Java, Indonesia - Yogyakarta, Temple Tours

From Surabaya we took the train to Yogyakarta. The trains in Java are great, very cheap and take you all over the country.

The Special Region of Yogyakarta is part of Central Java but is governed by a pre-colonial monarchy, unlike the rest of the country. It it the cultural heart of Java and we visited it's two main attractions both of which are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Borobudur is an enormous 9th century Buddhist temple made up of 9 stacked platforms that decrease in size as you move up the temple. It is decorated with over 2,600 beautifully carved relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The temple was abandoned in the 14th century and was overgrown with jungle until it was rediscovered in the 1800s. Borobudur is a truly magnificent temple and the view from the top is fantastic.

Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple of ancient Java. Completed in the mid-9th century it consists of a complex of ornate buildings, only a few of which still survive today. Inside some of the larger buildings are huge statues of Hindu Gods. Although often less visited than Borobudur we would say it has slightly more to offer and definitely worth going to.

After our temple visits we had some time to spare so we took a ride into the hills to a very pretty forest with stunning viewpoints. Some of which required a climb up some rather rickety tree houses that Ashley shot up at the first opportunity, Ellie however decided she would give it a miss...

Whilst in Yogyakarta we borrowed a couple of bikes and cycled through the rice paddies surrounding our home stay. The workers in the fields were so friendly and very happy to see us passing. Ashley even spent a couple of evenings playing badminton with the locals, something they all took much pleasure in.

We only spent a few days here before catching a train to Probolinggo in East Java, where we spent a rather tiring night right next to a Mosque. Believe us when we say that the call to prayer at 5am certainly couldn't be missed!

Then onwards to our volcano adventures!