Must-see attractions in Central Java

  • Prambanan Temple

    Central Java

    Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, World Heritage–listed Prambanan is Indonesia's largest Hindu site and one of Southeast Asia's major…

  • Morning in Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur

    Dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, and built from two million blocks of stone, Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple and one of Indonesia's…

  • Dwarapala guardian statue at Donopratono gate of the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the palace of the Yogyakarta Sultanate, Central Java, Indonesia, January 14, 2018

    Kraton

    Yogyakarta

    Beside the southern alun-alun (main square), Yogya's enormous kraton (palace) is the cultural and political heart of this fascinating city. Effectively a…

  • Garuda in front of the 15th century temple of Candi Sukuh, on slopes of Gunung Lawu, east of Solo, thought to be linked to fertiflity cult, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

    Candi Sukuh

    Central Java

    In a magnificent position 900m above the Solo plain with fine views of Gunung Lawu, Candi Sukuh is one of Java’s most enigmatic and striking temples. It’s…

  • Old City

    Semarang

    Semarang’s atmospheric old quarter, often referred to by its Dutch name, the Outstadt, is well worth investigating. Until recently, most of the area’s…

  • Sangiran Museum of Ancient Man

    Solo

    With the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils in the world (the bones of 70 individuals), Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site…

  • Taman Sari

    Yogyakarta

    This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his…

  • Mendut Temple & Monastery

    Borobudur

    This exquisite temple, around 3.5km east of Borobudur, may look insignificant compared with its mighty neighbour, but it houses the most outstanding…

  • Telaga Warna

    Central Java

    Ringed by highland forest and steep-sided vegetable terraces, this lake is renowned for its exquisite colour. Ranging from a delicate turquoise to a rich…

  • House of Danar Hadi

    Solo

    Danar Hadi is one of the world's finest batik museums. The handpicked favourites from the owner's private collection (1078 pieces from a collection of 11…

  • Sunan Kudus Tomb

    Central Java

    From the courtyards behind the mesjid (mosque), a palm-lined path leads to the imposing tomb of the Muslim saint Sunan Kudus, shrouded behind a curtain of…

  • Entrance to Sonobudoyo Museum, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

    Sono-Budoyo Museum

    Yogyakarta

    This treasure chest is one of the best museums in Yogya. It is only small but is home to a first-class collection of Javanese art, including wayang kulit…

  • Candi Cetho

    Central Java

    Candi Cetho (pronounced 'Cheto') is spread over terraces rising up the misty hillside, on the northern face of Gunung Lawu at around 1400m. Thought to…

  • Ambarawa Train Station Museum

    Central Java

    Fans of vintage railways will love this museum, located in the premises of the old Koening Willem I station, a couple of kilometres outside of town on the…

  • Ratapan Angin

    Central Java

    For a spectacular perspective of Telaga Warna, it's worth climbing the hill above the lake. Called Ratapan Angin (and signposted as Dieng Plateau Theatre)…

  • Radya Pustaka Museum

    Solo

    This small museum occupies a grand old Javanese building. Dating back to 1890, it is the second-oldest museum in the whole of Indonesia and contains a…

  • Solo - August, 2021 : Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat is the official Palace of the Surakarta Hadiningrat Sunanate which is located in Surakarta City which was founded by Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwana II.; Shutterstock ID 2035299296; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Kraton Surakarta

    Solo

    Once the hub of an empire, today the Kraton Surakarta, established in 1745, is a faded symbol of a bygone era. It’s worth a visit, but much of the kraton…

  • Gedung Batu

    Semarang

    This huge Chinese temple complex, 5km southwest of the city centre, comprises three main temple buildings and many smaller structures that date back to…

  • Mangkunegaran Palace

    Solo

    Built in 1757, the Mangkunegaran Palace in the centre of Solo is still a royal residence. Some rooms are dedicated to a delightful palace museum devoted…

  • Plaosan Temples

    Central Java

    Built around the same time as the larger Prambanan temple group, the Plaosan temples combine both Hindu and Buddhist religious symbols in their elaborate…

  • Affandi Museum

    Yogyakarta

    One of Indonesia’s most celebrated artists, Affandi (1907–90) lived and worked in a wonderfully quirky self-designed riverside studio, about 6km east of…

  • Mesjid Agung

    Central Java

    Demak’s venerable Mesjid Agung (circa 1466), notable for its triple-tiered roof, is Java's oldest mosque and one of the archipelago’s foremost Muslim…

  • Lawang Sewu

    Semarang

    Semarang's most famous landmark, Lawang Sewu ('Thousand Doors'), comprises two colossal colonial buildings that were one of the headquarters of the…

  • Kraton Ratu Boko

    Central Java

    Kraton Ratu Boko is a partly ruined Hindu palace complex dating from the 9th century. Perched on a hilltop overlooking Prambanan, it is believed to have…

  • Pantai Kukup

    Central Java

    This sweeping stretch of coast, an hour's drive from Yogya, is home to the important cottage industry of seaweed collection. Locals bent double over the…

  • Kota Gede

    Yogyakarta

    In 1582, Kota Gede was made the first capital of the Mataram kingdom, the founder of which, Panembahan Senopati, is buried in a tomb here. Today, the area…

  • Gunung Merapi National Park

    Central Java

    From Kaliurang, there are two entrances to this national park, set on the shoulders of volcanic Gunung Merapi. The more developed entrance on Jl Kaliurang…

  • Chinatown

    Semarang

    Semarang’s Chinatown is well worth investigating, particularly around the riverside Gang Lombok. With temples, pagodas, shop houses, jade jewellers,…

  • Candi Kalasan

    Central Java

    One of the oldest Buddhist temples on the Prambanan Plain, the 8th-century Candi Kalasan stands just off the main highway, 13km east of Yogyakarta en…

  • Tomb of Sultan Agung

    Central Java

    This royal tomb is a major focus of pilgrimage, but visitors are welcome to join pilgrims at specified times. To enter the tombs, which are accessed via a…

  • Candi Sambisari

    Central Java

    This Shiva temple, possibly the latest temple at Prambanan to be erected by the Mataram dynasty, was discovered by a farmer in 1966. Excavated from under…

  • Candi Sari

    Central Java

    This 8th-century temple has the three-part design of the larger Plaosan temple but is probably slightly older. Some experts believe that its 2nd floor may…

  • Gunung Sikunir

    Central Java

    South of Dieng village, the main attractions are the sunrise viewpoint of Gunung Sikunir, 1km past Sembungan village, and the shallow lake of Telaga…

  • Arjuna Complex

    Central Java

    The five main Shiva temples that form the Arjuna Complex are clustered together in the middle of the Dieng Plateau. In common with other temples in the…

  • Ullen Sentalu

    Central Java

    The Ullen Sentalu museum is a surprise find on the slopes of Merapi. Set within a contemporary space, it includes extensive gardens and a unique…

  • Museum RA Kartini

    Central Java

    On the north side of Jepara's attractive alun-alun, this museum is dedicated to one of Indonesia’s most celebrated women. One room is devoted to Kartini…

  • Grojogan Sewu

    Central Java

    This 100m-high waterfall, about 3km from town, is a favourite playground for monkeys (as is the parking area). It is reached by a long flight of steps…

  • Mesjid Al-Manar

    Central Java

    This beautiful old mosque, built in 1549 by Sunan Kudus, is famous for its red-brick menara (minaret). This minaret may have originally been the…

  • Candi Pawon

    Borobudur

    In a pretty neighbourhood of tiled-roofed houses, around 1.5km east of Borobudur, this small solitary temple is similar in design and decoration to the…

  • Merapi Volcano Museum

    Central Java

    This impressive museum is located in a striking angular structure that resembles a volcano. Exhibits dedicated to Merapi include a scale model, which…

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