Borobudur
Borobudur is the main attraction that pulls travellers to Yogyakarta. Tucked in the middle of a lush rainforest, Borobudur is Central Java’s greatest treasure. The 9th-century Buddhist temple continues to maintain the title of the largest Buddhist temple in the world. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site following its restoration project.
Borobudur is split into the 3 divisions of Buddhist cosmology: the kamadhatu, where we are bound by worldly desires; rupadhatu, where we abandon desires but still cling to name and form; and finally arupadhatu, where name and form no longer exists. Every aspect of the temple is thoughtfully designed with sacred motifs and reliefs that seem to spiral endlessly.
Travel books will warn you about the street vendors. Just be prepared to decline aggressive touting when you reach the foot of the site.
For a full-day tour that covers Borobudur and the other temples in the vicinity, book a below!
Prambanan
Prambanan is a Hindu temple complex that gets overshadowed by Borobudur despite being similarly designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As opposed to Borobodur’s unified spiral design, Prambanan is more of a collection of large candis. The candis tell the tale of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, and how Hanuman rescued Rama’s wife, Sita. The other candis house statues of deities like Shiva and Brahma.
As the temple is a complex monument, a guide is recommended to do the site justice. You can book a private tour of Prambanan down below!
Sewu Temple
Sewu served as the main Buddhist temple before Borobudur later claimed that title. 250 smaller temples housing the depictions of gods are within the Sewu compound although much of it lies in ruin. The temple is located just 2 km away from Prambanan so it’s definitely worth a stop after visiting the Hindu temple. The proximity between Sewu and Prambanan suggests that Buddhists and Hindus lived together in harmony.
Candi Plaosan
Plaosan is another Buddhist temple that’s near Prambanan and Sewu. In particular, Plaosan is known for its “twin” temple design, where two identical temples sit across each other. While the temple isn’t as grand as Prambanan, it boasts some of the best scenic backdrops that the area has to offer.
Book a combined tour of Plaosan along with Prambanan below!
Mendut Temple and Pawon Temple
An interesting discovery about Borobudur was made during the temple’s restoration - 2 other temples fall on a straight line from Borobudur. There is no concrete explanation as to why it was aligned as such. Some theorise that it served a ritual purpose, however, no exact ritual has been agreed upon.
Mendut Temple is otherwise known for its unique Buddha statue. The 3-metre tall Buddha sits with his feet planted on the ground as opposed to the traditional yogic posture.
Pawon Temple itself isn’t much as it’s a smaller candi. Seeing it in tandem with Mendut and Borobudur, however, makes the experience much more meaningful.
For a tour of the “Borobudur line”, book a tour below!
Chicken Church/Gereja Ayam
This is probably the most peculiar site on the list. Located near the Punthuk Setumbu hill, this once-abandoned church was built by Daniel Alamsjah - a local Indonesian - in the early ‘90s. He saw a vision of a dove on top of a hill in a dream which spurred him to embark on his mission to build the church. While the church resembled a dove in the beginning, people started calling it a chicken when Daniel added a crown to symbolise holiness.
Facing local backlash from the Muslim population, the project was discontinued and abandoned. The church sprung back when it made headlines following a Daily Mail feature. It also sparked local interest when it was used a shooting site for the Indonesian film, Ada Apa Dengan Cinta.
The site has since been renovated and attracts many visitors who are curious about the strange church. The roof or the “crown” can also be accessed where a faint view of Borobudur can be seen. You can read more about it here.
