# ace4 in Java...visiting Semarang, Yogyakarta, Borobudur, and more...



## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Greetings to all...!!!

last July I got the chance to take a tour of some places in Java. This is the route map of my travel...









This trip took me to the city of Semarang, with a side tour to Demak and Kudus (yellow line). From Semarang I travelled to Yogyakarta by bus (shown in blue line). There I took a side tour to visit the majestic Borobudur Temple and Prambanan Temple (both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites), and to Parangtritis Beach as well...

Well let's start and I hope all of you enjoy the pictures that I post...:cheers1:


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

I took a train from Jakarta to Semarang... it took six hours to get there. The city is 485km to the east from Jakarta.

arriving in Semarang Tawang Railway Station


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Semarang is the 5th largest city of Indonesia, with a population of around 1.4 million. It is the capital of Central Java province. The city is well-known for its Dutch colonial architecture. Unfortunately these buildings are in a "run-down" state. too bad the city government doesn't realise the potential that they have to attract tourists...

Anyways not many tourist visited this city when compared its neighbour Yogyakarta.

well here are some pictures of Dutch buildings in the old town area (also known as Oudstadt)... Semarang was firstly occupied by the Dutch in the end of the 17th century.

Central Post Office









Gereja Blenduk (Immanuel Church) - this church is the main landmark of the Oudstadt. it is also the oldest church in Semarang and was built in 1753


















Jiwasraya Building


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

these are random pics from Semarang old town


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is a market scene next to the old town...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

the Chinatown of Semarang is located just below the old town. It is said that Semarang is one of the most Chinese cities of Indonesia (in other words, lots of Chinese influences can be found in this city)

the Gate of Semarang Chinatown









Tay Kak Sie Temple - the oldest Chinese temple in Semarang built around 1778









a replica of Chinese ship


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

these are some random pics of Semarang Chinatown


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is one of the main intersection in Semarang. Its famous landmark include the Youth Statue and Lawang Sewu

Tugu Muda (Youth Statue) - dedicated to the youths who fought for independence against the Dutch and Japanese









Tugu Muda and the Army Museum









Youth Statue and Lawang Sewu









there are several lowrise offices around this intersection as well...

Gedung Pandanaran









HSBC


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Lagi Lagi Lagi plzz !! :cheers:

I hav been asking this question for long time on why Semarang is so unpopular among all Indonesian cities ; it's the 5th largest in terms of population with more than >1 million inhabitants but Air Asia only flies from here to neighboring "smaller" Surakarta & Yogyakarta but not Semarang. It's like if you ask me what's unique about Yogyakarta the asnwer would be Universitas Gajah Mada, Borobudur & Mt Merapi , if you ask me on what's so unique about Solo then it would be neverending shopping , but if you ask me on what is unique about Semarang , then my answer would be Errrrrrr


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Lawang Sewu or literally One Thousand Doors -- it used to be the Dutch railway administration building and built in late 1890s. during the Japanese occupation (1942-1945) the underground of this building was used as a prison and torture place.

in addition this place is said to be full of "supranatural" activites...
:runaway:









this is inside of Lawang Sewu


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Skyprince said:


> Lagi Lagi Lagi plzz !! :cheers:
> 
> I hav been asking this question for long time on why Semarang is so unpopular among all Indonesian cities ; it's the 5th largest in terms of population with more than >1 million inhabitants but Air Asia only flies from here to neighboring "smaller" Surakarta & Yogyakarta but not Semarang. It's like if you ask me what's unique about Yogyakarta the asnwer would be Universitas Gajah Mada, Borobudur & Mt Merapi , if you ask me on what's so unique about Solo then it would be neverending shopping , but if you ask me on what is unique about Semarang , then my answer would be Errrrrrr


i've been waiting for you to show up Tuan Skyprince... please keep me company here...

i don't really know but maybe because Semarang doesn't openly promote itself as a tourist destination, compared to neighbouring Yogyakarta and Surakarta. and maybe because of that Air Asia only flies to both of those destinations because of the tourism potential of those both cities...:dunno:

Semarang i think is mostly positioning itself as the economic heart of Central Java, so priority is given into the development for the economic factor rather than for tourism. personally i think Semarang has the potential to become a popular tourism destination, maybe comparable to Melaka or Penang when compared to Malaysia :dunno:. unfortunately as can be seen in the pictures above the Oudstadt and Chinatown seem to be "run-down" , given the large extensive area that both cover. facilities four tourist are also nonexistent in Semarang, there are no guide maps or whatsoever, detail signs do not exist as well in both areas, and many other factors... like the old town area is more of a chaotic transportation hub rather than designed to make tourist feel comfortable... maybe for that factor the Semarang city council could learn from how Melaka or Penang is managed...:dunno: actually i don't really know much about this issue... if you'd like to understand more maybe you can go to the Indonesian SSC forum and ask the Semarang people there, they'll understand more of this issue...

anyway tuan Skyprince you also know about Gajah Mada University?  well i've heard that there are several Malaysian students studying there though...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is one of the major thoroughfare of Semarang called Jalan Pemuda


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Semarang Grand Mosque


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is the Sam Poo Kong Temple or also known as Gedung Batu. it is said that Admiral Cheng Ho visited this site during one of his sea expedition. this temple is built in honour of his memories.


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## Tubeman (Sep 12, 2002)

Interesting pics, thanks for sharing


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
your welcome... thanks for viewing...:cheers1:


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

I went to the Marina Recreational Park, but first I have to pass through a wealthy house complex...




























this one is so unique, it has miniature of world famous buildings including the Empire State Tower, Big Ben Tower Clock, etc. :lol:


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is Marina Recreational Park


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is Jalan Pandanaran... linking Tugu Muda with Simpang Lima (literally means five junctions -- will be posted later). this place is a favourite with locals to buy food gifts that are unique to Semarang, including bandeng presto (high-pressured cooked milkfish), wingko (a kind of cake made from pressed coconuts and deep fried -- comes with many flavours), lumpia (deep fried spring rolls, the fillings are usually bamboo shoots and minced prawn)


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## gliazzurra (Mar 18, 2008)

i'm pleasantly surprised to find out that semarang is so clean and organized.. way better than what i imagined before.. thanks for sharing with us.. 

can't wait to see the rest..


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
you're welcome gliazzura...:cheers1:

yeah i found the new city to be neat, tidy and clean - also vibrant...definitely pleasant looking. too bad the old city is a bit "dirty"

will post more soon...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

just to illustrate on those food gifts, i post some images found on Flickr

Lumpia (by veny FLICKR)









Wingko Babad
by little_simonn









by yummyinthetummyblog









bandeng presto


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Lumpia ? Here its called popia, dude.

These are kinda shots that i really wanna see- u took lotsa " street-level" pics of Semarang city instead of boring "Postcard" images . They tell alot of the daily lifestyle n the reality on the ground in Indonesia


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
is lumpia also sold in Malaysia?  i didn't know that...

thank you Tuan Skyprince...:cheers1: that's what i always try to do, i'd try my best to show the atmosphere of daily life in the city...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Semarang's geographical landscape is quite unique. on the north it faces the sea while the city center is on a flat landscape. however the southern part of the city is located on hills. these are some pictures when i was going to the southern part of the city or "going up the hills"





































this is a collection of communication towers located at Gombel Hill


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is the Central Java Grand Mosque... i love the design of this mosque...:drool: the combination of traditional Javanese, middle eastern, and Turkish architecture is superb...kay: this mosque was opened to the public in 2006.


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

there is also a viewing tower in the Central Java Grand Mosque that you can go up to. It is the equivalent to a 19-storey building. from here you can get a 360° view of Semarang and its surrounding suburbs.

the tower









view of the mosque from the tower









view of the hills surrounding Semarang









the skyline of Semarang from the tower









scroll-->


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this part is known as Simpang Lima or translated as five junctions because this city square is passed by five major roads in Semarang. it can also be said as the financial heart of Semarang, many large companies have their offices around this area. plus the area is also anchored by two major shopping malls of Semarang and several large chain hotels (including Ciputra and Ibis)


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

in the night time Simpang Lima becomes more vibrant when many food stalls begin their operation. there are many choices of cuisine to select from and many people hang out around this area in the evening.


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## icracked (Feb 15, 2007)

nice thread, many of these cities I feel interested in going to someday on vacation lol.


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## Bentown (Jan 29, 2007)

Actaully I don't know much about indonesian towns & cities except Jarkata and Surabaya.....anyway your pics look really nice and lively......Please keep them coming...:cheers:


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

^^ In the past I had always wanted to travel to faraway places outside Asia, but from now on I will focus on short-haul travel within ASEAN countries. I started to realize that ASEAN offers alot of tourism product than many other parts in the world. 

Early this year I already met you in Phuket, hopefully next year ace4 will guide me in Indonesia :cheers:


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

thank you icracked, Bentown, and Skyprince...:cheers1:

if you're willing on a bit of "adventure", then Semarang is a good place to visit. the reason i say "adventorous" is that because this city does not gear up to receive tourists compared to other cities that are heavily visited by tourist (in Indonesia the likes of Yogyakarta, Bali, etc.). information on tourist attractions, tourism activities, etc. are quite scarce over here... but if you're willing to take the effort then there are many new things that you will discover...

oh ya Tuan Skyprince taking note on your point there, after taking this trip i also like to put priorities in getting to visit the other parts of Indonesia as well as going overseas... i've just realised how big and diverse my country is and there are many things to offer :cheers: oh ya please do contact if you visit Indonesia, no doubt i'll show you around. actually if you came last July i'd have taken you along this trip into Java...


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Whut that tower behind the mosque actually is ? It doesnt seem like a cheapo structure just built for fun, there seems to be an artistic feel on it. Is it a Baiyoke equivalent to Semarang where you can observe the whole city , and do you need to pay to get to the top ?


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## Pivra (Nov 20, 2007)

i thought Abdi Dalem means something like slaves or servants serfdom... lol


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
technically in the past they were in a sense like that although wouldn't be as harsh as "serfs"... however i don't think right now the sultan can do whatever he wants but in general he is still deeply respected by the people of Yogyakarta and kind of "willing" to do whatever he asks for...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

I entered the Keraton complex from the southern gate to look at the southern Keraton square...

this looked like a former palace gate in the southern entrance









it is said that if you are able to walk pass through these banyan trees located in the southern square, you have a pure and noble heart...









Sasono Hingil


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

in the evening there is a vibrant bazaar held at the southern square of the Keraton. there are many choices of food to buy and many families bring their children here too...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

there is also a famous bird market within the Keraton complex named Ngasem Bird Market


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## Mahratta (Feb 18, 2007)

^^ Cool! Great snaps!


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
thank you MaitreyaSequeira...:cheers1:


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is Tamansari or also known as the Water Castle. it is also located within the Keraton complex. this place used to be a recreational palace of the sultan. It was built in the middle of the 18th century...

this is a subterranean mosque within the complex. it is "subterranean" because in the past the area around this mosque is flooded with water and served as a recreational water palace for the royal family, thus where its name come from. it is also the equivalent of the colosseum in Rome being filled with water. there is also believed to be a tunnel in this mosque that goes all the way to Parangtritis Beach located 20 km to the south of Yogyakarta...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

besides being a recreational water village, Tamansari also served as a bathing place for the royal family and the royal concubines. the sultan is said to visit this place daily and choose the concubines he wished to spend the night with...

these are some pictures of the bathing pool of the concubines and the royal family...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is the sultan's palace within the Tamansari complex... it is located on top of the previous lake in this palace...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

"imagine that you are standing inside water"..., these shots from above the castle may look like a typical village within an Indonesian city. however, in the past this area used to be filled with water and served as the recreational lake for the royal family. after the independence era, the sultan allowed common villagers to set up their homes within the Keraton complex, and thus today the Tamansari complex is a mixture of the once grand recreational palace and village houses...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Yogyakarta panorama from the top of the castle
scroll--->>>


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

these are other sights within Tamansari...




























this tunnel is said to go all the way to Mount Merapi...


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## gliazzurra (Mar 18, 2008)

^^ great coverage there.. the keraton is really a fascinating place to visit..


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
thank you gliazzura...:cheers1: yes you should visit the Keraton, you will be able to feel the "grandeur" of the Javanese culture over there...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

this is Puro Pakualaman. It is one of the principality within the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. the palace was built in 1813... there is a museum inside this palace, however when I got there it was already closed for the day...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)




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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

I took a side trip from Yogyakarta to Parangtritis Beach... it is located 19km south of Yogyakarta and takes an hour to reach there by bus... actually this is not one of the beautiful beaches found around Indonesia when compared to the beaches in Bali, Lombok, etc. However the big waves and the green hills surrounding this beach makes it unique and beautiful as well...:drool: 

in addition, this beach is also special because it is said to be the home of the mystical "Goddess of the South Sea" also known as "Nyi Roro Kidul". there is a belief as well to the people that it is not a good idea to be bathing in the beach while wearing any clothes with green color as it is said to be her favourite color. if you do wear green, the queen will entice you to come to her and become her servant in her underwater kingdom. in other words you will drown and die... the hills around this beach is also a favourite place for believers of Javanese mysticism to meditate and have "spiritual connection" with the Godess of the South Seas...

I visited this beach on Saturday and there were many parents bringing their family to have a recreation. it is also one of the favourite getaway of the people of Yogyakarta...

these are some view of green hills on the way to Parangtritis Beach...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

you can take a horse ride on the beach... notice the big wave in the background









you can also buy a kite...









and green hills surrounding Parangtritis Beach


















there are some people flying a kite on the beach...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

a view of the beach









this is a traditional village around the beach


















there are many accomodations located around the beach...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

one of the reasons why many tourists visit Yogyakarta is because there are many ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples located around the city. these are several that I got to visit

Candi Kalasan - located on the highway between Yogyakarta and Surakarta and 2km away from Candi Prambanan. It is said to be built in 778 as a Buddhist temple.


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Candi Sari - located around 1.5km from Candi Prambanan built around the 800-900 as a Buddhist temple.


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

of course one the reasons that I visited Yogyakarta is to visit Candi Prambanan. it is located 17km from the city center of Yogyakarta.

this temple is said to be built around the mid 8th century as a Hindu temple. actually what is referred as the Prambanan Temple complex consists of several different temples located in that one complex. Candi Prambanan is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the status gained in 1991. unfortunately, the 2006 earthquake destroyed parts of the temples in the complex and restoration is still an ongoing process...

the largest of the temples in Prambanan is known as Candi Loro Jonggrang




























the reliefs carved at Candi Loro Jonggrang


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Candi Loro Jonggrang seen from afar...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

the next temple located in the complex is Candi Sewu, located 1km to the north from Candi Loro Jonggrang - this temple is categorised as a Buddhist temple built earlier before the Hindu Candi Loro Jonggrang...

a statue at Candi Sewu









a relief in Candi Sewu









one of the building in Candi Sewu


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Candi Sewu - continued


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

both of these temples are Buddhist temples also predates the Loro Jonggrang complex

Candi Bubrah - located between Candi Loro Jonggrang and Candi Sewu









Candi Lumbung - also located between the two main temples


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

after visiting Prambanan Temple, i visited Keraton Ratu Boko (Ratu Boko Palace) located 2km to the south of Prambanan. the palace was built around the 9th century and located on top of a hill 196m above sea level... this complex served as a palace of the former Sailendra dynasty. unfortunately, nothing much is left except for its ruins... however, the feeling of tired from hiking paid off by the beautiful scenery that can be seen from this palace complex...:drool:

hiking to the top of the palace...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

the Ratu Boko Palace ruins...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

beautiful scenery from the top of the hill...




























Mt. Merapi can be seen in the distance...









actually there is a good view of Prambanan from here... unfortunately the ability of my camera lens is limited...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

getting around Yogyakarta has never been easier thanks to the new TransJogja system implemented beginning in April 2008. it stops in special shelters and is full air-conditioned. the coverage of this bus service is also quite good, it covers the busy area of Malioboro, Jalan Sudirman, Kotagede, Prambanan, etc. in addition, the service also passes through major transport facilities (Giwangan Bus Terminal, Tugu Railway Station, Adisucipto International Airport, etc.) giving people that just arrived in Yogyakarta to good public transport access to reach where they want to go... tickets cost rp.3000 (around us$0.35 - free transfer between bus lines).

the system map
by Orangescale









inside the shelter









inside the bus









TransJogja bus in Prambanan Terminal


















TransJogja bus in Adisucipto International Airport


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## Venantio (Nov 5, 2007)

Hi Ace4

You promised to upload the Borobudur picture.


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
don't worry they're coming...:yes:


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

I took a side trip to Borobudur village from Yogyakarta. it is located around 40km to the northwest of Yogyakarta and took one hour to get there by bus. the reason, of course, is to visit the majestic Borobudur Temple. however, I visited Pawon Temple and Mendut Temple as well, which were located nearby Borobudur Temple.

Candi Pawon (Pawon Temple) - located around 1.75km to the east from Borobudur Temple. built around the 8th - 9th century as a Buddhist temple.


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

Candi Mendut (Mendut Temple) - located around 3km from Borobudur Temple. also functions as a Buddhist temple.




























souvenir sellers around the temple...



















Mendut Buddhist Monastery located next to the temple...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

finally this is Borobudur Temple. said to be built in the 9th century as a Buddhist temple. It is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site...

hiking up to the temple...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

these are some carvings on the walls of Borobudur Temple. they depict stories of the Sailendra Dynasty, the life of Buddha, etc. :drool:





































and several Buddha statues...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

there are some Buddhist monks making a pilgrimage to the site...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

and finally reaching the top of the temple...

there are several stupas located here... inside these stupas are statues of Buddha -- there is a belief that if you're able to touch the palm of Buddha then what you wish for will come true...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

there are some beautiful natural sights from Borobudur Temple...:drool:




























Mount Merapi seen from Borobudur...









and Borobudur Temple seen from afar...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

finally it's time to leave Yogyakarta and go back home to Jakarta after spending one week holiday travelling around Central Java and Yogyakarta...

these are some pictures of departing from Yogyakarta Adi Sucipto International Airport

*entrance to the check-in counter









*the check-in counter









*the flight schedule (my flight was delayed for 40 minutes...:bash


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

*the departure hall


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

*finally the plane landed from Jakarta at around 16:30









*exiting the departure hall to the plane









*passengers boarding the plane


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

finally I'd like to say thank you for viewing these pictures that I've posted over the last two weeks and I hope you've enjoyed them...


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## gliazzurra (Mar 18, 2008)

ace4 said:


> finally I'd like to say thank you for viewing these pictures that I've posted over the last two weeks and I hope you've enjoyed them...


no, thank YOU for sharing with us.. i never knew there were so much to see and enjoy in central java..


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
your welcome gliazzura...:cheers1: i've just realised as well how much the island of Java itself can offer to people who are willing to discover...too bad i only have one week time for holiday there, there are still many other things to see and do in only Central Java and Yogyakarta... especially there are still many ancient temples scattered all around the province...

I wonder myself then how much the whole entire Indonesia can offer then (and they are totally different things in Java -- different cultures, food, architecture, languages, etc.). there must be lots of them...


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

anyway if you're wondering how I look like then this is me...

location: Tamansari (Water Castle) - Yogyakarta


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

and one final word...

"The sound of invitation is rising, waiting for you to come. It's time to visit Indonesia"

we will be more than happy to welcome you...:cheers1:


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Finally! and how about accommodation in Parangtritis beach is there anything below $5/nite ? Really impressed at Trangjogja bus and the cutie bus stops so there is kinda schedule which must me obeyed rite ? Luv those pics at Keraton market .


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## ace4 (Dec 12, 2006)

^^
terima kasih Tuan Skyprince...:cheers1:

maybe you can get rooms in Parangtritis Beach without air-con (using fan) for that price range... not sure if you get your own bathroom though...

yes i agree the TransJogja helped a lot getting around while i was in Yogyakarta. it covered many areas of the important tourist attraction. basically the frequency of each bus is around 15 minutes interval... the bus stops are rather "small" because there are not many space is available on the major roads of Yogyakarta... it's all filled up already with shophouses...


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