Visiting Yogyakarta During Lebaran Day Will Be a Nightmare!

Many times I found my guest on Boma House stuck on their way to Yogyakarta for almost 20 hours, traffic jam are everywhere, and this situation always be the same if you visiting Yogyakarta during Lebaran Day or called Idul Fitri, the biggest moslem holiday. Jakarta to Yogyakarta is only about 550km where you can drive within 10 hours in normal situation, but thing that you should consider about this holiday is there are about 4 – 5 million people from entire city in Indonesia will comeback to their hometown such as Yogyakarta, Solo, Klaten, Kebumen, and some other cities located in Java Island, this kind of Indonesian tradition in every single year.

During past 5 years, Lebaran will be on beginning or mid of July so I will give you some tips if you got your a plan to visit Yogyakarta for your holiday:

1. Book your accommodation as fast as you can – 3 months earlier to book your hotel, guest house or may an airbnb house will be the best decision that you can take. Hotels price will be increasing but an airbnb host sometimes still have the same price as usual but their room used to be fully booked
2. Book your flight, bus, or sharing car ticket to Yogyakarta – for this item I think you don’t have any choices cause everything will fully booked by Indonesian from 6 months before the Lebaran, there is always a way to go to Yogyakarta but when you choose to ride with a bus or sharing car (means you choose the land transportation) be ready to get stuck for 16 – 20 hours to go to Yogyakarta
3. Walk or ride a bicycle is the fastest and easiest way – I said 4-5 million people will visiting Yogyakarta during 7 days of Lebaran day so a thousands of private vehicle will go to my city and the traffic was so terrible. Try to choose any hotels nearby the city cause sightseeing the city by walk or riding a bicycle will be the FASTEST and EASIEST way
4. All Tourist attraction will be totally crowded – just named it, the beaches, Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, Ratu Boko or anywhere will crowded by people, so when you want to explore the temple, go there in early morning (start from 4 am) will be THE BEST. You may go there by your self by renting a scooter or join a one day daily tour like we had is the best option, when you interesting to join you may go through this link

Related to accommodation, every host like me will have an affiliate link where we can get a travel credit from airbnb and you as the guest will got some discount if you book through thank link, so when you interesting to stay with locals with airbnb here I give you the link where you can get USD20 for travel credit no matter you stay in Boma House or stay in any house provided by airbnb in entire Yogyakarta area. Enjoy my city and always respect the local tradition, keep in enjoy buddy!