Prawirotaman
BackpackersCafés and guesthouses.
Yogyakarta city guide
Things To Do In Yogyakarta
Java's cultural heart: a living sultan's palace, batik and shadow puppets, and the base for Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, and the Hindu temples of Prambanan.
83
Hostels in the city
8.7
Average, from 9,324 reviews
9th c.
Borobudur built
Sultan
Still the governor
1 h
To Borobudur
The city of the sultan
Yogyakarta, usually called Jogja, is still ruled by a sultan, who is also the governor of the province, and it is the centre of classical Javanese culture: batik, gamelan music, wayang shadow puppetry and dance.
Nearby stand two of the greatest monuments in Asia. Borobudur, a vast ninth-century Buddhist temple, and Prambanan, a complex of Hindu temples from the same era, are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The active volcano Merapi rises to the north. Three days is right.
Where to stay
Prawirotaman, south of the Kraton, is the backpacker area, with cafés, guesthouses and hostels. Malioboro, the main street north of the Kraton, is central and busy, with shopping and street food. Staying near the Kraton puts you among the old royal quarter's lanes.
Malioboro
First-timersThe main street.
Kraton
CultureThe royal quarter.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 12 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta, Jogja, is the cultural heart of Java, a city of batik, gamelan, shadow puppets and a Sultan who is still the regional governor, and the base for two of Southeast Asia's greatest temples.
Borobudur, about an hour away, is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, built in the ninth century, with 72 bell-shaped stupas and over 2,600 relief panels. Access to the upper levels is limited by daily quotas and a separate ticket; book ahead. Sunrise over the temple, with the volcanoes in the mist, is the classic visit.
Prambanan, about 30 minutes away, is a Hindu temple complex of soaring towers from the same century; in the evening, the Ramayana Ballet is performed on an open-air stage with the temples behind it, usually in the dry season.
In the city, visit the Kraton, the Sultan's palace, with gamelan and dance performances in the mornings, and Taman Sari, the old royal water castle, with its pools and underground mosque. Learn batik in a workshop, and watch wayang kulit, shadow puppets.
Mount Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, can be explored by jeep, and Timang Beach has a gondola over the waves.
Free things
Free things to do in Yogyakarta
Malioboro Street, the area around the Kraton and the lanes of the old city are free to explore.
Alun-Alun Kidul, the southern square, is free at night, when families try to walk blindfolded between two banyan trees for luck. The street food stalls, angkringan, are almost free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Yogyakarta
Gudeg, young jackfruit stewed for hours in palm sugar and coconut milk, is Jogja's signature dish, sweet and rich, eaten with rice, chicken and egg. Angkringan, street carts selling small packets of rice, snacks and kopi joss, coffee with a lump of burning charcoal dropped in, are a Jogja institution at night.
Bakpia, sweet bean-filled pastries, are the classic souvenir. A meal is €1 to €4.
Nightlife
Going out in Yogyakarta
Jogja's evenings centre on Malioboro, the angkringan carts and the southern square. Prawirotaman has a few bars and cafés for travellers.
The Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan is the evening's cultural highlight.
A beer is €2 to €4.
Getting around
Getting around Yogyakarta
Grab and Gojek cover the city. Yogyakarta International Airport is about an hour away by the airport train.
Trains reach Jakarta in about seven or eight hours and Surabaya and Malang, for Bromo, in about five to seven. Buses and drivers reach Borobudur and Prambanan; tours combine them.
Costs
What Yogyakarta costs
Yogyakarta is cheap. Dorms start around €5 and a careful day is €15 to €25, plus temple tickets.
Borobudur and Prambanan each cost foreigners about €20 to €25, with a combined ticket available; climbing Borobudur's upper levels costs extra and needs booking. The Ramayana Ballet is €10 to €25.
The currency is the rupiah (IDR), at roughly 17,000 to 18,000 rupiah to the euro; prices here are euro equivalents. Cards work in tourist areas; carry cash for warungs, boats and small islands, where ATMs are few.
Safety
Staying safe in Yogyakarta
Jogja is safe. Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia; follow official alerts and stay out of the exclusion zone.
At Borobudur, follow the rules: no climbing on stupas, and the upper levels only with a guide and the right ticket.
Most visitors need a visa on arrival, best bought online as an e-VOA before you fly, and must complete Indonesia's online arrival declaration, All Indonesia, before landing; check the current rules for your passport.
Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Yogyakarta
Two great temples, a volcano and a gondola over the sea.
Borobudur
The largest Buddhist temple.
Prambanan
Hindu temples and the Ramayana Ballet.
Merapi
An active volcano.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The Ramayana ballet runs at Prambanan in the dry season.
May to October
Ramayana ballet
Prambanan
Open-air dance.
Varies
Sekaten
Kraton
A week-long royal festival.
Hostels
Where to stay in Yogyakarta
The top-rated places to stay in Yogyakarta right now, live from Hostelworld.
OtU By OstiC House
See dates and book
Sustainable
Huma Yogyakarta Hostel
Dorms from €5 a night
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Snooze Hostel Yogyakarta
Dorms from €9 a night
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YezYezYez - All Good Hostel
Dorms from €2 a night
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Losmanos Hostel
Dorms from €2 a night
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Sustainable
The Backyard Hostel
Dorms from €4 a night
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Good Karma Yogyakarta
Dorms from €3 a night
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The Packer Lodge Yogyakarta
Dorms from €6 a night
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Sleepy Raccoon Hostel
Dorms from €6 a night
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Arjuna Garden Homestay
Dorms from €3 a night
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Wonderloft Hostel Jogja
Dorms from €3 a night
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The Patio Yogya
Dorms from €8 a night
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When to go
May to September is dry.
Jan
Wet
Feb
Wet
Mar
Wet
Apr
Drying
May
Ballet season
Jun
Dry
Jul
Peak
Aug
Peak
Sep
Good
Oct
Good
Nov
Wet
Dec
Holidays
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in rupiah locally; these are euro equivalents. Excludes temple tickets.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Yogyakarta travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Can I climb Borobudur?
The upper levels are limited by daily quotas and a separate ticket; book ahead.
Borobudur at sunrise?
Yes, the classic visit; book a sunrise ticket or tour.
What is the Ramayana Ballet?
A dance drama performed at Prambanan, usually in the dry season, with the temples behind the stage.
What should I eat?
Gudeg, and kopi joss from an angkringan cart.
How many days do you need?
Three.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September, the dry season.
How do I get there?
By train from Jakarta, seven to eight hours, or by flight.
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