Half Day Borobudur by Bike

Java’s former stronghold and created to symbolize the universe in Buddhist cosmology, all the superlatives one reads about the Borobudur are true. To date, this UNESCO-protected complex remains the most spectacular and world’s biggest Buddhist monument after it was rediscovered while being buried under layers of volcanic ash. It is not uncommon that visitors want to see the Borobudur more than once as each moment of the day puts this architectural marvel in a new light. Cycling around the Borobudur does not only show you how stunning this temple is located near the Menoreh Mountains but also how local communities use this Javanese landmark as the background while tending to their animals and crop.

From your hotel, we head to the starting point of this this cycling venture; the nostalgia of the good old days around Yogyakarta is relived as we use more traditional bicycles. Not only visiting the Borobudur will be one of the highlights but once sitting on the saddle and following your English speaking guide and trail leader, the fertile rolling plains between the Merapi and Sumbing Mount will show the hidden, local and welcoming local sights of Java. Locals will smile and wave to you as we follow sometimes off-the-beaten-track paths to reach verdant-green rice paddy fields, swaying palm trees and tropical fruit plantations: sufficient stops will be made to take pictures or to witness the daily lives of the Javanese in villages such as Gerabah. The ancient traditions of handicraft will also pass the revue, all in sight of the magnificence of the Borobudur. Ample time will be spend at the temple complex, constructed around 800 AD and represents the devotion and human endeavors to Buddhism in the past when this belief ruled the plains of former Java.

Once we explored the sights, sounds and smells of this part of Java, it is time to head back to Yogyakarta and to your booked hotel. We expect to be at your hotel at around 14:30 hrs