Must-see attractions in Java

  • Prambanan Temple

    Central Java

    Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, World Heritage–listed Prambanan is Indonesia's largest Hindu site and one of Southeast Asia's major…

  • Morning in Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur

    Dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, and built from two million blocks of stone, Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple and one of Indonesia's…

  • Kawah Ijen

    East Java

    The Ijen plateau's most extraordinary sight is the magnificent turquoise sulphur lake of Kawah Ijen. A night hike to the crater in which the lake boils…

  • Dwarapala guardian statue at Donopratono gate of the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the palace of the Yogyakarta Sultanate, Central Java, Indonesia, January 14, 2018

    Kraton

    Yogyakarta

    Beside the southern alun-alun (main square), Yogya's enormous kraton (palace) is the cultural and political heart of this fascinating city. Effectively a…

  • Garuda in front of the 15th century temple of Candi Sukuh, on slopes of Gunung Lawu, east of Solo, thought to be linked to fertiflity cult, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

    Candi Sukuh

    Central Java

    In a magnificent position 900m above the Solo plain with fine views of Gunung Lawu, Candi Sukuh is one of Java’s most enigmatic and striking temples. It’s…

  • Ujung Kulon National Park

    West Java

    On the remote southwestern tip of Java, this Unesco World Heritage–listed national park has remained an outpost of prime rainforest and untouched…

  • Old City

    Semarang

    Semarang’s atmospheric old quarter, often referred to by its Dutch name, the Outstadt, is well worth investigating. Until recently, most of the area’s…

  • Sangiran Museum of Ancient Man

    Solo

    With the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils in the world (the bones of 70 individuals), Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site…

  • Taman Sari

    Yogyakarta

    This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his…

  • Mendut Temple & Monastery

    Borobudur

    This exquisite temple, around 3.5km east of Borobudur, may look insignificant compared with its mighty neighbour, but it houses the most outstanding…

  • Telaga Warna

    Central Java

    Ringed by highland forest and steep-sided vegetable terraces, this lake is renowned for its exquisite colour. Ranging from a delicate turquoise to a rich…

  • Taman Fatahillah

    Jakarta

    Kota’s central cobblestone square, surrounded by imposing Dutch colonial buildings, is Jakarta's most attractive location and a popular gathering spot for…

  • House of Danar Hadi

    Solo

    Danar Hadi is one of the world's finest batik museums. The handpicked favourites from the owner's private collection (1078 pieces from a collection of 11…

  • Museum Bank Indonesia

    Jakarta

    This museum presents an engaging and easily consumed history of Indonesia from a loosely financial perspective, in a grand, expertly restored,…

  • Museum Macan

    Jakarta

    Opened in late 2017, Museum Macan is Indonesia's first modern and contemporary art museum and an exciting cultural development for the city. It was built…

  • Sunan Kudus Tomb

    Central Java

    From the courtyards behind the mesjid (mosque), a palm-lined path leads to the imposing tomb of the Muslim saint Sunan Kudus, shrouded behind a curtain of…

  • Jin De Yuan

    Jakarta

    This large Chinese Buddhist temple compound dates from 1755 and is one of the most atmospheric and important in the city. The main structure has an…

  • Indonesia, Java, Bogor, Kebun Raya (Great Garden), vegetation

    Kebun Raya

    West Java

    At the heart of Bogor are the fabulous botanical gardens, known as the Kebun Raya; the city’s green lung covers 87 hectares. Everyone loves the Orchid…

  • Trowulan Museum

    East Java

    One kilometre from the main Surabaya–Solo road, the impressive Trowulan Museum houses superb examples of Majapahit sculpture and pottery from East Java…

  • Selasar Sunaryo Art Space

    Bandung

    Just outside town in the pretty rural district of Ciburial is this sleek contemporary art gallery. It exhibits both Indonesian and international artists…

  • Entrance to Sonobudoyo Museum, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

    Sono-Budoyo Museum

    Yogyakarta

    This treasure chest is one of the best museums in Yogya. It is only small but is home to a first-class collection of Javanese art, including wayang kulit…

  • House of Sampoerna

    Surabaya

    Undoubtedly the city’s best-presented attraction, the House of Sampoerna is home to one of Indonesia’s most famous kretek cigarette manufacturers (now…

  • Gunung Halimun National Park

    West Java

    This mixed-use national park is home to small swatches of primary rainforest, but also includes plantations such as the Nirmala Tea Estate. The park's…

  • Candi Cetho

    Central Java

    Candi Cetho (pronounced 'Cheto') is spread over terraces rising up the misty hillside, on the northern face of Gunung Lawu at around 1400m. Thought to…

  • Ambarawa Train Station Museum

    Central Java

    Fans of vintage railways will love this museum, located in the premises of the old Koening Willem I station, a couple of kilometres outside of town on the…

  • Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

    Jakarta

    This 100-hectare park has full-scale traditional houses for each of Indonesia's provinces, with displays of regional handicrafts and clothing, and even a…

  • Ratapan Angin

    Central Java

    For a spectacular perspective of Telaga Warna, it's worth climbing the hill above the lake. Called Ratapan Angin (and signposted as Dieng Plateau Theatre)…

  • Radya Pustaka Museum

    Solo

    This small museum occupies a grand old Javanese building. Dating back to 1890, it is the second-oldest museum in the whole of Indonesia and contains a…

  • Permisan Bay

    East Java

    The best beach by far in the park is at Permisan Bay, an almost sausage-shaped bay with calm waters and a small island in the middle. It's a half-day hike…

  • Solo - August, 2021 : Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat is the official Palace of the Surakarta Hadiningrat Sunanate which is located in Surakarta City which was founded by Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwana II.; Shutterstock ID 2035299296; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Kraton Surakarta

    Solo

    Once the hub of an empire, today the Kraton Surakarta, established in 1745, is a faded symbol of a bygone era. It’s worth a visit, but much of the kraton…

  • Pangandaran National Park

    West Java

    This national park, which takes up the entire southern end of Pangandaran, is a wild expanse of dense forest. Within its boundaries live porcupines,…

  • Museum Sejarah at Taman Fatahillah (Fatahillah Square).

    Jakarta History Museum

    Jakarta

    The Jakarta History Museum is housed in the old town hall of Batavia, a stately whitewashed Dutch colonial structure that was once the epicentre of an…

  • Ancol Luar Biasa

    Jakarta

    On Jakarta's bayfront, the people’s ‘Dreamland’ is a landscaped recreation complex popular with families. It has worn amusement rides, and sporting and…

  • Marrionette puppets in Museum Wayang.

    Museum Wayang

    Jakarta

    This puppet museum has one of the best collections of wayang (flat wooden puppets) in Java and its dusty cabinets are full of a multitude of intricate,…

  • Candi Singosari

    East Java

    Situated right in the village of Singosari, 12km north of Malang, this temple stands 500m off the main Malang–Surabaya road. One of the last monuments…

  • Gedung Batu

    Semarang

    This huge Chinese temple complex, 5km southwest of the city centre, comprises three main temple buildings and many smaller structures that date back to…

  • Panataran Hindu Temples

    East Java

    The Hindu temples at Panataran (locally called 'Penataran') are the largest intact Majapahit temples, and the finest examples of ancient East Javanese…

  • Candi Sumberawan

    East Java

    This small, squat Buddhist stupa lies in the terraced, cultivated foothills of Gunung Arjuna, about 5km northwest of Singosari. It was built to…

  • Mangkunegaran Palace

    Solo

    Built in 1757, the Mangkunegaran Palace in the centre of Solo is still a royal residence. Some rooms are dedicated to a delightful palace museum devoted…

  • Plaosan Temples

    Central Java

    Built around the same time as the larger Prambanan temple group, the Plaosan temples combine both Hindu and Buddhist religious symbols in their elaborate…

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