BOROBUDUR
Basic Info
Borobudur is an ancient Mayahana Buddhist monument and the largest such monument in the entire world.
Getting there: Located in central Java, the nearest airport is Yogyakarta. You can get to Yogyakarta from most big cities in Indonesia and internationally you can get here from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. We hired Tony (+62 813 28200538) a private taxi, whose number I got from an expat who lived in Indonesia. From the airport you can get a taxi or go by bus to Borobudur. Depending on where you choose to stay they will also arrange for a ride to their property from the airport.
Where to Stay
There are few luxury hotels in Borobudur, but one that I would highly recommend is the Plataran. Plataran is a chain of hotels that are located around Indonesia in beautiful, scenic areas. The Plataran in Borobudur had two properties located within a couple miles of each other. One was the hotel that had its standard luxury rooms while the other was a property with a handful of individual villas that were completely separate. The villas, although more expensive, come with a private pool and other amenities depending on the package you choose to purchase. Let me just say this – if you want to be spoilt royally, Indonesia is the place – the service offered by the people is next to none.
Things to Do
Although much of Borobudur is enjoying the beautiful landscape, there are a few beautiful temples to visit in the area. One is the actual Borobudur temple which is a Buddhist temple and the biggest to exist in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and contains 72 stupas that each have a statue of Buddha. The other temple is the Prambanan, which is a 9th century Hindu temple. This is located in Yogyakarta very close to the airport. Much of the temple collapsed due to an earthquake that happened centuries ago and what is left behind is covered in volcanic ash. Painstakingly the government has reconstructed the temple with more to be restored. However, the beauty is still breathtaking and must be seen for yourself. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Where to Eat
Although there are options we chose to eat at the Plataran since they had 3 very different restaurants and needless to say every one of the restaurants had absolutely delicious food.
While in Indonesia also check out the famous Luwak coffee - said to be the most expensive in the world!!!
