Making the most of a city starts with creating the perfect itinerary. Many of us are lazy, some of us just don’t know where to start. That’s not a problem, this three-day itinerary is just what you were looking for (trust me, I’ve been around Yogya for almost a year).
Before I start, let me be clear, I made two assumptions when creating this itinerary. Firstly, I’ve assumed that you’ll be flying into Yogyakarta in the afternoon. The second assumption I made is that you’ll be leaving in the evening. If you’re not doing either of these things, then you’ll have to mix it up a bit, but as regular travellers, I’m sure this won’t be a problem for you.
The Ultimate Three Day Yogyakarta Itinerary
Day One
Transportation: If you’re coming into Yogyakarta in the early afternoon, the first thing you’re going to want to do is check into your hotel. It’s about a 25 minute drive from the airport into the city. There are buses that go all the way into town and cost just Rp3,000 per person for a ticket. Alternatively you can order a taxi from the counter or – the cheaper option – walk out of the airport until you hit the main road (three minute walk) and get a taxi with a meter.
Rentals: Once you’ve signed into the hotel, you’ll probably want to organize your own transportation for the duration of your time in Yogyakarta. You can hire a motorbike for Rp50,000 per day from most hotels or rent a car with a driver for Rp 450,000- Rp 500,000 a day. You can use a mixture of taxis and public transport, but I would advise against it.
Coffee Shops: If you’ve traveled any distance, you probably won’t want to do much on your first day. This won’t be. Problem. There are lots of great coffee shops in the city where you can grab a bite to eat or simply unwind. Here is a list of my personal favourites.
Ramayana Ballet from 7: The Ramayana Ballet is based on a Hindu poem from Sri Lanka. Set against the backdrop of the Perambanan temple, this beautiful story is acted out by a cast of professional performers and is the perfect way to start your vacation. Prices start from Rp 100,000 per person for basic seating and go up to a maximum if Rp 350,000 per person. For more information about times and what to expect, visit this site.
Day Two (it’s a long one)
Sunrise Borobudur: Ok. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not a morning person, but I’ve been told this is beautiful. So if you can drag yourself out of bed to watch sunrise at Borobudur, then you should read this guide.
Borobudur Temple (Morning): UNESCO World Heritage Site, biggest stone temple in Indonesia and generally awesome. There are a lot of reasons why Borobudur has to be on any Yogyakarta itinerary. Make sure to get here early though as the sun in this part of the world is scorching and there is very little shade. Entrance costs for foreign tourists is high, but you’ll just have to grit your teeth and pay the price. For more information about Borobudur and how to get there click here.
Prambanan (Afternoon): Prambanan is located just on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. It’s actually possible to get a TransYogya bus all of the way to the temple, which is great if you are traveling on a tight budget. The temple complex is bigger than Borobudur and there’s a bit more to see (there’s also a lot more shade). Ticket prices for foreigners are the same as Borobudur.
Ratu Boko (Sunset): If you’ve made it this far, then high five, because it will have been a long day. I promise you though it is worth it. Candi Ratu Boko is located on a series of hills overlooking Prambanan and is the perfect place to catch the sunset. The temple is just a short 20 minute drive from Prambanan, so it’s also pretty easy to get to. Here’s a bit more imformation about the temple, just in case you’re interested.
Day Three
Taking it Easy: At this point you will have done most of the best things to do in Yogyakarta and what’s left will take at least six or seven hours to see. So instead of giving yourself a heart attack rushing to the airport at the last minute, why not simply take it easy. Therea re plenty of markets to visit – the most famous of which is Malioboro – as well as a couple of local palaces and the main square.
Plaosan: If you’re determined to do something interesting on your last day and you’re not tired of temples, you can go and visit Plaosan Temple, which is located close to Prambanan. It’s actually on the same side of the city as the airport, so it is possible to visit it before you catch a flight out in the evening. If you do decide to visit Plaosan, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to ensure you get to the airport on time.
Alternative Activities
All of the activities listed below, with the exception of Mount Merapi are essentially day trips. You will not be able to do more than one of these things in a day and it is almost impossible to combine with other activities outside of the city.
Mount Merapi:
Humans seem to have a fascination with danger, so it should come as no small surprise that climbing Mount Merapi is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. A hike up the volcano will take a healthy person around four hours to do, so it’s possible to do it in a day. Most people choose to either sleep overnight at the top of the volcano or start climbing at around 11 pm so they can catch sunrise from the top. Pretty much every tour agency in the city will offer you a tour package for climbing Merapi that will cost around Rp 500,000 per person. If you want to save money, here is a guide to climbing Merapi on the cheap (Rp 300,000 in total). Merapi is an active volcano, so make sure to check its status before you leave and do ‘t go climbing it on your own.
Climb Merbabu
Merbabu is one of the highest mountains on Java and is a great alternative – it’s not a volcano for a start – to climbing Merapi. The mountain is about a three hour drive from Yogyakarta in the cool highlands of Java. The scenery on the drive is stunning, but bring plenty of thermals because it gets seriously cold at night!
Tags: Yogyakarta