Things to Do in Yogyakarta in 2 Days: A Guide

If your flight lands in Jakarta, you have 2 options:

• Train: The cheapest way, but it takes more time. The route has nice scenery and makes for a local experience. Tips and info for traveling by train in Java
• Plane: The fastest way. One of the cheapest airlines is AirAsia.

1. Visit Borobudur temple

It's the largest Buddhist temple in the world and one of the most magical places in Indonesia. One of the classic ways to visit is at sunrise, definitely an experience worth having.

There are different ways to visit, and we tell you about them here.

2. The Prambanan temples

Yogya's other star attraction. It's a complex of more than 200 Hindu temples, of which only 8 are still standing today. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The complex is quite large, and there are another 3 temples to visit: Candi Lumbung, Candi Bubrah and Candi Sewu. The most curious thing is that these are Buddhist temples, not Hindu ones.

A visit to Prambanan is usually combined with Borobudur. Here you can see how to visit it and what it costs.

You can also book a private tour of Borobudur and the Prambanan temples here.

3. The Sultan's Palace, Taman Sari and Sumur Gumuling

The Sultan's Palace is the home of Yogya's current sultan and his family. You can see the complex and some buildings that have been turned into museums. We weren't able to visit because it was closed the day we tried to go. Taman Sari is the old water castle the sultan used as a place to rest. It's a quick visit and the entrance fee is US$1.

Inside the Taman Sari complex is Sumur Gumuling, known as the Underground Mosque. Once you enter the mosque, a walkway takes you to its center, where 3 staircases form a pyramid shape under a huge, open circular roof that lets in the beautiful daylight.

4. Malioboro Street

It's Yogya's shopping street, where you'll find hotels, food stalls and shops.

Try to go at night, when it has a very local atmosphere: the smells, the sounds, the lights, the noise of the motorbikes, the crowds. It also has lots of food options, so don't be afraid to try the different dishes sold at the stalls. Some flavors are strange but delicious.

5. Learn a little about the famous batik technique

It's a painting technique that Java is known for worldwide, done by applying wax to different fabrics to print or paint them. It's an art that takes a lot of patience, and it's widely practiced in Yogya. On the street, many people will offer to take you to a school or gallery to see how it's done (for free), and they even let you try drawing something with the wax. We recommend going, and they're usually close to the center!

6. Watch the sunset at Hutan Pinus Pengger

It's a park full of trees with an incredible view of mountains and volcanoes, 30 minutes by car from the center of Yogya. The forest has lots of wooden statues for locals and tourists to enjoy, which make it a very pretty place. Our favorite was a hand suspended in the air. We went to enjoy the sunset and have a drink at one of the warungs (small food stalls) in the park.

Park entrance fee: US$0.20

Round-trip Grab: US$10

One of the best areas to stay is near Malioboro Street, which is central and has a good atmosphere. We stayed about 10 minutes from there, because we preferred to be close to the train station since we were arriving at night.

Homestays are one of the cheapest and most common types of accommodation in Asia. We stayed at Griya Batik Giri Sekar Homestay, which cost us US$30 for the 3 nights, with a private bathroom and breakfast. We loved staying in this kind of place, because a local family usually looks after you and cooks for you, and it gives you a more authentic experience.