Is Yogyakarta in Your Travel Bucket List?

Yogyakarta has the history and cultural depth to connect present-day Java with its past. It remains one of the most underappreciated destinations in Asia, not because it lacks significance, but because it resists spectacle.

Located near the southern coast of Central Java, Yogyakarta is home to one UNESCO World Heritage Site, the tenth-century Hindu temple complex of Prambanan, and serves as the gateway to Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Few places in Southeast Asia sit so comfortably at the crossroads of major belief systems, dynasties, and living tradition.

But Yogyakarta is far more than its UNESCO credentials.

Known locally as Jogja, the city is home to Indonesia’s oldest university, Gadjah Mada University, founded in 1949 and long regarded as one of the country’s most influential academic institutions. Jogja is also the birthplace of wayang kulit, the traditional shadow puppet theatre, and one of the historical centers of batik production. These are not museum traditions here. They are living crafts, practiced daily by artisans whose skills are passed down through generations.

Jogja is also unusual in modern Indonesia for another reason. It still has a reigning sultan.

The Sultanate That Never Disappeared

While most sultanates across Java and the Indonesian archipelago faded through colonialism and political change, Yogyakarta retained its royal structure. Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the current Sultan of Yogyakarta, continues to hold both cultural authority and political relevance. He also serves as the region’s governor, a role recognized by the Indonesian government due to Yogyakarta’s special administrative status.

The enduring support for the Sultan is visible not through ceremony alone, but through everyday loyalty. Despite political challenges and shifting modern pressures, the sultanate remains deeply woven into the identity of the city.

The Kraton: A Living Palace, Not a Relic

The history of Yogyakarta’s sultanate can be understood at the Kraton Palace, located within the walled heart of the city. The palace was built in 1755 by Prince Mangkubumi, who crowned himself the first Sultan of Yogyakarta following the division of the Mataram Sultanate.

Although much of the Kraton remains closed to the public as living quarters for the Sultan and his family, accessible sections reveal one of the most well preserved examples of Javanese palace architecture in Indonesia.

The palace staff, from guards to administrators, wear traditional Javanese attire complete with headgear and kris, the ceremonial dagger tucked into their sashes. Many are older men who have served the palace for decades. The Kraton functions as a living museum, where daily rituals and performances continue as they have for centuries.

One of the highlights of a visit is the live cultural performances. During my visit, there was a Ramayana ballet, a classical Javanese dance accompanied by gamelan music and traditional singing. These performances are not staged for spectacle alone. They are part of the palace’s daily rhythm.

Taman Sari and the Stories Behind the Walls

Most tours of Yogyakarta include Taman Sari, the royal Water Castle, once the Sultan’s garden and recreation complex. Built in the mid eighteenth century, it served multiple purposes including leisure, meditation, and defense.

Within the main area is the public bathing pool, complete with incense burning stoves. Nearby lies the Sultan’s private pool, private chambers, and lookout points. From these elevated areas, the Sultan could observe the activity below, including the women bathing in the public pool.

Our guide, Andres, was born and raised beside Taman Sari. His father had been a gardener for the Sultan, and his grandfather, great grandfather, and generations before had also served the palace. Because of this long relationship, families like his were granted land near the palace and Water Castle to build their homes.

Andres pointed out his own home, a three-story wooden row house behind the Sultan’s private pool. He explained that the neighborhood would soon be relocated, as the Sultan had sold the land to the city to make way for shops, cafes, and restaurants catering to tourism.

He led us through the village behind Taman Sari, showing his neighborhood, his art gallery, and nearby batik workshops. Taman Sari itself lacks visual grandeur. It is not conventionally beautiful and offers little in the way of dramatic architecture. What gives it meaning are the stories.

Through Andres, Taman Sari became a lens into the devotion of the people to the Sultan, the reciprocal benefits of service, and the remarkable religious tolerance embedded in Yogyakarta’s culture.

The Sultan is Muslim. Andres’ family is Catholic. They have served the Sultan for centuries.

Yogyakarta is home to the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and lies only miles from the world’s largest Buddhist shrine. This coexistence is not theoretical. It is lived.

Prambanan: Indonesia’s Largest Hindu Temple

Candi Prambanan, built in the tenth century, is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. Dedicated to the Trimurti of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, the complex is adorned with detailed reliefs illustrating the Ramayana epic. Candi simply means temple in Javanese.

Prambanan’s towering spires stand in sharp contrast to Borobudur’s horizontal geometry, yet both reflect the same era of spiritual ambition and architectural mastery.

A City That Feels Unpolished, and Honest Because of It

Horse drawn carriages and becak, or cycle rickshaws, still move through Jogja’s streets. Dutch colonial buildings sit beside traditional Javanese houses, modest shacks, and western-influenced shop rows. The city feels layered rather than curated.

Jogja is unpretentious. Its people are warm and unassuming. It does not try to impress.

And yet.

One cannot talk about Yogyakarta without mentioning Borobudur. It is the reason many travelers come, and the reason Jogja belongs on any list of places to see in a lifetime.

Borobudur alone justifies the journey.

Around Jogja

Where to shop

Malioboro is Jogja’s main street, lined with souvenir shops selling batik, handicrafts, and art. At the southern end lies Pasar Beringharjo, a traditional market where prices are better and the experience more local.

Where to stay

Rumah Mertua Heritage is a quiet retreat tucked away from the city’s noise. Built as a traditional Javanese home, it blends heritage architecture with a relaxed, residential feel. Staying here feels less like a hotel stay and more like being welcomed into a private home. The gardens, open courtyards, and thoughtful design make it an ideal base for travelers who value atmosphere over formality. It is particularly well suited for those planning early departures to Borobudur or Prambanan, when calm mornings matter.

For travelers seeking refined luxury, Amanjiwo Resort near Borobudur offers a more secluded and indulgent experience.

What to eat

Every city has a dish that defines it. In Jogja, that dish is gudeg.

Gudeg consists of young jackfruit stewed with palm sugar, served with rice, opor ayam, a hard-boiled egg, and krecek, stewed buffalo skin. The overall flavor is sweet rather than spicy or savory.

Restaurants serving gudeg often carry names like Gudeg Bu followed by a name. Bu is short for ibu, a respectful term for a married woman. Many of these establishments feature low tables where diners sit on wooden floors to eat.

Another staple is bakso, meatballs served in noodle soup. While bakso is found throughout Indonesia, Jogja’s versions are known for their size, sometimes larger than golf balls. Even President Obama famously spoke of his fondness for bakso from his childhood years in Indonesia.

One More Thing

Locals love to take photos with Caucasian tourists.

Why?

That, perhaps, is another story entirely.