10 Things You Have To Do When You Visit Java Island

Borobudur means “pagoda on the hills”, and is located about 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta. It is the largest Buddhist architectural complex in the world. This pagoda is built out of local volcanic rock. It has 10 levels and is composed of six huge square terraces, three circular terraces and a central dome. Its base is more than 100 m long and more than 40 m high, making it quite magnificent. Borobudur is also a great place to watch the sunrise. The temple complex's sunrise was selected by CNN as one of the 27 must-see sights in your lifetime, and is well regarded as one of the purest experiences in the world. Many people travel there in the quiet hours of the morning, waiting for the sunrise. When the sun shines on the pagodas and Buddha statues, the scenery is peaceful, magnificent, and emotionally stirring.

The Prambanan Temple complex is the largest and most beautiful group of Hindu temples in Indonesia. It has been damaged many times by volcanoes and earthquakes. There are more than 50 existing temple sites. Like those in Borobudur, the temples at Prambanan are also built of volcanic rocks, and their walls are covered with exquisite reliefs. However, most of their content descends from the Indian epic Ramayana. It is also a world-famous sunset resort that is very suitable for sightseeing at dusk. If you come to Yogyakarta for a trip, you have to go to Prambanan Temple to experience the beautiful sunset in which the dying sun appears as a blood-red.

To the southwest of Surabaya, about 150 km away and 2,393 m above sea level, Mount Bromo is located in the "Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park", and is one of the three active volcanoes there. Generally, most travelers to Mount Bromo choose to take a four-wheel Jeep before sunrise to an observation terrace, which is the best place to overlook Mount Bromo and the whole of Tengger Caldera. The view from there truly looks like a Lunar landscape, or evenan apocalyptic wasteland.

Mount Merapi is a cone-shaped volcano, 32 km northeast of Yogyakarta, and 2,911 m abovesea level. Merapi means “eternal fire” and it is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The crater is shrouded in smoke all year round, as if it's getting ready for its next eruption.Its last eruption was in 2010. Like many other volcanoes in Indonesia, you can choose to climb it in the middle of the night. Climbing to the top of the mountain before sunrise takes 4-5 hours, and then 3-4 hours to descend. You can also choose to climb the mountain the day before, stay in a tent on the mountain for one night, then climb to the top during the daytime on the next day and then descend. This way, you can watch the sunrise and sunset at the top ofthe mountain in one trip.

If you were to walk from west to east, Ijen would be the last volcanic spot on Java Island. There is a milk blue lake in the crater with a sulfur mine nearby. White sulfur smoke erupts every few minutes and is extremely pungent. Travelers need to walk for at least an hour and a half to reach the top of the volcano. If you go there in the early morning, you can see its famousblue flames. It is said that you can see blue flames such as these only in Indonesia and Iceland.

The predecessor of the old city of Jakarta is the ancient city of Badavia, the capital during the Dutch colonial period. There are many old buildings here left over by the Dutch. In the center is a square called Fatahillah Square. The old Dutch town hall has become a history museum. Even local people like to come here during the holidays to watch street performances, or to date and dine in its retro and nostalgic environment.

Located in downtown Jakarta, Freedom Square, also known as "Independence Square", is theplace where national day is celebrated every year. With the Heroes Monument at its center, the north side of the square is the presidential palace, West Street has the Ministry of Defense compound and Central Museum, and to the east is Gambir railway station. In the southeast corner of the square, there is a spectacular sculpture of horses pulling a carriage, which is based on the story of Mahabharata. There is also a music fountain in the park on the west side of the monument.

Istiqlal Mosque is the largest mosque in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It is located at the northeast of Jakarta Freedom Square and was built in 1979. Indonesia's major Islamic activities and ceremonies are held here, and Indonesia's President and national dignitaries often come here to worship. The buildings of the mosque are all paved with marble, and there are 4,400 marble columns alone. The main building is a large 10,000 square-meter central worship hall covered with a white dome, which has a diameter of 45m. The whole hall can accommodate up to 120,000 worshipers at a time.

Indonesia Miniature Park is located on the outskirts of Jakarta, and covers an area of 100 hectares. In the center of the park, there is a huge model of the Indonesian Archipelago. The surrounding parks are divided into 27 zones, representing the 27 provinces and regions of Indonesia, such as Central Java, Bali, and Jakarta. There are buildings with local traditional features in each zone, and unique local plants are also planted there. Here, you can take a boat tour of the "Indonesian islands", or take an aerial cable car, small train or carriage, and travel all overthe "country", enjoying the spectacular scenery of the various places in Indonesia. There are cultural performances, celebrations, and local cuisine in the park, especially during weekends and public holidays. You can fully experience Indonesian culture here. There are also museums, libraries, image centers, and children's palaces and parks. One of the most striking buildings is the Golden Snail Panoramic Cinema, which regularly shows panoramic films such as "Beautiful Indonesia" every day.

Located in the southwest of the Sultan's palace in Yogyakarta, Taman Sari is a complex of canals, ponds, and palaces. It used to be the palace's luxury amusement park, swimming pool, and waterway used by the Sultan and his entourage when traveling. This well-designed rest house was built in 1758-1765 and is based on a design made by a Portuguese architect. It was first destroyed during the Java War (also known as the Diponegoro War), and was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1865. Most of what you see today are relics of the past. The bathing pool with a view, the most representative part of the water palace, was later rebuilt.