawn, the extraordinary royal court culture of Yogyakarta and the deep jungle temples of the Dieng Plateau. This route covers the essential Java and more. Borobudur and Prambanan at sunrise, the extraordinary Kraton and Tamansari of Yogyakarta, the active volcano of Ijen with its extraordinary blue fire, the extraordinary Dieng temples lost in cloud forest at 2,000 metres, and the finest Javanese cooking from royal court cuisine to street gudeg.
Best Time To Visit
April to October, dry season
Getting There
Fly into Yogyakarta (YIA). Depart from Surabaya (SUB) or Banyuwangi
Getting Around
Private driver essential. One-way route Yogyakarta to east Java
Budget Per Day
Approx 60 to 150 USD per person per day
Difficulity
Moderate, some predawn volcano treks
DAY 1
BOROBUDUR
MORNING
BOROBUDUR SUNRISE, THE WORLD'S GREATEST BUDDHIST MONUMENT
The largest Buddhist monument on earth, a 9th-century Mahayana mandala of nine stacked platforms carrying 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The sunrise from the upper circular terraces is one of the most extraordinary experiences in Asia, as mist rises from the Kedu Plain and Mount Merapi and Merbabu emerge above the clouds behind the stupas. Book the sunrise ticket months in advance as only 150 people are admitted. Sunrise ticket approx 450,000 IDR. Drive: 1 hour drive
MIDDAY
MENDUT AND PAWON TEMPLES
The two smaller Buddhist temples forming the ancient sacred axis to Borobudur, almost entirely unvisited. Mendut's inner chamber contains three of the finest Buddha sculptures in Java, including an extraordinary 3-metre Vairochana of serene presence. The small Pawon temple between them is an extraordinary jewel box of stone carving. Entry approx 50,000 IDR each. Drive: 1 hour drive to Yogyakarta
AFTERNOON
MALIOBORO STREET AND YOGYAKARTA OLD QUARTER
The extraordinary main street of Yogyakarta running south from the railway station, lined with batik sellers, silver workshops, wayang puppet stalls and street food vendors. The finest place in Java to buy hand-stamped batik cloth. The Dutch colonial fort of Vredeburg at the southern end is an extraordinary relic of the colonial era. The evening street food along Jalan Malioboro is extraordinary.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Setumbu Hill viewpoint 3km north of Borobudur gives the finest panoramic view of the monument rising from the Kedu Plain with both Merapi and Merbabu as backdrop at dawn. Far less crowded than the monument itself and the most extraordinary photography position in central Java. Entry approx 30,000 IDR. Arrive before 5am for the finest light.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Amanjiwo or lodge breakfast Eat before the 4am departure. The breakfast at Amanjiwo overlooking Borobudur is extraordinary. | Lunch: Warung near Borobudur Simple nasi pecel and local tempe at a roadside warung before driving to Yogyakarta. | Dinner: Bale Raos, Yogyakarta The finest restaurant in Yogya, serving extraordinary royal Javanese court cuisine in the kraton grounds.
DAY 2
PRAMBANAN
MORNING
PRAMBANAN TEMPLE COMPOUND AT DAWN
The most extraordinary Hindu temple complex in the southern hemisphere, a 9th-century Trimurti of 240 temples with the central Shiva tower rising 47 metres. The carved stone panels depicting the Ramayana epic are extraordinary in their detail and dynamism. Dawn light on the stone is extraordinary. The inner chamber contains a remarkable 3-metre Shiva Mahadeva statue. Entry approx 350,000 IDR. Arrive at opening for the finest light. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
KRATON RATU BOKO, THE CLIFFTOP PALACE
The extraordinary 8th-century ruined palace complex on a plateau above Prambanan with views across the volcanic plain to Mount Merapi. Meditation pavilions, stone bathing pools, a remarkable gatehouse and an extraordinary hilltop setting make Ratu Boko one of the most atmospheric archaeological sites in Java. Almost entirely unvisited despite its extraordinary quality. Entry approx 40,000 IDR. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
RAMAYANA BALLET AT PRAMBANAN OPEN AIR THEATRE
The most extraordinary cultural performance in Java, enacted on a vast open-air stage with the floodlit Prambanan towers as backdrop on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings May to October. Up to 200 performers in extraordinary golden costumes dance the full Ramayana epic at dusk as the temple silhouette burns against the sky. The most atmospheric performance in Southeast Asia. Tickets from approx 150,000 IDR.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Candi Sambisari near Prambanan, a 9th-century Hindu temple buried under 6.5 metres of Merapi volcanic ash and only rediscovered in 1966, sits in a remarkable sunken pit with the carved stone walls perfectly preserved below ground level. Almost nobody visits. One of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries in Java. Entry approx 10,000 IDR.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast Early departure for Prambanan at opening. Eat at the hotel before 6am. | Lunch: Abhayagiri Restaurant Outstanding hilltop restaurant above Prambanan. Extraordinary views across the temple plain. | Dinner: Near Prambanan theatre Light dinner at a local warung before the Ramayana Ballet. Nasi gudeg and soto ayam.
DAY 3
YOGYAKARTA AND DIENG
MORNING
KRATON NGAYOGYAKARTA AND TAMANSARI
The living royal palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta covering 1.4km square with extraordinary pavilions, courtyards and the finest collection of Javanese royal regalia in existence. Then the extraordinary Tamansari Water Castle, an 18th-century royal bathing complex of pools, tunnels, underground mosques and watchtowers built as a pleasure garden for the sultan. Both are extraordinary. Entry 15,000 IDR each. Drive: 3 hours drive northwest
MIDDAY
DIENG PLATEAU, THE CRADLE OF JAVANESE CULTURE
The most extraordinary ancient temple landscape in Java, a high volcanic plateau at 2,000 metres above sea level where a complex of 8th-century Hindu temples, the oldest in Java, stand among coloured crater lakes, steaming volcanic vents and cloud forest. The Arjuna temple complex is extraordinary. The Telaga Warna coloured lake changes colour with volcanic minerals. Entry approx 20,000 IDR. Drive: 3 hours drive back
AFTERNOON
KOTAGEDE SILVER DISTRICT
The extraordinary 16th-century silver district of Yogyakarta and original capital of the Mataram Sultanate. Artisan workshops produce extraordinary filigree jewellery and tableware using techniques unchanged for four centuries. The old mosque, royal cemetery and extraordinary Dutch-era architecture of the lanes make this the finest historic neighbourhood in Yogyakarta.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Imogiri Royal Cemetery 17km south of Yogyakarta is the burial ground of the sultans of Yogyakarta and Surakarta from 1645 to the present day. Visitors must wear traditional Javanese dress, available to hire at the gate for a few thousand IDR. The hilltop complex with extraordinary carved gateways and the atmospheric royal tombs is one of the finest sacred sites in Java.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bu Tjitro 1925, Yogyakarta The finest gudeg in Java. Royal jackfruit curry for breakfast since 1925. Extraordinary. | Lunch: Warung on Dieng Plateau Simple Javanese dishes and extraordinary Dieng potato soup in the cloud forest. Local carica fruit for dessert. | Dinner: Via Via Restaurant, Yogyakarta Outstanding Javanese rijsttafel and local craft beer in the Prawirotaman arts district.
DAY 4
MOUNT BROMO
MORNING
MOUNT BROMO SUNRISE FROM PENANJAKAN VIEWPOINT
The most extraordinary volcanic landscape in Indonesia. Depart at 3am by 4WD jeep for the Penanjakan viewpoint to watch the sunrise over the extraordinary Tengger caldera, where Mount Bromo, Mount Batok and Mount Semeru rise from a vast Sea of Sand. The plume of smoke rising from Bromo's active crater against the dawn sky is extraordinary. Then descend across the Sea of Sand to the crater rim. Jeep hire approx 400,000 IDR. Drive: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
BROMO CRATER RIM AND SEA OF SAND
Walk or ride across the extraordinary black volcanic Sea of Sand to the foot of Bromo's cone, then climb 250 steps to the active crater rim for views down into the steaming volcanic vent. The extraordinary desolation of the caldera floor, ringed by the outer crater wall with the conical peak of Semeru visible on the horizon, is unlike any landscape on earth. Horse hire to crater base approx 100,000 IDR return. Drive: 3 hours drive east
AFTERNOON
DRIVE TO IJEN, BONDOWOSO COFFEE COUNTRY
The extraordinary drive east from Bromo through the coffee and tobacco plantations of the Bondowoso highlands, past the extraordinary Argopuro mountain range and through the finest robusta coffee country in East Java. Stop at a local coffee cooperative for an extraordinary tasting of Bondowoso robusta, grown in the volcanic soil at 1,200 metres. Arrive at Ijen area by evening.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Savanna Teletubbies viewpoint above Bromo at Bukit Teletubbies is the finest green hillside landscape in East Java, a series of extraordinary rolling meadows contrasting with the volcanic desolation below. The view back across the caldera from this angle is unlike anything from the standard Penanjakan viewpoint. Ask your jeep driver to include it. Usually free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bromo lodge or Cafe Lava Hot tea and nasi goreng before the 3am departure. The pre-dawn breakfast at the crater lodge is extraordinary. | Lunch: Restaurant at Bromo lodge Return for a late breakfast after the crater. Local corn soup and Javanese fried rice. | Dinner: Ijen Resto or homestay dinner Simple Javanese dinner on arrival in the Ijen area. Local tempeh, fresh vegetables and rice.
DAY 5
IJEN CRATER
MORNING
IJEN CRATER AND THE BLUE FIRE PHENOMENON
The most extraordinary natural phenomenon in Indonesia. Depart at midnight for the 3km trek to the rim of the extraordinary Ijen crater, where sulfuric gases ignite into extraordinary electric blue flames visible only in darkness between midnight and 4am. The turquoise acid crater lake at 525 metres depth is the largest highly acidic lake in the world. Miners carry 70kg loads of pure sulfur up the crater wall at dawn. Entry approx 150,000 IDR. Gas mask essential. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
LICIN COFFEE PLANTATIONS AND BLAWAN WATERFALL
The extraordinary colonial-era coffee and rubber plantations on the slopes below Ijen, established by the Dutch in the 19th century and still producing extraordinary single-origin Ijen arabica coffee. The extraordinary Blawan waterfall, where a river of hot volcanic water pours over a cliff into a cold pool, is one of the most extraordinary natural features in East Java. The plantation scenery is extraordinary. Drive: 1 hour drive to Banyuwangi
AFTERNOON
BANYUWANGI AND DEPARTURE
The extraordinary port town of Banyuwangi, the easternmost city of Java, with an extraordinary tradition of Osing Banyuwangi music and the finest Osing cuisine in Java. The Pura Agung Blambangan Hindu temple is an extraordinary active Balinese-style temple in a Javanese city. Ferry connections to Bali from Ketapang port, or fly from Banyuwangi Airport (BWX).
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Kawah Wurung hidden crater near Ijen, a collapsed volcanic caldera filled with extraordinary coloured lakes of blue, green and white surrounded by green hillside meadows, is one of the most beautiful and least visited landscapes in East Java. Entirely different in character from Ijen. Hire a local ojek motorcycle from Ijen for approx 100,000 IDR return. Almost no tourists.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Midnight snack before trek Hot instant noodles and sweet tea at the Ijen trailhead warung. Standard pre-trek fuel. | Lunch: Blawan plantation cafe Extraordinary Ijen arabica coffee and fresh tropical fruit at the colonial plantation house. | Dinner: Warung in Banyuwangi Local Osing Banyuwangi cuisine. Pecel pitik chicken with young coconut and local sambal is extraordinary.
Where To Stay
Yogyakarta, Nights 1 to 3 Plataran Heritage or Hyatt Regency. Central for Borobudur and Prambanan. Approx 60 to 150 USD. Bromo area, Night 4 Lava View Lodge or Jiwa Jawa Resort Bromo. Crater rim views. Approx 50 to 120 USD per night. Ijen area, Night 5 Catimor Homestay or Ijen Resort and Villas near Banyuwangi. Approx 30 to 100 USD per night.
Top Tips
1. Book the Borobudur sunrise ticket months ahead online. Only 150 slots per day. Non-negotiable.
2. For Bromo, depart your lodge at 3am for the viewpoint. The sunrise jeep convoy is extraordinary.
3. The Ijen blue fire is only visible between midnight and 4am. Plan the night accordingly.
4. Carry a gas mask for Ijen crater descent. Hire at the gate for approx 50,000 IDR. Essential.
5. The Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan on full moon nights is the most extraordinary performance in Java.
6. Gudeg for breakfast at Bu Tjitro 1925 is the finest meal in Yogyakarta. Open from 6am.
Total Budget
60 to 285 USD/day