Live Your Best Lives
I don’t know when it started, but my travels have developed their own comfort zone. Repeatedly going to a familiar place and being afraid to accept new destinations have become a vicious circle for me.
As for Indonesia, I've been to Lombok/Gili Islands twice, Komodo three times, and Bali countless times. My experiences in Indonesia seem extensive, yet I feel like I can only stop there. However, Java, Indonesia's fourth-largest island, east of Bali, is a territory I've never set foot on.
On February 9, 2019, I first set foot in Java, in Yogyakarta, the birthplace of Javanese culture. My earliest memory of Java stems from a phrase found in a book: "XXXX, I threw it to Java long ago," meaning I've completely forgotten about it. This saying dates back to the Tang Dynasty, or even before. Numerous historical documents at that time document that Java was once a Buddhist land, where chanting sermons and yellow robes shone brightly. Chinese monks Faxian and Yijing traversed the ocean to Java, risking their lives simply to pursue their faith, or perhaps to prove it. However, the people of the Tang Dynasty foolishly believed that Java was a fictitious nation, like Tao Yuanming's Peach Blossom Spring. Therefore, when someone entrusted someone with a task and forgot to do it, they would mockingly say they'd already forgotten about it and left it in Java.
Yogyakartacheck the details
Yogyakarta's attractions are concentrated within a small, easy-to-explore area in the city center. Centrally located is the Royal Palace complex, which extends northward. The eastern and southern suburbs also offer a few scattered attractions, including the Silver Village, which is worth a visit. Yogyakarta is Indonesia's most historic city, the cradle of Javanese culture and its largest city, as well as a key economic and educational center for the island. It boasts numerous historical sites, including Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple complex, and Prambanan, a Hindu temple complex, both of which are tourist favorites, attracting over one million visitors annually. Its appeal is rivaled only by Bali in Indonesia. Yogyakarta boasts beautiful scenery and a vibrant urban landscape imbued with a rich ethnic flavor.
Recommended months: May-October
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Indonesia implemented visa-free entry for Chinese citizens in 2016. Initially limited to entry and exit ports, the policy now extends to 124 ports, including international airports in major cities like Jakarta, Bali, Lombok, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Manado, Semarang, and Medan. You must hold a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and it's best to include round-trip air tickets and hotel reservations for inspection. The visa-free period is 30 days and cannot be extended.
Indonesia also implements a visa on arrival policy for Chinese citizens. After getting off the plane, you can find a special visa on arrival channel (VOA-visa on arrival), submit your documents and pay US$35 to process the visa. The visa on arrival period is 30 days and can be extended for 30 days once.
Like the borders of Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries, Indonesian border control also extorts tips, but the situation has improved significantly in recent days. There are bilingual Chinese and English reminders in front of the counter saying "no tipping", and the staff did not ask for any tips from me.
Currently, there are no direct flights from China to Yogyakarta. Most flights require a layover in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore. If you're connecting in Kuala Lumpur, your flight will likely be operated by AirAsia, a budget airline offering relatively affordable fares. For connecting flights in Jakarta, GA Airlines is often the preferred choice, offering reasonable fares and including checked baggage allowance.
Singapore also has flights from Yogyakarta and Changi Airports with AirAsia and Singapore Airlines.
I chose to transfer in Singapore, but this time I encountered a major setback. I booked a Scoot flight from Hangzhou to Singapore, then transferred to AirAsia for the flight to Yogyakarta. However, during check-in, the counter staff told me that since I didn't book a connecting flight, Scoot lands in Terminal 2 and I needed to transfer to AirAsia at Changi Airport's Terminal 4. This required a Singapore visa, otherwise I wouldn't be able to use the regular transfer lanes. Since my Singapore visa had long expired, the staff in China wouldn't even give me a boarding pass for my first leg. I had no choice but to book a Singapore Airlines flight with a direct transfer in Terminal 2.
Yogyakarta is a relatively developed country in Indonesia. Most restaurants and hotels have WIFI. If you are outdoors, it is recommended to buy a SIMPATI phone card, which is the communication company with the best signal in Indonesia.
Even on the volcano, the signal is very stable. Since Indonesia now has a real-name system, phones purchased on Taobao need to fill in personal information and activate them in advance before traveling.
When it comes to safety in Indonesia, the most disturbing thing is the massacre of Chinese people 20 years ago. Many of my friends and family are worried about anti-Chinese sentiment. From my travels to Indonesia, I've found the Indonesian people to be very nice, especially in Yogyakarta. Perhaps because everyone has faith, the locals are very simple and honest. It's worth mentioning that Indonesians love taking photos and are not afraid of tourists' cameras.
If I had to describe Indonesia in one word, it would definitely be "DIVERSE." Diversity isn't just reflected in its natural scenery and tourism resources, it also encompasses natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. These devastating disasters frequently occur annually, causing not only casualties but also airport closures. Yogyakarta, for example, is home to Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi. On average, minor eruptions occur every two to three years, and major eruptions every 10 to 15 years. Therefore, it's important to closely monitor local conditions and adjust your plans accordingly before traveling.
Compared to Bali, exchanging currency in Yogyakarta is quite inconvenient. Street ATMs are rare, with single ATMs typically found inside convenience stores. ATM centers, with rows of ATMs, are hidden in the basement of large supermarkets like Carrefour. Most of the ATMs accept UnionPay withdrawals, so don't worry.
Currency exchange shops like those on the streets of Bali are hard to find here. They are usually found in shopping malls or supermarkets. The exchange rates at currency exchange shops in airports are often the worst, so it is not recommended to exchange money.
Having traveled to so many places in Indonesia, Yogyakarta has the lowest cost of living. Dinner in Bali can easily cost NT$100 per person, while in Yogyakarta, you might need to order enough food for 3-4 people to reach NT$100.
Take Indonesia's most famous delicacy, oxtail soup, for example. It usually costs around 60 dollars in Bali, but in Yogyakarta, you can get a generous portion of oxtail soup for only 16 dollars. It is worth mentioning that the oxtail soup in Yogyakarta is even better than that in Bali!
In addition, the shopping malls in Yogyakarta are much better than expected, completely crushing the shopping malls in Bali. In Yogyakarta, the shopping malls have all kinds of brands.
There is no shortage of good hotels in Yogyakarta. Sheraton, Marriott, and even Aman are all located here. Matching the consumption level, the hotel prices here are much lower than other places (except for the Aman Hotel at 5K per night, of course). Generally, you can stay in an international five-star hotel for 600 yuan.
The Sheraton Hotel was built based on the prototype of the Sultan's Water Palace, and the religious style of Yogyakarta is reflected everywhere. From the breakfast area, you can look out the window to Mount Merapi in the distance.
As mentioned earlier, Yogyakarta is a Muslim country with a population of 95%, so in line with religious doctrine, alcohol is generally prohibited here. Aside from specialized supermarkets like SuperIndo, it's difficult to buy anything alcoholic at regular convenience stores, or even at large supermarkets like Carrefour. For example, Bintang Radler, which has a 2% alcohol content in Bali, is now available as a non-alcoholic beverage in Yogyakarta.
At 4 a.m., the call to prayer resonates over Yogyakarta, a wake-up call for Muslims. Those who are prone to early morning cravings should be prepared, or choose to stay far from the minaret (which is unlikely).
I first learned about this place on the Korean variety show "Running Man," where Lee Kwang-soo and Jeon So-min were "punished" to ride the "Adrenaline Gondola" on Cheonwang Island. Originally built to facilitate lobster fishing for local fishermen, the cable car now serves more as a tourist attraction.
When tourists ride the cable car, the huge waves can hit their feet. Although it is simple, no accidents have occurred in its 20 years of operation.
Picture from the Internet
It takes about three hours to drive from the city to the island. There are many restaurants at the entrance of Tianwang Island, selling freshly caught lobsters, where you can enjoy lunch.
To get to the cable car, you need to take a local jeepney, because this section of road has not been repaired at all and ordinary car tires cannot climb it.
jeepney
At the gate of the Sultan's Palace, there are white-bearded merchants selling small Chinese toys from the 1980s and 1990s, wooden flutes that imitate bird calls, and paper airplanes that flap their wings. In Yogyakarta, happiness is not a luxury.
The sword-wielding guards in the palace have serious expressions, but they are not afraid of the camera at all. Batik has been continued in the palace, showing tourists the unique Batik style.
Yogyakarta, a special region of Indonesia, is still ruled by the Sultan, who resides in this palace. Though small, the palace is exquisitely decorated, and its glorious past is clearly visible from its dome.
The Yogyakarta Water Palace was once a luxurious entertainment venue for the Sultan's royal family. The Sultan would stand on the upper floor and watch his concubines bathe, selecting the one he liked and summoning her to his room. However, to keep this "Garden of Happiness" a secret forever, the Sultan brutally executed the architect of the water castle.
Outside the Water Palace is a small street full of artistic atmosphere, which leads all the way to Gumuling Temple. Here, even everyday objects exude an artistic atmosphere.
Prambanan (Candi Prambanan), built in the mid-9th century, is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and second only to Angkor Wat in Cambodia in Southeast Asia. The two temples are architecturally similar, with the main difference being that Angkor Wat's main towers are built on a three-story pedestal, while Prambanan rises directly from the ground. Judging solely by its six main towers, I think Prambanan's grandeur is slightly superior.
Before the 13th century, Hinduism was widely influenced throughout Southeast Asia, and Java was no exception. Such magnificent structures were built near the capital to venerate the three main deities: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu, along with the sacred bull Nandi. In the late 13th century, the Arabs brought Islam to the Malay Peninsula, and Indonesia, across the Malacca Strait, gradually forgot about Hinduism and was assimilated by Muslims.
Today, Indonesia, as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, still retains many Hindu relics before the infiltration of Islamic culture. Prambanan is one of them. Bali, which was isolated from the outside world under Dutch rule, completely preserved its cultural traditions before the 13th century and became a religious island.
In 1991, Prambanan was listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, along with another Buddhist site near Yogyakarta, Borobudur.
The ultimate fiery clouds at sunset after the rain
Mount Merapi, at 2,911 meters above sea level, is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, with minor eruptions every two to three years and major eruptions every 10 to 15 years. The major eruption in 1006 blanketed Central Java in volcanic ash, leading to the collapse of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram and paving the way for the spread of Islam in Java.
We passed by a volcano museum. This was once a residential area. On November 5, 2010, Mount Merapi erupted in its largest eruption in decades. Residents fled, and the remaining items were destroyed by the lava. These residents donated their destroyed homes to build the current volcano museum, a reminder of the immense power of nature. A clock on the wall still displays the moment of the eruption.
Borobudur is located more than 40 kilometers away from the city of Yogyakarta. It is known as one of the "Four Wonders of the Ancient East" along with the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Its name Borobudur comes from the Sanskrit "Vihara Buddha Ur", which means "a pagoda on a hill".
The exact construction year of Borobudur is still unknown, but one theory is that it was built between 750 and 850 AD during the heyday of the Sailendra dynasty in Central Java. The Sailendra dynasty mobilized the entire country to build Borobudur on a hillside. It was not completed until the last king of the dynasty and eventually became the largest Buddhist holy site.
Picture from the Internet
Borobudur, resembling a pyramid, is built on a square base approximately 118 meters on a side. It stands nine stories high, with the lower six floors forming square platforms and the upper three floors forming circular platforms. The top floor houses a massive circular stupa, with stairways leading to the top on all four sides. Stone lions guard the entrances. From an aerial view, the entire structure resembles a mandala, showcasing the Buddhist concept of the universe. Please note that drones are not permitted in the scenic area.
According to Buddhist thought, the nine-story pagoda, including the roof, represents three realms of cultivation leading to the Buddhist universe: the base represents the Desire Realm (Kamadhatu), the five-story pagoda represents the Form Realm (Rupadhatu), and the three-story, circular roof and central stupa represent the Formless Realm (Arupadhatu). The Desire Realm is the realm of beings dominated by desire, primarily sexual desire between men and women. The Form Realm, situated above the Desire Realm, is the abode of beings free from desire. The Formless Realm, on the other hand, is a place of spiritual practice free from desire and desire. Therefore, ascending the stairs from the base to the top symbolizes the journey from the Desire Realm and Form Realm, both bound by form and appearance, to the Pure Land.
Time seems to have stood still here. The attire and duties of the palace guards have remained largely unchanged for centuries. Rush hour traffic still snarls in front of the ancient palace. Soft gamelan music mingles with throbbing disco music, echoing across the city. The clatter of car horns and horse hooves roams the streets and alleys, and the call to prayer punctually begins at 4 a.m. In just a few days, we've gone from first meeting to understanding, from stranger to captivated. In short, Yogyakarta is worth returning to.
