I have to confess, Indonesia was never really on my bucket list. I always had the impression that the only thing to see in Indonesia was Bali and it was just a holiday destination for Aussie bogans. Sorry, but it’s the truth! When I received an invitation from the Ministry of Tourism, Indonesia to visit their country I was sceptical. However, once I saw the itinerary and googled Raja Ampat – I was sold!

After 10 days exploring Yogyakarta, Raja Ampat and Bali my eyes were opened to an amazingly beautiful country filled with stunning landscapes, the happiest, friendliest people and some damn fine food.

There is so much more to Indonesia than just Bali. Come with me as I show you around this amazing country with the first stop: Exploring Yogyakarta!

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Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world with over 17,000 islands of which 8,000 are inhabited and over 300 languages are spoken. Indonesia is the world’s 4th most populous country with 255 million people and counting. It has a rich and diverse culture with numerous tribes living in peace and harmony.

Jakarta

After arriving in Jakarta from Australia I was immediately smacked in the face with a blanket of humidity. After just coming out of Winter in Australia it was a nice feeling.

Jakarta is the capital of Indoneisa and is a bustling city that never sleeps. The traffic is crazy and there are people everywhere. Luckily I was quickly wisked away into a car and taken to the hotel where I met the other 39 people from Asia Pacific that I would be traveling with for the next 10 days.

The next morning we had an early flight out of Jakarta to Yogyakarta.

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta (pronounced “Jogjakarta” and called Yogya or Jogja for short) is a city on the Indonesian Island of Java known for its traditional arts and cultural heritage and home to the island’s monstrous volcanoes. Fiercely independent and protective of its customs, and still headed by its sultan, whose kraton remains the hub of traditional life, contemporary Yogya is nevertheless a huge urban centre. The entire metropolitan area is home to over 3.3 million people.
Besides well-known historical and cultural landmarks such as the many temples left behind by ancient civilizations, Yogyakarta is a gold mine of astonishing natural landscapes that reminds you of Mother Nature’s greatness.

Rice Paddy Processing

First stop after arriving in Yogyakarta was to a rice field in Desa Pentingsari to learn about the main staple of Indonesia – Rice. Rice is central to the Indonesian diet and is an important part of the national economy. Indonesia is the 3rd largest producer of rice in the world. We learnt how to plant rice which is done individually by hand. This is quite incredible as you drive around Indonesia and see all the beautifully planted rice paddy’s.

Getting the field ready to plant rice, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Getting the field ready to plant rice, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Rice paddy's being planted, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Rice paddy’s being planted, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Exploring rice paddy's, Desa Pentingsari, Indonesia
Exploring rice paddy’s, Desa Pentingsari, Indonesia

Lava Tour Merapi

After a traditional tasting of the local foods we all jumped in open top jeeps and headed to see Mount Merapi. Mount Merapi, is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. The last time it erupted was in 2010. Over 350,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes.

Ready and waiting for our Jeep adventure, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Ready and waiting for our Jeep adventure, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Unfortunately it started pouring down with rain as we got closer to the volcano. Because it was the wet season in Indonesia, we got to experience monsoonal rain which is crazy, heavy rain.

Because we couldn’t really see the volcano the jeep drivers decided to take us for a drive through the flooded rivers, just for fun! Haha. It was awesome fun and a little scary at the same time. Three of the jeeps got stuck including ours, everyone pitched in to help pull us out though! Luckily our driver was super sweet and was always concerned for our safety! Here is a little video of the event, if watching on an iPhone turn your phone sideways. Sorry I filmed it on my iPhone in portrait mode ?

Our jeep driver taking selfies of us stuck in the river on my iPhone! Haha!
Our jeep driver taking selfies of us stuck in the river on my iPhone! Haha!

After dinner it was back to our amazing hotel for some rest before another day exploring this unique part of Indonesia.

The coolest hotel, GreenHost Hotel, Yogakarta, Indonesia
The coolest hotel, GreenHost Hotel, Yogakarta, Indonesia

Borobudur

Borobudur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. There is no definite written record of who built Borobudur or why it was built. It was likely founded as a religious site in the 8th century at the peak of the Sailendra dynasty in central Java. The construction is thought to have taken a period of 75 years, and completed in about 825 CE. Borobudur lay abandoned and hidden for centuries under layers of volcanic ash and thick jungle growth. It was not until 1885 that the complex was unearthed in its magnificent entirety.

This is a very popular place for watching the sunrise and after witnessing this I can really appreciate why. Walking around this temple gives you a great sense of peace. Especially with fog rolling around it and beautiful colours from the sunrise. This is a definite must see if you are in Indonesia.

Sunrise from the impressive Borobudur Temple, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Sunrise from the impressive Borobudur Temple, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Taking in the peacefulness of this majestic place. Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Taking in the peacefulness of this majestic place. Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
View of Borobudur from the ground, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
View of Borobudur from the ground, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Beautiful carvings on Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Beautiful carvings on Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Desa Bahasa

After breakfast we took an Andong ride (horse and cart) to the village of Desa Bahasa to learn how the locals live and do some pottery making and learn to speak the local language.

The beautiful people of Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The beautiful people of Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Dan learning pottery, Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Dan learning pottery, Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Way of life in the village as a family cuts up a goat and uses every piece, Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Way of life in the village as a family cuts up a goat and uses every piece, Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Happy children just finishing school, Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Happy children just finishing school, Desa Bahasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Puncak Suroloyo

The next morning, four of us woke up at 2:45am to get a private car to Puncak Suroloyo lookout for sunrise. It was a beautiful start to the day as we climbed the steps to the lookout. Fog rolled in across the valley and we had perfect views of Mount Merbabu and Mount Merapi volcanoes.

Looking towards Mount Merapi as it smokes into the sky, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Looking towards Mount Merapi as it smokes into the sky, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Mount Merbabu volcano, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Mount Merbabu volcano as the sun rises, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

After a lovely morning watching the sunrise at Puncak Suroloyo it was time to explore Air Terjun Perawan waterfall. Also known as Virgin Falls. A beautiful walk along the hill side took us passed picturesque rice paddy’s. We crossed a creek and walked along the river bank until we came across the waterfall. It was a sight for sore eyes on this hot and humid day. Cooling off at the base of the falls was heaven.

Virgin Falls, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Virgin Falls, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

After enjoying some tranquility at this gorgeous waterfall, it was time to make our way to the airport to catch our flight to Raja Ampat. I will talk about Raja in the next episode of Exploring Indonesia which you can read about here.

Have you visited to Yogyakarta before? What was your experience like? I would love to know so leave  comment below.

13 thoughts on “Exploring Indonesia: Yogyakarta

  1. What an eye opener! My perception of Indonesia is or was like your’s Larissa, but you’ve shown it to me in a whole new light! The images are stunning and capture life in Yogyakarta beautifully. Can’t wait to read about the rest of your trip. And that video is a ripper for sure!!!

    1. Haha, thanks so much for the feedback Steve. I’m glad you enjoyed the blog and the video and that I have given you a new perspective of Indonesia! Have a great week! 🙂

  2. Who would have thought there was life beyond Bali? Larissa your images are truly magical, showing a country filled with life, passion, beauty and immense wonder! Your light, composition and story telling are once again flawless and provide an insight into yet another stunning part of the world. Thankyou once again for sharing your journey and your incredible gift ????

    1. Haha, yes, can you believe it. There is more to Indonesia than Bali. Who knew?! Thanks so much for your kind words Anthony. Im glad you enjoyed my pics and story telling! I really appreciate the comment! 🙂

    1. Aww, thanks so much Meghan. Im so glad you enjoyed the blog! It sure is an amazing country. I hope you get to experience it yourself one day soon! 🙂

  3. That was great Larissa, every bit as inspiring as the photos you take. I am a big fan of coffees from Indonesia, some of my favorites in fact. All the best to you.- Dan- Coffee on the Porch

    1. Hi Dan! Thanks so much for your kind words and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it and I am glad you enjoyed the blog. They do have some pretty good coffee in Indonesia! 🙂

  4. Wow, thanks so much for sharing. I must admit Indonesia was never on my radar to visit but after seeing your photos and reading your blog, Indonesia is definitely on the bucket list now!!! It looks like an amazing country!!

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    1. Hi Andrew! Thanks so much for your kind comment. I appreciate your time to leave it! And Im glad I could inspire you to visit Indonesia. It really is a beautiful country! 🙂

  5. I must admit I was the same Larissa, I had only ever thought of Bali, but there is so much more to Indonesia!

    It looks like an incredible country with so many amazing places to see and visit! I’m definitely going to have to visit Indonesia in the future. Thank you so much for opening my eyes and showing me the amazing beauty and culture of Indonesia!!

    1. Aww, thanks so much for stopping by Ella. Im so glad that I could show you that there is more to Indonesia than just Bali. I hope you get to explore this beautiful country really soon! 🙂

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