Top 5 Things to Do on Your First Trip to Yogyakarta

Best known for being the cultural capital and having the most active volcano in Indonesia, Yogyakarta offers so much more than just that!

Also fondly referred to as Jogja, you’ll find plenty of activities both adventurous and relaxing for you to do. From taking a jeep tour up Mt Merapi to pedalling in blinged-out bicycle cars to beach-hopping, you definitely won’t be bored. These are our top 5 picks of things you have to do on your first trip to Yogyakarta that will leave you wanting more!

#1 Relax the afternoon away cave tubing at Goa Pindul

Cave tubing is perhaps one of the most relaxing things I’ve done. Because it was the low season at the end of May, we had the cave and river almost entirely to ourselves. We sat on the tubes and the guide pulled us along through the cave while giving some details about it. Keep your mouths closed while looking up though, ‘cos there are some bats!

After going through the cave, we walked a short distance to a river where we drifted serenely and drenched ourselves under the ‘lucky’ waterfall. The guide told us we could get off our tubes and go for a swim when we were nearing the end of the trip. It was a refreshing swim and we cooled ourselves off in the river. Until we realised that there were lizards lazing on the rocks very close to us. Then we panicked and pulled ourselves back up the tubes in record speed.

It was only later when we were having lunch that the couple in our group told us they’d seen a long snake swimming in the river. So if you’re afraid of lizards and snakes, I suggest you stay on the tubes!

It costs RP180k (S$17.15) per person for cave tubing and it also includes a bowl of Indo mee, a hot drink and a packet of water.

Address: Desa Wisata Bejiharjo, Gunung Kidul 55891, Indonesia

#2 Feel like Angelina Jolie in the Tomb Raider at Jomblang Cave

Jomblang cave was amazing. I was a little scared when we were all strapped up and the guy asked me to let go so they could lower us into the opening, but once we were going down, it felt great! Well, except for the fact that I must have moved too much while getting ready because the straps were eating into my privates. (They felt sore for a few days after.)

Once we were in the dark part of the cave, I felt a twinge of regret not bringing along or buying a headlamp. It was pitch dark and the group in front of me had gone on so quickly that I was leading the group behind me. In pitch darkness. They were not happy.

Walking in the cave was like trudging through quicksand. At least, that’s what I think it would feel like! My boots kept getting stuck in the mud and I was definitely not the most nimble person in there. My advice would be to wear long socks so that you wouldn’t get abrasions on your feet like I did, and you wouldn’t dirty your clothes as much if you’re a terrible ‘cave-walker’ like I am.

 
Reaching the area where the light shines through the roof of the cave was breathtaking. The scene looked exactly like how it does in all the pictures you see online and I was definitely not disappointed!

Look down and you’ll see a gushing river flowing through the cave. There was also an area where you could see shimmering rocks engraved by the water dripping constantly on it.

It costs RP500k (S$47.62) each to explore Jomblang cave, and the costs also include a packed lunch and a bottle of water. You can also buy headlamps there at RP50k. One thing to note though, there’s a daily quota of visitors and once they reach it, you won’t be able to get in! We counted about 50 – 60 people in our group. So come early to avoid the disappointment!

One other thing to note, bring along a hairnet ‘cos the helmet stinks.

Address: Semanu, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

#3 Watch the sunrise at Borobudur temple

Search ‘Yogyakarta’ and the first image that appears is inevitably Borobudur temple. And of course, as it is the world’s largest Buddhist temple and a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s definitely a must-see for your first visit to Yogyakarta!

If you’re lucky and the sky isn’t covered in clouds, you’ll manage to catch an extraordinary sunrise while perched on an ancient artefact. Unfortunately for us, it was a cloudy morning and we only caught glimpses of the morning rays – still beautiful but sadly not breathtaking.

And if you’re there during Waisak day (Vesak day), well, it is your lucky night. The celebrations include letting up thousands of lanterns which is a spectacular sight to capture! We were in Yogyakarta on Waisak day, but silly us, we didn’t know it was open for the public to witness the festival so we missed the whole thing.

It costs RP450k (S$42.86) per person for the sunrise ticket, which includes snacks and a small bottle of water after you’ve explored every crevice of the temple. We had pisang goreng (fried banana fritters) and a dense cake.

Address: Jl. Badrawati, Kw. Candi Borobudur, Magelang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia

#3a Stroll through the Prambanan temples

If temples are your thing, then you might want to check out the largest Hindu temple in Southeast Asia too. Head down to the Prambanan temples and admire the intricate details!

Address: Jl. Raya Temulawak, Prambanan 55514, Indonesia

#4 Get soaked getting from Timang beach to Panjang Island

We reached Timang beach after an excruciatingly bumpy 10-minute ride on the jeep. The road towards the beach was made of rocks and well, the ride wasn’t the most relaxing. The three of us sitting behind were pretty much thrown around like ragdolls. I was sitting right at the back which was probably where the bumps could be felt the most, and after gripping the handle of the back door throughout the ride for balance, I got off the jeep feeling like I had done an arm workout.

The view from the beach looked amazing with the crashing waves and Panjang Island set against perfect skies. Unfortunately, Timang Beach is rather pricey, so prepare your wallets for this attraction! Almost everything you set your eyes on has to be paid for, including some wooden platforms made especially for photo-taking (costing from RP10k to RP30k). The obvious milking of the cash cow did dampen our spirits a little, but the place was still pretty amazing and I loved walking across the bridge and staring at the swirling sea through the gaps between the wooden planks!

 
I was holding on to my phone while crossing the bridge because I wanted to take photos midway through the walk. But… with the bridge swaying, I decided against snapping photos as I didn’t want to lose my balance and drop my phone (and all the precious photos in it) into the sea. So don’t hold onto your phone while crossing the bridge unless it’s attached to a strap around your neck or you are super confident of your balancing skills!

It costs RP100k (S$9.52) each for a to-and-fro walk on the bridge over the sea to Panjang Island, or RP200k (S$19.05) for the two-way gondola ride. You can’t take the gondola to the island and walk back across the bridge, or vice versa! The jeep costs RP300k (S$28.57) for a return trip and it can sit up to 5 passengers.

Address: Tepus, Yogyakarta 55881, Indonesia

#5 Pinus Pengger

Put on your game faces because this park is made for your perfect Instagram shot. Or rather shots, because there are just so many spots with awesome backdrops.

Strike a pose on top of a gigantic hand made of wood, or gaze out into the open sky and admire the dramatic sunset in front of you. The swaying pine trees are also a soothing backdrop to set up a picnic and take in the view.

Best of all, this place only costs RP15k (S$1.43) per car!

Address: Jl. Dlingo-Patuk, Pantirejo, Terong, Dlingo, Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55783, Indonesia

Getting Around

We got around Yogyakarta with Yudi, a personal driver, and he was amazing. He gave the best service and helped us out through a few kinks.

While we were cave tubing, my friend dropped her (thankfully waterproof) camera into the river. The guide and a few of his friends managed to help fish it out and we tipped him RP200k to share amongst them. They asked for another RP600k which we were not willing to give. Yudi helped us to settle the issue and we were able to leave without paying any more. He also held on to the SD card in case they weren’t willing to return the camera to us, so we’d be able to keep our photos at least!

Yudi provided hair nets and sprayed our helmets to freshen them up at Jomblang cave. We were probably the only ones there with hair nets!

You can find Yudi on his website here, and I highly recommend using him!