There are so many posts for me to write and share with you guys here but one thing that really got me excited and I can't wait to share is my recent expedition to Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Not many people know that I am going off for a very short exploration (4 days and 3 nights) and best part of all, I traveled with my sister instead of my usual travel buddy.
And...the experience is totally amazing! Never would I know that going for an expedition with my sister would be an amazing one even though yes, I still have to play my big sister's role when I was there. However, the large selection of activities had enough to make our heart pumped fast during this short getaway.
WE literally made used of our time there and we had a very packed schedule. Before the sun rose, we were up to begin our journey and though the day had lost its light, we were still wandering around in one of the busiest street in Yogyakarta, called Malioboro.
Here are my top recommendations when one visits Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
1. Malioboro Street
As usual, our flight got delayed and we reached the airport around 5pm (Malaysia's time was at 6pm). What made our expedition more exciting was we were greeted with rain and that really troubled us to continue our day.
Nevertheless, we hopped on to a taxi and checked in to our hotel located right next to Malioboro street. We put our luggage in the room and quickly, put on our caps as we were about to march in the street, hunting for food for our beloved tummy. At the same time, we performed a quick survey on the selling items.
I strongly suggest that one must visit the grocery store and that was what we did. We bought packets of instant noodles to be brought home as souvenirs, the famously known Teh Botol which I, myself was not really keen about it, local chocolates, a can of local beer and many others.
As for our dinner, we bought Nasi Bebek from a hawker stall plus we visited KFC and bought a box of chicken rice. Needless to say, I prefer Malaysia's KFC instead even though the chicken in Yogyakarta is slightly less oily.
2. Jomblang Cave
When we did our research back then, many actually reckon to visit Jomblang Cave. We booked our spots early to avoid disappointment as they only accept around 60 people per day. After all, it is manually-operated where physical energy is required to bring us down, 60m from the top to the cave and pull us up from below.
We were quite nervous initially; we did not know what to expect and all we know were to put our trust to the local guides. So, before we started, we were suited up with safety helmet and a pair of black Phua Chu Kang boots. Waiting for our turn and there we went. I was excited and at the same time, feeling nervous but all went well eventually. We literally "flew" vertically from the top!
What's so great about Jomblang Cave is this! Such a beautiful creation that God has created for all of us to explore, discover and experience. We sat down for minutes to allow our mind and body to enjoy the serenity and calmness though we were soaked in sweat. We also took lots of photos which were Instagram-worthy.
3. Gua Pindul
Right after Jomblang Cave and had our lunch, we went straight to Gua Pindul. It was very hot that day and thankfully, we were put on float along the river. We were lucky enough that we had a private guide so, we truly enjoyed our journey.
As Gua Pindul is a holy place for the locals, we can't say any vulgar words in there. Before we started, we were asked to pray together with the guide; something different I would say. In the cave, we were exposed to bats, stalactite and staglamite. We were asked to touch the water drips from one of the longest staglamite and put it on our faces; that will gives an everlasting beauty!
Right after exploring the underground river, we were chauffeured using a jeep to another open river where we were greeted with mini waterfalls. The water was supposed to be in clear white color but due to the rain on a day before, it turned to brown color.
We were brought to soak ourselves with the water behind us and that will give us faith in everything we do.
4. Bantul - Srimulyo
After completing the two activities, it was the time for our body to have some rest. So, we headed to this pit-stop, between Gua Pindol and Hutan Pinus. In other words, it is like Gohtong Jaya where it is a pit-stop before heading to Genting Highland.
There, we could see an overall view of Yogyakarta and at the same time, experiencing the strong wind blew to our faces. While enjoying this scenic view, we had a plate of fried tempeh and fried banana. One word, DELICIOUS. My sister dislike tempeh very much but this plate of tempeh has totally changed her palate now.
5. Sunrise at Borobudur
We were told that we should not miss the sunrise moment at Borobudur. We took the bait and got ready by 3am (Malaysia time - 4am). In fact, we had very, very little sleep but the enjoyment to explore Yogyakarta won at the end of the day.
After paying the entrance tickets, we blindly followed the crowd. We couldn't really see what was ahead of us as it was very dark. What we had with us was a small torchlight and using that, it led us all the way up.
Everyone took their comfortable spots while my sister and I were lingering around. Unlike others, we could not sit still so, we walked around and took lots of photos..
After spending like 3 hours at the peak of Borobudur, we started to make our way down. After all, the sun had started its work too. When we looked back, we were totally appalled by as we did not realize that we had walked so high up! Thankfully...
6. Prambanan Temple
This time, we know more about Hindu as Prambanan is a collection of Hindu temples. From the God of Creator (Brahma), to Preserver (Vishnu) and Destroyer (Shiva). There are several temples and shrines in Prambanan Temple.
We were very enthusiastic at the beginning and opted to visit all the nine (9) shrines. However, upon reaching the third one, our legs started to give in and we were no longer able to climb the stairs. There wasn't any guide with us so, we did not really understand what's the history all about. All we had was just a pamphlet about Prambanan Temple.
Many things were running on our minds, wanting to visit all the 9 shrines such as playing the Running Man roles and etc. Yet, this did not help. At the end, we only visited 4 shrines out of 9.
7. Hutan Pinus
My sister wanted to visit this place madly. She wanted something different for her Instagram, I believe and being a loving sister aka myself, we went for it. It was a very nice forest...very nice that some people willing to pay for the entrance fee and take a nap there by renting a hammock.
Though we were tired, we still explore the forest. Bear in mind that the forest is huge; we spent more than an hour in just one part of the forest. There is another part of the forest but we did not pursue it. Since we were amidst the lush greenery view plus many attractions in Hutan Pinus, our phones would then had to work hard.
8. Water Castle & Taman Sari (Kraton Ngayogyakarta)
We utilized our last day very much! We took the local transport (trishaw) and visited Water Castle where it used to be a resting place for Sultan Hamenkubuwono I. There are 3 big pools where one is catered for the King, another one is for King's wives and last one is for the King's children.
This area is quite big; we visited the whole palace. From his bathing area, all the way to his kitchen, his room, meditation area, underwater tunnel, mosque and even a house where the King has a secret mission with his wife.
Then, we headed to Kraton Nyayogyakarta; a museum where it illustrates the story of the King. Maybe I should let the photos to tell the story.
That is how we spend our days in Yogyakarta. If we have another 3 - 4 hours to spare, we will definitely visit Timang Beach where the cable car is manually-operated! That must be a nice experience to try for at least once in a lifetime.
Needless to say, souvenirs are the key! When you go to Yogyakarta, you must and I use the word "must" buy BAK-PIA! There are few brands but the brand that we highly recommend is Bakpia Pathok 25! Yes, it is 25! Freshly baked from oven, you must try the ORIGINAL, CHEESE and CHOCOLATE flavors. No regret about that!
This trip truly explains the culture richness in Yogyakarta. The people there are very friendly and one thing that I like about this place very much especially Malioboro Street where the vendorsare open for bargaining. Jeng, jeng and jeng..
Regards,
Foodiestravel
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