Sightseeing in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta was at one time the capital of the Mataram kingdom, and remained an important city even in later times- the Sultan's Palace was built here in 1755, and even today is the core of the city's traditional and cultural life. It's a huge building, and actually holds within its walls, two museums, various schools, mosques, offices, markets, and silver and batik workshops. In addition, occasional performances of traditional dance and `gamelan' orchestras are held here, so it's the perfect place to come for a good dose of Javanese culture.

But Yogyakarta isn't just the Sultan's palace; there are other sights to explore too. Chief among these are the magnificent Prambanan Temple (locally called the `Temple of the Slender Virgin'- a Hindu temple which is widely regarded as the largest and most beautiful in the country) and the Taman Sari (the Water Palace), a 1700s pleasure park, though rather dilapidated now, still shows signs of its past splendour.

Also of interest to many visitors would be the Museum Sonobudoyo , with its display of Javanese artifacts (virtually everything from musical instruments and antiques to `wayang' puppets representing long-nosed Dutch soldiers!). In fact, if you'd like to buy some wayang puppets or other local handicrafts, Yogyakarta is a good place to spend your money- you'll probably be able to get some good stuff at rates much lower than what you'll find in the larger and more `touristy' places like Jakarta and Bali.