Yogyakarta Special Region
Yogyakarta Special Region (Indonesian: Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta) is a region of Central Java.
Cities
- 🌍 Yogyakarta — The center point of Yogyakarta Sultanate
- 🌍 Bantul — capital of Bantul Regency
- 🌍 Sleman — capital of Sleman Regency
- 🌍 Wates — capital of Kulon Progo Regency
- 🌍 Wonosari — capital of Gunung Kidul Regency
Other destinations
- 🌍 Mount Merapi — a perennially active and spectacular volcano
- 🌍 Prambanan — a collection of awe-inspiring Hindu temples
Understand
Yogyakarta Special Region is the territory of the Yogyakarta Sultanate which is led by a king called Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono.
Get in
Get around
By bus
There is a public bus called Trans Jogja within the city of Yogyakarta. Intercity buses connect the regency capitals with Yogyakarta.
By ride-hailing
You may use Gojek or Grab.
By rented vehicle
It is more flexible to go to tourist attraction in remote area by motorbike or car.
See
Candi (CHAN-dee) are ancient structures mainly built during the 7th-9th centuries. They are built from river stones or blocks of volcanic stone . The walls are often carved with reliefs depicting stories from either Buddhism or Hinduism, and a stone statue usually sits at the center. There are many candi in and around Yogyakarta Special Region, some have been restored and made accessible.
The two most famous candi are both easily reached from Jogja city. Buddhist Borobudur is a couple of hours to the northwest. The Hindu temple complex Prambanan is just to the east.
Do
- Caving — Yogyakarta has many caves, one of the best in Goa Jomblang in Wonosari, Gunung Kidul Regency.
- Rafting — a splashy ride on Elo or Progo rivers. There are a number of operators, including Kisik River Camp.
- Strolling around white sand beaches in Gunung Kidul Regency and black sand beaches in Bantul Regency.
Eat
Yogyakarta Special Region is well-known for its gudeg, young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk served with sambal goreng krecek (cow skin cracker sambal dish) and bacem (egg/tofu/tempeh cooked in coconut water). For the snack, bakpia pathok, mung bean pastry, is perfect to accompany your tea time.
Drink
Try local Javanese drinks, the hot drink with prefix wedhang and the cold one with prefix es.
Caution: Traditional alcoholic drinks are common in Yogyakarta, although they're illegal. Some of them are not distilled well, therefore they may contain methyl alcohol (methanol) instead of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) only. Methyl alcohol will likely make you blind and might even kill you. Sometimes vendors also mix the alcoholic drinks with much cheaper industrial methyl alcohol. In just two days in February 2016, more than 40 people died in 2 regencies of Yogyakarta due to consumption of such alcohol. Don't try it. Beer in a can or bottle is safe, but avoid mixed alcohol drinks from unreliable cafes.
Stay safe
Mount Merapi nearby is an active volcano. Further volcanic activity in the area including explosive eruptions, lava flows, lahars, hot ash, pyroclastic heat clouds and molten debris remains always possible.