Activities, Entertainment, and Eating Out in Central Java’s Cultural Capital

Not much further than an overnight train ride from the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the historic Central Java city of Yogyakarta serves as a repository for Javanese high culture and history.

A special region still ruled by a Sultan in the present day, Yogyakarta is a living museum for Indonesian crafts, cuisine, architecture, and art. This city is home to the republic’s best universities, making it a vibrant educational hub.

The activities in this list only scratch the surface of the things you can do when visiting Yogyakarta; read up and put this historic Indonesian city firmly at the center of your next Indonesia itinerary.

Explore the Kraton – the Sultan’s Palace

The ruling monarch of Yogyakarta, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, reigns from a palace, or Kraton, located in the middle of the city (Google Maps).

The Kraton serves as a religious and cultural center for the locals: religious processions wind through the Kraton to the nearby Masjid Gede Kauman on special feast days, open-air festivals are held on the Alun-Alun Utara field next to the palace, and daily cultural performances are conducted at the Bangsal Sri Manganti within the Kraton.

The “Palace” may not be as grand as the royal residences you’ll find in Thailand or in Europe, but the buildings are rich in symbolism. A tour guide you hire at the gate will help untangle the legends and symbols associated with the Sultan and his sprawling residence, making it a valuable experience.

Visit Borobudur & Central Java’s other ancient temples

The land surrounding Yogyakarta has long been the seat of empire. Traces of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist empires that once ruled Java can still be found nearby, from the jigsaw-puzzle Prambanan Temple to the magnificent Borobudur stupa, which is located about 40 minutes away from Yogyakarta by car.

The temples reflect the unique fusion of Indian and indigenous cultural traditions that sustained the Srivijaya, Mataram, and Majapahit kingdoms. Prambanan and Borobudur both date back to the 9th century AD, showcasing the products of competing Hindu and Buddhist domains.

While in Yogyakarta, consider visiting a few other temples off the beaten path: Ratu Boko, a mysterious palace and temple ruin within sight of Prambanan; Plaosan, a Buddhist complex situated in Prambanan’s Hindu shadow; and the somewhat dangerous Dieng Plateau with its Hindu temples.

Make your own batik – or just buy your own

Yogyakarta’s batik industry is rooted in the city’s long artisanal history, associated with the presence and blessings of the Sultan. As a result, many batik makers are conveniently located near the city center, with several workshops situated south of the Taman Sari.

For a hands-on experience of the Yogyakarta batik industry, visit the Yogyakarta Batik Museum (museumbatik.com, location on Google Maps), where you’ll witness the intricate batik-making process, from laying hot wax onto the fabric to soaking it in dye.

If you would prefer to simply purchase the finished product, the museum shop offers a wide selection of batik from various regions of Indonesia, each showcasing unique trademark patterns (for instance, batik from Cirebon is renowned for its cloud-like designs).

Shop till you drop at Jalan Malioboro

Jalan Malioboro (Malioboro Street) is Yogyakarta’s center for affordable shopping – a street lined with stalls selling batiks, silver, and mass-produced souvenirs.

Historically, Malioboro served as a ceremonial avenue for the Sultan to parade through on his way to and from the Kraton. The street is steeped in history, featuring several historic buildings along its length, including Fort Vredenburg, the State Guest House, and the Central Post Office, all magnificent examples of Dutch colonial architecture.

For an afternoon of shopping in this vibrant district, start at Beringharjo market and stroll down the street to explore each stall’s unique wares. The batiks along Malioboro are particularly worth checking out!

Make and buy your own silver jewelry

The silver industry in Yogyakarta, like its batik trade, is tied to a long history of artisanship supported by the Sultan. To see the city’s silver artists in action, visit Kota Gede, located about two miles southeast of Jalan Malioboro and accessible by bus or becak.

The main street, Jalan Kemasan, is bustling with silver workshops producing fine filigreed silver crafts and jewelry. Some shops even allow visitors to witness the silver being skillfully crafted or try their own hand at working the silver.

One noteworthy establishment is Ansor’s Silver (ansorsilver.com, location on Google Maps), a two-storey silver shop housed in a grand Javanese-style building dating back to 1870. After touring the gallery and the workshop on the ground floor, guests can create a silver filigree leaf under expert guidance on the second floor!

Ride a becak around Yogyakarta

From the Kraton or around Jalan Malioboro, you can hire a becak (rickshaw) to take you around the historic part of town or simply to get from place to place.

Becak fare is economical – around $1 per trip, and the ride offers a thrilling view as passengers sit in front of the driver, completely exposed to oncoming traffic.

It is important to negotiate the price before starting your ride, as becak prices are not fixed. You can maximize your becak experience by haggling for a better rate.

One downside to riding local rickshaws is that becak drivers often receive commissions from nearby shops, leading them to take detours in the hope of directing you to these places for potential purchases.

Watch a Javanese cultural performance

Yogyakarta is the perfect place to immerse yourself in Java’s rich cultural heritage. The daily cultural performances at the Kraton allow you to schedule a show on any day during your visit. Additionally, you can watch performances at various venues throughout the city, including some silver shops that host wayang performances, providing a unique opportunity to enjoy culture while shopping.

The highlight of Yogyakarta’s cultural scene takes place after dark at the Prambanan Hindu temple, which serves as a stunning backdrop. Here, a cultural troupe performs the Javanese version of the Ramayana, condensing the Hindu epic into a captivating show lasting a couple of hours for tourists.

Eat the city’s favorite meal: gudeg

You cannot leave Yogyakarta without trying gudeg, the royal city’s iconic dish made from jackfruit and served hot with rice. To experience gudeg like a local, visit Sentra Gudeg Wijilan (location on Google Maps), a cluster of eateries located east of the Kraton.

While gudeg is common throughout most of Central Java, the version from Yogyakarta is unique, deriving a reddish flavor from the addition of teak leaves. Your gudeg dish will typically come with side dishes such as tempeh (fried fermented soybeans), sambal krecek (beef skin stew), and eggs, making for a delicious and traditional Yogyakarta meal.

Explore the Sultan’s old pleasure palace

The Taman Sari (location on Google Maps) is a “water palace,” a complex built exclusively for the royal family, where the Sultan could enjoy bathing and leisure activities with his harem.

Once bustling with life, Taman Sari featured multiple swimming pools and a meditation room for the Sultan to commune with his spiritual spouse, the mystical queen of the South Seas Nyai Loro Kidul. The palace was said to mirror the queen’s own palace beneath the waves.

Today, remnants of the bathing complex remain, allowing visitors to wander around the now-dry pools, where the Sultan’s harem may have once bathed. You can explore the upper-storey viewing area that overlooks the bathing area.

Descend into a hidden underground mosque

A short walk northwest of Taman Sari through a cramped local neighborhood leads you to the hidden underground mosque known as Sumur Gumuling (location on Google Maps).

Before the arrival of the Dutch, the Royal Family used Sumur Gumuling as a place of worship. Following the rebellion of the Yogyakartan Prince Diponegoro against the Dutch in 1825, the mosque was deconsecrated and transformed into a hidden historical curiosity.

The mosque’s center opens to the sky, with a unique set of steps connecting its two storeys—designated for male and female worshippers.

Today’s royals worship at the Masjid Gede Kauman (location on Google Maps), a grand building north of the Kraton that serves as the kingdom’s equivalent of Westminster Abbey.

Visit a Javanese-style Catholic Church

An hour’s taxi ride from Yogyakarta’s city center will take you into the local countryside, where Ganjuran Church (location on Google Maps) uniquely combines Javanese iconography with a Western faith tradition.

Historically, Java’s empires absorbed Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic influences before the arrival of the Dutch. In 1924, Dutch planter Julius Schmutzer built a church that demonstrated the Javanese ability for syncretism, even accommodating Catholicism.

Visitors familiar with the Kraton will recognize the main church’s Javanese pendopo style roof and the presence of a gamelan orchestra in lieu of a church organ. The portrayals of Jesus and Mary reflect Javanese royal customs.

Outside, the prayer altar resembles a Balinese candi, or house temple, where local Catholics, like adherents of other faith traditions, remove footwear before ascending the candi to pray.

Meet the Royals at Ullen Sentalu Museum

Located approximately 14 miles north of Yogyakarta’s city center, Ullen Sentalu Museum (ullensentalu.com, location on Google Maps) offers an exceptional insight into the Javanese monarchy.

The museum’s guide leads visitors through a series of exhibits, many interwoven with captivating stories about the Yogyakarta royals, including Tineke, the lovelorn daughter of the ruler of Solo, and the beautiful Gusti Nurul, admired by former President Sukarno.

In addition, visitors learn about court customs, such as the meanings of different batik patterns, the significance of the Nyai Loro Kidul myth, and the hidden language of royal uniforms.

Most guests conclude their visit with lunch at the Beukenhof Restaurant, which recreates the ambiance of a Dutch colonial villa from the late 19th century.