Yogyakarta Tours

Welcome to Yogyakarta

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Yogyakarta with its various cultures and tourist destinations has become interesting place of tourists who expect unique and impressive experiences during their visit and enjoyment the uniqueness of Yogyakarta. The availability of tourism facilities and its infrastructures as well have made Yogyakarta to become main tourism destination in Indonesia.

The publishing of this tourism guide will inform tourists with important information about tourism destination, cultural attraction and facilities provided during their visit in Yogyakarta.

Hopefully by knowing more about Yogyakarta, you feel closer and love the city then finally it will bring you back here again someday.

Please welcome and enjoy Yogyakarta......

About Yogyakarta

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Yogyakarta or Jogjakarta, Yogya or Jogja no matter how people call it, all refers to a city with its unique and rich culture which attracts people to visit it.

The city is founded in 1755, marked by the establishment of Sultan Kingdom, with its first king Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. As an old city, many archaeological sites are found in Yogyakarta and its surrounding. They are not only from 18^th century but also from previous centuries. In 16^th century Yogyakarta was the center of Mataram Islam Kingdom while further back in 8^th century it was the center of civilization influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism. It can be seen from the temples found in Siwa Plateau (Prambanan, Ratu Boko, Kalasan, and surrounding area).

During the independence war, Yogyakarta played a major role in independence process of Indonesia. Many national heroes who were born in Yogyakarta like Ki Hajar Dewantara, K.H Ahmad Dahlan, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and many more gave major contribution to the nation. One of the most important events recorded here was Surprise Attack on 1 March 1949. Yogyakarta was also the capital of Indonesia during 1946-1949. Moreover, the city has long been famous as an Education City as many students from all around Indonesia and even from abroad come here to study.

As the center of culture and art, Yogyakarta provides many accesses to experience Javanese culture through art performances like classical dance, puppet show and many others. Traditional values and Javanese culture are best kept as a basic capital in developing the city in the future especially to be one of main tourist destination in Indonesia.

Something to see in Yogyakarta

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Sultan Palace of Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta Palace is the main object in Yogyakarta city, a historical building, which is the palace of Sultan Hamengku Buwono X established in 1756. Yogyakarta Palace, with all cultures and costums has become the soul of Yogyakarta people.

Tamansari
Tamansari is a water castle, which was functioned as recreational park and defense fortress. This historical building started to establish in the middle of 18^th century.

Gedung Agung
Gedung Agung actually is a Presidential Palace used to be a Dutch resident office in Yogyakarta. The building established in the year of 1842 recently is still used as Indonesia presidential palace and can be visited by tourists by asking license first.

Vredeburg Fortress
Vredeburg Fortress is located in the opposite of Gedung Agung. This was the Dutch fortress that established in 1756, is recently used as museum presenting Indonesian struggle in independence. Besides, Vredeburg Fortress also becomes the center of Yogyakarta cultural art activities.

Pura Pakualaman
Pura Pakualaman is a palace located in the east of Yogyakarta Palace. The historical background of Pura Pakualaman is related to the history of Yogyakarta's Sultanate Palace. The palace established in the of 19^th century recently used as the resident of Sri Pakualam IX and his family.

Kotagede
Kotagede is a certain area located in southern part of Yogyakarta. This area was traditionally the central govermance of Mataram Islamic Kingdom, controlling the mid of 16^th century. Today, besides seeing the ancient buildings. Kotagede is also known as sacred area, specially the grave of Panembahan Senopati, the first king of Mataram Islam Kingdom.

Klithikan Market (Second Hand Goods Market)
Klithikan market, which is located in Jl. Hos Cokroaminoto 34, is a place where sellers and buyers meet and have a chance to bargain the product. The interesting fact of Klithikan market is that it selis a wide range of electronic and non electronics goods whether it is new or second hand.

Gembira Loka Park and Zoo
Gembira Loka park and zoo has a various collection of flora and fauna from all over Indonesia and around the world.

Science Park
This area is opened for public especially for school children that give educational and recreational value to enhance children way of thinking.

Malioboro
Malioboro is an area existing in the heart of Yogyakarta City. The area, which is the center of shops and souvenir, is well known. There is a proverb saying that you are not in Yogyakarta if you have not visited Malioboro. In the evening, this area presents lesehan offering various traditional foods of Yogyakarta. This makes Malioboro as an area that never sleep 24 hours.

Ngasem Bird Market
For those, who love animal, there is a traditional market providing various kinds of birds and pets such as fish, cats, rabbit.

Beringharjo Market
Beringharjo market is a traditional market in Yogyakarta City. This market provides souvenirs of Yogyakarta, such as batik and handicrafts.

Somethings to buy in Yogyakarta

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Batik Craft
Batik is a traditional clothes of Yogyakarta and the souvenir mostly sought by tourists. In Yogyakarta, the center of batik craft can be found in Tamansari area or Prawirotaman area. Besides, many souvenir shops, specialized in selling batik can be found easily in the centers of tourism Yogyakarta.

Leather Craft
Leather craft commonly in the form of puppet or painting is a unique souvenir that can be brought by the tourist as a souvenir from Yogyakarta.

Dried Flower Craft
For some years, many tourists seek dried flower as a souvenir in dried flower as a souvenir. This craft can be obtained in dried flower center in Dukuh or around the north square.

Silver
Silver is a craft produced mostly in Kotagede. Kotagede silver is widely known and has become an export commodity.

Various Souvenir
Besides several souvenirs mentioned above, Yogyakarta also offers other souvenirs like Dagadu t-shirt, wood and bamboo craft, and other crafts. Those various souvenirs can be found in Malioboro area or Rotowijayan area.

Traditional Foods
Traditional foods of Yogyakarta are gudeg, bakpia, or yangko. Those various foods can be bought in Pathuk.

Something to do in Yogyakarta

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Learning javanese culture
Recently, Yogyakarta develops special interest tour offering various kinds of courses or learning of javanese culture, such as batik making, traditional dance, traditional music of gamelan or other crafts making. This learning is offered by several art shop having workshop.

Adventure tour
Adventure tour is an alternative tour started to develop in Yogyakarta. The adventure aiming to integrate between the natural and the society life started to attract many tourists. Recently, many people offer adventure tour to Kotagede and Jeron Beteng (palace area).

Various Costums in Yogyakarta

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Sekaten and Garebeg
Garebeg ceremony is held 3 times in a year by Yogyakarta palace. Which is the symbol of sultan's charity to his people. Garebeg is held in Maulud month, Idul Fitri, and Idul Adha (besar) day. This ceremony is marked with the grasp of gunungan made of vegetables and fruits. In Maulud month, Garebeg is started with Sekaten ceremony, when the two sets gamelans of the palace taken to great mosque frontyard and presenting for 7 day for the public.

Merti Desa
Merti Desa is a ceremony to purify the villages symbolizing gratefulness of the God's graces.

Siraman Pusaka (heirloom)
Heirloom purifying is a ceremony, which not just held by royal people, but as well as Javanese people commonly. This ceremony is marked by purifying and cleaning the heirloom, royal carriage, traditional dagger, or other heirlooms.

Surrounding of Yogyakarta

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Parangtritis Beach and Depok
Parangtritis beach is located in Bantul regency, which is a tourism object in the form of beach. In support from Depok beach, which is a fish auction place, the existence of Parangtritis is more complete as a tourism object in the south of Yogyakarta.

Baron, Kukup, Krakal Beaches
Baron, Kukup, Krakal beaches are three of many beaches existing in Gunung Kidul regency which has white sand.

Glagah Beach
Glagah beach, located in Kulonprogo regency is also one of beach visited by tourists who come to Yogyakarta.

Kaliurang
Kaliurang, which is a Merapi mountain slope area, is an interesting natural tourism object to visit by tourists. In the slope of the most active volcano, we could enjoy a very interesting natural view.

Kasongan
Kasongan is the center of earthenware and crafts located in the south of Yogyakarta city.

Prambanan Temple and the surrounding
Prambanan temple, which is inheritance of Hindu religion of 7^th century, also one of the main tourist objects in Yogyakarta. This area, including many ancient temples such as Kalasan temple, Ratu Boko temple, Sambisari temple, Sewu temple, and several small temples.

Borobudur Temple
Borobudur temple, which located in Magelang, Central Java area is the main tourist object in Yogyakarta. This is the Buddist temple built in of 8^th century and also one of seven wonders preserved up to now.

The Monument of Jogja Kembali
The Monument of Jogja Kembali is one of tourist object visited, especially domestic on Indonesia people battle in defending its independence.

Sultan Palace of Yogyakarta

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This palace or Kraton is used to be the central of Yogyakarta Kingdom. The Palace complex is circled by a fortress where local call it Jeron Beteng or literally inside the fortress. It was built in 1756 by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as the result of Giyanti Agreement in 1755 which had divided Mataram Kingdom into two, Kasultanan Yogyakarta and Kasunanan Surakarta. The Sultanate of Yogyakarta monarch lasted to 1945 when Indonesia declared its independence at 17 August 1945. Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX as the king of Yogyakarta at that time then declared the region to be part of Indonesia. Even though Kraton is no longer to be the central of a government, up to now, it remains the central of Javanese culture where customs, art, and monarch system are still best kept.

Inside the palace there are some functional buildings for certain purposes, they are Pagelaran, Bangsal Pengapit, Bangsal Pengrawit, Siti Hinggil, Bangsal Manguntur Tangkil, Bangsal Witono, Balebang, Bale Anggun-Anggun, Bangsal Ponconiti, Bangsal Sri Manganti, Bangsal Trajumas, Bangsal Mandalasana, Bangsal Proboyekso, Bangsal Kencana, Bangsal Manis, Gedong Jene and many more.

To preserve precious historical relics of Kraton Yogyakarta, some buildings are modified into museums, they include :

Palanquin museum at Bangsal Trajumas.
Cup and crystal museum.
Painting and photograph museum at Bangsal Kesatriyan.
Museum of traditional costume and wedding ceremony at Bangsal Pengapit.
Batik museum which keeps batik Yogyakarta style.
Museum of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX.
This museum is dedicated to honor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX both as a king and as national hero. Its collects some personal belonging of Sultan like clothes, medals of Honor, letters and documents, house hold, photographs and many more.
Chariots museum.
The museum is located at Jl. Rotowijayan nearby the Sultan Palace. Different from other museum in Kraton, it collects chariots used by Kraton Yogyakarta for specific occasion. Some of the collections are chariot named Kyai Kanjeng Nyai Jimat which is the oldest one, Kyai Garuda Yeksa which is used during coronation parade of Sultan, Kyai Ratapralaya, Kyai Harsunogo and many others.

Tamansari

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Approximately 1 km to the southwest of Kraton Yogyakarta there is a Tamansari, site consists of canal, pool, garden and palace which has built at the same time with the Kraton itself during 1758 - 1765. It was functioned as a recreation facility of Sultan and his families. The architecture is a combination of European, Chinese, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islamic style. Some damages occured during Diponegoro War and an earthquake in 1876. Some remaining buildings left and still can be seen are Gapura Panggung, bathing pool or Umbul Kawitan and Pamuncar, Gapura Agung (main west entry to the pool), Mosque and Sumur Gemuling (praying room for King and the Queen), Taman Segaran Arch, Kenanga and Panembung Island. Tamansari is also well known as an art village since there are many art galleries with some collections of batik and painting from the local. The main pool has just been restored recently and it will be followed by other parts of the site.