Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia – these are the countries that first come to mind when we think of ancient temples in Southeast Asia. But did you know that Indonesia also houses two of the world’s largest and oldest temples? These ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples are found in Yogyakarta, also known as Jogja, in Central Java.

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Borobudur Temple

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This gigantic Buddhist temple traces its origin from the 9th century and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. This holds the record of being the biggest Buddhist temple. I will not delve on its history here as there are far more reliable history sources than me, but I will talk about my travel experience on this blog.

I was able to organize a trip to the temples at Sosrowijayan Street. This is one of the main backpacker hubs in Jogja. Just pass through the narrow streets and you will easily find affordable losmen (hostel) and guesthouses. It is also easy to just walk in and get your ticket for a day tour for the next day.

A sunrise tour seem part of the traveler’s tradition prior to visiting the temple. But note that the call time is really early and you may have to skip that Bintang beer for the night. We left the guesthouse at 5am the next day in order to catch the sunrise over the Borobudur temple.

I have seen several sunrises from the top of mountains and on the beach, but to see the sunrise over a temple was a sight to behold. The viewing site is on a hill where you watch over the temples being revealed by the sun rays. There are also trips where you can watch the sunrise on the actual temple but I wanted to see it from a different perspective. The temple may not look obvious on the photo so I have placed a mark here.

After the sunrise, we went to the main event - the Borobudur temple. I have seen the photos but seeing it in person made me just stand there in awe! To stand in front of a massive piece of history made me feel so lucky to be alive - it's one of those moments you really forget about your problems and feel lucky to step on these grounds.

But I have a slight fear of heights...

I am afraid of heights so climbing the steep steps was challenging. I was also traveling alone and my guide left me on my own. But I braved my way to each level until I reached the top! There is no fear that would stop me from seeing every corner of this temple.

The walls are adorned with carvings of Buddha’s story which makes it the most intricate Buddhist temple I’ve ever seen. I saw tourists with local tour guides who tell them more about the story. I think this is a really good idea but I was on a budget so I just relied on the information found at the tourist entrance of the temple. That is where I credit the few historical information that I have provided here.

I made it. I’m on top of the world!..errr.. temple!

It was easy climbing up but looking down was my problem. The stairs were too steep. I didn’t think about how I will go down yet and just enjoyed my moment at the top. This is the highest level of the temple and where you would see bell-shaped bricks that enclose the Buddha statues which are called Stupa. As you can see, some Buddha statues are no longer covered by a Stupa. They lost some bricks as the temple has gone through several natural disasters as well as those man-made over the centuries.

Wander Tip:

Jogja is on the same time zone as Jakarta, but earlier by an hour from Bali. I came from Bali and had to adjust my clock by an hour earlier. This is important so you don’t miss any scheduled plans or flights.

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Prambanan Temple

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From a Buddhist temple, I went to another UNESCO World Heritage site which is a Hindu temple. Unlike the huge Buddhist complex, there are a number of small and large temples spread throughout 3 zones in the Prambanan compound.

If Borobudur's stairs were steep then Prambanan's was steeper. It was a good thing I had my climbing practice at the Borobudur temple. There were also several tourists which crowds each temple so you had to wait in line to get in. And we had also had to wear a helmet as a precaution for falling bricks. Yikes! Not all temples within the complex requires you to wear a helmet. You will have to queue for these ones.


Going around the Prambanan took me less time than the Borobudur temple but it was also vast. You might think the temples are just the same and just skip some but do not ditch those temples if you have time. Some temples have special statues inside. The space is really small and you have to get out as soon especially if there are many people waiting outside.

Do you feel like it’s too much sightseeing in one day? Don’t worry, Prambanan has more to offer than that!

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Ramayana Ballet

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I went back that night to watch the Ramayana and Sita Ballet. The play was set with the illuminated Prambanan temple as its backdrop which made it more special. It made the open theater look so majestic and classy at the same time. This is the second play I have watched in Indonesia and I was not disappointed. The first one was at the Ubud palace in Bali and you can check that out in my previous post. To be honest, I could not afford going to the drama theaters here in Manila because they are just too expensive. Indonesia’s rates are really affordable and rates starts from less than 9 USD (even cheaper than the play I watched in Ubud, Bali).

The play is about the story of King Rama and his wife Sita. As with any drama, there is an evil guy here – Ravana. Here is a short clip that I took (just a heads up that I'm not so good at taking videos).

I will not give any further spoilers and I suggest you see this musical play yourself. I also recommend that you read about the story of Rama and Sita before the show so it will be easier to understand. But it is also good if you don’t so you get some nice surprises. I am familiar with the story because we had this play when I was in high school and I played as one of Lakshmana’s (Rama’s brother) concubines (lol).

Wander Tip:

Buy your Ramayana Ballet ticket at the Prambanan temple during your day tour there.

Update: View more photos in my Wander Snaps post

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This is my fourth blog on the different WANDERful places I visited in Indonesia. You may check out my other Indonesia travel posts here:

Wander Blog #1: Komodo Dragons on the Flores Islands

Wander Blog #2: My Eat, Pray, Heal Experience in Ubud, Bali

Festivities in Ubud: A Wedding, a Funeral and a Dance

Photos taken using Sony NEX-C3D

Video from my unofficial Youtube channel

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