There’s no such thing as ‘the real Indonesia.’ Or allow me to rephrase — you’ll find lots of ‘real’ versions of Indonesia. Sumatra’s forests, the volcanoes of Java, hiking that the Ijen Crater, Bali cities, and the charming beaches of Raja Ampat are all sides of the vast and varied nation. It is home to around 800 million people and various religions, cultures, and customs.
And what about the city itself? There are plenty of Yogyakarta things to do — particularly when it has to do with crafts and arts. The town is famous for being the capital of Javanese art, where any other street hides a workshop or atelier of some type, where you can get your hands on some genuinely beautiful souvenirs.
1) Kraton Palace
Another must-visit area in Jogja is Kraton Palace. It is the city’s chief palace and the house to the Sultan of Yogyakarta and his loved ones. It is an excellent case of Javanese structure, with a complex of pavilions and buildings, which takes a couple of hours to research.
Wandering throughout the reasons, you will admire intricately decorated buildings, with gold ceilings and colonnaded exteriors. Do not forget to look at the screen of presents received by the Sultan from world leaders.
2) Taman Sari
You can discover Taman Sari, also known as the Water’ Castle’, right alongside Kraton Palace. This was likely to be a pleasant park to the Sultan and his family — you’ll find castles, pavilions and water characteristics, but not only.
Taman Sari is a fantastic instance of the Javanese structure. The swimming and pool homes of their Sultan and his harem make for excellent photo opportunities. Definitely one of the greatest rated unmissable things to do in Yogyakarta, Indonesia!
3) Meeting the locals at Pentingsari Village
The first place we saw right outside Yogyakarta was Pentingsari, a village halfway between the town and the Mount Merapi region. If you are after a homestay, Pentingsari is the region for you. Several local houses offer tourists the opportunity to stay for a couple of days, help in the rice fields or learn how to produce handicrafts.
4) Mount Merapi with Willy’s Jeep
Seeing an Indonesian volcano was definitely among my list of things to do in Yogyakarta. I had been glad to get an opportunity to glimpse Mount Merapi, one of the greatest in Java, along with the most active volcano in Indonesia! Did you see how I said ‘glimpse’ and not ‘see’? The day we visited was muddy and moist, and so we missed out on the sweeping vistas of cone-shaped mount Merapi surrounded by woods and rice paddies.
5) Stand on the Tree Platform at Kalibiru National Park
Could you imagine standing on a tree platform way across the treetops, observing the canopy from precisely the birds’ identical viewpoint? It is possible to do so at Kalibiru, a national park situated in the mountains right outside Jogja. This national park turned into an Insta-perfect destination because of its own wooden platforms on trees, viewing nearby Lake Sermo.
The highlight of a going to Kalibiru is scaling up among those four affiliate platforms to enjoy the viewpoints and have your picture taken. However, please note that it will get crowded, and your own time on the platform is limited to 5 minutes. Additionally, other activities are available within this national park, such as hiking, zip lines, and even rock climbing.
6) Jomblang Cave
Another unbelievable thing to perform in Yogyakarta for experienced lovers is seeing Jomblang Cave, a sinkhole-like cave famous for getting beams of light shining through the cave, starting from a pit on the top for great photo opportunities.
7) Head into Malioboro!
Among the very best and most famous Yogyakarta, things to do are checking out Malioboro, the renowned shopping street, even though the entire surrounding region is also called Malioboro.
You’ll discover bags, batik fabrics, Javanese sculptures, artworks of all types, published t-shirts, and more, on sale both across road stalls and little shops. Malioboro is also frequently full of street artists — particularly in the day!
Ready to start your gateway to Yogyakarta? Visit Wonderful Indonesia, and don’t miss out on the magic!