Kaliurang

Driving through Yogyakarta's countryside is a pleasure due to its various scenic spots of idyllic villages and fertile farmland spread out with the horizon of the mountainous landscape.

The vicinity of Yogyakarta is a natural vacation land that offers all possibilities for an enjoyable holiday. There are hill resorts on the mountain slope for relaxation with invigorating weather. Mountain lovers will experience a real adventure of mountaineering. Mount Merapi is situated north of Yogyakarta with a height of 2,920 metres above sea level. From a distance, one can always see the white smoke appearing from the top of the volcano, raising to the air and the moving clouds in the deep blue sky.

The crater of the volcano is a sandy plateau of about four hectares with several smaller craters, which are still active. The top of the volcano can be observed from a distance from Turi Village, country area at the western side of slope, about fifteen kilometres from Yogyakarta. For a better view, a visit to Plawangan, the observatory resort, can be reached by walking up a pathway from Kaliurang for about an hour. In the observatory resort, visitor can use a binocular to observe the top of the volcano. The best time to relish the beauty of Merapi is approximately around the sunrise moment, at six to eight in the morning.

When the volcano is not active, visitors my climb up to the top of Mount Merapi that can be reached within seven to eight hours. The shortest route to the top that would take about 3 hours is from Selo, a village between Merapi and another mountain, the Merbabu. For those who interested climbing Mount Merapi, it is advisable to obtain some valuable information from the Department of Volcanology in Yogyakarta.

Visiting Kaliurang, a popular mountain resort, which is twenty-four kilometres at the northern side of Yogyakarta, may provide great escape from the heat and humidity of Yogyakarta City -- either early in the morning or at the afternoon. The sleepy green valleys and the lazy hills provide a nice setting for the youth to go camping or do mountain climbing. Sometimes at certain time, especially at night, visitors can see a spectacular sight of lava coming down the mountain. Various tourist facilities are available, such as restaurant swimming pools, parks, and camping ground.