Never Get Enough with Yogyakarta

"Take a chance. It's the best way to test yourself.

Have fun and push boundaries."

- Richard Branson

Yeay finally another update! haha..been back and forth to this city made me should think harder regarding which place to visit this time. I know it would be so tired after it but I have no choice, went again to Yogyakarta for short getaway, for Weekend trip Feb 17 - 19, 2017 (3D/2N).

How long on train? 
About 8 hours, went to Yogyakarta by train on Friday 6.45 PM, arrived at Saturday dawn 2.30 AM and back from Yogyakarta on Sunday 5.45 PM, arrived at Monday 2.30 AM then go home directly to sleep few hours and off to work at 8 AM.

You knew it would be so tired, but why you did that?

It's been so long since I am on vacation and I have limited annual leaves in a year so I need to spend it wisely.

What train?

From Jakarta, Friday 17th Feb 18.45 >> Klb Eksekutif Gmr-Sgu (Executive) IDR 400,000

From Yogyakarta, Sunday 19th Feb 17.45 >> Senja Utama Yogya (Business) IDR 260,000

Check in counter to print your boarding pass

Gambir Station

inside the train

Arrived in early morning at Tugu Station and decided to walk to my hostel at Malioboro, called my friend which already slept to open the door for me :D

Got a nice sleep on bed for few hours and heading out for breakfast around hostel and had porridge (Rp12,000). For my first day, we were heading to Merapi Mountain by motorcycle that we rent Rp 80,000/day through hostel help. Anyway I stayed at the same hostel when I came to Yogyakarta named Munajat Backpackers, the price still same like the last time, Rp125,000/room for 2 ppl and we asked extra bed Rp 25,000 so total is Rp 150,000/room for 3 people so each Rp 50,000/person/night...good deal :)

The Munajat Backpackers at Malioboro

the receptionist

I love that mural

It took about 25 km from our hostel at Malioboro to Merapi Mountain, just look the GPS and you're good to go, we went and rent a jeep at Merapi. There are so many jeep counter that you can rent. The course is start from Short, Medium and Long. Depends with the destination and duration, short is about 2 hours and medium took around 3 hours and long is 3,5 - 4 hours. The cost is per jeep and each jeep capacity is for 4 people. Short is Rp 350,000, Medium is Rp 450,000 and Long is Rp 550,000. Sometimes there are some counter have limited jeep so you need to wait and somehow they only have short course but instead of waiting I suggest you to look around another counter, like we did.

rented our jeep there

ready steady go! haha

So we actually prefer to take Long course but unfortunately there was a spot which not opened on that day. And we took Medium Course instead, the offroad track was pretty bumpy all the way so don't ride it directy after you had your meal. We visited some spot like museum, Alien Rock, Mbah Maridjan's cemetery etc. Mbah Maridjan was well-known especially for the story about Merapi Mountain and even more in eruption back to 2010. He was the spiritual guardian or gatekeeper of the volcano Mount Merapi, so if there is any cautions, he will inform to the palace. He was killed at the age of 83 by a pyroclastic flow that destroyed his home in the village of Kinahrejo during 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi (source : wikipedia). We also had a chance to meet Mbah Maridjan's wife there.

first stop

they let it stayed like that since eruption in 2010

such a natural disaster in 2010

us on the jeep

2nd stop! you can see Mt Merapi on the back

ohh cloud ><

they call it Alien Rock since it looks like face 

3rd stop, Bunker Kaliadem

inside the bunker

Last stop of Jeep tour, Mbah Maridjan cemetery

the one and only car that help people at that time when eruption happened

the chronology when the eruption happened

you'll always be remembered

Continuing our way from Merapi Mountain we were heading to Kalibiru, at first we kinda hesitated because the distance was so far, like 60 km to reach Kalibiru from Merapi Mountain. But since none of us went to Kalibiru already so we decided to keep going there. It took around 3 hours ride to go to Kalibiru and the road was very steep passing the hills and keep going up. But, my friends were so cool! They can handle the road..wow..amazing! Girl power :D After such a long way finally we arrived at Kalibiru. We had our lunch along the way though and it's almost raining but thankfully it stopped on our ride. To get to Kalibiru, after we parked our motorcycle, we need to walk or I might say climbing up..since the road is very steep and took effort to go up at that time.

Entrance Fee for Kalibiru is Rp10,000/person but unfortunately since it's almost dark, they didn't sell ticket to climbing up the spot that quite famous at Kalibiru because the officer said it's sold out and so many people still waiting for their turns to take photos. We felt bit upset because it's not easy to reach here..after 60 km and what?!

Kalibiru

pre-wedding photoshoot at Kalibiru

Finished and now back to downtown, anyway I feel lucky because along the way I found my favorite brand of Bakpia, Bakpia 145. I tried so many Bakpia but I love this brand, so we stopped there to buy some. We are eager to try famous Gelato in Yogyakarta, located at Jl. Prawirotaman called Tempo del Gelato. Ohh.. the place is so cute and there are so many flavours that you can choose and might confusing you since you want to try nearly every flavours that they have. The price is not expensive, I got myself a cone with 2 flavours, Rp 25,000. The gelato is soo good and I love it! :) Apparently Jl. Prawirotaman is a backpacker area and it feels alive there especially at night, might go again though :) there 's also cute cafe too, ohh I would love to try!

my favorite Bakpia in Yogyakarta

Tempo del Gelato

so tasty and IDR 25K only! yuhu :)

During this trip so far we didn't plan the itinerary, so mostly are spontaneous. From Gelato we decided to go to Mirota Batik at Malioboro because we are interesting to watch House of Raminten Cabaret Show. I just found that through a friend and we decided to watch it.

House of Raminten Cabaret Show shows every Saturday-Sunday from 7-8.30 PM. We were late at that time since we arrived around 7.30 PM at Mirota. The officer told us it's full already and we begged to let us in. Finally we ended up going in even need to standing during the show but it's alright at least we could see the show. But well, at the end I found out another people came when the show will be finished in less than half an hour.

Those lady boy did performance like singing, dancing, lipsync etc. We enjoyed the show and laughed so much. After the show, you can take picture with them, they will ready and welcoming you with their big smile even though they seem tired especially the ones that did dancing. So many people wants to take pictures with them..even me :) it's free by the way.

From Mirota we were heading back to hostel and ready to go again at night. We went to this area actually before heading to Mirota, Prawirotaman Street. It's backpacker area and we kind of curious to explore this area again. Well, it's pretty busy at night and we went to a restaurant which look nice but too bad it was full. 

I had small gathering through CouchSurfing there, there were 6 people hung out together and that was fun. We moved to another place and had chit chat few hours away.

CS gathering

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On the next day, we need to return our motorcyle at 10 AM, so due to limited time we were hesitated whether we go to Candi Ijo which located nearby Ratu Boko area or not. And finally we decided to go after checking out google maps, showed 45 minutes to go there. We rushed to have shower that morning and we left at 8 AM.

Okay, we have to hurry. And my friends were amazing, they riding the motorcycle like a pro, I am in charge in GPS haha. Less than an hour which is 45 minutes we arrived, yay! The road was pretty steep since this Candi Ijo (Ijo Temple) located at the highest place at Yogyakarta, it’s a Hindu Temple, 4km from Ratu Boko or around 18km east from Yogyakarta. Along the way we saw Tebing Breksi and planned to go there for a moment after Candi Ijo. 

No entrance fee for Candi Ijo, you only need to pay for parking, motorcycle Rp 2,000/motorcycle. Thankfully the place was not that big, not like Prambanan Temple or Borobudur Temple where you need to walk quite far to reach the temple. It’s really near from the gate and we spent time there pretty fast though. Maybe the things that make it so special because it’s located at the highest place and you can see wonderful view from the top.

Candi Ijo

From there we were heading to the place that we intend to visit after Candi Ijo which is Tebing Breksi, I went there once and in this visit, there are few changes but not that much. Still hot like usual and for me honestly I don’t find why this place become so special. My friends never been here so we go here. Nothing much to see :p To get in, like Candi Ijo, you only need to pay for parking, Rp2,000/motorcycle. It took short time to be there since we only have limited time. We left on 09.30 AM and afraid to not be on time, we rushed to go back. And…well, we made it! We arrived just in time on 10 AM. Wow! Haha amazing!

Tebing Breksi

Tebing Breksi, new spot

My friend wants to go to buy Bakpia Kurnia Sari, so me and another friend just went around Malioboro for sightseeing or even shopping a little bit. Another classic place to visit in Yogyakarta is Taman Sari, went there couple times and my friend wants to go here so I accompany her. Took becak from our hostel Rp20,000/becak, taking Becak in Yogyakarta is a must, even now they don’t do in traditional way anymore sometimes, because they don’t do pedal anymore and let the machine work for it but still nice.

Walked around Taman Sari, Entrance Fee is Rp 6,000/person. It’s really nice inside. We also heading to underground Mosque and this time, the place was so crowded maybe because it’s also weekend. Then we were starving and need to have lunch soon. Back to Malioboro with Gojek and we look for something to eat, met another new friend from CS from Germany and we had lunch together. It’s just a restaurant on the street, I had Kupat Tahu and Soup Fruits Rp15,000. My friends will go back to Jakarta first since their train on 2.30 PM and mine is 5.45 PM.

The good thing before leaving for my train is I can take shower again at my hostel, hehe. It’s just refreshing, to have shower before long journey back to Jakarta. Well, short getaway is definitely nice to try. Thank you for reading my blog and see you soon!

me, Eka & Nelly