7 Awe-Inspiring things to do in Yogyakarta will take you to breathtaking Borobudur and Prambanan temples, pedal you through busy backstreets in a becak, serve up sizzling satay, and find you a cold Bintang and a comfy hostel bed at the end of the day.
by Worldwide Wilbur – updated January 2019
Where is Yogyakarta?
Yogyakarta (pronounced JOG-JA-KAR-TA, or simply JOG-JA) is a busy city of 400,000 people and the most popular tourist destination on the island of Java, in Indonesia. The historic city lies close to the fabulous temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. The city is full of universities, and a traditional art and music cultural scene. The vast history of the area includes relics from Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Dutch Colonial empires. Yogyakarta tourism is not as packaged and overcrowded as Bali, so you can relax and explore without the crowds. You’ll find many interesting things to do in Yogyakarta.
7 Awe-Inspiring Things to Do in Yogyakarta:
See the sun rise over Borobudur
Borobudur is the largest and most magnificent Buddhist stupa complex in the world. Built between 750 and 825AD, this massive 113 foot tall pyramid is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Buy a combo ticket to enter both here and Prambanan for 420,000IDR ($29). Many travel desks offer a door-to-door minibus service leaving very early in the morning (like 4am!)
Borobudur is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kamadhatu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.
Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur is Indonesia’s single most visited tourist attraction.
At its six AM opening Borobudur is surprisingly quiet. You can walk its cool pathways in silence, while marveling at the carved reliefs along the walls. The morning sun struggles to cut through the smog and leaves little shadow from the Buddhas. The only sound at the peak is of camera clicks, as one woman sits in the lotus position, meditating while facing the rising sun. But of course, this is Java, the worlds’ most populous island with 120 million people, and silence never lasts long.
Explore the Prambanan Temples
Prambanan is a group of 240 Hindu Temples up to 155 feet tall. They were built in 850AD after a Hindu Dynasty had taken control of the area. It is less crowded than Borobudur, and you can walk unbothered around the main temples through grassy fields.
Watch the Ramayana at Prambanan Temple.
Over 200 dancers and musicians perform this ancient ballet at night with the temples as a backdrop. The show includes shooting flaming arrows! It is a great show, and a portion of the stage actually burned down during the climax of the story when we went! Certainly one of the most entertaining things to do in Yogyakarta.
Visit the Kraton Yogyakarta or Sultan’s Palace.
If you are lucky you’ll get an amusing tour of the Kraton Yogyakarta from the tiny eighty-year old tour lady. This adorable little lady had lived next door to the Sultan’s palace all her life, and had met the current and two previous Sultans. She makes jokes throughout the tour about such things as how much of a dowry you would have had to pay to your wife’s dad if she were Indonesian, how you could pick up another wife or two while you are in Java, and how it is traditional for the bride to be carried by the groom to the altar, but that one of the Sultan’s daughters was so fat, she just walked up. The Sultan of Yogyakarta still lives in the Kraton, but is unavailable for selfies. ($1 entry)
Go shopping on Malioboro Street
Java artisans are famous for batik, silver work, puppets and masks. Prices are very reasonable, and the intricacy and time put into the artwork is impressive.
Watch Wayang Kulit
This is a traditional Javanese leather puppet shadow play. Nightly shows from 8-10pm, except Sundays, at Sonobudoyo Museum. ($1.50 entry)
Listen to Gamelan music
You’ll fall in love with the haunting tones of this bell-clanging traditional Indonesian musical style. Be sure to catch the local Gamelan Yogyakarta.
Pedal on a Bike Tour
Pedal through the picturesque countryside on a Javanese bike. Explore the peaceful countryside and see the daily activities of the locals such as making tempeh (a traditional soy product from Indonesia), ketupat (a type of dumpling made from rice packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch), and witness how locals harvest, sow and plow the rice plants.
Things to Do in Yogyakarta – What you Need to Know:
Backpacker Daily Budget:
$22. With $4 hostel beds, $3 meals, and $2 beers, Java is a backpackers paradise.
Cheap Beer index:
20,000IDR $1.40 for a 12oz bottle of Bintang in a bar or restaurant. The big 650ml bottles are more popular, and cheaper by volume at 30,000 or $2.10
When to visit Yogyakarta:
Java is hot and humid all year round, with no noticeable change in temperature. Daily highs only vary from 86 to 88! There is a change in rain, humidity and clouds from season to season. While still very humid by any standard, the drier season is mid-April to mid- November. The best time to visit is June to September. Mid-August is the driest time of the year with the best chance at blue sky.
What languages are spoken in Java?
Everyone speaks Bahasa Indonesia. English is likely to be spoken by people in the tourism industry.
Do you need an Indonesian visa?
Visas are not required for nationals of USA, UK, AUS, and CAN who can stay for tourism up to 30 days. Your passport must be valid for 6 months from arrival, and you must have an onward flight booking. If you want to stay longer then 30 days, you’ll need to purchase a $35 Visa On Arrival. The 30-days-visa-free is not renewable. The $35 Visa On Arrival IS extendable for another 30 days at the Immigration Office in the city.
Getting to Yogyakarta:
The most common way to arrive is via Yogyakarta’s Adisucipto International Airport (JOG). It has numerous flights to Bali, Jakarta, and other Indonesian cities, as well as international flights to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Learn how to fly to Java for free on my page: Nine Steps to Free Flights Worldwide.
From the airport:
The cheapest way to the tourist district of Malioboro is via the comfortable, air-con public Transjogja bus. TransJogja 1A or 3A will take you there for just 4000IDR (28 cents!). Go to payment counter Halte Bandara Adisutjipto. This shelter is located at the northern parking lot of the airport. After exiting the arrival section, keep going until you walk past the information center and take a left turn into the underpass and head to the northern parking lot.
Next cheapest (if you have only a backpack for luggage) would be a GoJek motorbike taxi. GoJek can drive you to the airport, but they are not allowed to pick you up. However, you can take a 15-minute walk to the west until you reach the First-Class Immigration Office of Yogyakarta and order the GoJek there. Another option is to get on Trans Jogja Bus route 1A, 1B or 3B from the airport shelter and just get off at the nearest shelter (Halte Jl. Solo (Jayakarta)) and then order the GoJek service from there.
You can also pay a visit to the Rajawali Taxi counter in front of the arrival gate (to the right, near Roti O stand). A taxi to Malioboro should cost about 75,000IDR ($5). Nearly every hotel and hostel is willing to arrange for someone to pick you up for a pre-set fare (that may or may not be cheaper than a taxi). Regardless, that pre-arranged driver WILL know how to find your guesthouse, and you won’t have to deal with any haggling or getting lost.
Other taxi drivers will approach you as soon as you exit customs. They will want 120,000. ($8)
If you prefer not haggling with taxi drivers, you can pre-arrange a private airport transfer for $20.
By Boat:
You can take a ferry for Yogyakarta to Bali island. Ferries cross from Ketapang to Gilimanuk in western Bali every 15 min, 24 hr every day. These are very cheap, and the crossing takes just 30 min. From there, multiple bus lines will get you to Yogyakarta in 15 hours via Surabaya and Surakarta.
By Train:
The fastest, most comfortable way (other than flying) to get from Jakarta to Yogyakarta is by train. Always choose a train over a bus if possible. Traffic is thick, and drivers can be a little crazy. Trains from Jakarta take 7.5 to 9.5 hours and tickets cost $10 to $30 depending on the class of service. Yogyakarta train station is conveniently located in the main tourist zone. The executive, business and air-con economy class trains all use this station. Basic economy class trains use Lempuyangan Station, one mile away. Executive and business class are both comfortable with air-con, food service, and toilets. Economy trains have small, hard seats, and are built for small Indonesian people, not 6 foot, 250 pound Americans. Just saying…
By Bus:
A bus from Jakarta takes about 12 hours. Tickets are the same prices as the much faster train. Buses depart three times per day from Yogyakarta to Bali for $22 and take 20 hours including the ferry. Yogyakarta’s main terminal is inconveniently located four miles south of the tourism zone. You can choose from Executive, VIP, Patas, Business or Economy. You really want to choose Executive, VIP or Patas. These have air-con, toilets, a meal and pillow and blanket. Business class has AC, but much less personal space. Economy will be miserable, with no AC, no space, no toilets, hard seats.
Things to Do in Yogyakarta – How to Get Around:
You will have the unique opportunity to travel by human-powered transport, something that only exists in a few places on Earth nowadays.
By Becak:
The becak is a curious human-powered contraption, native to Java. It’s back half is a bicycle. It’s front half is a canvas roofed cart with two sturdy wheels, and seating for two (Indonesian-sized) people. They are all over Yogyakarta. Rides must be negotiated in advance, but are very cheap. A dollar for a 10 minute ride is fair. For 6 dollars he (all drivers are men) will take you around all day. The ride is verrrrry slow. You will have to get out at any uphills, as the driver cannot physically pedal all your weight uphill. You may find yourself planning to walk somewhere, but will hear “Becak?” “Becak?” from the multitudes of becak drivers. Becak driving is not a profitable occupation, judging by the number of idle becaks. It would not be unusual for a driver to go an entire day without a fare. For this reason, when you agree to a becak ride the driver will press you to let him drive you around all day. As a Westerner with the “time is money” ethic, you might be suspicious of a driver willing to wait around for you for two hours while you go to a shopping mall or restaurant. But you are likely his best or only fare for the day, and you are paying a tourist price, so he will wait as long as it takes. Once you accept this economic situation at face value, that a man is willing to pedal you around all day, in ninety degree heat, for six dollars; you can just avail yourself of his services, give him a good tip, and everybody’s happy.
By Andong:
Less common are Andong, or horse-drawn carts. They can pull a little more weight. Similar prices as becak.
By TransJogja Bus:
These clean, air-con buses locally called “TJ” follow 17 set routes that can take you anywhere in the city. You can even get to Prambanan Temple on it. Wherever you are going, the fare is a flat fee of just 4000IDR (28 cents). Buses operate from 5:30am to 930pm.
By GoJek or Grab motorbike taxi:
GoJek is kinda like Uber for motorbikes. You download the app, and then order rides. They are cheaper than taxis, and faster, as they can squeeze through openings in traffic.
Gojek Go-car or Grab-car:
Grab has taken over from Uber, and provides app ordered car rides for cheaper than taxis.
By Taxi:
Most have meters. Make sure the meter is on, or negotiate before getting in.
Renting a scooter:
You can rent a scooter for 75,000IDR ($5) a day, or even as little as $20 a week or $50 a month for long stays. You’ll need an International Driving Permit, with a motorcycle endorsement. The rental guy won’t ask for this, but the police will when they stop you. Helmets are mandatory. Headlights and tail-lights must be on at all times. Yogya has thick traffic, narrow roads, and is no place to learn to ride a scooter. It is better to rent from a large rental company than from individuals, who might be looking to run scams blaming you for pre-existing damage. Word on the street is that the Jogja cops are much less likely to pull traffic fine scams than the cops in Bali.
Renting a car:
You can rent a clunker car for as little as $10 a day, but generally for more like $20-25. Again, you must have an International Driving Permit.
Hiring a car and driver:
A safe and economical choice for a day tour around the island. You can hire an English speaking driver for a full 10 hour day of driving up to five people all over Java for just $45.
Indonesian Currency and how to get it:
You can get Indonesian Rupiah (14,583 IDR = $1USD) from numerous ATM’s. Trust money changers that have been recognized by Bank Indonesia; these establishments advertise their status as Pedagang Valuta Asing Berizin or PVA Berizin (Indonesian for “Authorized Money Changer”) with a green PVA Berizin shield where it can be seen by customers. For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when travelling, check out my post on How to Access your Money in Foreign Countries.
Stay Connected:
Indonesia has six GSM network operators. Foreigners need to go to an offical store of the provider and show their passport to get registered. You can buy a SIM card on the street, however, if your SIM has been suddenly shut off for any reason, you can only re-activate it (and not lose the preloaded credit) by officially registering this SIM in a store of the provider. To be safe, you should skip this gamble and go there right away for SIM purchase.
Stay away from their airport kiosks. They will only sell you huge packages with a steep surcharge. In Jogja, you can get a SIM much cheaper, though tourists will aways pay a small surcharge and prices for start-up packages. All of these providers will work well in Bali. But, if you are also travelling to other smaller, less populated islands, you should only consider Telkomsel and IM3 Ooredoo.
- Telkomsel is the national leader with a market share of about 40%.
- IM3 Ooredoo (a.k.a. Indosat) is the 2nd operator in Indonesia with 22% share of the market.
- 3 (= Tri)
- XL Axiata
- Smartfren
- Net1
For more info on your telecom options, check out my post on How to Get Cheap Mobile Phone Service Worldwide.
Where to stay in Yogyakarta:
Jogja has many good hostels for incredibly cheap prices. Just about the cheapest on Earth.
- Bilik Bamboo Hostel has dorm beds for $3.50. It has free wi-fi, air-con, and a garden. It’s centrally located, but down a quiet alley. Staff are very helpful, and it is spotlessly clean.
- OstiC House has dorm beds with breakfast for $4. It has free wi-fi, air-con, and you can access their sister properties POOL. It’s centrally located, has a tour desk, organizes bar-hopping nights, has foosball, and book exchange.
- Yez Yez Yez All Good Hostel has dorm beds for $5. It has free wi-fi, but no air-con, and a POOL. It’s a hippie funky place with lots of beanbag chairs, hammocks, and a TATTOO PARLOR! Fun happens here.
- ABRAKADABRA! ARTBNB has dorm beds with breakfast for $5. It has free wi-fi, but no air-con, and a POOL. It is centrally located, has amazing artwork, and interesting features.
Yogyakarta Restaurants:
Jogja is the kind of place where you can afford to splurge, as even the best restaurants are affordable by western standards. Here are some of the best cheap eats:
- SateBar – the place to go for Satay.
- Water Castle Cafe – suprisingly good food in the Taman Sari Yogyakarta Castle.
- YamYam – great cheap Thai.
- Bakmi Jowo Mbah Gito – the Javanese noodle experts
- Gudeg Sagan – good traditional Indonesian.
- ViaVia – Restaurant connected to the ViaVia hostel.
Yogyakarta Nightlife:
Jogja has excellent nightlife. It is a somewhat conservative Islamic city, but has a big student population. Your best bet will be bars frequented by other foreign tourists on Malioboro Street, or in the Prawirotaman area. There are several bars and dance clubs that get going on the weekends.
- Boshe VVIP is a dance club just in front of City Mall. There is a Rp70,000 ($5) entrance fee for men (free for ladies). They have a local live band or go-go dancers, and late night a DJ. Prices are very expensive for Java (small local beer is Rp50,000), it attracts an older, richer male crowd.
- Liquid Next Generation has the same concept as Boshe. It has a stage with live music or DJs, and people watch the show from tables and sofas. It is still popular, but does not look as modern, and has a more underground vibe (dark, noisy, smoky). Entrance fee is Rp35,000. Open every day from 10pm to 4am.
- Cubic Kitchen & Bar is a modern bar and restaurant on 2 floors with live music or DJs on the weekend. Hip crowd with some expats and young travelers. Free cocktails for ladies night on Friday.
- Sakapatat is a beer garden with a young expat and Indonesian crowd. It is relaxed, friendly and cheap. You can get a local beer for just Rp30,000.
- Taphouse is trendy and happening on Wednesdays, Fridays (hip-hop) and Saturdays.
- Liquid Bar & Kitchen is a large warehouse filled with picnic tables where people come as a group for beers/wine and snacks.
Get a Yogyakarta travel guide book:
Lonely Planet Indonesia is the best guide for the area.
What to Pack:
It is hot and humid. Pack light thin clothes. Be sure to pack long sleeves and full pants or skirts, you’ll need these to enter sites of religious origin. To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post The Worldwide Travel Packing List.
Is Yogyakarta safe?
Yes. Violent crime is very rare in Yogyakarta. Most travelers have no problems. There are some measures to take to keep safe, most the same as anywhere:
- Traffic accidents and pedestrian danger should be your top priority. Think twice before renting a scooter.
- Keep valuables hidden. Pickpockets are possible on public transport. Don’t sling a bag over your shoulder while on the street, or on moving transport. Thieves can grab it, and you would be injured by getting yanked over.
- Don’t let your credit card out of your sight. Choose ATM’s located INSIDE a bank, rather than on a street whenever possible.
- Yogyakarta has very polluted air. Asthmatics should have an inhaler.
- Don’t drink the tap water. Do stay hydrated with bottled water, and use sunscreen. You are right on the equator.
- Think twice before buying weed from some guy on the street. Drug penalties are very strict in Indonesia, and pushers may work in tandem with cops to entrap you. Indonesia EXECUTES drug traffickers.
- Don’t drink Arak / Ciu / Lapen. This backyard brewed local rice moonshine can kill people if distilled improperly. Local people have died from bad batches.
- Avoid contact with dogs, cats, monkeys and other animals that could carry rabies. If bitten seek immediate medical attention.
When you are ready to book your trip, be sure to use the best booking sites:
Book Your Flight:
Find your flight using Momondo.com. It is the best airfare search engine, as it finds the cheapest flights, and will find ALL the flights. (Here’s the proof.)
Book Your Accommodation:
Choose your lodging using Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)
Get Travel Insurance:
You can’t afford to travel without travel insurance. Car accidents, illnesses, and theft do happen. It could save your life. I never travel without it. I use World Nomads.
Need Some Gear?
Check out my Worldwide Travel Packing List for the best travel gear for your adventures. I’ve already read all the online reviews, and tested it all out, so you can just click and buy the best stuff.
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