Overview
Often shortened to Jogja, Yogyakarta is a special region governed by its sultan, and it keeps the arts and manners of the Javanese court more strongly than anywhere else. The walled palace, or kraton, still sits at the city’s heart, ringed by batik workshops, silversmiths and the bustle of Malioboro street. Beyond the city, the fertile plain and volcanoes hold the temple complexes that draw travellers from across the world.
Highlights
Borobudur, the vast ninth-century Buddhist monument, is best at dawn when mist lies over the surrounding plain, and Hindu Prambanan raises its sharp towers nearby. In the city, the sultan’s kraton and the water palace of Taman Sari show the court’s old life, and Malioboro street is the place for batik and street food. The smoking cone of Mount Merapi rises to the north, a reminder of the volcanic land.