Hi deqna, nice, did you rent a car with driver in jogyakarta? can you share with us the contact? which hotel did you stayed there? how much? we will be going there in coming april 2011 in group of 8 pax.. many thanks.

yup.. i rent the vehicle together with driver, and the cost also cover the parking fees and petrol.. actually we only required vehicle that can fit 6pax of us, but they give us a large van that even can fit 9pax with baggage space at  same price of small van quoted by others. just pm me if you want his contact detail..

we stayed at ibis malioboro.. quite cheap as we got discount from website promotion.. normal rate will be around rm160++. room quite big to fit 3person.. highly recommended for the convenient and location.. shopping complex connected to the hotel, malioboro street just in front of hotel, and a lot of eating places around the hotel..

i spend 1 night in Solo and 3 night in jogja.. i went there with my family, kinda do-it-myself travel arrangement. our flight by kl-solo as we get very cheap rate during airasia promo, only rm200 return for 6pax.   

for traveling, i just rented a big van for 3days that cost us only rm400.. the driver was very nice, and he bring us to all attraction and any place that we want to go, even he did not charge for extra hours..

for hotel, ibis solo and ibis malioboro in jogja is highly recommended as it location was very strategic.. ibis malioboro is just beside a shopping mall and in front of shopping street of malioboro, so you will have no problem to shop for souveniours or looking for eating places.

our itinerary :

day 1 :
- reach solo airport at noon and transfer to our hotel by taxi (only rp55k to town)
- after check-in we went to pasar klewer by taxi (only rp15k). not recommended place to shop for batik although very cheap, the quality is lousy. cannot stand the messy condition inside the market.    . we didn't buy anything there. masjid agung and keraton just beside the market.
- we went to kampung batik to a shop named batik benteng. very good batik sold here.
- try nasi gudeg.. very nice

day 2 :
- 7am our driver already pick us to pasar triwundi antique market and keraton mangkunegara, palace opened to public while the ruler still lived inside.
- check-out and proceed to jogja, 1.5 hour journey.
- stop at prambanan temple. luckily my little sisters bring their student card, so pay only half of the entrance ticket.
- lunch bebek gulai, visit silver shop at kota gede (cheap silver jewellery) before check-in to hotel

day 3 :
- 6am our driver already pick us at the hotel. went to kampung batik for batik shopping.
- visited keraton yogyakarta.
- 1hour journey to borobudur. once again, half price entrance ticket for student   
- on the way back, visit the leftover from the recent merapi erruption
- spent remaining evening with batik shopping.
- night, walk along the malioboro shopping street.

day 4 :
- free n easy day. spent walking around malioboro area until pasar brinjo.. n shopping

day 5 :
- check-out morning as our driver pick us at 7.30
- last minutes city tour before proceeding to solo airport of 1.5hour journey.
- afternoon return flight. need to pay rp100k per person airport tax.

hope the above can help u guys for your upcoming travel   

hi deqna, thanks, how much you paid for the car transportation? you still have the contact? many thanks.

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Added on February 9, 2011, 11:13 pmhi deqna, rm400 is reasonable, do you have the contact? many thanks.

is there a hotel/homestay inside the borobudur temple itself?
i heard from my friend that there's only got 1.
may i know the name of the hotel / homestay?
thanks

Stayed there for 2 nights in Mar 08 

MANOHARA HOTEL is the only one hotel located inside of Borobudur Archeological Park where the Borobudur stand.
Manohara Hotel provides free access to Borobudur Park beginning at 06:00 to 17:00.
Borobudur is just 200 meters away from the hotel and about 5 minutes walk.

HOTEL MANOHARA
Komp. Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur
Magelang, Jawa tengah, Indonesia
Phone:
+62 293 788131
+62 293 788680

How much for a double?

Stayed there for 2 nights in Mar 08 

MANOHARA HOTEL is the only one hotel located inside of Borobudur Archeological Park where the Borobudur stand.
Manohara Hotel provides free access to Borobudur Park beginning at 06:00 to 17:00.
Borobudur is just 200 meters away from the hotel and about 5 minutes walk.

HOTEL MANOHARA
Komp. Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur
Magelang, Jawa tengah, Indonesia
Phone:
+62 293 788131
+62 293 788680

wow, thanks a lot for the reply bro~ 

OK.

My Lonely Planet says prices start from 285,000 rupiah.  This is just under RM100 I suppose.  But it's the 2007 edition, so you probably got similar prices when you went.  I wonder if there's been any significant increase.  But you'd recommend the Manohara would you?

Hi littleprawn, what is the reason to stay close to Borobudur?

Yes, I would, reviews on TripAdvisor are good except for few bad ones about room condition.

The rooms were clean while I was there.
I really enjoyed my stay there. 

The advantages:

1.  Free-of-charge unlimited admission at anytime for different snapshot of the temple
    Need to pay if staying outside.

2. Can get to temple early (opens at 6:00) before the busloads of tourist and students arrive.
    Cooler and very tranquil in the early morning. Few people around at that time.
    Go before breakfast

3. Fantastic view from the hotel (breakfast area). Can see all those people going up the temple while having breakfast. 
       
4. Nice compound and garden

Yes, I would, reviews on TripAdvisor are good except for few bad ones about room condition.

The rooms were clean while I was there.
I really enjoyed my stay there. 

The advantages:

1.  Free-of-charge unlimited admission at anytime for different snapshot of the temple
    Need to pay if staying outside.

2. Can get to temple early (opens at 6:00) before the busloads of tourist and students arrive.
    Cooler and very tranquil in the early morning. Few people around at that time.
    Go before breakfast

3. Fantastic view from the hotel (breakfast area). Can see all those people going up the temple while having breakfast.  
       
4. Nice compound and garden

is there a hotel/homestay inside the borobudur temple itself?
i heard from my friend that there's only got 1.
may i know the name of the hotel / homestay?
thanks

Thanks, question... how long do we need to plan for Borobudur visit? what about day trip to Borobudur? how much or is it the entrance fee very expensive?

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Added on February 12, 2011, 5:26 pmHi littleprawn, the borobudur hotel price is increased...

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-hotel/budget/manohara/

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Added on February 12, 2011, 5:33 pmHi,

Thanks, question... how long do we need to plan for Borobudur visit? what about day trip to Borobudur? how much or is it the entrance fee very expensive?

---

Added on February 12, 2011, 5:26 pmHi littleprawn, the borobudur hotel price is increased...

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-hotel/budget/manohara/

---

Added on February 12, 2011, 5:33 pmHi,

Anyone can help me to comment itinerary below, which draft by the travel agent? which are the places needed to spend longer time to stop and which is not, please advice.... many thanks.

Day 1 (8/4) : Pick you up at the airport and directly going to visit Sultan Palace, Tamansari Water Castle, and Bird Market than lunch at kotagedhe, silver center and continued to Prambanan Temple and at the night you can also see Ramayana Ballet until (10-11 PM) .

Day 2 (9/4) : For Borobudur sunrise is not necessary because the entrance ticket is more expensive than regular ticket can see also another temple nearby the Borobudur continue to visit Snake fruit Plantation,Lava tour at Mount Merapi and than we can also come by to Candi Ijo and the Temple nearby like : Plaosan, Sambi Sari Temple continue city tour at Malioboro street.

Day 3 (10/4) : for the day 3 you can choose between this :
A. Going to Solo City (2,5 Hour drive): Mangkunegaran Palace, Antique Market continued to visit Sukuh and Cetho Temple
B. Going to Dieng Plateau (3 hour drive) : see the Oldest Hindu's Temple, Colorful lake, Dieng Plateau beautiful scenery.

Day 4 : pick up at your hotel and drive you to airport (end of service)

Currently doing abit of research on my trip there nxt mth...I think this time abit too long 5D4N and I'm thinking of doing a day trip to Semarang too visiting Cheng Ho Sam Po Kong and also the chinatown there..Anyone been to Semarang via Jogya b4 & return on the same day? from the maps not really far ~ 120KM away.

My rough 5d4N itineraries probably:

Day 1 - Jogya local attractions, Paratitis beach & arranging transport to Borobudor nxt day
Day 2: Borobudor &  Dieng Plateu
Day 3: Prabanam & all temples surrouning that area
Day 4: - Semarang??? or Solo - towards Mt Lawu attractions such as Suwuh pyramid -erotic temple & Balinese style Chetto temple?
Day 5: Rest & Relax bck to M'sia
Do comment esp the pack Day 2 itineraries to Borobudor & Dieng Platieu..

Hi Stimix, i will be there on April 8, 2011, Going to Dieng Plateau (3 hour drive) : see the Oldest Hindu's Temple, Colorful lake, Dieng Plateau beautiful scenery.

Can you share with me after you have been there, do recommend me good tour driver, i am going for 8 person, but i still not able to find the good quote now, many thanks.

I intend to rent & drive myself wor..cheaper and more choices without the driver reluctant to go certain places or even stopping as & when you want 

From this sitem, car rental is suprisinglyu cheap and even cheaper than Bandung & Bali

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-car-rental/

I haven't call them yet...Right now thinking of updating 1st page on places of interest...
I hv booked my hotel with 1001 malam hotell..Cheap..Only RM88 + RM21 tax/fee via agoda. Trying to cover as many of the ancient temples as possible.. Too bad, i notice that those ancient temples having ridicolous pricing just like Angkor Wat..darnnnnn