Tamansari

When a traveler is browsing in Kraton, then she/he should not miss The Water Castle or known as Tamansari, less than 1 Km west of Kraton. Just west of the Kraton, are the ruins, pools, arches and underground passages of the former pleasure gardens. It was built in 1758 by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as a rest house and pleasure park for the Royal family. Tamansari means beautiful garden. It was badly damaged due to an earthquake in 1867. Some parts of it, for instance "Umbul Binangun" bathing pools have been restored.
Upon seeing the ruins of Taman Sari, some cultural experts say that it has multi purposed functions, such as:


1. A Rest house, in the form of water castle with beautiful park. The air is fresh due to:

- Artificial lakes and canals
- Bathing pools
- Large gardens with several kind of varieties of trees

2. A place for sport and entertainment

- Boating and swimming
- Deer hunting
- Classical dance Bedoyo and Srimpi
- Gamelan music

3. A place for meditation

4. An important palace and shelter for the Sultan. It was well protected.

It had 2 Bastions with 12 and 6 Cannons.

The Castle itself divided into two (2) complexes. They are:

1. Umbul Binangun - swimming pool complex

It is the swimming pool where only the Sultans women can frolic. In this complex only woman employees serve the Sultan. Theres also a three story tower, with Sultan private bedroom stands south of the swimming pool and The Sultans private bath-pool is behind the tower. Somewhere in the south part of the palace, there is a special place, believed to be Sultans meeting place, from time to time with the Goddess of the South Sea, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul.

2. Pulo Kenongo - Complex

Pulo Kenongo, the Palace of Kenongo Island was found in the middle of Segaran Taman Sari. (Taman Sari artificial lake, which was connected by water canal to the other artificial lake nearby the kraton) Kenongo is a name of flower trees planted in the front yard, where the fragrance spread out in the palace. Just like in a palace, there were living rooms, bedrooms, rooms to make Batik, a hall to perform classical sacred dance of Bedoyo and Srimpi, gates and sentry-boxes guarded strongly by the palace soldiers.

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Jogjakarta Tour Packages

We have special tour packages for you 2 days and 1 night

Day 1

• Pick up from airport/train station/hotel at jogjakarta
• Visiting kraton Jogjakarta (Sultan Royal Palace)
• Visiting Tamansari
• Visiting Vredeburg Fortress museum
• Visiting Prambanan Temple
• Visiting Ratu Boko Palace Ruins
• Enjoy Ramayana Ballet at Night

Day 2

• Shopping and sightseing pottery at kasongan
• Shopping and sightseing at batik shop
• Shopping and sightseing silver  at Kotagede
• Shopping and sightseing at Malioboro and Mirota Batik

Packages Include:

1. Guest House/Hotel
2. Private van with Air Conditioner
3. English Speaking driver
4. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
5. Entrance Fee

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Jogjakarta

Yogyakarta or Jogjakarta or just Jogja is  major tourism destination in Indonesia. Yogyakarta is one of the foremost cultural centers of Java. This region is located at the foot of the active Merapi volcano, Yogyakarta was in the 16th and 17th centuries the seat of the mighty Javanese empire of Mataram from which present day Yogyakarta has the best inherited of traditions. The city itself has a special charm, which seldom fails to captivate the visitor.

This province is one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia. The city came into being in 1755, after the Mataram division into the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo). Gamelan, classical and contemporary Javanese dances, wayang kulit (leather puppet), theater and other expressions of traditional art will keep the visitor spellbound. Local craftsmen excel in arts such batiks, silver and leather works.

Yogyakarta is often called the main gateway to the Central Java as where it is geographically located. It stretches from Mount Merapi to the Indian Ocean. There is daily air service to Yogya from Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali as well as regular train service and easy accessibility by road. Yogyakarta is commonly considered as the modern cultural of Central Java. Although some may prefer Solo as a good runner up, Yogyakarta remains the clear front-runner for traditional dance, Wayang (traditional puppetry) and music.
Yogyakarta has more than just culture though. It is a very lively city and a shopper's delight. The main road, Malioboro Street, is always crowded and famous for its night street food-culture and street vendors. Many tourist shops and cheap hotels are concentrated along this street or in the adjoining tourist area such Sosrowijayan Street.

The key attraction of Yogyakarta is 'Kraton' (the Sultan's Palace). The Sultan's palace is the centre of Yogya's traditional life and despite the advance of modernity; it still emanates the spirit of refinement, which has been the hallmark of Yogya's art for centuries. This vast complex of decaying buildings was built in the 18th century, and is actually a walled city within the city with luxurious pavilions and in which the current Sultan still resides. Yogyakarta is also the only major city, which still has traditional 'Becak' (rickshaw-style) transport.

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Shopping & Sightseeing at Jogjakarta

Kasongan

Kasongan is place for those who like collecting pottery such as pot, sculpture, cup, carving etc.

Batik Shop

Batik is a technique of manual wax resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to color selectively by soaking the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colors are desired.

Kotagede

Kotagede has been famed as the hub of Yogya’s silver industry since the 1930s. But this quiet old town, which is now a suburb of Yogyakarta, was the first capital of the Mataram kingdom, founded by Panembahan Senopati in 1582. Senopati is buried in the small graveyard of an old mosque located to the south of the town’s central market.

If you're in Yogjakarta and looking for a good silvercraft, you should go here. This is a great place to go if you like silver or jewelry. It's fun to see how the items are made, the prices are very reasonable and there are plenty of other shops to browse.

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Vredeburg Fortress Museum

The museum was established in a former Dutch fortress. It is located in front of Gedung Agung, one of seven Presidential palaces in Indonesia and the Sultan Palace.

In 1760, after the foundation of the new Kraton Ngayogjokarto Hadiningrat, the Dutch colonial regime had barracks erected on a plot close to the new palace provided by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I .Between 1765 and 1788 they extended the buildings and converted it into a fort. The original name Rustenburg became Vredeburg. The building served the Dutch colonial administration for various purposes.

In 1942, during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, The fortress was took over by the Japanese army and made into their new headquarters and war prison. Since 1945 Fortress Vredeburg served the Indonesian Army as military command post, barracks and prison for suspected members of the communist party.

The museum comprises the complete area of the former fortress. The walls, gates, barracks, store rooms and houses has been restored to their original outward appearance. Collection of photographs, historical objects and replicas is housed in one of the former barracks. The exposition of dioramas represents the main attraction of the museum's exhibition. The original design included 93 of these showcases. When opened in 1987, 30 of them were finished. Another 18 showcases have been added until March 1996.

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Sultan Royal Palace Jogjakarta

The palace of Yogyakarta, known as the Keraton (also spelled kraton or karaton), is a grand complex that was meticulously planned to reflect the Javanese cosmos. This splendid example of traditional Javanese architecture has no equal. Designed and built in stages, the Keraton was completed in 1790. 

This elegant complex of pavilions was constructed entirely on ancient beliefs and each feature of the complex, from the courtyards to the trees, has a special symbolic meaning related to sophisticated Javanese world view.

The Keraton is built facing directly north towards the majestic Mt. Merapi with to its south backing the Indian Ocean which is believed to be the abode of Kanjeng Ratu Loro Kidul, the Queen of the South Seas and the mystical consort of the Sultan. Malioboro road was originally used as the ceremonial route, not unlike London’s Pall Mall, and forms a straight line drawn from the Sultan’s palace to the Merapi volcano.

A green square called alun-alun fronting the palace, has a large banyan tree in its center, while behind the palace is another similar square. When a sultan dies, the cortege leaves by the southern gate on its way to the cemetery of kings at Imogiri.

This palace was designed to be more than just a royal residence. It was built to be a focal point of the Sultan’s entire kingdom. Today, the Keraton is a piece of living history and tradition. It continues to be used, both as a home of the Sultan as well as for other important ceremonial and cultural functions of the Yogya court. 

The present Sultan Hamengku Buwono X of Yogyakarta retains the title of Sultan although Yogya has become one of the provinces of the Republic of Indonesia. The Sultan of Yogya,is also the governor of the province, and is still considered the cultural head of this region, and is greatly loved by his subjects.

Even with Yogya’s modernization, the Keraton of Yogya continues to be respected by the people of Yogya, steeped as it is in mysticism and philosophy. In the afternoons, after the palace is closed to visitors, women in traditional costume can be seen respectfully sprinkling water and flowers on the pillars, lighting incense to “cleanse” the keraton from evil spirits.

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Ramayana Ballet A Masterpiece of Dance

The Ramayana ballet tells the story of a legendary epic, 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 a splendid 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. The only storyteller comes from the sinden, a female singer who describes the story through Javanese song. 

The story of Ramayana tells the heroic tale of Prince Rama and his loyal wife Sita. It 

is an epic story, a metaphor about the triumph of good over evil.

Sita is abducted by the giant Rahwana and carried to his palace at Alengka. In his search for his wife Sita, Rama receives assistance from the white monkey king, Hanuman, who burns Alengka Palace and restores princess Sita to her husband. This is a tale that originates from India. The first reference to the story of Ramayana in South East Asia was in a sixth century inscription in Cambodia. Today the Ramayana story is performed in a variety of art forms throughout Indonesia. 

The Ramayana has two endings, and these are played alternately on different occasions. In the first, princess Sita is saved and is happily restored to her husband, Rama. In the second version, - most probably the original one – Rama suspects Sita’s chastity when she returns. To prove that she has remained faithful to her husband, Sita asks to be burned alive. If she has lied, she will die, if not, she would remain unharmed. After being burnt, a living Sita emerged from the flames. Thus, it is a happy ending after all.

At Prambanan you can see the ballet at the foot of the magnificent temple, with the rising full moon as its backdrop. Described as a ‘must see’ this is a beautiful performance that draws in dance, drama and music onto one stage. See the legend come to life in an evening performance with the sparkling Prambanan temple all lit up providing a spectacular backdrop. This is an enormous production with a cast of over 200 involving professional dancers to schoolchildren. As you sit under the stars, indulge your senses as you watch the graceful dancers in their incredibly bright and intricate costumes. There, you’ll be drawn in by the magic of this ballet.

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