Wonderland Indonesia (Part 2): Yogyakarta and Indonesia's Largest Temples

- April 3-4, 2023, Monday to Tuesday.

- I waited 18 years before my trip to Yogyakarta finally became a reality. Not sure why, but perhaps the timing was just not right. I longed to visit Yogyakarta (also pronounced as "Jogjakarta") because of its proximity to two of its biggest temples: the Buddhist Borobudur Temple, and the Hindu Prambanan Temple. I've always seen them on TV, in books, and the internet, and knew that I had to visit them one day. I couldn't believe that I was finally doing it! 

- I flew to Yogyakarta on Monday, 3rd of April, and it was the perfect day to fly out. Most museums and historical landmarks in Indonesia are closed on Mondays, so I felt that I didn't miss out by flying out on a Monday. I flew with Garuda Airlines, the flag carrier of Indonesia. Although there are cheaper options available, Indonesia (as much as I love the country) has generally a bad aviation track record. Most people I know who live in Indonesia or who have Indonesian friends suggest that I fly with Garuda Airlines since it's their most trusted airline. 

- Yogyakarta, like Jakarta, is located on the island of Java. The trip from Jakarta to Yogyakarta is around an hour. Most planes these days will fly to the new Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA). This new airport is far from the city and the best way to reach Yogyakarta proper is by taking a train from the airport to the city (which takes around 30 minutes.) Because I read that there are times when there is no assurances of train tickets, I decided to book a Gojek from the airport to the city. The trip took maybe around an hour. In hindsight, I should've taken the train instead. It was cheaper, and I found out later on that usually there was a good chance of getting a train ticket to the city.

- The main street in Yogyakarta is Malioboro Street, and while there are cheaper hostels outside Malioboro Street, staying along the street is most convenient. I chose to stay in Amaris Hotel Malioboro, which is a small but good hotel along Malioboro Street (click here). I spent the rest of the afternoon walking along Malioboro street, and passing by the Tugu Monument north of Malioboro.

My room. I love how hotels are generally very cheap in Indonesia (as someone coming from the Philippines.)

Tugu Monument. It was originally built in the 1700s to symbolize the unity of Yogyakarta's people.

- On my first evening in Yogyakarta, I met my grad-school friend Sheryl who's now based in Indonesia. She invited me to her couchsurfing group's weekly meetup. This week, the host opened her house to the couchsurfing group (and friends) for a casual iftar/bukber. I had fun eating all the Indonesian finger foods, and meeting people from all over the world.       

Thank you for inviting me Sheryl!

- The following day was the day I had waited for the most - my day trip to Borobudur and Prambanan Temples. I booked a sunrise tour via Klook, which took care of everything. The tour would start in the morning, and end in the early afternoon. I booked a private tour for myself; needed to shell out a bit more money but it was totally worth it. My driver Andi picked me up from my hotel at 3:45AM, since it was going to be a bit of a drive all the way to Magelang, where Borobudur is.

- I arrived at Punthuk Setumbu at almost 5 in the morning. Punthuk Setumbu is a hill not long away from Borobudur Temple. The hike wasn't too long, and the path was cemented. There were also not too steep stairs for easy access to the viewing area. Unfortunately it was a very foggy morning and my hopes of seeing Borobudur during the sunrise was going down the drain. Thankfully the fog sort of eased up and I was able to see a glimpse of Borobudur. Unlike what you'd expect, the temple was so tiny and off center. Honestly, I didn't think it was worth it even on a clear day. It was a nice experience though and at least I was able to see the temple from afar.

Now that I look at this photo, I appreciate the mysterious look a lot. But I hate that it was difficult to find the temple in the fog. (Look towards the right, try to look for a structure with a pointed top.)

Close-up. See it now?

- Upon arrival at Borobudur Temple, I took some photos around the temple (Andi took really nice photos of me) before the main yard opened. Before the pandemic, everyone could go up until the very top. Since it reopened during the pandemic, most visitors could only enter until the yard. HOWEVER, just recently, the temple is doing a test-run of its 1200-people-per-day limit for the upper levels of the temple. Moreover, no more than 150 people at a time can be at the higher levels at a time. To get to the upper levels, visitors are allowed to upgrade their ticket. This includes a guide and special traditional slippers (similar to India's "paduka" slippers) that the temple will give to visitors as a souvenir after the tour. - Of course I chose to upgrade my ticket!  

I can't believe I'm really here.

At the lower yard.

The largest Buddhist temple (upper yard).

With my driver and impromptu photographer, Andi!

This Buddhist temple's architecture is a mix of local Javanese and medieval Indian architecture. From the top, the whole temple looks like a "mandala," which symbolizes the universe.

I look like a walking ad for an Indonesian batik shop.

Detals of the statues.

Bas-reliefs. The carvings are so detailed! And they go around the various levels of the temple!

- The Borobudur Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. It was built in the Sailendra Dynasty in the 9th century. The temple was abandoned in the 14th century as Islam arrived in medieval Indonesia. Borobudur has a total of 9 levels, with carvings of stories related to Buddha's life and teachings.

On the way to the top.

A bodhi tree, the same kind of tree that Buddha sat under and became enlightened.

I still cannot get over the details of the temple.

This is how the temple is cleaned everyday. The stones need to be as dry as possible since plants that grow between the cracks of the stones can destroy the temple.

Cannot believe that people made this temple ages ago, without the kind of technology we have today.

Buddha's life in endless panels.

Buddha.

The shape of this stone roof is Hindu inspired.

The details of this elephant!

Gate to the upper levels.

These stupas with the diamond holes are what Borobudur is known for.

Each stupa has a Buddha inside. This one lost the rest of its stupa.

See? People used to make a wish and attempt to touch the Buddhas inside. If they were able to touch, their wish would come true. However, this isn't allowed anymore to preserve the temple better.

I honestly thought I'd go to Borobudur without the chance to go up the higher levels. I'm glad I chanced upon its test run.

I mean.

It still feels surreal.

- After my visit to Borobudur, I had an hour and a half car ride to Prambanan Temple. Built in the 9th century during the Sanjaya Dynasty. It is the second largest Hindu temple in Southeast Asia (with Cambodia's Angkor Wat being the first,) and one of the top 10 largest temples in the world. It is also one of the rare temple complexes to have temples dedicated to each of the three gods of the Trimuti (that is, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.) Vaishnavite and Shaivite temples are often separate because of differences in worship rituals and focus of devotion. Brahma temples are usually rare anywhere in the world because of Shiva's curse that Brahma not be worshipped due to a wrongdoing by Brahma. However, the Prambanan Temple Complex remains mainly Shaivite as its main temple is dedicated to Shiva and and his family.

Prambanan Temple Complex. The Temple complex has three main temples, and five smaller temples facing the three main temples. 

Outfit change!

Brahma.

Walking through the corridors of the Brahma temple, overlooking the Shiva temple.

- The Durga statue in Shiva's temple is said to be made in the likeness of Roro Jonggrang, a medieval Javanese princess who was cursed to become a stone statue after deceiving a prince. This is perhaps the most intriguing statue among all the impressive statues. The carvings around the temples also tell many stories such as the Ramayana epic or Krishna's story. The temple complex doesn't seem big but there is definitely a lot to take in!

Shiva.

Shiva's child, Ganesh.

The highly detailed Durga statue, which is probably Roro Jonggrang.

Vishnu.

At the yard.

Details of the Vishnu temple.

Typical lion and kalpataru (sacred trees) carvings around the temple.

Temples from the side.

- I was driven back to my hotel after going around the Prambanan Temple. I rested for a bit, ate a late lunch, and walked along Malioboro Street. I passed by the Chinatown arch, and Pasar Beringharjo (Beringharjo Market). The big market was created in 1926, although the area being used for economic activity has been done since the 1700s.

Jalan Malioboro.

Chinatown arch.

Pasar Beringharjo.

Inside the market. It's so big and I wanted to buy everything!!

Jalan Malioboro at night.

- That night I was supposed to watch a Ramayana theater show in Prambanan. However, I received a notification from Klook in the afternoon that the show was cancelled due to a private event. While I was relieved that I was going to get my money back, I was disappointed since it was another experience that I had longed for. At the very least, I had some time to take it slowly for the rest of the evening. I just ended the day by finding myself some local Indonesian food. I eventually settled on Teras Malioboro I for dinner. Teras 1 is towards the south of Malioboro, and Teras II is towards the north of Malioboro; both are marketplaces for souvenirs and knicknacks. I tried "gudeg," which is a popular Yogyakartan dish made with young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk and sugar. It reminds me of "ginataang langka" in the Philippines; the tastes are a bit similar, although the colors are different. I liked it a lot!

Gudeg! (With iced jeruk. Jeruk is a kind of local citrus fruit.)

- I could not remove my smile after realizing that I finally visited Borobudur and Prambanan. It is always an experience to feel the energy of spiritual and historical places! Although I was ecstatic after finally visiting both temples, there was still a lot of places to explore in Yogyakarta - and visiting them was my next agenda! 

- Don't forget to check out my other adventures in Indonesia this trip!!

Part 1 (Jakarta - Kota Tua and MONAS area): here

Part 3 (Yogyakarta - Downtown): here

Part 4 (Jakarta - Glodok, Taman Mini): here

Wonderland Indonesia (Part 1): Jakarta Basics!

- April 1-2, 2023, Saturday-Sunday.

- Finally, I made it to Jakarta! A trip to this Indonesian megacity has been playing at the back of my mind for the longest time, but just didn't have the chance to go. Jakarta is the current capital of Indonesia, and is located in the island of Java. It has been the capital since Indonesian independence from the Dutch in 1945, but that might change in the near future as a new capital city is being built right at this moment. Although this is my first time to Jakarta, it is actually my second time to Indonesia as I had been to Bali almost a decade ago (see here and here). This time, my agenda was to visit Jakarta and the historic city (and former Indonesian capital of) Yogyakarta.

MUST KNOWS!!

- I flew to Jakarta in the evening of 31st March, and arrived past midnight of the first. The biggest April Fools surprise came to me immediately since all the money changers in the airport were closed, so I didn't have any money for a night. At the very least, sim card stalls were still open, and I was able to get myself a Telkomsel sim card. People will say that sim cards in the airport are quite expensive, and that's actually true, but since the best way to reach the city is through mobile car-hire apps like Grab or Gojek, it's worth buying a sim card immediately.

- Speaking of car-hire apps: Grab or Gojek? Grab is Southeast Asia's "Uber" (it actually merged with Uber a few years back), while Gojek is the local car-hire app. In Indonesia people often prefer Gojek for hiring either cars or motorcycles since it's cheaper and easier to get a ride. Gojek was my main mode of transportation in both Jakarta and Yogyakarta. Both cities have forms of public transportation, but I found Gojek more practical. I also wanted to avoid the Indonesian taxi scams, so Gojek provided a hassle-free way of getting around.

- In Jakarta, I stayed with Wonderloft Hostel (click here), which is located in Kota Tua. I absolutely loved my stay there! Dormitory-style rooms and private rooms are available, although all toilets/shower areas are for sharing. That was fine for me. (Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo!)

- Before I go straight ahead, I'd just like to say that I initially didn't know that I was traveling to Indonesia DURING RAMADAN. Ramadan is a month-long period of reflection and fasting. Muslims break their fast each sundown, which they call "iftar" or locally known in Indonesia as "bukber" (from "BUKa BERsama"). Because Indonesia is not a Muslim-exclusive country, it is still possible to find food everywhere during the day. However, because Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, there are some stalls or small restaurants that might be closed during the day. (Unfortunately, these are the ones I usually go for, since I like trying local food. Don't worry, I was still able to eat!) I also avoid asking people where to find food during the day.

ON TO THE ADVENTURE!!

- I started by morning in Kota Tua, where my hostel was. Kota Tua was the former downtown of Batavia (Jakarta's old name.) It reminds me a lot of Manila's Intramuros, so I immediately felt at home in Kota Tua.

- I took some photos at the square before having breakfast at Cafe Batavia. Cafe Batavia does not only serve great (and semi-upscale) Indonesian food, but its building itself is historical. Built in the 1800s, it was a residence and an office at some point, and eventually became Cafe Batavia in the 1990s. I adore the cafe's interiors, which is based on the 1920s/30s. 

At Fatahillah Square, with the Jakarta Museum (formerly town hall) in the backgrond.

Panorama of Fatahillah Square.

Breakfast.

I super super love the interiors!

Nasi goreng and a fruity "healthy shake" topped with the biggest basil leaf I've ever seen in my life.

- After breakfast I had to quickly hop over to the money changer (Dolarindo is often recommended) before continuing to go around Kota Tua. Its most prominent landmark is the Jakarta History Museum, formerly the town hall during the Dutch Colonial Era. It was built in the 1600s, and now shows both the ancient and colonial history of Jakarta. (The museum also has a reasonably-priced giftshop near the exit. Be careful: there are two gift shops: a more expensive one, and the reasonably-priced one. The reasonably-priced shop looks "simpler" but it does have a good variety of goods.) 

Part of the Jakarta History Museum.

This window at the second floor is a famous photo spot because it has both the Indonesian flag and a nice view of Fatahillah Square.

Colonial glory.

This mural was made by Harijadi Sumodidjodjo in the 1970s. It was left unfinished after he passed away in 1997, and due to water leaking through the walls. The mural showed how life was for the residents of Batavia back in the day.  

- The square also has two other museums: the Wayang Museum and the Ceramic Museum. The former was an old Dutch church from the 1700s. The latter was the Court of Justice from the 1800s. Both became museums in the 1970s.

Former church turned into the Wayang Museum (Puppet Museum.)

These two puppets were probably 10 feet tall! 

Typical wayang kulit.

Wayang figure designed with Arabic calligraphy.

I find this interesting: wayang kulit of Christian figures. (Jesus is the one at the far right.)

At the Ceramic Museum, located across the Wayang Museum.

Contemporary ceramic art.

- I had a bit of rest in my hostel after going around Fatahillah Square, trying to recover from my late night flight the night before. I later decided to spend the rest of my afternoon in Thamrin City, a mall in central Jakarta perfect for buying batik, accessories, and perhaps some souvenirs. (It reminds me a lot of Metro Manila's Greenhills Shopping Center!) It was overwhelming, and I suggest spending a good number of hours there as there are just too many things to see. (Make sure to haggle!!)

Thamrin City. It is a very big mall.

This is not even half of it. There are two basement levels omg.

- That night I had dinner at KFC in Kota Tua, since it was closer to my hostel, and I often like trying out menu items from international fastfood chains that seem more "local." In Jakarta, I was able to try their chicken rendang with avocado shake meal. I like it, especially as someone who likes spicy food.

Chicken rendang meal with avocado shake.

- The following day I explored Central Jakarta where most of the main tourist sites are. I first had to visit Jakarta's most iconic monument: the National Monument or "MONAS" ("MONumen NASional"). It was constructed in the 1950s after the capital moved back to Jakarta after Yogyakarta's short stint as the country's capital. The monument was finished in 1975. The park where the monument is is free, but a ticket is necessary to go inside the monument. It was the brainchild of President Sukarno right after Indonesian independence.

MONAS. I also decided to wear something close to Indonesian colors: red and white. My pants are green though. Let's just say that my green pants represent the ecological diversity of Indonesia HAHA.

Merdeka Palace (Presidential Palace) from the top of MONAS.

Itstiqlal Mosque from the top of MONAS.

Another view of MONAS.

- Near MONAS is the National Gallery, originally an 1800s Dutch residence. The gallery had both permanent and temporary exhibits. The gallery wasn't as big as I had imagined, and so it didn't take me long to finish going around the gallery. 

National Gallery.

I appreciated the full-blast air conditioning.

- I took a Gojek to Istiqlal Mosque after visiting the gallery, which is located northeast of MONAS. The Istiqlal Mosque is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. A design competition was announced after Indonesian Independence, and a Christian architect was proclaimed the winner. Having a Christian architect design a prestigious mosque, as it seems, is a reflection of Indonesia's pluralistic society. The mosque formally opened in 1978.

Mosque.

Interior.

- Since I wasn't a Muslim, I was led to the cultural office where mandatory guided tours are done. This was, people will be able to understand the basics of Islam, as well as the history of them mosque. This also ensures that the sanctity of the mosque is preserved, and that devotees are not disturbed while praying.

My mosque tour guide took this nice photo.

Minaret.

A giant drum that Indonesians in the past would use to call people to pray.

Mosque, with the spires of the Jakarta Cathedral at the back.

- I passed by the 19th-century Jakarta Cathedral, which was packed as it was Palm Sunday. I didn't stay long as the mass was about the start, but at least I was able to get a few photos. 

Cathedral.

The cathedral is air conditioned!

- I walked all the way to Pasar Baru, which is one of the oldest surviving shopping streets of Jakarta. It is vibrant and filled with textile stores, and other specialty shops, as well as thrift stores. (If you're from Manila or have been to Manila, it feels a lot of Carriedo in Quiapo, but a lot less crowded.) Pasar Baru is also known as Jakarta's Little India, and has parallelisms to Manila's own Little India in terms of ethno-linguistic make-up and history. This is why, apart from shopping, I tried to look for some Indian landmarks in Pasar Baru. They were quite scattered, and most were not open.

Southern gate of Pasar Baru.

Mahatma Gandhi School.

Pasar Baru.

A nice batik store. Bought a couple here.

A big department store chain. Although "Ramayana" is an Indian epic, it is actually owned by an Indonesian tycoon. Indonesia is highly Indian-influenced.

Sathya Sai Study Group.

- From Pasar Baru, I went back to the MONAS area to visit the National Museum, located east of MONAS. It was established in the 1700s, and is the foremost institution in the study of Indonesian history and culture. The museum also has a new wing with more exhibits. Among the museums I visited in Indonesia, it was perhaps one of my favorites because it was the kind of detailed cultural exhibit that I always look for in a national museum (apart from the air conditioning!!) 

So many Hindu-Buddhist statues OMG.

Various Indonesian religious textile.

Giant elephant carving. It's around more than 5-feet tall.

Map of Indonesia with pictures of its different ethnicities.

Traditional toy made from palm leaves.

Museum.

- I spent the rest of the late afternoon back in Kota Tua and going around Fatahillah Square. I found out that the square is even more alive at night with people just sitting on the square just talking and chilling with each other. 

Fatahillah Square at dusk.

- My first two days in Jakarta had been eventful, a good warm up for the bigger adventures to come in Indonesia. However, the places I wanted to visit the most were in the next leg of my trip to Indonesia - Yogyakarta!

- Don't forget to check out my other adventures in Indonesia this trip!!

Part 2 (Yogyakarta - Borobudur and Prambanan): here

Part 3 (Yogyakarta - Downtown): here

Part 4 (Jakarta - Glodok, Taman Mini): here