We have found that blogs from other travelers have been very helpful when it comes to planning our adventures in different cities, so we thought we would give it a try! We hope that someone finds this helpful!

Day trip to Borobudur and Prambanan Temples

Getting there

Sadly, there was no simple public transportation option to get from Yogyakarta to the temples. There were many tour buses when we arrived, so there must be some options for larger tours, but I am unfamiliar with that.

Our hostel offered motorbike rentals as do many places in the city of Yogyakarta. Originally we were going to rent a bike (cost: 75,000 for 24 hours), although we were nervous about this idea. Even though the traffic is nowhere near as bad as Jakarta, it is still a little more crazy than what we are used to and what we were comfortable driving in. This turned out to be a great choice because the roads out to the temples are narrow, can be curvy, and the route was difficult to navigate. Instead of taking a bike, we joined up with 3 other travelers at our hostel and rented a car and a driver. We are very thankful that the other couple was brave enough to approach us and ask if we were going to the temple! Pro-tip: Don’t be scared to approach other people and ask their plans! Teaming up is a great way to meet new people, make connections, and save dat money! Our hostel offered an all day car rental + driver, which included gas, for Rp 700,000, however our AMAZING hostel workers got the price down to Rp 600,000. After we split this 5 ways, we each paid Rp 120,000 which is about $8.50 USD. Not having to worry about driving a motorbike in the heat on crazy roads with scary traffic made the trip so much more relaxing and enjoyable!

This does not mean that you can’t or shouldn’t go on a motorbike, lots of people choose that option, but we were glad we got a car. Maybe we’re getting old or something.

Total drive time: ~4.5-5 hours

Yogyakarta→ Borobudur: ~1.5 hours

Borobudur → Prambanan: ~2 hours

Prambanan → Yogyakarta: ~1 hour

On our way from Borobudur to Prambanan we stopped and had lunch at a unique restaurant called Jejamuran where they only serve mushroom based dishes. I recommend the mushroom curry, it was delicious!

What to expect

Borobudur, built in the 9th century, is the largest Buddhist temple in the world! We were blown away by the thought of a group of people building such a thing in the 800s! Not only is the large structure incredibly impressive, but the amount of detailed carvings that were etched into each stone was amazing. Tradition has it that you enter the temple through the east and walk 3 clockwise loops before exiting through the north- this shows respect for the temple. The further up you climb, the more beautiful the stone work and scenery becomes.

Prambanan, also built in the 9th century, is the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia. In my opinion, this was the more impressive of the two temples. The three tallest structures are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Visitors can walk up the large stone steps of each to enter a chamber housing a statue of each god. The tall, main towers are surrounded in every direction by some 224 piles of well organized stones that are called Pervara temples. This temple compound has much more space surrounding it, filled with well manicured landscapes. It’s all very pleasing to the eye.

If you’re visiting these temples as a foreigner, especially a white one, you’ll need to be prepared for an onslaught of local children to bombard you, wanting to practice their English and take pictures with you. We found it very adorable, but you have to draw a line somewhere or you’ll never get through the temples on time. Many of the children we saw were there on a school field trip. They would approach us in groups, and want to ask us our name, our nationality, what food we like, and then ask us to sign off on a little card they carried to prove to their teacher that they practiced English. They don’t want any money or to sell you anything, they just want to show off to their classmates.

Price

There are several different ticket options for entering one or both of the temples. It is very popular to watch the sunrise at Borobudur and the sunset at Prambanan. We didn’t wake up early enough for this option though, but all the pictures I’ve seen are amazing.

Honestly, we found it quite expensive to enter the temples, but the price was well worth it once we got in there!

Prices for international visitors are as follows:

Single Borobudur Ticket: $25.00 USD

Single Prambanan Ticket: $25.00 USD

Combination Ticket: $40.00 USD

If you’re lucky enough to still have a student ID, you’ll pay $15.00 for each individual temple and $25.00 for the combo ticket.

It is also an extra Rp 10,000 for parking at each temple. Be prepared to pay that on your own or add it on to the cost of your driver.

What to bring

Sunscreen

Water

Umbrella

Water

Water. Seriously, there isn’t much shade while touring the temples, and you’re walking through a maze of stone that radiates heat.

OK, now you’re ready to go see the temples and say, “WOW! These temples are awesome! Almost as awesome as the helpful tips I read from Leah and Tyler.”

Enjoy!

Ancient Temples

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