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.

Prambana

Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple compound in Indonesia, located in central Java, approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta (7°45'8?S, 110°29'30?ECoordinates: 7°45'8?S, 110°29'30?E). It was built around 850 CE by either Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty or Balitung Maha Sambu, during the Sanjaya dynasty. Not long after its construction, the temple was abandoned and began to deteriorate. Reconstruction of the compound began in 1918. The main building was completed in around 1953, since it is next to impossible to find the original stonework, which has often been stolen and reused at remote construction sites. A temple will only be rebuilt if at least 75% of the original stones are available. Therefore only their foundation walls of most of the smaller shrines are visible and they will not be rebuilt.

Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia. It is characterised by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.

The temple was damaged during the earthquake in Java in 2006. Early photos suggested that although the complex appears to be structurally intact, damage is significant, with large pieces of debris, including carvings, scattered over the ground. The temple has been closed to the public until damage can be fully assessed. The head of Yogyakarta Archaeological Conservation Agency stated that: "it will take months to identify the precise damage". [1] However, some weeks later in 2006 the site re-opened for visitors. The immediate surroundings of the Hindu temples remain off-limits for safety reason.