Yogyakarta: Borobudur, Prambanan and Java's royal city

Why go

Jogja gives you Java at its most welcoming. The city is relaxed and affordable, with an artistic streak, and the great monuments around it rank among the finest in Asia. It is also a natural first stop if you fly into Jakarta, linked by fast trains and short flights.

Borobudur

About an hour north west of the city, Borobudur was built in the eighth and ninth centuries as a vast stepped mandala of stone. Pilgrims walk clockwise up its terraces past more than two thousand relief panels telling Buddhist stories, to the top where seventy two stupas hold seated Buddhas, framed by volcanoes. Climbing the monument itself is now limited to small, timed groups with a guide and special sandals, while the grounds and lower levels are easier to visit. Check the official Borobudur ticketing site for current climbing quotas and sunrise options. Nearby, the small temples of Mendut and Pawon sit on the same ancient processional line, and the hills of Menoreh have viewpoints over the misty plain.

Prambanan and the plains

Prambanan, east of the city, is a soaring ninth century Hindu complex dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, its carved towers telling the Ramayana. In the dry season the Ramayana Ballet is performed on an open air stage with the temples lit behind. Within walking or cycling distance are the Buddhist temples of Sewu and Plaosan, and on a hill to the south, Ratu Boko is a palace site loved for sunset.

The city

At the centre is the Kraton, the sultan's palace, with gamelan and dance performances most mornings, and nearby Taman Sari, the old water castle with bathing pools and underground passages. Malioboro Street is the busy shopping strip for batik and street snacks, and Beringharjo Market sells everything from fabric to herbal drinks. Kotagede, the old silver town in the south east, has narrow lanes and silversmith workshops. In the evening, students gather at the lesehan food stalls, where you sit on mats and eat gudeg, the city's sweet jackfruit stew, or angkringan rice parcels by lamplight.

Day trips

Mount Merapi, one of the world's most active volcanoes, looms to the north; jeep tours around its lower slopes visit villages buried by the 2010 eruption, but always follow current alert levels and exclusion zones. Jomblang Cave has a shaft of light falling into a forest underground. The south coast has wild beaches such as Parangtritis, where strong currents mean swimming is dangerous.

Where to stay and eat

Prawirotaman, south of the Kraton, has friendly guesthouses, cafés and good food in walkable streets. Staying near Borobudur for a night lets you reach the temple at dawn. Try gudeg for breakfast, bakpia pastries from the Pathuk area, sate klathak grilled on bicycle spokes and late night angkringan stalls near the station. Batik workshops and silver studios in Kotagede offer short classes, a lovely way to take something home that you made yourself.

Practical tips

Book the temples early in the day for cooler air and fewer crowds. Dress modestly at the kraton and temples. Use ride apps or agree becak fares before you set off. Yogyakarta International Airport is some way west of the city, linked by an airport train.