Time needed: Weekend (2 days)
Best during: All year
Good for: Culture, History, Relaxation, Spa
What to see: Temples (Buddhist & Hindu)
Where to stay: Amanjiwo Borobudur
If you are looking for a quick weekend escape that does not require long flights or days off, and offers the perfect mix between culture and relaxation - look no further! Yogyakarta is only a 2-hour flight from Singapore and in my opinion, one of the ‘must do’ places to visit in South-East Asia. SilkAir has a Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon flight (MI152, MI153), making it perfect for a weekend away!
Yogyakarta is famous for two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Buddhist temple of Borobudur and the Hindu temple compound of Prambanan. Both temples are actually located outside of Yogyakarta and in opposite directions - Borobudur is 40km northwest of Yogyakarta, while Prambanan is 17km northeast of Yogyakarta. You will see that both temples follow a very different architecture, showcasing the contrast between Buddhist and Hindu architecture, which is why both temples should be on your bucket list when visiting Yogyakarta!
For your ultimate relaxation weekend, I would highly recommend to book your stay at Amanjiwo to make this a truly memorable vacation. The Amanjiwo is a serene luxury resort surrounded by lush greenery and due to its elevated location, offering breathtaking views of Borobudur temple. Being located only 4km from Borobudur temple, the Amanjiwo is conveniently close if you consider watching the temple and its surroundings awaken at sunrise!
Day 1: Relaxation & Spa
If you are looking for some down time, use your first day to unwind and relax at the resort and in your private garden villa. The SilkAir flight and a 45 min car ride to Borobudur will get you to the hotel around noon, just in time to grab a delicious lunch. Plan some time lounging by the pool looking out into the green rice paddies and tropical rainforest, make an appointment at the spa for a Javanese massage, and enjoy the breathtaking views from the al-fresco dining room and adjacent patio.
Day 2: Borobudur & Prambanan
I would definitely recommend to book your temple tours directly through Amanjiwo as they will organize a driver and guide for you based on your needs and your own preferred timing. We booked two tours: The sunrise tour at Borobudur and an early afternoon tour of Prambanan. This allowed us to be back from Borobudur early enough to enjoy our morning at the resort, while giving us additional flexibility in the afternoon by combining Prambanan with our drop-off at the airport.
It is important to know that the Borobudur sunrise tour starts from a separate entrance to the main one and a special permit is required to enter the temple compound prior to sunrise, which your guide will have organized. Sunrise is quite early, around 5:45 (the exact time will of course vary slightly) but it is an absolutely incredible experience to watch the sun rise behind Mount Merapi in the distance, changing the colors of the temple from cold to warm and revealing the mystical fog that sits in the valley surrounding Borobudur temple.
While watching the sunrise means that you will have to wake up around 4:15, it also means that you will beat the crowds and tour groups - the whole experience including a tour with your guide will take around 2.5 hours. Having said that, if you don’t feel like trading your beauty sleep for a super early morning, head to Borobudur in the late morning and straight to Prambanan from there.
As Prambanan is located on the other side of Yogyakarta, it makes sense to combine your visit with your drop-off at the airport to save precious time (you can leave your suitcases in the car with your driver!) - you will need around 1.5-2 hours for a tour of Prambanan. The first thing you will notice about Prambanan is that the complex is divided into an inner and outer compound and made up of smaller temples. In comparison, at Borobudur, you will spend your time accessing the different levels of one temple.
The temple compound of Prambanan is made up of a main temple - the Shiva temple, as well as smaller individual temples and shrines, some of them which have not been restored and are in ruins. Each of the temples is dedicated to an individual Hindu god and the chambers inside the temples reflect the stories of these gods, so make sure to visit at least the three most important ones in the inner compound.
Prambanan is also wonderful for strolling around if you have some additional time, with the temples and ruins overlooking a beautiful garden inside the Prambanan compound! For some last-minute shopping, there is also a market that offers food and souvenirs on your way out. There is no need to be at the airport more than 2 hours ahead of your flight as the check-in counters will be closed and there is not much to do around.
Head directly to the airport from Prambanan and hopefully, your quick weekend escape has created some new memories that leaves you refreshed and recharged to tackle your busy schedule at home!
Comments