Top places to visit in Yogyakarta

• Ratu Boko

  heritage · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Ratu Boko is a hilltop archaeological site above the Prambanan plain, long debated by historians over whether it was a royal palace, a Buddhist monastery, or both at different points in its history — inscriptions link it to both Hindu and…

• Sambisari Temple

  temple · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sambisari is a ninth-century Hindu temple that was found completely buried under volcanic ash from Mount Merapi, discovered by a farmer in 1966 and not fully excavated until the 1980s. Because the temple sat some six metres below the…

• Malioboro Street

  district · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  Malioboro is Yogyakarta's main pedestrian shopping street, running roughly a kilometre between the train station and the Kraton palace along a route steeped in royal symbolism — it forms part of the sacred axis connecting Mount Merapi, the…

• Prambanan Temple

  temple · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  Prambanan is Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex and one of the grandest examples of ninth-century Southeast Asian architecture, built by the Sanjaya dynasty of the Mataram kingdom around 850 CE, roughly contemporary with Borobudur…

• Alun-Alun Kidul

  district · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · free entry

  Alun-Alun Kidul is Yogyakarta's southern town square, historically the rear service courtyard of the Kraton palace complex and traditionally used for royal military training and ceremonies. Its most famous feature after dark is masangin, a…

• Yogyakarta Royal Palace

  palace · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Yogyakarta's Kraton, or Sultan's Palace, has been the seat of the Yogyakarta Sultanate since 1755, when the Mataram kingdom split and Prince Mangkubumi founded a new royal line still reigning today — Yogyakarta remains the only sultanate…

• Taman Sari

  heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Taman Sari, the "Fragrant Garden," was built in the mid-1700s as a pleasure garden and royal retreat for the Sultan of Yogyakarta, complete with bathing pools, underground passages, and an artificial lake now long dried up. Legend holds…

• Breksi Cliff

  park · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Breksi Cliff is a former limestone quarry east of Yogyakarta that closed for excavation in 2014 after geologists determined the rock was too culturally and structurally significant to keep mining, having formed millions of years ago from…

• Vredeburg Fort

  museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Fort Vredeburg was built by the Dutch colonial government in the 1760s, ostensibly as a gift to the Sultan of Yogyakarta but in practice to keep the palace under close military watch, its cannons originally aimed inward at the Kraton…

• Sonobudoyo Museum

  museum · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sonobudoyo Museum, opened in 1935 during the late Dutch colonial period, holds one of Indonesia's most significant collections of Javanese cultural artifacts outside Jakarta, including keris daggers, wayang shadow puppets, masks, and…

• Kalasan Temple

  temple · 4.5 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Kalasan is among the oldest surviving Buddhist temples in Java, dated by inscription to 778 CE, making it roughly contemporary with the earliest phases of Borobudur. It was built to honor a Buddhist princess of the Sailendra dynasty and…

• Banyunibo Temple

  temple · about 0.8 h · free entry

  Banyunibo is a modest but finely detailed ninth-century Buddhist temple set alone in rice fields east of Prambanan, its name meaning "dripping water" for a spout once used in temple rituals. Smaller and far less visited than its famous…

Things to do

• Taman Sari Water Castle Tour Cultural · 2 h · from IDR 152,000 per person
• HeHa Sky View Sunset Sightseeing · 2.5 h · from IDR 133,000 per person
• Timang Beach Gondola & South Coast Tour Adventure · 8 h · from IDR 475,000 per person
• Jomblang Cave Heaven's Light Tour Adventure · 6 h · from IDR 665,000 per person
• Borobudur Sunrise Tour from Yogyakarta Sightseeing · 5 h · from IDR 600,000 per person
• Prambanan Temple Complex Tour Sightseeing · 3 h · from IDR 350,000 per person
• Malioboro & Kraton Heritage Walk Cultural · 3 h · from IDR 200,000 per person
• Mount Merapi Jeep & Lava Tour Adventure · 2 h · from IDR 400,000 per person

Day trips and tours

• Borobudur Sunrise + Prambanan Full Day 13 h · from IDR 800,000
• Merapi Jeep + Malioboro + Kraton Day 11 h · from IDR 600,000
• Yogyakarta Cave Tubing + Parangtritis Beach 10 h · from IDR 450,000

Where to stay in Yogyakarta

• City Center about IDR 1,800 per night

  Main area with temples and cultural sites

Hotels

• Ndalem Ngabean Heritage House 3-star · IDR 650,000 to IDR 1,500,000 per night
• Greenhost Boutique Hotel 4-star · IDR 900,000 to IDR 2,200,000 per night
• Tentrem Hotel Yogyakarta 5-star · IDR 1,800,000 to IDR 5,000,000 per night
• Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta 5-star · IDR 2,500,000 to IDR 7,000,000 per night
• The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta 5-star · IDR 1,200,000 to IDR 3,500,000 per night
• Milas Organic Guest House 3-star · IDR 450,000 to IDR 900,000 per night

Where to eat

• Gudeg Yu Djum Javanese, Indonesian · about IDR 35,000 per person
• Kopi Joss Lik Man Coffee, Indonesian, Street Food · about IDR 15,000 per person
• Via Via Yogyakarta Indonesian, Javanese, Belgian · about IDR 100,000 per person
• Jejamuran Restaurant Indonesian, Vegetarian, Mushroom · about IDR 80,000 per person
• Warung Nasi Bu Ageng Javanese, Indonesian · about IDR 30,000 per person
• Bale Raos Javanese, Royal Indonesian · about IDR 150,000 per person
• Gudeg Pawon Indonesian, Javanese · about IDR 40,000 per person
• Mangut Lele Mbah Marto Indonesian, Javanese · about IDR 50,000 per person

Getting to Yogyakarta

Airport: Yogyakarta (YIA)

How visitors arrive in Yogyakarta

• Flight to Yogyakarta International Airport By air from Jakarta, Denpasar · common

  YIA handles jet flights from Jakarta, Denpasar and other major cities; Adisucipto takes mainly domestic propeller flights. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Train to Tugu Station By train from Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya · common

  Tugu is the main hub with services from Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Solo. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Bus to Giwangan By road from Semarang, Solo · common

  Giwangan is the main long-distance bus station; shuttle services run from Semarang and Solo. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• Airport train from YIA

  The Railink airport train runs from Yogyakarta International Airport to Tugu station in the city; booking ahead is advised. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• DAMRI bus from YIA

  DAMRI buses and minibuses run from YIA into Yogyakarta city and to Wojo station. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Commuter train at Adisutjipto airport unconfirmed

  Maguwo station is linked to the old Adisutjipto airport by a tunnel and served by KAI Commuter trains; the airport handles few flights now. Source: en.wikipedia.org

Getting around

• Ride Hail useful for some trips

  Gojek, Grab and Maxim ride-hailing apps operate in Yogyakarta and serve the central area.

  Get Gojek · Get Maxim

• Scooter Rental

  Motorbike rental shops are found along the street just outside Tugu Station in Yogyakarta, and renters are usually asked for a driving licence and ID.

• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Scooter rental damage claim

  Malioboro Street batik commission scams · Prambanan area taxi overcharges · horse-carriage price inflation near Kraton

  Pre-existing damage is invoiced when you return the scooter — often Rp 2–5M.

  How to avoid it: Video the scooter on pickup. Rent only via your hotel.

Best time to visit Yogyakarta

• Jan 30°C
• Feb 31°C
• Mar 31°C
• Apr 32°C
• May 31°C
• Jun 31°C
• Jul 30°C
• Aug 31°C
• Sep 32°C
• Oct 32°C
• Nov 31°C
• Dec 30°C

More in Indonesia

• Jakarta
• Bali
• Bandung
• Surabaya
• Labuan Bajo
• Malang

Frequently asked questions about Yogyakarta

How many days do you need in Yogyakarta?

A typical trip to Yogyakarta is 3 days.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Yogyakarta?

The highest-rated places in our Yogyakarta guide are Prambanan Temple, Sonobudoyo Museum, Ratu Boko, Sambisari Temple, Malioboro Street.

Where should I stay in Yogyakarta?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Yogyakarta: City Center.

How do I get around Yogyakarta?

Ways to get around Yogyakarta covered in our guide: Ride-hailing app, Scooter rental, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Yogyakarta?

Scams reported to us for Yogyakarta include Scooter rental damage claim. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Yogyakarta?

Average daytime highs in Yogyakarta run from 30°C in Jan to 32°C in Oct.

Which airport is nearest to Yogyakarta?

The nearest airport to Yogyakarta has the code YIA.