10 Stunning Attractions You Can’t Miss in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia

This 113 foot high pyramid is a bit of a Buddhist mystery.

Built between the 8th and 9th centuries by the ruling Buddhist Cailendra dynasty, little is known about the temple's original purpose or name.

Borobudur contains four main platforms with one large circular stupa at the top. At each level, smaller buddhas sit comfortably ensconced in circular rings.

In the background, four volcanoes shroud Borobudur in mist (only one volcano is dormant). The purple orange haze is quite the stunning backdrop for the entire stone structure.

Prambanan temple is a UNESCO world heritage site consisting of 240 temples built by the subsequent ruling dynasty, the Hindu-led X.

The temple site is dedicated to the expression of God as the trimurti, or Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver) and Shiva (Destroyer), towering 47 meters high. 

In the evenings, you can catch the spectacular Ramayana ballet performance. Over 200 dancers and musicians perform in open air, with the magnificent temple as the backdrop.

Traditional Indonesian fabric is a distinctive cloth with intricate batik dye.

To make the cloth, wax-resistant dye is applied to the fabric dry by either drawing dots or lines using a spouted tool called the canting, or by printing with a copper stamp called the cap.

It's a bit of inverse process, as the wax is dye resistant, and allows the artisan to selectively color the cloth.

Yogyakarta has a long history of making batik fabric and is where the art form is the most highly developed.

Travel to the highlands of Indonesia and you'll see beautiful lush paddy fields cascading in terraces all along the mountainsides.

Indonesia is the world's third largest rice producer and the stunning rice landscapes are not to be missed! Often you'll find a picturesque small rustic wooden hut set at the base of the green fields.

To water the fields, a complex irrigation system is set in place where day to day management is in the hands of local village cooperatives, called ‘subak'.

The unique subak system of agrarian communities has been handed down for generations.

Jomblang cave is famous for the streaming heavenly light that descends into the cave.

The cave is said to have formed when a forest collapsed due to an earthquake, forming a 200 meter hole in the ground. Light penetrates directly over the cave's hole at approximately noon.

To get to the hole, you'll be dropped through a rope and pulley system approximately 90 meters down.

Best to book through a tour.

A garden chateau with an elaborate series of swimming pools, this palace was built by the Portugese (when they briefly resided in Java) as a gift for the wives of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I.

The castle is built in an architectural style loved by Yogyakarta's ancient royalty and boasts not only a magnificent view but an eerie underground catacomb that's worth checking out!

Kraton of Yogyakarta is the city's palace complex and the main seat of the Sultan Yogyakarta and his family.

It also serves as a cultural center with a museum for the Sultan's artifacts. More of a walled mini city than a palace, this massive compound is home to 25,000 people and has its own industries, schools and shops.

Distinctive features to note: the male and female dragon entrances, the European-influenced architecture, gifts from various European monarchs and sacred banyan trees.

Kalibiru is a park organized by locals that has blown up on social media for it's dream worthy landscape.

The most distinctive feature is a small wooden platform overlooking the mountains and lush green forest below. Kalibiru is about a 1 – 2 hour drive west of the city, near the Menoreh mountain range.

Interesting fact: the park was completely built by local citizens – previously the area had no greenery due to logging and palm oil clearing.

Mount Merapi erupted in 2006 and again in 2010 and remains active today.

For the adventurous traveler, the volcano can be climbed in a lava tour! On the hike, you'll stop at two lava formed ravines, carved by the eruptions and the Sisa Hartaku Museum (‘my remaining belongings'), which displays items damaged by the eruption.

You can even find a click that stopped at the exact time of the eruption. For early birds and photographs, a great way to see the volcanic mountain is via sunrise trek.

Wayang is the Javanese word for a theatrical performance with shadow puppets.

Performances are typically accompanied by an orchestra and officially recognized by the UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Don't miss one of these uniquely Indonesian highlights while you're in Yogyakarta!

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