Hello everyone!

will be going to Yogya from 22-26 jan with the fam...

here's the itinerary that i've planned after reading from the previous ones posted here...do comment and give advice ya!

22 jan

-reached yogya at noon
-heading straight to manohara....
-ramayana ballet at night..


*question: does manohara provide taxi service heading from the airport straight to the hotel? or should i hire a driver? there's only 3 of us...how would the taxi prices be usually?*

23 Jan

-borobudor sunrise
-dieng kaliadem tour

*can someone recommend a place to stay here? how far would it be from ehm dieng kaliadem *please correct me if i'm wrong* to either solo/ prambanan?

24 Jan

-solo /prambanan tour (either one)

25 Jan

-solo/prambanan tour (either one) half day, and shopping at malioboro

26 Jan

-back to kl

currently i need advice on how many days would i need the driver/tour guide... need recommendations here as there are so many from the yogyes website...

-regarding solo and prambanan, how far is it from each other? or i could just stay in yogyakarta/malioboro?

you are from malaysia, if u wanna cheap ticket to go in to candi just say in indonesia lnguage..it just 10 ringgit

I doubt that would work so easily. I thought even Indonesians would also need to show ID at the counter to prove that you're Indonesian? Anyhow, if we're Malaysian Chinese/Indian, it would be hard for us to blend into the crowd and get passed as Indonesians - our fairer complexion and obviously different features stand out very much.

Another tip for young travellers to Borobudur and Prambanan:

- Since both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the administration allows students (doesn't matter local/foreign universities) to be given a 50% discount off the entrance fee by showing your student card at the counter. It doesn't matter you're still a student or already graduated (they wouldn't know anyway) - once you've shown them your student card, you'll be given the discount on the spot. Normal price for foreign visitors = USD 15, student price = USD 7. It works for me during my last trip to Yogya in 2010.

So don't throw away your student card and bring along it anywhere you go (it's handy too in some of Sri Lanka's heritage sites)! You'll never know when you'll need it (provided you don't look wayyy too old to pass along as a university student lahhh).

definitely a world wonder!

Hi all..if anyone need a tour guide in jogja and bali..
Im all ready..
But..i can only guide you when i go there..
Which is most probably 3-4x a year..

Yes we knew that trick and they are not stupid. My driver was Jogja local Chinese and they told me we are from Medan and his relative. Well, They dun buy our driver trick and insist us to show us the passport..

when i reach the airport i took the public bus to Borobudur~
going to prambanan temple i also use the public bus~
both temple u will need to take beca from the bus station to reach~

other place like Dieng and Solo i use the same driver~
prices to Dieng and Solo is higher compare to the rest since they need hours of driving to reach~ max prices for both places for a day trip is around 500k rph~

after ur dieng trip u should head back to Jogja~ Solo trip requires 1day trip and so is Dieng~ Both places need around 3-4hours of driving for 1 way trip~

malioboro street and jogja is the same~

yup we did Borobudur sunrise and Dieng on the same day~
the sunrise trip plus breakfast ended around 8am plus~
were supposed to leave ard 9am but driver caught in traffic due to unforeseen circumstances~

yes we check out the b4 we went for the dieng trip~
after dieng trip we check in Kaliadem at night aroung10-11pm plus coz journey is far and we went quite many candi~
i guess u should go to those selected one and not all~ haha~

if u planning to go solo i suggest 24th since u r using driver the previous day~

on 25th u can go prambanan temple for half day and back malioboro for shopping~


nicely capture~

This post has been edited by littleprawn: Jan 8 2013, 11:23 PM

Got public bus from the airpok direct to Borobudur? Or gotto change at the terminal in Yogya?

Has anyone stayed at the Manohara? How izzit ah?

Last time my route is from Airport Adisucipto take Trans Jogja No.3A to Terminal Condong Catur bus stop (Rp3k,15min)~ Condong Catur terminal take Trans Jogja No.2A to Terminal Jombor (15min)~ When reach Condong Catur, we didnt paid any ticket fee since its Rp3k per trip as long you dont go wondering out of the "bus stop" Later they charge you another Rp3k~

Terminal Jombor take CEMARA TUNGGAL or GADING INDAH bus to Terminal Borobudur (Rp15k, an hour)

When reach terminal borobudur take beca to hotel Manohara~

Its a very peaceful environment at Manohara hotel~
Not much to do At night except dinner or relax in ur room~

However u have unlimited access to the temple during the day~

Hi everyone,
Going to explore Indonesia for about 2 weeks from North to South including Solo. Anybody can recommend me the best prepaid carrier with unlimited internet? I'll need the internet extensively during my time there. Some tips to on how to activate the internet would be helpful too. Will use it on my iPhone or Android tablet.
Cheers!

This post has been edited by ae8za: Feb 12 2013, 12:04 AM

I am planning a 5D4N trip to Yogyakarta end of March. Questions:
1) Is it a good time to travel? Rainy season?
2) Any Yogya driver+car recommendation?
3) Plan to stay in hotel near shopping area. Any recommendation?

Thanks!

Thanks for the detailed reply. Tempting as a relaxed stay at the Manohara is, we've now decided to spend the night in Yogya and rent a bike to get us to Borobodur. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the countryside around Borobudur as well as the ride from Yogya itself the last time I was there, and decided it's best to do that again. We also plan to take the bike all the way to Gedung Songo (on another day of course).

For those who had been to Yogya, can I get your opinion on the tour itinerary suggested by the tour guide:

Day 1 - 28th March.
Arrive Yogya at 1:30PM. I suppose after immigration checking & collect luggage, it will be around 2PM+ The tour guide suggested to isit Sambisari Temple and Prambanan.
Then bring us to Join the silver making class from 5-8 pm (class requested by my travel buddy). Then drive to Borobudur to check in.

**Question: Do you think it's too rush to visit Sambisari & Prambanan 2PM-5PM. I am not sure how far Prambanan to Kote Gede (where the silver course is. The course will take 3 hour, at 9AM, 1PM or 5PM).

Day 2, March 29th
The next early morning see the sunrise, then continue to Dieng  to see the oldest Hindu temples in Java, active craters, color lake, tea garden on the slope of mt. Sindoro and Sumbing, Lake menjer and others. In the afternoon go to Yogya, and arrive in Yogya in the evening. Over night in Yogya.

**Should be able to cover all these places in 1 day, right? Heard that Dieng is quite far from Yogya.

Day 3, March 30th
Yogya City Tour, visit Sultan Palace , Water Castle , Kaliadem (the slope of mt. merapi ), kasongan Pottery, Batik, go to beach for sunset and the last is Ramayana Show - back to hotel.

**We plan to watch Ramayana show at Prambanan, and the show is available on 28th & 30th March (during my trip at Yogya).
I am thinking whether to goto Prambanan on this day instead of day 1 too rush. And skip the sunset at the beach. View the sunset at Prambanan instead. Dinner there and followed by Ramayana show.

Day 4, March 31st
Solo. Shopping at Malioboro in the evening.
** I am thinking to cancel trip to Solo. but make this day free and easy. Include the 3-hour silver making course on this day. After the course can goto the beach for sunset view.

Day 5, 1 April
9AM flight to KL

You should be aware that at this time of the year, the Ramayana dance performance takes place indoors at an auditorium in the Prambanan grounds rather than outdoors with the temple as the backdrop.

I find Day 2 too much of a rush. Dieng is not very far from Yogya, but the traffic and road conditions will mean that you won't get there very quickly.

Cancel the trip to Solo unless you plan to see the Sukuh and Cetho temples as well.

Also, if you were to visit the Kraton on a Sunday instead of a Saturday, you will get to see a dance performance in the morning in the palace grounds (started at 11 when I visited a couple of weeks ago). On Saturday they might have some other performance like gamelan or silat, or nothing at all.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 12 2013, 11:12 PM

Thanks PangurBan for your input.

I know the indoor show of Ramayana performance. Checked the website already. Outdoor show is only available in May onwards

Noted on Dieng info. Will discuss with my tour guide on places to visit.

How long you spent in Prambanan?

Is to confirmed that we can use our CIMB ATM card to withdraw $$ from CIMB Indon?

I've been to Prambanan twice. The second time round i found myself in the Plaosan temples by mistake, otherwise, I've only spent a couple of hours at the main complex. You do really need a few hours if you want to look around at all the outlying temples. I recommend would recommend at least seeing the Plaosan Group in addition to the main temple complex.

I've not tried using our CIMB ATM card in Indonesia, but I take it you are aware of the fact that you need to go to a local ATM to activate the card for overseas use first? There are two CIMB ATM's conveniently located at Malioboro. One of them is outside Hotel Ibis/Malioboro Mall, the other one is located just a few hundred metres down the road opposite Hotel Mutiara. But I don't see the point of the ATM's anyway, since the shopping at Malioboro is quite dire.

To appreciate Dieng properly, you really need to spend the night there. However, accommodation there is limited and not very comfortable. One spectacular thing to do there if you were to spend the night is to get out early in the morning, and trek out to a look-out point at the edge of the plateau where you get glorious views of the early morning sun rising to the east over the Central Java plains and the massive hulk of Sumbing Volcano rising right in front of you. If you do not plan to go to see candi Sukuh and candi Cetho east of Solo, you might consider going to Gedung Songo near Ambarawa after you're done with Borobudur. You get great views there and there are nine little candi for you to have a nice wander around on the hillside. There is also a hotspring where you can have a soak, and vents spewing out sulphurous steam. From there, you can drive to Wonosobo and spend the night there or go straight to Dieng. Accommodation in Wonosobo is more comfortable and if you start off early, you would still be able to get up onto the plateau to catch the early morning sun and the glorious views, before going round to look at fumaroles, craters, multi-coloured lakes, etc. And remember, if you do spend the night up on Dieng, it gets friggin' cold at night.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 13 2013, 03:45 PM

Hi doremifaso

Speaking from own experience altho it was many years back, i find Candi Sukuh is truly unique in its own. Imagine a step-pyramind in this part of the world & very similar to the famous Aztec's albeit on much smaller scale.

My 1st visit began with this Candi Sukuh, then move on to Prambanan and ended with Borobudur.

From the smallest unknown to the most famous candi, there was this overwhelming mix of expectation because amazingly, Sukuh didnt disappoint me although it is not famous, not big and in a remote mountain area.

Next, it was Prambanan (never heard of it b4 this). Boy, if you approach Prambanan from the front and far, the sight is just wow! First thing came to my mind then was, how they built it?! This was before the earthquake in 2006. We were still allowed to went into each 5 main buildings

That night itself, i went back to Prambanan for the Ramayana ballet with the candi's as the backdrop. It was just magical that night. The setting & the performance were easily of highest standard. ** I didnt know it was more than 2.5 hours show with a short break in between

That night i began to worry. Was Prambanan the highlight of my journey? What about Borobudur? Will it be less thrilling than Prambanan?

Hehe..at this point..i shall let everyone to decide on their own

If you r the adventure-sort, the kraton complex in Jogja is a must, especially the "mosque". Having said that, since i went to Solo before Jogja, i also having a great time in Solo's kraton. (Almost bump into the royalty )

Parangtritis beach for sunset view is ok provided you have the time. Is a very run down place. Port Dickson's facility is like 10x better but the view of the Indian ocean, either from the cliff or on the beach..is just differently great!

Have a fantastic time in Jogja

I did it the other way round. Borobudur first, then Prambanan. (Then a detour to the temples at Dieng). Then Sukuh, then Cetho.

Got better and better.

I missed out Cetho My group dont want to venture further (all girls except me)

I am not sure current situation but i have a good 1st impression on this Sekar Kedaton restaurant in Kota Gede.

Didnt have lunch or dinner there. Was just finished touring the silver factory in late afternoon and felt like having yumchar. Our tour guide brought us here. When i see the restaurant i was like whoa! "i am wearing only t-shirt with bermuda pants and a slipper leh!" Can go in ka?! keke

Very nice ambience inside. Almost too classy for my choice of attire

Food wasnt bad as i remembered

This post has been edited by dilvin: Mar 15 2013, 05:58 PM

Cetho and Sukuh were the best temples for me partly because of the location, and partly because you'd have the place practically to yourself. Prambanan and Borobodur are always swarming with tourists and souvenir vendors, and this completely ruins everything. Sukuh has all the dirty pictures and a spectacular location up a mountain. Cetho is visually more stunning than Sukuh and the location, higher up the volcano, is breathtaking.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 15 2013, 09:25 PM