Yogyakarta has become one of our favorite Asian cities. It is a vibrant city with many attractions and activities. The locals are extremely friendly, and despite being a large city, it quickly feels familiar. Whether you enjoy culture, history, nature, or just want to relax, Yogyakarta has something to offer for everyone.
How do you get there?
Yogyakarta has an international airport that is served by flights from both Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam) and Charles de Gaulle (Paris).
Have you already arrived in Java? Then you can easily reach Yogyakarta by train. From Malang (East Java), the journey takes about six hours. From Bandung (West Java) or Jakarta (West Java), the trip takes a little longer than six hours.
What to do in Yogyakarta?
Yogyakarta has a lot to offer for those who love culture. We chose to spend four days in this city and get to know various aspects.
Day 1: Train ride and Sonobudoyo Museum
On the first day, we depart from Malang to Yogyakarta, where we arrive at the train station exactly at 11:16 after a six-hour journey.
We chose a stay with a swimming pool within walking distance of Malioboro street, the busy yet charming shopping street in Yogyakarta.
That is also the first place we go to after we have dropped off our backpacks.
The street is bustling with horse-drawn carriages, becaks (bike or scooter taxis), and charming shops. Here and there, we step inside a store, but we are also subjected to a scam test.
Don’t get trapped in this scam in Malioboro: You are invited to a batik art expo that – you’re lucky – is only running today. Once inside, the goal is to get you to buy poor-quality batik under the guise of helping students or people with disabilities.
After lunch, we head to the Sonobudoyo museum, which consists of two parts. The first part primarily features archaeological findings and history, while the second part is an interactive section with videos and games.
Read more: Culture in Java
After the museum visit, it was time to relax by the pool.
Day 2: City Walk Yogyakarta
Our first day in Yogyakarta (or colloquially Yogya) begins with an exploration of the city. We start at the Sultan’s palace, where we receive an interesting tour from a guide. The palace has a museum section that explains rituals, from birth to burial, and we learn a lot about marriage as well. It is special to hear more about the traditional clothing, the accessories, and the so-called “bathing ceremony.”
Time for lunch! We’re going to Bale Raos, a restaurant next to the palace, where dishes are served according to recipes that have been preserved in the Sultan family for generations. The dishes are not only delicious but also very affordable.
After lunch, we visit the water palace. It is a beautiful place with a courtyard and water, where you can toss a coin for good luck according to local tradition. Afterwards, we wander through charming streets to Sumur Gumuling, an underground mosque. Although the place is not as well maintained as one might expect, it remains a unique experience with long, mysterious tunnels.
We conclude the day with a stop at the Bringin trees. According to a local legend, all your wishes will come true if you can walk between the trees.
Day 3: Batik Painting
Today we wake up early for a workshop on Batik painting. The technique of batik involves pouring hot wax onto fabric, creating dots or lines. The fabric is then submerged in dye. When the wax is removed, the covered areas retain their original color. This process is repeated multiple times until the desired pattern is achieved.
Experienced craftsmen will teach you step by step how to create your own batik painting. From choosing a pattern, applying the wax, to dyeing and coloring,…
We attended the workshop at Batik Seno, a family business.
The prices in 2024 start at 75K (€4). We opted for the smaller batik workshop at 200K (€11.5) per person, which lasts about 2.5 hours.
The rest of the day we enjoy delicious food, exploring the streets, and swimming.
Day 4: Bicycle Tour of the Countryside
Up again early today because at eight o’clock we are expected at the ViaVia Guesthouse for our bike tour through Yogya and the countryside.
Driving through the small streets, we leave the big city and head into the countryside. We visit various crafts, starting with a prawn cracker factory. After that, we continue to a place where tempeh is made. The soybeans are wrapped in banana leaves, and after a day, a kind of mold forms. This is then seasoned and fried.
Afterward, we drive to the rice fields. Here, they explain how the farmers are slowly disappearing. Then, we stop by the brick maker, a local man who has taught himself how to make bricks. The children are also allowed to give it a try and write their names on the bricks they have made.
The next day, we depart early by train to Bandung.
Alternative Activities around Yogyakarta
Borobudur and Prambanan
Those who have done a bit of research on Yogyakarta will have noticed that I did not mention the two main attractions in the region around Yogyakarta. The temples of Borobodur and Prambanan are, in fact, the main draws for travelers coming to Yogyakarta.
They are two iconic 9th-century temples. Borobudur is even the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Prambanan is a Hindu temple complex, and both are often visited on a day trip from Yogyakarta.
The reason we ultimately did not do this is on one hand because after five months in Southeast Asia we had seen our share of temples, but on the other hand also because we found it incredibly expensive, as the tickets alone would cost us IDR 850,000 or €50 per person.
Merapi Volcano
Another activity that is often done from Yogyakarta is a jeep tour or quad ride to the Merapi volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia and at 2,930 meters also the second highest volcano on Java.
We did not do this activity because we had already climbed two volcanoes in East Java. Additionally, this volcano is quite active with lava flows and volcanic avalanches as a result, and it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.
Read more: Two-week tour of Java
Any questions or want to know more? Don’t hesitate to send a message.