Yogyakarta & Surabaya Historical Exploration

Upon landing at Yogyakarta airport and clearing the arrival formalities you will meet your guide for the transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to Yogyakarta City area, where you will check-in your hotel for overnight. 

Depending on your arrival in the hotel, late in the afternoon you will drive to D’Omah Hotel. This experience begins with a refreshing drink in the charming Tembi village, only a few kilometers away from the heart of Yogyakarta
 
As the evening starts to unfold, experience an exquisite Rijsttafel dinner, a Dutch-Indonesian culinary tradition rooted in the colonial period that represents a meal featuring a diverse array of local dishes. During the dinner at the enchanting garden of D'omah restaurant, 15 Indonesian dishes will be served by 10 different servers each holding a torch and accompanied by Keroncong the traditional music of java in the background, creating a truly magical atmosphere.

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Today head approximately 40km out of Yogyakarta to the stunning temple complex at Borobudur, one of South East Asia’s most impressive sites and the largest single Buddhist monument in the world. Receiving UNESCO World Heritage status in 1991, the monument consists of six square terraces topped by three circular ones. Two million stone blocks were required to build the temple and with at least 2,500 relief panels and more than 500 Buddha statues, it is exquisite beyond comparison.
 
Enjoy the sunrise from the top of Borobudur Temple and explore this incredible Buddhist structure before heading back to the ground of the temple and nearby restaurant for a light breakfast and then to Candirejo, a peaceful village surrounded by plantations and lush scenery where you can learn about harvesting and other local activities. Getting to the village is part of the fun as you traverse the attractive countryside by traditional Dokar (horse-drawn buggy). Alternatively, you may choose to ride your own bicycle to and from the village. This morning’s excursion ends with a lesson in Indonesian Gamelan music and lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to the city for rest and relax.

After the usual tourism activities have concluded the day, the city offers a different colorful and bizarre face, surprisingly different from other Indonesian cities. We teamed up with a Yogyakarta Specialist who has lived in the city for more than 25 years and will meet you at your hotel before leading you on a journey to uncover the hidden gems of Jogja at night.

The evening kicks off with a stroll along Jalan Malioboro, the major shopping street in the center of town, packed with shops selling various kinds of arts, literature and curiosities, street-side restaurants offering local delicacies as well as artists, street musicians and painters performing on either side of the street.

Your local expert will be able to provide you with deeper insights to the various specialties offered or assist you with your souvenir shopping. Though you may want to wait until you reach your next stop, known for excellent Batik, antiques and eccentric handicrafts in a grotesque mix with Sultan idolizing exhibits. 

The journey later leads to a colourful and flamboyant cabaret show, presented in blatant contrast to the traditional Ballet or Shadow Puppet performances the city is usually famous for.  

Another famous spot on your list serves a delicious dinner at a restaurant owned by arguably Indonesia’s most famous drag queen. Having her own sit-com on Jogja TV, she shines as a beacon of tolerance in Indonesia. Be prepared for a memorable dinner experience in the raunchy decoration of the restaurant, complete with images of its owner in humorous and provocative poses. 

To conclude the peculiar night, we bring you to a square near the palace, which transforms at night into a weird, loud and chaotic scene of revelry. Enjoy the colorful and illuminated spectacle with flashy pedal cars and loud music before we transfer you back to your hotel for overnight.

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The first visit of your day is Kraton, the Sultan’s Palace of Yogyakarta, by cycle rickshaw, commonly known as “Becak”. The innermost group of buildings (where the sultan still resides) were built in 1755. As you pass through the Palace, be sure to note the ornate reception halls as well as the museum-like room containing the desk at which the ninth sultan planned the overthrow of the Dutch colonialists and the ornate ‘his’ and ‘hers’ entrances that are decorated with huge male and female dragons. Located within the grounds of the Kraton, the Taman Sari Water Castle was designed in the mid-18th century as a royal pleasure park for the first Sultanate of Yogyakarta and his entourage/harem. It is said that the sultan would sit in the tower overlooking the now restored central bathing complex watching the goings-on below while being entertained by his wives.

Continue to drive to Kaliopak Village to witness the traditional art of kris making. Listed by the UNESCO as a “Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage of Humanity”, the Kris is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron, which can take up to one month to forge a single piece. Kris have been produced in many regions of Indonesia for centuries, but nowhere is the Kris so embedded in a mutually connected world of ritual prescriptions and acts, ceremonies, mythical backgrounds and epic poetry as in Central Java. Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, sanctified heirloom, as an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status or a symbol of heroism. Kris-Makers do more than forge the weapon, they carry out old rituals which could infuse the blade with mystical powers. For this reason, Kris are considered almost alive because they may be vessels of spirits, either good or evil.

Afterwards, visit the 9th century Hindu temple compound of Prambanan. This impressive collection of temples is dedicated to the Trimurti, a concept of Hinduism whereby Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu is the Preserver and Shiva is the Destroyer which is often referred to as the ‘Great Trinity’ or ‘Hindu Triad’. 

Identifiable by its towering and pointed architectural design, Prambanan was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1991 and is the largest, as well the finest, Hindu temple complex in the country.

As the day draws to an end, you will enjoy dinner and a wonderful performance of Ramayana ballet. The Ramayana ballet tells a legendary epic love story, presented in a series of graceful dance movements accompanied by gamelan music – an orchestra of traditional Javanese instruments.  For those who enjoy cultural displays, this is an impressive performance that is not to be missed. The ballet brings together different aspects of traditional Javanese culture with dance, drama, music and costume all on display. Performers do not speak during the dance and the ballet is narrated by the storyteller, known as the sinden, a female singer who describes the story through Javanese song. 

Depending on the schedule of the day, there are two venues near Yogyakarta where the ballet is performed: at Purawisata open air theatre and at Prambanan, with the temples as a backdrop to the performance.  A buffet dinner is included in the ticket price for both locations.

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Rise early today to reach Yogya’s Tugu Station, where you will board a local train and travel east through the volcano-dotted terrain to Gubeng Station at Surabaya. The suggested train schedule is Train Sancaka 4 in Executive Class departing from Yogya at 06.45 and arriving at Surabaya Gubeng at 10.45.

Disembarking at Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, is the capital of East Java. The name Surabaya is variously attributed to two heroes, Sura and Baya, who fought each other in ancient times to become king, or to suro and boyo, the shark and the crocodile who fought to determined who was the strongest and most powerful animal in the water.

Make a quick stop at Pasar Pabean, a large indoor old-town market selling everything from fresh and dried fish, meat, and many varieties of vegetables, fruits and spices. The market is a triumph for multi-ethnic cooperation and harmony. You will find stall holders from China, India, Malaya, Arabia, Madura (a large island off East Java), and the indigenous Javanese. Sample the smells, the noise and the general atmosphere. Afterwards, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before continuing your drive to the historic Majapahit Hotel for check-in and quick freshen up.

Learn more about Indonesia’s youngest past during a Historical Hotel Tour with afternoon tea. Originally built in 1910 by the famous Sarkies brothers, the Hotel Majapahit is a classic landmark institution filled with national pride, where history blends with romance and elegance. At the end of WWII, on 19^th September 1945 pro-nationalist Indonesian youth revolutionaries stormed the room 33 where the Dutch Occupation had set their temporary headquarters and demanded an explanation of the raising of the Dutch flag on the hotel’s roof mast.

After the independence of Indonesia was declared on 17^th August 1945, the revolutionaries did not want to see their newly independent country returning to colonialism, so they rushed to the hotel’s roof and tore down the blue strip of the Dutch flag to retain the red and white parts, identifying the colours of the Indonesian flag known today. The hotel was then temporarily renamed Hotel Merdeka or Hotel Independence.

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A midnight start will be required today, but the panoramic views awaiting you will certainly make it up again. With its huge crater and almost mystical-like scenery in all directions, Mount Bromo and its surrounds are stunning beyond question. Sunrise is the most magical time to view the entire Bromo landscape but this does involve a very early morning start. Firstly, travel by normal vehicle to Wonotoro, a small village 2,000 metres above sea level and the gateway to the region. Then continue by private jeep to the rim of Mount Penanjakan in time for dawn. From this vantage point you will have the best views not only of Mount Bromo, but also Mount Batok and Mount Semeru.
After (hopefully) witnessing a spectacular sunrise, you will return to your jeep and make the steep descent back down to the bottom of the volcano and then cross the Laotian Pasir (Sand Sea) to the base of Mount Bromo itself. The climb of approximately 250 steps to the rim of the crater is definitely worth the effort and you will be rewarded with yet more incredible vistas. After your visit, return to your hotel in Surabaya and enjoy a 60 minutes massage in the hotel’s Spa to recover from your early morning trip today. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

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Your morning is free until your private transfer awaits you from the hotel for your onward flight from Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport.

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B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D=Dinner