Prambanan Temple
PRAMBANAN TEMPLE TRAVEL GUIDE | BUDGET, CHEAP HOTELS, HOW TO GET THERE
Contents
Prambanan Temple: A Touch of Hinduism in Indonesia
When you hear of “Hinduism,” you probably think of India and not Indonesia. But take a look at this country’s history and you might surprise yourself with the similarity in this particular aspect.
Indonesia may be today a predominantly Muslim nation given a majority of its Islamic practitioners and very little else.
But take a look at archipelago’s history and present condition and you shall see that there is more to this country of many islands which many fails to see unless looked at closer inspection.
Specifically, it refers to a smaller aspect of the country but whose foothold is much older than the dominating religion that is currently taking place in the country—Hinduism.
Prambanan Temple
Although the practitioners of Hinduism in the country may be widespread from the many islands of Indonesia, there is a large concentration of Hindus in the tiny island of Bali, not too far from Java.
But even before the Hindus had fled the nearby major island, Java was home to both Hinduism and Buddhism that, while different, have seamlessly blended to develop a harmonious culture in the land.
As such, one of Hindu’s greatest architectural feat in Indonesia is left at Java and is something they could not bring with them as they retreated to another location.
Prambanan Temple
Prambanan: A Hindu Temple to Visit
When the ancient Buddhists of Central Java built Borubodur—Buddhism’s largest and greatest temple—as reverence to their deity, Buddha, the ancient Hindus, on the other hand, have built Prambanan for the Trimurti, the trinity of the Hindu god as a creator, preserver, and destroyer.
Like Borubodur for the Buddhists, Prambanan is a significant human architecture for the Hindu practitioners of Indonesia. Not only is it the largest construction ever built for the Hindus in the country, but it is also the largest Hindu temple across all of South East Asia.
Prambanan Temple
But it is not only the practitioners of Hinduism who appreciate this marvelous architecture distinct to the religion, but even the rest of the world is also in awe of its amazing design and religious significance. A testament to this is the temple’s inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Prambanan is easily distinguished as a Hindu temple for its towering and pointed designs as magnified by its gargantuan 154-feet high central building. Hindus and non-Hindus alike visit this relic temple which thus makes it a tourist attraction in Central Java.
the blogger at Prambanan Temple
Considered as a derelict than a still-active temple which had been the case for a very long time, Prambanan is basically just debris of its former glory as seen by its ruined structures. Abandonment and natural disasters brought forth the temple’s eventual decline.
Admission:
Prambanan only USD25.
A combo ticket for Borobudur and Prambanan – USD30 USD40 (IDR520k).
TRAVEL TIPS WHEN VISITING PRAMBANAN
1. Visit Prambanan with a Rented Van
We visited Prambanan and Borobudur in one day and it was fast and easy because we rented a van to see these places. An air-conditioned van can save you time and much of your energy especially if you are staying in Indonesia for a couple of days. Almost all of the drivers can speak English so they can also serve as your guide.
2. Visit Prambanan early
Gates open at 6 am, and being at the place early will give you the chance to see the place with not so much tourists.
3. Bring Water and Sunscreen
Generally speaking, sunscreen is a must when touring around Indonesia. A handy bottled water will also save your day.
4. Dress comfortably
Prambanan is a religious site so you must follow the required dress code – no revealing attire, no short pants, etc. Comfortable footwear will also be of big help especially that the temple complex is quite huge.
5. Avoid weekends
Weekdays are perfect days to see the temple because more tourists are visiting the place during the weekend.
6. Get the Combo Ticket
You can save a little more when getting a combo ticket for both Prambanan and Borobudur.
Prambanan Temple
HOW TO GET TO PRAMBANAN TEMPLE
This Hindu temple is not too far away from the special region of Yogyakarta—just 17 kilometers northeast of the city. It is practically at the borderline between the special region itself and Central Java.
The nearest major cities in Prambanan are Yogyakarta, which is 17 kilometers to the south-west and Solo at about 40 kilometers to the northeast. The main road connecting these two large cities passes right by Prambanan and this makes transport links very straightforward.
Both Solo and Yogyakarta had international airports. Yogyakarta Adisutjipto Airport is currently serving international flights from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. While Solo Adisoemarmo airport is serving flights from Kuala Lumpur.
From Tugu Yogyakarta Train Station / Malioboro
Taxis and car rentals are available around Malioboro and Tugu Yogyakarta train station. For public transportation option, Trans Jogja bus is available at a mangkubumi bus stop in Malioboro. Use the 1A bus and stop at Prambanan bus stop. From there you can cross the road to reach the Temple.
Bus
Use the Trans Jogja bus lane 1A to get to Prambanan. Alternatively, you could use the inter-province bus heading to Solo or Surabaya and stop in front of the Temple.
The Trans Jogja bus usually available around every 15 minutes or so depending on the traffic. While inter-province bus is only accessible from Giwangan Bus Station every hour.
Prambanan Temple
HOMESTAYS |BACKPACKERS INN IN YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA
Pesona Jogja Homestay
Jalan Pandu UH 3 / 484, Celeban, Kota Gede
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
Wakeup Homestay
Jalan Gandekan Lor no.44, Yogyakarta City Center, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 55271
The Packer Lodge Yogyakarta
Jl. Dagen No. 3, Sosromenduran, Gedong Tengen
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
Prambanan Temple
BUDGET HOTELS IN YOGYAKARTA CITY, INDONESIA (WHEN VISITING PRAMBANAN TEMPLE)
D’Senopati Malioboro Grand Hotel
Panembahan Senopati St. no. 40, Yogyakarta City Center
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
Grage Ramayana Hotel
Jalan Sosrowijayan No. 33
Whiz Hotel Malioboro Yogyakarta
Jalan Dagen 8 Malioboro, Yogyakarta City Center
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
Favehotel Kotabaru
Jalan I Dewa Nyoman Oka, Kotabaru, Yogyakarta City Center, Indonesia, 55224
Hotel Neo Plus Awana Yogyakarta
Jalan Mayjen Sutoyo No. 52, Yogyakarta City Center, Indonesia, 55143
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
Amaris Hotel Diponegoro Yogyakarta
Jalan Diponegoro 87 Tugu, Yogyakarta City Center, Indonesia, 55231
Jambuluwuk Malioboro Hotel
Jalan Gajah Mada No. 67, Yogyakarta City Center
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
Ayaartta Hotel Malioboro
Jalan KH. Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta City Center
Prima In Hotel Malioboro
Jalan Gandekan Lor No 47 Malioboro
BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL
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Wow, pumunta kami dito ang ganda but super ma-alikabok hahaha. Inubo ako kinagabihan. At super init grabe. I agree dapat early morning kami pumunta, that was noon time na kasi at ang dami ng tao. But we really enjoyed our trip. I will be using your guide in Samal for December.salamat 🙂
Yes, its quite dusty and quite hot during our visit too. That’s why it is very important to take enough sunscreen when you visit Indonesia 🙂
Thank you for this post, just arrived from Yogyakarta and your guide was a great help. We used the app which you had recommended and it was indeed very useful. We took a lot of photos at Prambanan and other attractions but they are not as nice as yours. Hope to meet you soon.
Prambanan is a very nice and culture-enriched place. Therefore, promoting tourist destinations like this is very essential. Maybe the local tourism office could benchmark Larry Alton’s guide in order to promote tourism: First, Prambanan should initiate or host a blogger trip. Second, have a modern looking website. Third, create a social media presence. Fourth, utilize online booking and payment. Fifth, take advantage of search engine optimization.
I appreciate your suggestion. As Indonesian, we have lots of potentials but we don’t know how to explore and to market them. It’s a matter of education and low proficiency in English. Or maybe it’s the problem with mentality, too. We are not disciplined, well organized, professional, or anything related to boost tourism. Local officials still act “I know what I’m doing and this is the best that I can do”. I visited some museums in Jakarta and the English translation is really really horrible. Is Jakarta administration too poor to hire good translators? We only know how to advertise tourist destinations in Indonesia but no idea beyond advertisement. Wonderful Indonesia campaign has been inviting several media social influencers on a trip but I point out your suggestion no. 2, 4, and 5 as the main homework for local administration. I am jealous at Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand are doing. They have few(er) potentials than Indonesia but they know how to maximize to the bits!