B Y S A M A N T H A V A N D E P O L L

WHY YOU NEED TO GO TO YOGYAKARTA OVER OTHER INDONESIAN DESTINATIONS.

I N T R O

There’s something quite special about visiting a new town for the first time. More so when you find a piece of yourself there. Little bit deep for a Monday morning I know but hear me out. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a fair few places over my years, many of which I adore but very few I fall madly in love with. Yep that was me several weeks ago. I planned to stop in Yogyakarta for a couple of days during my journey across Indonesia but from the second I arrived I knew it was my kinda place, so instead of staying for three days I stayed for two weeks. Yogyakarta has a Bali- ish/ Chiang Mai vibe to it but so much more untouched and far more chilled. Think relaxed bohemian vibes, colourful decorated streets, enchanting unusual temples, dynamic street art, very little tourist and some of the most fabulous Indonesian food you could ever eat. That ladies and gents, is Yogyakarta.

The story

After travelling through Malaysia for a month I found myself on a plane journey to Jakarta in early August. It was a last minute decision after other travel plans had fallen through so with mixed feelings of pure panic and fuck it running through my mind I got myself on skyscanner and just picked the cheapest flight available - Jakarta. From Jakarta I spent several weeks travelling around West Java, a far less travelled route compared to many of the famous Indonesian areas but just as gorgeous! Before long I decided to head East and jump on a slow train to Yogyakarta - with the intention of shortly moving on to East Java and the islands.

After arriving at the station in Yogyakarta we jumped in a Grab to our accommodation. Driving through the colourful flagged streets of Yogayakarta listening to Rod Stewarts greatest hits (thank the Grab driver for that one) I knew instantly I would like it here. We arrived in the area of PRAWIROTAMAN where we would be spending the next few weeks - Also known as the backpacker district, the roads around here are filled with the most wonderful little Indonesian restaurants and bars. It has such a lovely relaxed feel to it. Stay here over the Malioboro road - it is so much better for evenings and has a far nicer feel. Yogyakarta is a great to just stop and catch up with yourself but it also has plenty to do! The area is surrounded by forest, falls, caves and many other natural wonders! It also houses some of the most beautiful temples in Indonesia. You won’t get bored here that’s for sure.

W H A T TO S E E

⁃ Prambanan Temple

⁃ Borobudur Temple

⁃ The hand

⁃ The water castle and Gardens

⁃ Prambanan Jalan

⁃ Malioboro Street

⁃ The Caves

Prambanan Candi

There are two major temples that you must visit in when in Yogyakarta. Borobudur and Prambanan Candi. Both spectacular but Prambanan I must admit was by far my favourite (which may differ from most popular opinion) because I’ve honestly never seen anything quite like it in my life! There was just something about the looming towers at Prambanan, as you walk around the dusty grounds the detail of each temple is exquisite. Built in the 9th century it is also the largest Hindu complex in Indonesia.

Borobudur Candi

Now I know I said that I preferred the previous temple but do not take that in anyway to think that I do not like this one because it is equally as beautiful! Built on threw tiers, this 8th century Buddhist temple is the most popular place to visit in Central Java! TIP - pay extra to visit at sunset as it can be quite spectacular to watch the colours fade over the pagodas at Borobudur.

The hand

Pinus Pengger. The hot new destination for tourists looking for that insta perfect shot! The giant hand that looks out over the forest and newly raised decks created for photos are a great excuse to visit and explore the beautiful forests in Yogyakarta!

Taman sari

Taman Sari also know as the Water castle compromises of several sites across a small area surrounded by traditional Javanese houses. This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his entourage. The main bath area is all that survives of all the pools to this day, its European style gives thanks to the architect who studied specifically in Europe to construct these spaces! Entry is 15k Indonesian Rose per person.

Prambanan jalan

Oh boy did I love this street. Where do I even begin! This is the place to stay. With its bohemian vibes and fabulous quirky restaurants, Prambanan Jalan is a colourful street in the south of Yogyakarta. There’s plenty of watering holesto keep you amused in the evenings and some of the food I ate in this road is the best I’ve had throughout my time in Asia. I spent every evening here and I still think about it months on. Seriously go there.

Marlioboro street

Across town is the ever popular Marlioboro Street. This area is more popular with local Indonesians and the Muslim community, you’ll be hard pushed to find many bars around here however you’ll get a stronger taste of more traditional cultures here and he hawker roadside restaurants are nothing short of fabulous!

Jomblang cave

Jomblang is a vertical cave with ancient forest growing inside. This stunning natural wonder is a must when visiting Yogyakarta! To get a little extra adrenaline pumping through those veins why not try rappelling down into the cave? Make sure to visit between 11.30-12.30 to experience what most travellers want to see visiting this cave. The Heaven light. Beams or pure white light cascade down into the cave and it is nothing short of spectacular.

Yogyakarta street art

Yogyakarta is a great place to hire a bike and just explore. We stumbled across some seriously stunning streets filled with so much colour and culture! There's tonnes of street art on every corner like the beautiful piece below. Part of the reason I fell in love with this wonderful place was the creativity that flowed from it.

W H E R E T O E A T

I ate so well during my time in a Yogyakarta. The food was the highlight of my stay and the best during my travels so far! There are so many fantastic places to choose from all reasonably priced and high in quality, you’ll find majority around the Prambanan Jalan area which is why it’s a great place to base yourself.

Heru Warung

This beautiful little Indonesia restaurant had the tastiest dishes with tonnes of vegetarian and also vegan options! The beers were cheap and the outdoor seating made for a lovely relaxed evening.

Sate bar

Not going to lie I was obsessed with this place. I mean seriously obsessed.. you walk in down a long corridor only to be welcomed by the most beautiful little garden with a bar tucked into the corner and full view of the stay being cooked in an open grill. they specialise in satay which is the best satay I’ve ever had! They also have lots of vegetarian options which was an absolute dream for me. The vegetarian satay is a must. They also have live music which was the highlight of every evening here, the musicians where fantastic and after one too many pitcher of beer I found myself joining in the.. shameful I know but who cares it was fun!

Via via

This is a restaurant with a difference. Not only do they offer an extensive menu or local cuisines and some western food they also donate a percentage of earning towards environmental causes! Against plastic and the effect it has on marine life they are a plastic free restaurant. They also have a shop adjacent that sells lots of environmental friendly everyday items with the money going towards these causes.

Yam yam Thai

If you need something a little different from Indonesian cuisine then the Thai restaurant on Prambanan Jalan is your answer! Although a tad more expensive than the others, Thai has some fabulous food on offer. They have a great menu and serve authentic Thai food in great sized portions.

Hawker malioboro

Malioboro has lots of hawker style road side restaurants. Typically you crouch on carpets around communal tables and can enjoy a variety on local Indonesian dishes. There are tonnes of food places like this to choose fromup and down the road but I found typically the ones up on the north end better.

COST OF LIVING

Living in Yogyakarta is very cost effective. Most things are reasonable in price and it’s a great place if you’re looking for a slower place after travelling. Food and drink is cheaper than Malaysia and Thailand, transport around the city is also good. Flights to Yogyakarta are more expensive than average. It’s also with nothing that several of the larger temples are UNESCO sights - this means they are generally far more expensive in comparison to the area.

Yogyakarta is a real gem. It’s not a place to miss or be overlooked because of other more popular areas in ID. It’s relaxed bohemian attitude make it perfect for a slower pace of life and I for one can’t wait to return.