This travel post focuses on the places to visit and things to do in Yogyakarta Indonesia – you’ll find information on sights and activities, transportation to and from Yogyakarta, hotels & accommodations in Yogyakarta, and all the costs associated.
Yogyakarta, though spelled with Ys is pronounced ‘Jogjakarta’ (also called ‘Jogja’), is a bustling city and a popular tourist destination due to Prambanan and Borobudur Temples closeby. Yogyakarta is also known for its shopping, leave some room in your suitcases if you intend to shop!
How to Get from Probolinggo to Yogyakarta- Transportation
Check out our previous post to find out how to get to Yogyakarta from Probolinggo.
Where to Stay in Yogyakarta – Hotels, Hostels & Accommodations
Kampoeng Djawa Hotel – 160,000RP for a spacious double room with fan, private bathroom, towels, free WiFi, breakfast included and a TV. The hotel was very charming, especially its little courtyard but was fully booked the rest of our stay so we moved over to Hotel Seno. The hotel is a bit far from Jalan Malioboro – about 15mins drive.
Hotel Seno – for 100,000RP per night for a basic double room with fan, clean shared bath. The hotel has a restaurant where you can indulge in Mie & Nasi Goreng (which we did, a lot). It is located next to a mosque so expect morning chants. We spent three night here and were satisfied with the service, though a little removed from Jalan Malioboro.
How to get around Yogyakarta – Local Transportation
When we weren’t walking around town, we took becaks/pedicabs, and always negoticated/agreed on a price before hopping on.
Taxis are metered and starting price is about 5,500RP (USD $5.50).
From our hotel, we hopped on mini vans/buses to get to Jalan Malioboro – a fun way to travel. You flag the van down, the driver barely stops as you jump on board – about 3,000RP per person.
Buses are air-conditionned, clean and have set routes (e.g.: Prambanan temples).
What to do in Yogyakarta – Sights & Activities in Yogyakarta
As travelers, we are always looking for the must-not-miss activities when we visit a new city and as much as possible, the off-the-beaten-path activities – and all of that on a budget. Within the city of Yogyakarta, we mostly wandered around, visiting the city by foot and on our must-do list were Borobudur and Prambanan Temple Complex.
You can actually buy both tickets (Prambanan and Borobudur) at once and pay 320,000RP (USD $32). Entrance fee was 160,000RP for foreign tourist (USD $16) at the time of our visit but based on their website, it is currently 180,000RP (USD $18) or 360,000RP (USD $36) to visit both temples per person. Quite a hefty price to pay but both sites are really worth it. Check their website for current entrance fees before going. If you have a student ID card, it is the moment to bring it along as it is half the price (one of the few sites in Asia which offered student discount).
Prambanan : We opted for a sunset tour of Prambanan. It was raining the day of our visit so we enjoyed the tour under grey skies but it didn’t diminish the beauty of Prambanan, A sunrise visit on a clear day might be the best time to visit Prambanan. The temple is open from 6am to 6pm. At night, there is a dance performance called the Ramanaya Ballet Prambanan with the illuminated temple in the background. Check the website for dates, performances are only on certain days.
To reach Prambanan on your own, take bus 1A (5,000RP or USD $5 per person per ride) on Jalan Malioboro, the main road in Yogyakarta (close to many hostels – and also where the Tourism Office is located if you need any information). Prambanan is about 9 miles (15km) away fromYogyakarta. The ride takes about an hour.
Borobudur : We decided on a sunrise visit of Borobudur and were not disappointed. We went with a tour, booked with our hotel, to avoid transportation hassle (Borobudur is about 25 miles or 40km away from Yogyakarta). The cost for hotel pick-up and drop-off was 60,000RP per person (USD $6). We were picked up around 5 am to get to Borobudur in time for sunrise. The temple was almost empty, quiet and at perfect temperature before the hot sun came out. The temple is open from 6am to 6pm.
How to Get from Yogyakarta to Bandung – Transportation
Train: Yogyakarta’s has two train stations: main one is Tugu station (off of Jalan Malioboro) and for economy-class, there is the Lempunyangan station, further out. For non-economy class seats, you can book your ticket from Tugu station.
We went to Lempunyangan station to book our economy ticket to Bandung the day before for an overnight ride to Bandung for 100,000RP per person (USD $10). The train was not full so we had the whole couch to ourselves.
Bus: check out this link for information.
How to Get from Yogyakarta to Jakarta – Transportation
Trains leave from both stations: from the main Tugu Station – you can expect prices ranging 150,000-280,000RP for an 8-9hr ride and from Lempunyangan around 35,000RP for a 10hr-ride (USD $3.50).
Bus: Buses to Jakarta take 9-10hrs and cost from 90,000RP to 140,000RP (USD $9-$14).
What did YOU do when in Yogyakarta? Did you visit Prambana/Borobudur at sunrise/sunset? What was your experience like? Share your travel stories with us! We love to hear from you!
Happy Travels!!xx
See more photos of Jogja’s Becak (pedicabs), see the photos of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Jogjakarta (Borobudur and Prambanan), read the story with street photography and photos of youth in Yogyakarta, watch the video interviews, or read the feature story 4am at the Mosque (coming soon).
There is a hotel in the grounds of Borobudur, where we stayed when I went there. It’s quite basic but clean, a little over-priced. But staying here means you can avoid the peddlers by the main gate, and walk straight in to Borobudur at whatever time you want. So sunrise and sunset is no problem. There are also small restaurants nearby in the side streets for better (and cheaper) food than the hotel offers.
Thank you for sharing, Chris! Would you happen to remember the name of the hotel? Were there more than one hotel around? Thanks for reading ! -Carole