Central Java
Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, World Heritage–listed Prambanan is Indonesia's largest Hindu site and one of Southeast Asia's major…
Must-see attractions in Central Java
Borobudur
Dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, and built from two million blocks of stone, Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple and one of Indonesia's…
Yogyakarta
Beside the southern alun-alun (main square), Yogya's enormous kraton (palace) is the cultural and political heart of this fascinating city. Effectively a…
Central Java
In a magnificent position 900m above the Solo plain with fine views of Gunung Lawu, Candi Sukuh is one of Java’s most enigmatic and striking temples. It’s…
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Semarang
Semarang’s atmospheric old quarter, often referred to by its Dutch name, the Outstadt, is well worth investigating. Until recently, most of the area’s…
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Sangiran Museum of Ancient Man
Solo
With the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils in the world (the bones of 70 individuals), Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site…
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Yogyakarta
This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his…
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Borobudur
This exquisite temple, around 3.5km east of Borobudur, may look insignificant compared with its mighty neighbour, but it houses the most outstanding…
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Central Java
Ringed by highland forest and steep-sided vegetable terraces, this lake is renowned for its exquisite colour. Ranging from a delicate turquoise to a rich…
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Solo
Danar Hadi is one of the world's finest batik museums. The handpicked favourites from the owner's private collection (1078 pieces from a collection of 11…
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Central Java
From the courtyards behind the mesjid (mosque), a palm-lined path leads to the imposing tomb of the Muslim saint Sunan Kudus, shrouded behind a curtain of…
Solo
Once the hub of an empire, today the Kraton Surakarta, established in 1745, is a faded symbol of a bygone era. It’s worth a visit, but much of the kraton…
Yogyakarta
This treasure chest is one of the best museums in Yogya. It is only small but is home to a first-class collection of Javanese art, including wayang kulit…
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Central Java
The hilltop mausoleum of former president Suharto occupies a commanding position, 34km southeast of Solo. Suharto planned this monument well in advance of…
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Semarang
This huge Chinese temple complex, 5km southwest of the city centre, comprises three main temple buildings and many smaller structures that date back to…
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Central Java
Candi Cetho (pronounced 'Cheto') is spread over terraces rising up the misty hillside, on the northern face of Gunung Lawu at around 1400m. Thought to…
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Solo
Built in 1757, the Mangkunegaran Palace in the centre of Solo is still a royal residence. Some rooms are dedicated to a delightful palace museum devoted…
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Central Java
Built around the same time as the larger Prambanan temple group, the Plaosan temples combine both Hindu and Buddhist religious symbols in their elaborate…
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Central Java
Fans of vintage railways will love this museum, located in the premises of the old Koening Willem I station, a couple of kilometres outside of town on the…
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Yogyakarta
One of Indonesia’s most celebrated artists, Affandi (1907–90) lived and worked in a wonderfully quirky self-designed riverside studio, about 6km east of…
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Central Java
Demak’s venerable Mesjid Agung (circa 1466), notable for its triple-tiered roof, is Java's oldest mosque and one of the archipelago’s foremost Muslim…
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Semarang
Semarang's most famous landmark, Lawang Sewu ('Thousand Doors'), comprises two colossal colonial buildings that were one of the headquarters of the…
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Central Java
Kraton Ratu Boko is a partly ruined Hindu palace complex dating from the 9th century. Perched on a hilltop overlooking Prambanan, it is believed to have…
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Central Java
This sweeping stretch of coast, an hour's drive from Yogya, is home to the important cottage industry of seaweed collection. Locals bent double over the…
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Yogyakarta
In 1582, Kota Gede was made the first capital of the Mataram kingdom, the founder of which, Panembahan Senopati, is buried in a tomb here. Today, the area…
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Central Java
From Kaliurang, there are two entrances to this national park, set on the shoulders of volcanic Gunung Merapi. The more developed entrance on Jl Kaliurang…
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Semarang
Semarang’s Chinatown is well worth investigating, particularly around the riverside Gang Lombok. With temples, pagodas, shop houses, jade jewellers,…
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Central Java
For a spectacular perspective of Telaga Warna, it's worth climbing the hill above the lake. Called Ratapan Angin (and signposted as Dieng Plateau Theatre)…
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Central Java
One of the oldest Buddhist temples on the Prambanan Plain, the 8th-century Candi Kalasan stands just off the main highway, 13km east of Yogyakarta en…
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Central Java
This volcanic crater with steaming vents and bubbling mud ponds is a major local tourist attraction, marked by rows of warung food stalls and…
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Central Java
This royal tomb is a major focus of pilgrimage, but visitors are welcome to join pilgrims at specified times. To enter the tombs, which are accessed via a…
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Central Java
This Shiva temple, possibly the latest temple at Prambanan to be erected by the Mataram dynasty, was discovered by a farmer in 1966. Excavated from under…
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Central Java
This 8th-century temple has the three-part design of the larger Plaosan temple but is probably slightly older. Some experts believe that its 2nd floor may…
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Central Java
Close to the ferry port, this is Jepara's most popular beach. With funfair rides, souvenir stalls, tethered goats, shell shops and mosques, it's a good…
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Central Java
South of Dieng village, the main attractions are the sunrise viewpoint of Gunung Sikunir, 1km past Sembungan village, and the shallow lake of Telaga…
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Central Java
The five main Shiva temples that form the Arjuna Complex are clustered together in the middle of the Dieng Plateau. In common with other temples in the…
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Yogyakarta
Due to a schism in the ruling royal family, there is a small portion of the kraton, overlooking the northern alun-alun, that is walled off from the main…
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Central Java
The Ullen Sentalu museum is a surprise find on the slopes of Merapi. Set within a contemporary space, it includes extensive gardens and a unique…
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Central Java
On the north side of Jepara's attractive alun-alun, this museum is dedicated to one of Indonesia’s most celebrated women. One room is devoted to Kartini…
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Central Java
This 100m-high waterfall, about 3km from town, is a favourite playground for monkeys (as is the parking area). It is reached by a long flight of steps…
