Sightseeing in Yogyakarta

The city of Yogyakarta also goes by the names of Jogja or Jogjakarta and is located on Java in Indonesia. Jogja is a medium sized city with around 500.000 inhabitants. The main street that runs through the centre of Yogyakarta is Malioboro street where all the main shops are located. On the streets adjacent to Malioboro there are many art shops and restaurants. Malioboro street itself is busy with traffic, parked scooters and several street vendors. To transport yourself up and down the street there are several horses with carriage available which serve as taxi's. The main attraction in Yogyakarta is the Sultanate which is the Sultan's palace, also called the Kraton. When visiting, you will get a personal guide that takes you on a tour through many of its buildings and gardens. Close by the Sultan's palace is the Taman Sari water castle which used to be part of the royal gardens and the charming bird market. Yogyakarta as a colonial past and some buildings from that era such as the Bank of Indonesia are good examples from that era. Another historical sight is the Museum Benteng Vredeburg which used to be a fortress. There aren't that many sights in Yogyakarta itself, but the city is very laid back and allows for several excursions or day trips. The added attraction to Yogyakarta are the temples of Borodubur and Prambanan which are located close to the city. Both temples can be easily visited as a day trip and can be booked at many of the tour agencies in town. An alternative excursion is to climb mount Merapi which is usually done during the night. You can walk to most places, but for longer distances take on of the rickshaws which are waiting everywhere. The main tourist area in Yogyakarta is Sosrowijavan where all the hotels and restaurants are located. Many of them don't take bookings and the quality varies from upmarket to worn out crash pads and taking some advice from you guide book is recommended. 

Yogyakarta travel photo gallery

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