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Exploring Yogyakarta

I got a very short visit to Indonesia last August 2018 but I make the most out of my three-day trip in this country. It was an unplanned visit because I decided to buy my ticket a day before my flight. Thanks to Cebu Pacific, a Philippine low-cost airline for offering affordable plane ticket. Thanks also to my niece, Melody, who was based in Jakarta that time, for offering me free accommodation and for agreeing to be my travel buddy to Yogyakarta. I took that one and only Cebupacific evening flight to Jakarta from Manila and arrived at Soekarno Hatta International Airport past ten pm. I immediately queued for the Blue Bird taxi after passing the immigration. Queue was very long as Blue Bird taxi is the most popular taxi line in Jakarta. I waited for 30 minutes before I got my service taxi.
At Borubodur Temple

Jakarta served as my transit to Yogyakarta since there is no direct flight there from Manila. I have not done so much on my first day in the city except for some mall visits, little shopping, watched Meg movie at Cinema Xxi and tried dinner at Miyagi Restaurant in Lotte Avenue.Not a bad first day then. 🙂  
We visited Yogyakarta on the second day. Yogyakarta also known as Jogja is a city in the Java island. It is a 50-minute travel by plane from Jakarta. Other means of transportation are bus, train or rented taxi. Since we got only two days to tour around the place, me and Melody decided to take the 10 am flight via Garuda Indonesia. Booking a taxi in the Yogya airport is easy or you may book cars via grab. After checking in to our hotel and freshening up, we started the city tour:
Day 1 (we only had half day)
1. Taman Sari Water Castle
Taman Sari Water Castle also known as Taman Sari, is the site of a former Royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.
Taman Sari Water Castle

2. Yogyakarta Palace

We tried Gudeg for dinner, Yogyakarta's most popular food which is served in almost all restaurants in Yogya. Check my blog on Gudeg on the food adventure menu. )




Yogyakarta Palace

Day 2
1. Borobodur Temple
Borobodur Temple is the biggest temple in the world and is one of the most popular places to visit in Indonesia. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site. It is best visited at dawn or during sunset. We tried the sunrise adventure and woke up early as we need to travel for 1.5 hours from our hotel to the temple. Unfortunately, the sun failed to shine brightly that day.

Borobodur Temple
Entrance of Prambanan Temple

Me and my niece Melody in Borobodur Temple


2. Prambanan Temple
Prambanan Temple also a UNESCO world heritage site, is a ninth-century Hindu temple compound in Yogyagarta. This is spectacularly beautiful like the Borobodur temple and some ruins and structures are similar with Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The compound is so big that we need to ride in a shuttle to visit the other temples.
Going from one place to another is convenient via taxi or grab car. Services of taxi and other private car companies can be booked in the hotel as well as tour packages. You may also try the local trike / tricycle of Yogya at a very affordable price.
Prambanan Temple

Prambanan Temple
Additional attraction to our Yogyakarta visit is the majestic view and landscape of Hyatt Regency where we stayed overnight. Agoda offers great deals on hotel reservation.
Hyatt Regency

Hyatt Regency

Tips:
    • You may hire the service of a Grab car driver for visiting tourist attractions. Transportation fare is very affordable in Yogyakarta.
    • Borobodur temple can be visited anytime, but the beauty of the place can be best appreciated during sunrise or sunset.
    • Book via Klook to avoid long queue. There is always special lane for Klook reservations.
    • Try Gudeg, Yogyakarta's most popular food. There is a street of restaurants offering just this food at the center of Yogyakarta. You may ask the taxi driver to bring you here.
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Location: Indonesia

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