If you think about traveling in Indonesia or looking for information about Yogyakarta you have come to the right place. The weather is often great in Yogyakarta and the place offers a unique experience and culture. We will give you the information you are looking for and did not yet know all about Yogyakarta to make your visit there an unforgettable memory. We cover all the spots that could interest the traveler that comes to learn about the culture, food and broaden the life experience. There are a lot of activities to combine in a day and you could optimize your tour in Yogyakarta in 2 days, 4 days, or a week depending on what you want to experience and do. As a tourist staying any longer than a week, you would have to sacrifice some of your vacation time and possibly see less of beautiful Indonesia.
Yogyakarta or Jogjakarta
The Special Region of Yogyakarta is a unique province in Central South of Java in Indonesia. It is different from other places in Indonesia because it is a self-governed and autonomous place. The name Yogyakarta itself means: “The Vision to Perfect Society”. The main languages spoken here are Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Java. The V is pronounced as a W (Jawa). Currently, the English language over there is limited, but at the touristic hotspots, English is spoken. But do not expect when you ask for directions in English that you will be understood.
The location of Yogyakarta is in the Center-South of Java of Indonesia, on the Indian Ocean. The province has around 4 million inhabitants. (2014 was 4.592 source: Wikipedia). The capital is called Yogyakarta and has about 422k inhabitants. Whenever you hear Yogya, Jogja, Djokja they all are short and mean the city Yogyakarta. The people from East to West Java all have a different style of writing Jogjakarta or Yogyakarta.
Yogyakarta is also known to be a student city. Most universities in Indonesia are located here. The people come here to study at one of the universities from all over Indonesia.
There are around 730~ accommodations in. The price ranges from 75k IDR per night to 3+ Million IDR per night. For hostel-like experience to the super deluxe hotel in different locations for both far and near the city. In a separate article, we will provide the information suited best for you.
Yogyakarta Is So Famous, But Why?
Yogya is most famous for Borobudur Buddhist temple and Prambanan Hindu temple. Both these temples are built around the 8th century and have been maintained after they were both rediscovered early 19th century. In the city, there is the Kraton, or also known as the palace in Yogya. For the shoppers and souvenir hunters, there is Malioboro Street. This is a long street with unique architecture that you will find back in Amsterdam. You will find plenty of vendors over here. There is more to Yogya, the dance, culture and food make it also worth a visit. Then there are some hiking spots and a cave to visit. Find more detail description in What to do in Yogyakarta. These pages will explain how to get there and what the costs are.
Another fact that makes Yogyakarta Indonesia unique is that it is a Javanese monarchy and sometimes referred to Yogyakarta Sultanate. This means that the leader is a Sultan. The same person is also the governor, holding both a prominent political and spiritual seat in Yogya. It’s like an independent part of Indonesia.
The culinary adventure
With new places comes new food. When you are in a new destination, you should try the local cuisine. Some of the Indonesian food is known for being spicy so take care when ordering food. Most already know not spicy means “tidak pedas “. So there is no excuse if you like or dislike spicy food they can make it, so your taste palette doesn’t burn too much. There are plenty of signature dishes to try. I have found myself that the signature dishes are on the sweet side but nonetheless, they are delicious and I have tried several more than just once. Because of the many different dishes to try, I have dedicated a separate chapter for the best restaurants and street food.
Yogyakarta Weather, when to go at the best months
Dry and Wet season. It can still rain in Dry Season like it won’t some days during the wet season. Yogyakarta Indonesia has two kinds of climates: the tropical monsoon (wet) and tropical savanna (dry). Around 5 months it will be a beautiful sunny vacation. In the table below are some statistics about the weather, temperature and rainfall in Yogyakarta.
The least rainfall happens from June, July, August, September, October. This is when Yogya is the best to visit.
(source of the numbers)
Is Yogyakarta safe to come with children?
In short yes, but keep in mind that some areas like Malioboro can become very busy, and during the dry season it can become quite hot. Stay hydrated, make sure your children also have drinks available to them when they want. Think about planning a day with your children, some of the activities involve a lot of walking. Don’t exhaust your children also they are there to have a good time with you. Use caution as always when traveling with children.
Transportation, going around
The easiest and also an affordable way to get around is using the Go-Jek and Grab application available on Android and iOS. This is similar to Uber. The driver picks you up at your location and drives you to your destination. A scooter is the cheapest and dives a sense of adventure, but this is not practical when traveling with children or other companions. You can also hire a grab driver for 4 hours through the application and you can see the price upfront. It’s convenient when you did not book a guide or tour and you still want to go around.
Have you been to Yogyakarta yet?
