Indonesia’s national tourism board, Wonderful Indonesia, is designed to highlight all of the most incredible travel destinations that the country has to offer.
Since Bali is the country’s flagship tourism destination, Wonderful Indonesia is on a mission to highlight how the province can be used as a launchpad to explore more areas of the archipelago on an easy multi-stop vacation.
Wonderful Indonesia is bringing Central Java and Yogyakarta into focus. These two areas of the country are home to some of the most important historical and social-political spaces, as well as being home to some of the oldest spiritual centres known to humankind and the most impressive natural wonders too.
Central Java and Yogyakarta are only a stone’s throw away from Bali. Less so in fact! It takes just over one hour to fly from Bali to Java, and once you touch down, the top attractions, landmarks, and must-visit sites are only a short drive away. Not only is it super quick to fly between Bali and Central Java and Yogyakarta, but it’s also very affordable too.
Direct flights between the domestic terminal at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International in Bali depart multiple times daily and are operated by Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia.
Depending on the itinerary plans, there are options to fly into Ahmad Yani International Airport (SRG) in Semarang or Adisumarmo International Airport (SOC) in Solo/Surakarta. In terms of travel between Bali and Yogyakarta, the situation is just as easy. Multiple daily flights are operated by Indonesia AirAsia, Garuda Indonesia, and Lion Air.
Most tourists will fly from the domestic terminal at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International to Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), but Adisutjipto International Airport (JOG) is also an option.
Fun fact for those new to this part of the world, Yogyakarta is the formal name for the province and city; however, many people refer to this area of the country by its shortened name, simply, Jogja. It’s all the same place!
Wonderful Indonesia has highlighted some must-visit spots in Central Java and Yogyakarta, both on and off the beaten path. Of course, no visit to Central Java would be complete without a visit to the utterly magnificent Borobudur Temple.
Over the last few years, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has been working to support the development of five super priority destinations, of which Borobudur Temple is one of them. The others are Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, which is known as the gateway to Komodo National Park, as well as Likapang in North Sulawesi and Mandilika in Lombok.
The Borobudur Temple is the largest Buddhist Temple in the world and lay hidden and abandoned for centuries. The temple complex was rediscovered in 1814, and in the 1960s, a major repair and renovation initiative took place, led by the Indonesian Government and UNESCO.
This was also a period of intensive research to establish a better understanding of the full significance and history of this massive temple ecosystem.
The temple complex was rebuilt stone by stone, and by 1991, Borobudur was officially declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the great prides of Indonesian heritage and an essential place to visit during a trip to Java.
Wonderful Indonesia also highlights Atsiri Jawa, a living Javanese wellness destination, for a chance to learn more about Javanese traditional ways of living and spirituality.
This, followed by a visit to Rumah Atsiri and the Sapu Angin Forest, makes for a relaxing, rejuvenating, and well-rounded exploration of Java.
In Bali, Wonderful Indonesia points tourists to Om Ham Retreat, as well as the incredibly inspiring Samsara Living Museum. For those who enjoyed Atsiri Jawa, a visit to Samsara Living Museum is an ideal counterpart.
A visit to both cultural heritage hubs gives tourists the chance to maximise on Indonesian spiritual and health wisdom as well as compare and contrast the differences between the Javanese and Balinese approaches to life.
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