Full Day Treasures of Yogyakarta

The magic of the Borobudur cannot be described – it has to be felt and experienced at times when the sun rises from the east and welcomes yet another day in Indonesia; that are when you get the best a true sense of the splendour of its location and the importance in Yogyakarta’s history. When size matters on your trip across Java, the Borobudur is what you’re after – inscribed in the books as the world’s largest Buddhist temple, an early morning wake-up call, a light snack in the morning and surrounded by fresh air adds only more to the total experience. With this Treasures of Yogyakarta, we slight deviate off the tourism trails and include the magnificence that is called Prambanan as viewed from the saddle of your bicycle.

When admiring the sunrise from the Borobudur is on your bucket list, be prepared to leave with our guide and driver at around 03:00 hrs from your Yogyakarta hotel. Just before the first light of a brand new day brighten up the horizon we arrive at the main entrance, near the Manohara Hotel, of the Borobudur Archaeological Park, before heading to the view point and seeing the contours of Mount Merapi slowly appearing against a, hopefully, clear sky (weather permitting). Word will fail when you sit there and see this natural phenomenon take shape right in front of your eyes. Your guide for the day will explain the intricate story behind the construction of the Borobudur as well during the time this temple was completely abandoned and buried under a thick layer of mud and dust. As we serve you a good cup of fresh Java coffee / tea and a light snack for breakfast, it is time for us to move towards the Prambanan village and the famous temple bearing the same name. Farmers will head out in the field, tending to their crop and for us to cycle around the fields and get an up and close look how they still use traditional means to cultivate their land with the use of buffalos and honest, manual labour. We tend to avoid the busy roads but cycle over asphalted, narrow roads in the direction of the Boko Temple, hardly visible with coconut trees and situated on a hill. The cycling tour is approximately 2.5 hours and we make use of suitable bikes that can handle the terrain we’re taking.

End up at the Prambanan Temple: contrary to the Borobudur, the Prambanan is constructed as a sanctuary for Hindus in the region. Also known as the ‘Temple of the Slender Virgin” , the Prambanan consists of three major temples / shrines dedicated to the Hindu Gods trinity (Candi Shiva Mahadeva, Candi Brahma and Candi Vishnu). There will be ample time to stroll and observe the beautiful carvings and the neighbouring shrines such as the Candi Palosan and the Candi Sewu. After serving you lunch at a local restaurant , it is time to head back to Yogyakarta, where you will arrive safe and sound at your hotel around 14:30 hrs.