Yogyakarta Sightseeing Guide
I’m so honor that now people from around the world regularly stay in my house and I listed that I passed my “1st 100 first guest” in Boma House. As a people who live in Yogyakarta over than 25 years now I wanna share a self sightseeing guidance in Yogyakarta that you can try during your trip, 3 (three) thing that I want you to consider are: respect the local tradition, hire the human pedals pedicab/rickshaw will be better than the motor one, and enjoy my city wisely.
6 Destinations That You Can Explore on Foot
When you stay in a main district of Yogyakarta that called Kota Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta are separet into 5 region: Kota Yogyakarta, Sleman, Bantul, Kulon Progo, and Gunung Kidul) actually you can explore my city by walk easily and it helps you to know about people life style, street food, and basic orientation about Yogyakarta. Now lets take a look 6 places that you can explore:
1 – Malioboro Main Shopping District
About Malioboro
Malioboro or Jalan Malioboro is Yogyakarta main shopping district it is like Orchard Rd in Singapore, Canton Rd in Hong Kong or you name it. This area will consist of shopping store, mall, street booth for accessories and souvenirs, and damn good street food. Few things that you should consider to do in Malioboro are:
- Be a light traveler and bring only small bag than put it in the front or any position that you can stay aware
- Bargain is a life style and go bargain about 40% – 50% for souvenirs like t-shirt, slipper, bag, cap, wall decor, etc
- Go for local food named “Pecel” a tradisional javanese salad consist of: boiled spinach, carrot, bean, and enjoy the delicious peanut sauce for its topping, my favorite place to eat pecel is in front of the Beringharjo market (at end of Malioboro st). 1 set of pecel (serve in a banana leaves) will cost about IDR8000 and you can add some fried tempe, tofu, of fried noodle
- Jalan Sosrowijayan and Jalan Dagen just two smaller street nearby Malioboro is two places that you find local cafes, restaurant, or may get a beer too (based on our president’s regulation beer wouldn’t sell on minimarket…what a sad news for you)
2 – North Alun-Alun
About Noth Alun-Alun
Nothing special about this field cause it is the front yard of Sultan Palace but in Prophet Muhammad Birthday Celebration this yard will full of local attraction and cheap souvenir store
3 – Sultan Palace or Kraton Yogyakarta
About Sultan Palace
This kingdom open at 09.00 and will close around 13.00 but if you want to see the real life of Sultan Guard known as Abdi Dalem please be there at 9 sharp. Palace’s admission fee is cheap even you are foreigner and I think you can go into this beautiful palace with only IDR15,000 (about USD1,20) and when you bring a camera you should add around IDR1,000 to IDR2,000. One awesome thing that you can get in this palace is there is a FREE daily attraction inside so take a look for this:
- Monday: Javanese Music Gamelan | 10.00 – 12.00
- Tuesday: Javanese Music Gamelan | 10.00 – 12.00
- Wednesday: Wooden Puppet Show | 09.00 – 12.00
- Thursday: Javanese Music Gamelan/Classic Dance | 10.00 – 12.00
- Friday: Reading Javanese Poem | 10.00 – 11.30
- Saturday: Leather Puppet Show | 09.00 – 13.00
- Sunday: Dance Performance | 11.00 – 12.00
4 – Horse-Drawn Carriage Museum/Museum Kereta
About Horse-Drawn Carriage Museum
Visiting this museum is very easy cause it located only 100 meter from the Sultan Palace, you will see our Kind horse-drawn which build about a hundreds years ago. It is sooooo Big and incredible, visiting this museum is really cheap may you only pay about IDR10,000 (foreigner admission-about USD0,8) and add about IDR1,000 if you bring a camera
5 – Taman Sari Water Castle
About Taman Sari Water Castle
Taman Sari water castle is a 2nd palace for Yogyakarta Kind, about hundreds years ago if the King want to get relax he will go to this castle and take a bath with about 10 girl on the pool inside the castle and when the King throw a flower to the pond and hit one of the girl, that girl can get laid with him, it was an honor at that time.
- Located about 1km to the south of Sultan Palace
- 09.00 to 15.00 with ony about IDR10,000 – IDR15.000 admission fee + IDR1,000 for camera
6 – South Alun-Alun
About South Alun-Alun
More interesting that the north one but highly recommended to visit this area at night cause will be more street food, more attraction (try to hire human pedal car just like The Flinetstone did) for IDR25.000 to IDR30,000 for 2x ride circle in this alun-alun.
- Go to Sasono Hinggil building located in south alun-alun to see LIVE leather puppet performance, usually perform daily!
Things To Do in Yogyakarta
1 – Borobudur
About Borobudur
Just Google it and you can see how beautiful this temple, located in the border of Yogyakarta and Magelang city and about 50km from Yogyakarta. Highly recommended to visit anytime but more interesting but bad traffic during Vesak Day
- Open at 06.00 and last ticket at 17.00 than everybody should go out at 18.00
- Admission for local is only IDR30,000 but foreigner admission fee is IDR280,000 — bring your student card for 50% disc
- Self trip to Borobudur: take Trans Jogja Bus which operated from 06.30 to 20.00 to Jombor Bus Terminal cost IDR3,500 flat than change to the local bus cost IDR20,000 one way trip per person — 2 hour trip one way
- Comfort tour for sunrise – go join Boma’s Tour — 1 hour trip one way at early morning
- Be aware of celebrity fake syndrome, locals especially student will ask you to take a picture together just make it simple if you want it go for it but if not just say “no thanks” or “tidak, terima kasih” in Bahasa Indonesia
- So many old lady will offering you a extremely expensive post card about IDR100,000/USD8 but trust me you can bargain it for IDR10,000
- When you go out, everybody should take a labirin market route and so many people will offer you to buy statue, miniatur, or any merchandise. When you want to but, BARGAIN! but if not just walk fast and say this magic word again…. “no thanks” or “tidak, terima kasih” in Bahasa Indonesia
2 – Prambanan Temple
About Prambanan
This is the closest temple that can be reach directly from Kota Yogyakarta, located about 25km from the malioboro but may be only 5-7 km more from the Adisucipto International Airport.
- Open at 06.00 and last ticket at 17.00 than everybody should go out at 18.00
- Admission for local is only IDR30,000 but foreigner admission fee is IDR252,000 — bring your student card for 50% disc
- Self trip to Prambanan: take Trans Jogja Bus which operated from 06.30 to 20.00 to Adisucipto International Airport and change the bus that stop in front of the Prambanan Temple (NICE!!!!!) cost IDR3,500 flat — 1,5 hour trip one way
- Comfort tour for sunrise – go join Boma’s Tour — 1 hour trip one way
- Be aware of celebrity fake syndrome, locals especially student will ask you to take a picture together just make it simple if you want it go for it but if not just say “no thanks” or “tidak, terima kasih” in Bahasa Indonesia
3 – Ullen Sentalu Batik Museum
About Ullen Sentalu Museum
Even for me as a locas visiting this museum is HIGHLY recommended, the collection is come from past King of Yogyakarta and consisting tons of Yogyakarta treasure such as Batik it self, souvenir from world leader to the past king, and a lot of ancient history. One wonderful thing that you should consider is this museum located in 1 are with Merapi Mountain National Park, so you go for this trip and you got 2 destinations.
- Museum is Air Conditioned and no taking photo inside
- Located about 20km from Kota Yogyakarta and recommend to rent a car or scooter to go to this Museum, just combine with other destination to make it efficient
- Admission fee for foreigner is IDR50,000
Average Cost for Sightseeing & Living in Yogyakarta
- Trans Jogja Bus – IDR3,500 flat as long as not quit from the bus station, changing the bus will not charge you double
- Becak/pedicab/3 tire rickshaw – depend on how far your trip but usually it cost about IDR25,000 for 2-3km ride
- Local bus – IDR2,500 to IDR5,000 for one way trip
- Gojek – Indonesian best provider for motorbike taxi, download the apps on android and IOS
- Local food such as Nasi Goreng/fried rice, Mie Goreng/fried noodle, Gudeg (local authentic food), Pecel, Nasi Padang – IDR10,000 – IDR25,000
- Angkringan/local authentic street food – 1 cup of rice will cost IDR1,000 (usually I eat 2 or 3)
- Ice tea in local restaurant – IDR2,000
- Fruit juice – IDR6000 to IDR8000
- 24 hours convenient store – Indomaret, Alfamart, and Circle K is the most famous conv. store in Yogyakarta and you may find them in every 100 meter
- Boma House – USD10 for FAN room and USD12 for AC room (including sandwich and tea/coffee in the morning)
- Other accommodation – 1 star hotel nearby Malioboro will cost about IDR150,000 to IDR200,000 | 2 star hotel will cost about IDR200,000 to IDR 250,000
Highly Recommend Cafes & Restaurant
- Nanamia Pizzeria – Jalan Moses Gatotkaca & Jalan Tirtodipuran
- Jejamuran (highly recommend mush room menu restaurant) – Jalan Magelang
- Milas Vegetarian Warung – Jalan Prawirotaman
- Via Via – Jalan Prawirotaman
After Yogyakarta Journey
- Go to Bromo & Ijen – Go to tourism office located nearby Tugu Yogyakarat Station and you will find various tour that can provide you to go to Bromo and Ijen
- Go to Solo – Ride with local cheap train named Prameks from Tugu Yogyakarta Station, cost IDR10,000 one way trip with 1 hour
- Go to Semarang – Go with Joglo Semar Bus located in Jalan Magelang just in front of Jogja City Mall
Vehicle Rentals
- Car – IDR450,000 to IDR550,000 (driver, gas, and 10 hours trip)
- Automatic scooter – IDR50,000 for 24 hours
- Bicycle – FREE for Boma House guest but I think about IDR15,000 to IDR20,000 for 24 hours
This is your trusted pocket guide to explore Yogyakarta, it is 100% ebook that written by locals who live in Yogyakarta over than 25 years. Through this ebook you will know how to explore Yogyakarta step by step, got tons of information about how to use local transportation, how to speak both in Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Jawa (Javanese Language), information about Yogyakarta tourist attraction, information about Prambanan and Borobudur sunrise tour, and even more we listed 100 cafes, bar, and restaurant that will solve your hunger during your trip in Yogyakarta.
Download this ebook immediately!
