The island of Java is an excellent place to appreciate natural beauty and learn about the Indonesian culture. Take a trip to the Tangkuban Prahu volcano and learn about the legend associated with its unique shape. You can walk along the rim of its spectacular main crater and enjoy views of the secondary crater, Kawah Upas.
A tour of the Borobudur Temple gives you a glimpse into the Buddhist culture and tradition. Starting from the base of the shrine, you ascend five levels, each of which represents a state of being and its Buddhist interpretation. Don’t miss out a visit to the Prambanan temple considered the largest Hindu temple in the country. It boasts of a wealth of sculptures - keep an eye out for sculptures of the Ramayana epic on an inner wall!
Itinerary
Day 1:
At 0800h (08:00am), you will be picked up in a car from your hotel in Jakarta for Bandung via Jagorawi Highway. On this tour, you will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Stop at Bogor to see its famous Botanical Garden founded in 1817. It covers an immense 87 hectares of land and houses thousands of plant species. Further on, drive through the manicured green tea plantations of Puncak Pass. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant in the area. After lunch, proceed towards Bandung by way of Cianjur.
You will be taken to Papandayan Hotel in Bandung. It is an international 4 star hotel with 188 spacious guestrooms on its 5 floors and offers accommodation in 152 Deluxe rooms, 23 Executive rooms, 12 Suites, and 1 Presidential Suite. It also has a lounge, pool bar and restaurant serving Indonesian and international cuisine.
Day 2:
0900h (09:00am): After breakfast, proceed on a tour of Tangkuban Prahu volcano and Ciater hot spring. The volcano resembles an overturned boat. Listen to the guide tell you about the legend associated with the shape of the volcano. Its summit is at a height of 2176 metres while the parking lot and the viewpoint site are at a height of 1800 metres.
Stop for lunch en route. On your way back to Bandung, Visit the Lembang fruit market and buy some delicious fruits.
In the afternoon, visit Pak Ujo’s Angklung School in Padasuka village. The school teaches a variety of music and dances, particularly Angklung which is played on bamboo frames. If there are no scheduled shows for the day, short demonstrations will be preformed for you.
Return back to your hotel in Bandung and spend the night.
Day 3:
0700h (07:00am): After breakfast, you will be taken to the railway station for a morning train to Yogyakarta. Enjoy a scenic rail journey passing through the lush Parahyangan highlands with terraced rice fields, green valleys and rural villages below a string of volcanoes.
At around 1500h (03:00pm), you will arrive at the city of Yogyakarta or Jogja. From here, you will be taken in a car to your hotel to check-in. Spend the night at your hotel. You will be staying at Novotel Jogja or Jogja Plaza (depending on availability).
Novotel Jogja is a 4 star hotel and offers Superior 2 single beds, with choices of view (i.e. pool view, mountain view or city view). The rooms are newly designed with modern and elegant ambiance including flat screen TV. It also has a 24-hour coffee shop, billiard rooms, internet access, outdoor swimming pool, traditional massage, spa and all modern amenities.
Jogja Plaza is also a 4 star hotel with Javanese architecture offering luxurious appointed rooms. It has an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, whirlpool, sauna and gym among others.
Day 4:
0800h (08:00am): After breakfast, take a trip to Borobudur Buddhist temple situated in eastern Java on the Kedu Plain. It is one of the largest temples in the world perched majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green felids and distant hills. It has 10 levels to pronounce the scared number of Buddhist rituals and you will come across moral stories beautifully sculpted on its walls. Further on, visit the equally interesting Mendut Temple with its charming 3-metre tall Buddha statue.
Continue to Candirejo village and join on an explanatory village excursion on foot or horse drawn carriage. It’s a great chance to take a closer look at local artwork, traditions and Javanese way of life.
Return back to your hotel in Yogyakarta and spend the night.
Day 5:
0800h (08:00am): After breakfast, take a trip to Sultan’s Palace of Yogyakarta. The palace was founded by Prince Mangkubumi in 1755. Javanese classic dancing rehearsal, royal wedding ceremonies, puppet show, and other Javanese cultural performances are often held here. Stroll around the colourful bird market and Taman Sari (the ruin of a water palace built by the first sultan).
Further on, visit Prambanan Temple also known as ‘Slender Maiden’. This elegant temple complex was built in the 9th century dedicated to the Hindu trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It also has an open theatre where the popular Ramayana ballet is performed annually from May to October during the full moon. Visit the Archeological Museum in the premises to learn about the history of Prambanan and the surrounding temples.
At 1500h (03:00pm), return back to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 6:
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Yogyakarta airport for your onward flight. Or you could also be dropped at the railway station to proceed on your onward destination.
Please note
There could be minor changes in the programme depending on road conditions and room availability.
Please call the tour operator at least 24 hours prior to start of the tour to reconfirm the departure details.
Based on twin-sharing in double rooms.
Hotels:
Var. A: Puri Indah 2 (Run of House) (No Extra Bed), Puri Artha Hotel 3 (Run of House) (No Extra Bed)
Var. B: Grand Preanger Bandung 4 (Deluxe Room) (No Extra Bed), Hotel Novotel Yogyakarta 4 (Superior) (No Extra Bed)
Var. C: Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers 4 (Deluxe) (No Extra Bed, Melia Purosani 5 (Deluxe Room) (No Extra Bed)