City Yogyakarta
despite the official spelling, the name is usually pronounced and not uncommonly written Jogjakarta or just Jogja — is a major tourist destination in Indonesia. It's the capital city of Yogyakarta Special Region which is in the southern part of the Central Java province,Indonesia.
Yogyakarta is a bustling town of some half a million people and the most popular tourist destination on Java, largely thanks to its proximity to the temples of Borobudur andPrambanan. The town is a hub of art and education, offers some good shopping and has a wide range of tourist facilities.
Where to go:
Candi is ancient archeological structure constructed during 7th-9th century aimed for a specific religion (Buddhist or Hindu). It was constructed from hundreds of volcanic or river stone blocks and assembled solely by human labor. Candi walls is often carved with reliefs depicting stories, and a stone God or Goddess statue usually sits at the center.
There are several candi located in Yogyakarta and it's proximity. The two most famous must see ancient temples are both UNESCO official World Heritage Sites. These include Borobudur, an 9th century Buddhist temple 1 hour drive from Yogyakarta in Magelang, not far from Yogyakarta. The second, a Hindu temple,Prambanan, also a well-known candi is just 10 minutes drive from Yogya's Adi Sucipto airport on the outskirts of the city.
The massive Buddhist temple of Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, is 40 minutes away by car and one of the main drawcards for visitors to Yogyakarta.
The Hindu temples of Prambanan, just 20 minutes away, are a close second to Borobudur, they are very close to the airport, better to visit them on way to airport.
Ratu Boko palace, only 2 km north of Prambanan. An ancient royal palace complex, similar in architectural layout with other Kratons or palaces in Java. Magnificently located on top of a hill, Ratu Boko has been recently restored.
Parangtritis on the south coast is one of the better known black sand beaches. Local folklore suggests that this beach is the palace of the legendary Nyai Loro Kidul or 'Queen of the South.
Ngobaran Beach is located at Gunung Kidul region, 50 km from Yogyakarta. This is a pure beach with a number of marine attractions to explore.
Kraton Yogyakarta. A calm yet elegant Javanese heritage that consists of two separate entrances: the Main Court , and the Residence.
Tugu Monument, A well known landmark located in the center of downtown Yogyakarta.
Benteng Vredeburg, A Dutch fort located in front of (President's Palace). A great example of the Dutch colonial architecture. A few warfare items are still preserved, including a twin cannon.
For shopping
Many curious goods are available in many places in this city. If you love timeless pieces, Yogyakarta is the home of batik , traditional wayang puppets, sculpture, ceramics and silverware. Yogyakarta has several stylish malls and trade centres that offer interesting goods and services at a reasonable cost.
Malioboro is a well-known shopping promenade and very popular among Indonesian as well as international tourists. Spans from the Tugu Station to the Sultan's square, Malioboro is 2 km in length and home to hundreds of shops and street-stalls offering various kind of handicrafts.
Where to stay:
There are hundreds of budget hotels in Yogyakarta. Most of them can be found in Sosrowijayan St (Jalan Sastrowijayan ) which is adjacent to Malioboro Street and the in Prawirotaman Rd area, which is about 3.5 km to the south of the centre.
Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort and Spa,. 246 rooms with views of the Mt Merapi volcano or the garden. 5 star hotel recently reopened after a multi-million dollar renovation edit
Villa Ditya, is a luxury private villa with swimming pool and staff just outside Yogyakarta. Located on a tranquil location with beautiful views on rice fields and the Merapi volcano. It is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the real Indonesian life.
What to eat:
Yogyakarta is a heaven of inexpensive foods. There are hundreds, if not thousands of hawker stalls offering inexpensive foods.
Gudeg, a curry of jackfruit, chicken and egg served with rice, and is the most famous local dish. Goopy slop in various shades of brown, the stuff does not look particularly appetizing, but it can be tasty if done right. There are many gudeg restaurants, but the most popular are: Gudeg Wijilan, Gudeg Juminten, Gudeg Bu Tjitro, Gudeg Tugu, Gudeg Bu Ahmad. If you can wake up early in the morning, you may find small stalls serving Gudeg just at the corner of the street, or close to traditional markets. If you can't sleep at night, you can go to Jalan Janturan and enjoy the Gudeg Pawon (enjoying gudeg inside the old style kitchen) that open in late night.
Don’t miss:
The epic story of Ramayana which performed in 3 parts in 3 days in Prambanan Temple is beautiful yet amazing performance, the entire story is presented in a series of dance movement by around 100 professional dancers and musician who played gamelan music, they are all collaborate and enact on the open air stage and take advantage the Prambanan Temple as backdrop, feels like this is an exotic and mythical at the same time. The most unforgettable moment from this performance is the fireball when Shinta whould be burned, because you'll see the the light of the fire under the moonlight, and for me it is the most beautiful moment. Indonesian cultural ballet based on the ancient Indian epic of the Ramayana. The evening starts at approximately 6:30 p.m. with a fabulous buffet style Indonesian feast, served and eaten outdoors in full view of the floodlit towers of the nearby Prambanan Temple complex. It is an absolutely stunning location. then proceeded to the large outdoor theater, witnessed the 2-hour extravaganza production of the Ramayana, done in full traditional Indonesian costume, with live gamelan orchestral accompaniment and two singers. The performers were incredibly talented. This is not western ballet, nor is it some contemporary pop rendition. It is a traditional Indonesian performance of the Hindu epic, which is dear to the hearts of the native Indonesian people no matter what their religion. We were moved and excited by the performance, as was the entire audience. And –– it's a lot of fun!
Visa for Indians:
On an Indian passport, you can get a 10-day visa on arrival for US$10 and 30-day visa on arrival for Indonesia, for US$35.
Citizens of India will be eligible for visa free travel to Indonesia by October 2015
Costs:
I INR = 218 indonesian Rupiah