Yogyakarta Adventure #1 - The Magnificent & Mesmerizing Prambanan Temple

Hello everyone! It's great to finally be back and sharing my travel stories in this community. After a long hiatus (again), this time I will share my experience during my visit to one of the most iconic cities in Indonesia, Yogyakarta.

Yogyakarta is one of the must-visit tourist destinations in Indonesia. Unlike other cities that are starting to be surrounded by skyscrapers, Yogyakarta gives a very strong impression of traditional cultural values supported by buildings that are already hundreds of years old. Among those buildings, one of the most mesmerizing and must-visit locations is Prambanan Temple. This building is a world heritage site protected by UNESCO and is estimated to have been built around 850 AD, making it more than 1,000 years old. Referring to the information I obtained at the location, this temple was built by someone named Rakai Pikatan who was a king from the Ancient Mataram Kingdom. Okay, I will not tell you more about the history of this temple, because @macchiata has made a post about it in great detail. Instead, I would like to invite you all to visit this temple virtually, along with the story about my impression of this visit.

---

Alright, I'll start from the front yard of the entrance. There is a big sign indicating the location of this temple, behind which is a fountain. To reach this location, we have to walk 3-5 minutes from the parking lot which is very wide. Ticket purchases can be made on the right side of the landmark I mentioned earlier. The entrance ticket price ranges from IDR 35,000 - 50,000 per person and can be paid using cash or cashless method. After buying the ticket, there will be a check conducted by the entrance gate officer and from that location, we can have to walk about 5-7 minutes before we can clearly see the building of Prambanan Temple.

Tips #1
If you visit this location during the dry season or the sun is scorching and you are the type of person who can't stand the heat, then I recommend you to rent an umbrella that is offered around the parking lot for IDR 10,000.

---

ENTERING THE MAIN AREA

The road to the main site is surrounded by vacant land overgrown with grass and diverse trees. Some visitors are seen heading to the main location	At each intersection, directions are provided that are written in Indonesian and Javanese characters. The photo shows directions to several other temples

I was overwhelmed when I saw the grandeur of the building laid out before me. The two-sided pathway separated by plants arranged in such a way, made a strong impression on my memory, even until this post was written, which has been more than a month since the visit.

There is a railing that will separate the main area of Prambanan Temple from the public area around it. Before passing through the fence, there are information boards on the right and left sides of the path, which tell the story of how the 2006 earthquake devastated the temple, and how tremendous efforts were made to restore and rehabilitate the temple.

The Railing	Information Boards	information Boards

The main temple area is higher than the smaller temples around it. To get to the location, we have to walk up some stairs and afterward, we will be presented with several temples that are very large compared to the other temples. The height of this building is probably more than 20 meters and it looks very well maintained. My impression upon seeing this building was one of utter amazement. That such a complex-looking relic was built in such a large size a thousand years ago is hard to imagine.

Tips #2
If you want to get the full experience of visiting Prambanan Temple, I recommend that you don't visit it on Monday. Because on that day, there will be a prayer procession and cleaning of the area..

---

Temples Around The main Area

Unlike the temples in the main area which are in good condition, most of the temples around the area have been destroyed. Large rocks of various sizes and shapes were seen scattered around. Some were destroyed to the point of shapelessness, while others were only partially destroyed. Some temples were also seen being rebuilt from scratch.

It is very rare to find large trees around the temple grounds, but because the temple is located higher than the surrounding plains, we can clearly see the surrounding area with a field overgrown by fresh green grass.

---

Visiting Deer Cage

After spending about an hour wandering around this area, I decided to end the tour around Prambanan Temple. Next, I headed to another place, the Deer cage. This location is located not far from the exit. There are dozens of deer seen in this location with various sizes. Besides the deer, there are also 2 cassowary birds in different cages.

---

Leaving The Prambanan Temple

I probably only spent 5 minutes looking at the animals. Because the sun was getting hotter, I decided to end the tour this time. On my way out, I passed by a market that had been organized in such a way. In the market, you can buy a variety of items ranging from clothes, souvenirs, and even cookware made of clay. I didn't buy anything at the market, so I can't give you an idea of the estimated price of these items.

---

That's all the short story that I can share in this post. I hope these pictures and stories can give you an idea and experience of exploring Prambanan Temple virtually. I hope you like it, and I will see you in another story, where I will still tell you about my visit to Yogyakarta.