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Showing posts from September, 2015

Yogyakarta 2015 Day 2

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Day 1 was a restful day which was a good thing considering the next day will be pretty packed. We departed from hotel 5.30am and arrived at the Borobudur park around 6am. After passing the entrance, we were greeted with green gardens before arriving at the magnificent Borobudur temple. One thing I noted is the amenities eg toilet, welcome lounge and landscaping at temple complexes (not just Borobudur, but Prambanan as well) are well-maintained. It feels good knowing the money from ticket fees are well utilized.  Tip: if your accommodation includes daily breakfast, you may request the hotel to pack away breakfast for your early morning excursion.  Ohai Borobudur! Read more on the Borobudur structure  here . There are 4 square terraces before the top circular center point and we admired the beautiful stone reliefs depicting the Sanskrit manuscripts of  Gandhawyuha, Lalitawistara, Jataka and Awadana. At the top, there are 3 circular terraces with stupas and the final central

Yogyakarta 2015 Day 1

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As mentioned in my summary post , I planned my trip to Yogyakarta out of kiasu-ness :p I went on 31/8-3/9 with my university mate, we booked Jambuluwuk Malioboro Boutique Hotel with Airasiago. My tour guide, Mr Yoga Pratama was referred by colleagues; he's friendly and knowledgeable of all that Yogya has to offer.  Hello Yogya! Yoga was supposed to pick us upon arrival at Adisucipto airport but the hotel shuttle was there and we arrived at  the new terminal B, so we ended up taking the shuttle back to the hotel (a costlier mistake). The hotel was nice; it's a 4 start hotel with a swimming pool, spa, and nightly live music. The room was spacious and there were so many TV channels to choose from! My only grumble was the shower case drains slowly so we had to wait a while for the water to subside.  Interesting decor at the hotel lobby We rested for a while then contacted Woman & Woman Spa ; they provide free pick-up and return service upon purchase of 2 spa

Yogyakarta 2015 - Summary

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I've always wanted to visit Yogyakarta for the main attractions Borobudur and Prambanan temples. I'm often told that once you've seen them and Angkor Wat, you're spoiled for life. It was the Kinabalu earthquake that urged me to go to Yogyakarta >.< The stats Yogyakarta is not just a tourism hotbed; there are many universities in Yogyakarta and this contributes to the relatively lower cost of living compared to other parts of Indonesia. Travel period: late Aug - this is considered end of summer, and the rainy season commences in mid-Sept. It is still off-peak and the clear blue skies create perfect photography opportunities. I went with my university mate, so it was easy traveling around. Hotel of choice: Jambuluwuk Malioboro Boutique Hotel; recommended by another friend and located in the heart of the city. Tour guide: Mr Yoga Pratana; recommended by several colleagues.  Itinerary 4D3N is sufficient to cover the main attractions. However our itine