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Yogyakarta, Indonesia, top 10 things to do (Wimup travel guide)
Top 10AsiaIndonesia

Top 10 Things To Do in Yogyakarta

Country
Indonesia
Best months
May · Jun · Sep
Population
416K
Language
Indonesian and Javanese
Budget / day
$35–80
Quick answer

The best things to do in Yogyakarta are Borobudur and Prambanan, the two great temple complexes on either side of the city, the sultan's kraton and the water castle at Taman Sari, a jeep run over Merapi's 2010 debris, and the Ramayana danced in front of the Prambanan towers on a dry-season night. Three days covers all of it. A fourth leaves room for the Gunungkidul coast or the cave descent at Jomblang.

Yogyakarta is the one Indonesian city still ruled by its sultan, and it behaves like a capital. Two of the greatest monuments in Southeast Asia stand within 40 km of the kraton, Java's court arts are taught and performed here nightly, and a student population of several hundred thousand keeps the food cheap and the streets awake.

The 10 best things to do in Yogyakarta

Borobudur, Yogyakarta (Wimup)
1

Borobudur

Temple· Jl. Badrawati, Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java

The largest Buddhist monument on earth, nine stacked platforms of volcanic stone carrying 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues, with 72 bell-shaped stupas on the top three terraces. UNESCO listed it in 1991. Climbing above the base is a separate capped ticket, so book before you travel rather than at the gate.

Time3 hours
CostRp 455,000 with the climb
Best atFirst entry, 06:00
TipUpper-terrace tickets are quota'd and issued with a guide and lending sandals
Map↗ Website
2

Prambanan

Temple· Jl. Raya Solo, Bokoharjo, Prambanan, Sleman

Indonesia's largest Hindu compound, raised in the 9th century and pieced back together across the 20th. Three towering shrines to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma face three built for their mounts, and the Ramayana runs as a carved relief around the inner wall of the Shiva temple.

Time2 hours
CostAbout Rp 400
Best atLate afternoon
TipA combined ticket with Ratu Boko is sold at the park counters and saves a second full fare.
Map↗ Website
Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (Wimup)
3

Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat

Palace· Jl. Rotowijayan Blok No. 1, Panembahan, Kraton, Yogyakarta

A working palace, not a museum: the sultan lives here and the court's own servants, in batik and kris, run the rooms. The pavilions hold gamelan sets, royal portraits and Dutch gifts, and the daily programme rotates through dance, wayang and macapat singing.

Time90 minutes
CostSold at the gate
Best atMid-morning
TipThe Kedhaton opens Tuesday to Sunday
Map↗ Website
4

Taman Sari Water Castle

Palace· Jl. Taman, Patehan, Kraton, Yogyakarta

The sultan's 18th-century pleasure garden, three bathing pools inside a walled compound that once sat under an artificial lake. Keep walking to Sumur Gumuling behind it: an underground mosque where five staircases meet over a circular well, lit through a single opening in the roof.

Time1 hour
CostRp 30,000, foreign visitor
Best atOpening, 09:00
TipSumur Gumuling is a ten-minute walk through the kampung behind the pools and is easy to miss.
Map↗ Website
5

Merapi jeep lava tour

Volcano· Kaliurang and Kaliadem, Cangkringan, Sleman

Indonesia's most active volcano, worked from a basecamp about 24 km north of the city. The route runs through the ground the 2010 eruption took: the Kaliadem bunker, a boulder thrown from the crater, and a museum inside a house the flow buried. Jeeps are hired whole, up to four people.

Time2 to 3 hours
CostFrom about Rp 350,000 per jeep
Best atSunrise
TipThe price is per jeep rather than per person, so a group of four splits it four ways.
Map
6

Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan

Performance· Prambanan open-air theatre, Jl. Raya Solo, Sleman

The Ramayana danced by a cast of dozens with a gamelan orchestra behind them, and from May to October the floodlit temple towers stand in for scenery. November to April it moves indoors to the covered Trimurti stage. Shows run Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 19:30.

Time90 minutes
CostTemple entry not included
Best atOpen-air season
TipBook weeks ahead. Seating is limited and the open-air nights sell out first.
Map↗ Website
7

Ratu Boko

Palace ruins· Jl. Raya Piyungan, Bokoharjo, Prambanan, Sleman

A 9th-century walled site on a plateau above the Prambanan plain, and not a temple: a split gate, bathing pools, a cremation ground and the foundations of a hall. It faces west down the valley, which is why the crowd here is an evening one.

Time90 minutes
CostCombined ticket with Prambanan
Best atAn hour before sunset
TipOn a clear evening Merapi shows to the north from the terrace behind the gate.
Map↗ Website
8

Jomblang Cave

Cave· Pacarejo, Semanu, Gunungkidul

A collapsed sinkhole 50 km south-east of the city with an ancient forest growing at the bottom. A hand-hauled team lowers you 60 m on ropes, then you walk through to a second chamber where a shaft of daylight drops through the roof. One departure a day, and it is quota'd.

TimeHalf a day
CostRp 500,000, cash on arrival
Best atAround midday
TipThe light beam only forms when the sun is high overhead
Map↗ Website
9

Malioboro and Beringharjo Market

Market street· Jl. Malioboro and Jl. Pabringan No. 1, Yogyakarta

The axis running north from the kraton, pedestrianised for most of its length, with the city's oldest market halfway down. Beringharjo sells batik by the metre on the ground floor and jamu, spices and secondhand goods on the floors above.

Time2 hours
CostFree
Best atLate afternoon
TipBeringharjo trades 07:30 to 17:00
Map↗ Website
Kotagede, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (Wimup)
10

Kotagede

Heritage district· Kotagede, Yogyakarta

The first Mataram capital, founded in the 1570s and now a quarter of narrow alleys, walled Javanese houses and silver workshops. The old royal cemetery and the mosque sit at its centre, and several workshops will show you the hammering and soldering behind the counter.

Time2 hours
CostFree
Best atMorning
TipStart at the mosque and the market square
Map↗ Website

Yogyakarta, mapped

Yogyakarta · 7 spots
AllTemplesPalacesMarketsFree

Yogyakarta travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Yogyakarta?+
Three full days. One for Borobudur and the temples around it, one for Prambanan, Ratu Boko and the evening ballet, and one for the kraton, Taman Sari and Kotagede. A fourth day buys the Gunungkidul coast or the descent into Jomblang cave.
Is Borobudur or Prambanan the better visit?+
Borobudur, if you climb it. The upper terraces are sold as a separate capped ticket with a guide, and that is the part people remember. Prambanan is quicker to walk but pairs neatly with Ratu Boko at sunset and the Ramayana ballet after dark.
What is the best time of year to visit?+
The dry season, May to October. August is the driest month and July and August the busiest, so May, June and September give you the same clear skies with fewer people. February is the wettest month by a wide margin.
How do you get from the airport into the city?+
The airport train runs roughly hourly from Yogyakarta International to Tugu station in about 35 minutes for a few dollars. The same trip by road takes over an hour. Gojek and Grab also work the airport.
Do you need a car and driver?+
Not in the city, which is walkable around the kraton and covered by Gojek and Grab motorbikes. For the temples, Merapi and the Gunungkidul coast, hiring a car with a driver for the day is the normal arrangement.
Beyond the big two

Best temples in Yogyakarta

Six more candi within an hour of the city, and what separates one from the next.
Candi SewuPrambanan park

Candi Sewu

8th century

The second-largest Buddhist complex on Java, 249 shrines, a ten-minute walk inside the Prambanan park.

Map
Candi PlaosanBugisan, 20 km

Candi Plaosan

9th century

Twin Buddhist temples raised by a Hindu king for his Buddhist queen. Open 06:00 to 17:00.

Map
Candi IjoSleman, 18 km

Candi Ijo

10th century

The highest temple on Java, on a ridge past Ratu Boko. Aircraft bank below it on approach.

Map
Candi SambisariPurwomartani, 10 km

Candi Sambisari

9th century

Found by a farmer in 1966, six metres under the fields. You look down into it rather than up.

Map
Candi KalasanKalasan, 13 km

Candi Kalasan

778 CE

The oldest dated Buddhist temple in the region, 778 CE, still carrying patches of its plaster.

Map
Candi MendutMagelang, 40 km

Candi Mendut

9th century

One seated Buddha three metres high, cut from a single block, on the axis east of Borobudur.

Map
The royal axis

Best palaces & heritage in Yogyakarta

The line UNESCO listed in 2023, from the southern hunting lodge to the white obelisk.
Pakualaman

Pura Pakualaman

Founded 1813

The second court's palace, with its own square, mosque and gamelan. Far quieter than the kraton.

Map
Jl. Margo Utomo

Tugu Pal Putih

Monument

The white obelisk closing the axis to the north, rebuilt by the Dutch in 1889 after an earthquake.

Map
Kraton

Alun-Alun Kidul

Public square

The southern square, two old banyans, and the blindfolded walk between them after dark.

Map
Panggung KrapyakKrapyak, 3 km

Panggung Krapyak

1760s

A brick hunting lodge from the 1760s that anchors the southern end of the royal axis.

Map
Court art and revolution

Best museums in Yogyakarta

Five collections, from Javanese palace dress to the war that made the republic.
Museum Ullen SentaluKaliurang, 25 km

Museum Ullen Sentalu

Guided visit

Court dress, letters and portraits on Merapi's slope, shown on a guided route only. Shut Mondays.

Map
North square

Museum Sonobudoyo

Javanese culture

The wayang collection, and a shadow-puppet performance most evenings except Monday.

Map
Museum AffandiJl. Laksda Adisucipto

Museum Affandi

Art

The expressionist's studio, gallery and banana-leaf-shaped house on the river. Closed Sundays.

Map
Museum Benteng VredeburgMalioboro

Museum Benteng Vredeburg

History

The Dutch fort of 1760 on Malioboro, now the museum of the independence struggle.

Map
Monumen Jogja KembaliSleman, 5 km

Monumen Jogja Kembali

History

The white cone north of the city, built for the 1949 recapture of Yogyakarta from the Dutch.

Map
Where to eat

Best restaurants in Yogyakarta

Court cooking, goat satay on bicycle spokes, and the warung the city queues at.
Magangan Kulon

Bale Raos

Javanese court

Royal-kitchen recipes served in a pavilion inside the kraton walls.

Map
Pakem, Sleman

Warung Kopi Klotok

Javanese home cooking

Rice, vegetable stew and fried tempeh on a terrace over the paddy at Kaliurang km 16.

Map
Pleret, Bantul

Sate Klathak Pak Pong

Satay

Young goat salted and grilled on iron bicycle spokes, with curry alongside. Open until late.

Map
Wijilan

Gudeg Yu Djum

Gudeg

The gudeg most people are sent to, sweet and slow-cooked, boxed to travel.

Map
Jl. Wongsodirjan

Angkringan Lik Man

Street stall

Nasi kucing and charcoal-dropped kopi joss on the pavement by Tugu station.

Map
Tirtodipuran

Warung Bu Ageng

Javanese

Javanese plates in a Tirtodipuran shophouse, busy with a local crowd at lunch.

Map
What to bring home

Best markets & crafts in Yogyakarta

Silver, batik, terracotta and warm pastry, each from the district that makes it.
Kotagede

Kotagede silver workshops

Silver

Hammered silver and filigree, sold in the room where it is made.

Map
Pasar BeringharjoMalioboro

Pasar Beringharjo

Market

Batik by the metre downstairs, jamu, spices and secondhand goods above. Shuts at 17:00.

Map
Tirtodipuran

Jalan Tirtodipuran

Galleries

Batik showrooms and contemporary galleries along one southern street.

Map
Ngampilan

Bakpia Pathuk bakeries

Bakeries

The lane west of Malioboro where mung-bean pastries are boxed warm.

Map
Bantul, 8 km

Kasongan pottery village

Ceramics

Terracotta workshops in Bantul, a village that has thrown pots for generations.

Map
Where to base yourself

Best neighborhoods in Yogyakarta

Five districts, and who each one suits.
South of the kraton

Prawirotaman

Guesthouses

Two parallel southern streets of guesthouses, cafes and tour desks.

Map
Central

Sosrowijayan

Budget beds

The budget lane behind Malioboro, a short walk from Tugu station.

Map
Central

Kraton

Old city

Inside the palace walls: kampung alleys, batik courtyards and Taman Sari.

Map
KotagedeSouth-east

Kotagede

Heritage

The old Mataram capital, walled houses and silversmiths, 5 km south-east.

Map
Sleman, 25 km

Kaliurang

Hill retreat

Merapi's foothill resort, cooler than the plain and the basecamp for the jeeps.

Map
Out of the city

Best day trips in Yogyakarta

Six trips, from the south coast to a second court city an hour east by train.
ParangtritisBantul, 27 km

Parangtritis

Beach

Black sand and heavy surf 27 km south, and the shrine to the queen of the southern sea.

Map
Gunungkidul, 70 km

Gunungkidul beaches

Coast

Limestone coves further east, with the hand-hauled gondola out to the rock at Timang.

Map
Central Java, 60 km

Solo (Surakarta)

City

The other Mataram court city, about an hour by train, with two palaces of its own.

Map
Dieng PlateauCentral Java, 120 km

Dieng Plateau

Highland

A volcanic highland holding the oldest Hindu temples on Java, roughly four hours north-west.

Map
Magelang, 40 km

Punthuk Setumbu

Viewpoint

The hill west of Borobudur where the sunrise crowd watches the stupas rise out of mist.

Map
Kulon Progo, 40 km

Kalibiru

Viewpoint

Timber viewing platforms over the Sermo reservoir in the Kulon Progo hills.

Map
What's on

Festivals & annual events in Yogyakarta (2026)

Time your trip around the city's biggest dates.
Mar/Apr

Grebeg Syawal

The Eid al-Fitr procession. Rice mountains leave the kraton for the great mosque.

May

Waisak at Borobudur

Vesak. A monks' procession walks from Mendut to Borobudur on the full moon.

May/Jun

Grebeg Besar

The Eid al-Adha offering, second of the palace's three annual processions.

May–Oct

Ramayana Ballet season

The open-air run at Prambanan, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights.

Jun–Aug

ARTJOG

Contemporary art at the Jogja National Museum. The 2026 run is 19 June to 30 August.

Jul

Prambanan Jazz Festival

Three nights of jazz staged in front of the temple towers.

Aug/Sep

Sekaten

Court gamelan plays at the great mosque, with a night market on the north square.

Aug/Sep

Grebeg Maulud

Sekaten closes with the largest of the year's processions, on the Prophet's birthday.

Getting around

Yogyakarta transport & airports

How to arrive and move around the city.
YIA

Yogyakarta International Airport

About 45 km west in Kulon Progo. It took over scheduled traffic from Adisutjipto in 2020, so almost every flight now lands here rather than at the old airport 6 km from town.

Map
35 minutes

The airport train

Roughly hourly between the airport station and Tugu, in about 35 minutes for a few dollars. It ignores the traffic that makes the same trip over an hour by road.

Map
Tugu & Lempuyangan

Intercity trains

Tugu is the mainline station in the centre and Lempuyangan handles economy services. Solo is about an hour east; Jakarta and Surabaya sell out weeks ahead over holidays.

Map↗ Website
Trans Jogja & apps

Around the city

Trans Jogja buses run fixed corridors at a flat fare. Gojek and Grab motorbikes cover everything the corridors miss and are how most people actually move.

Map
Traditional food

Must-try dishes in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The classics to order before you leave.
Gudeg, Yogyakarta (Wimup travel guide)

Gudeg

Young jackfruit stewed for hours in coconut milk and palm sugar, sweet and deep brown.

Sate klathak, Yogyakarta (Wimup travel guide)

Sate klathak

Young goat, salted only, grilled on iron bicycle spokes and served with curry.

Nasi kucing, Yogyakarta (Wimup travel guide)

Nasi kucing

Cat rice: a palm-sized parcel of rice with sambal or anchovy, the angkringan staple.

Kopi joss, Yogyakarta (Wimup travel guide)

Kopi joss

Black coffee with a lump of glowing charcoal dropped straight into the glass.

Oseng mercon

Beef trimmings fried with a mass of chilli. Mercon means firecracker, and it is a warning.

Bakpia

Mung-bean pastries from the Pathuk lanes, boxed warm and carried home by the kilo.

Mie lethek

Grey cassava noodles from Bantul, fried or in broth over a charcoal fire.

Wedang ronde

Ginger tea with glutinous rice balls, sold on the street on cool evenings.

Yogyakarta fact sheet

Yogyakarta at a glance

The essentials worth knowing before you go.
Country
Indonesia
Region
Special Region of Yogyakarta (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta), the one province governed by its sultan
Population
415,610 in the city (2024), about 3.7 million across the Special Region
Founded
Sultanate created by the Treaty of Giyanti in 1755; the kraton was occupied from 1756
Nickname
Kota Pelajar, the student city
Language
Indonesian and Javanese
Currency
Indonesian rupiah (Rp)
Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)
Calling code
+62 274
Airports
Yogyakarta International (YIA), 45 km west
Power
230V, plug types C and F
Emergency
112 national, 110 police, 113 fire, 118 ambulance
Ideal length
3–4 days
Getting around
On foot, by Gojek, by hired car
Tourism board
Official site

Interesting facts

  • Yogyakarta is the only Indonesian province still governed by a monarch. The sultan holds the governorship by law.
  • UNESCO listed the city's cosmological axis, from Panggung Krapyak through the kraton to the Tugu obelisk, in 2023.
  • Borobudur carries 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues across nine stacked platforms.
  • Merapi's 2010 eruption killed more than 350 people and emptied villages on the volcano's southern slope.
  • Gadjah Mada University, founded here in 1949, was the first state university of independent Indonesia.

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