Yogyakarta Ultimate 4 Days Itinerary
Yogyakarta is the cultural capital of Indonesia!
Yogyakarta (often called “Jogja”) is becoming increasingly popular with Singapore. 2h 30 mins away, $150 per person and Air Asia will fly you there! It is extremely accessible! We were captivated by the adventures and cultural places in Yogyakarta and decided to make it our as our next travel destination!😊
Planning for Yogyakarta wasn’t easy, not because there was nothing to do but because there are plenty of things to do but the problem is they are located so far from each other! Each attraction has its own beauty. And we wanted to complete as many as we could!
Now that we have had the chance to experience Yogyakarta ourselves, we are going to share with you the best 4 days Yogyakarta itinerary with you.👍👍
This itinerary basically covers everything from its unique culture, historical sites, Javanese lifestyle, nature as well as some adventurous activities you must do in Yogyakarta!
Upon arrival in Adisutjipto International Airport Yogyakarta, waste no time and officially get started on your vacation!
RACE START!! 🏃🏃
Day 1
Visit Prambanan Temple, Candi Sewu and Ratu Boko
Prambanan is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Start your trip by visiting Prambanan Temple, 15 mins away from the airport. Built in the 10th century, Prambanan Temple is the biggest and finest Hindu Temple in Indonesia.
Wander and explore the different temples!
NOTCHBAD AT PRAMBANAN TEMPLE ☺☺
Candi Sewu
Candi Sewu, an 8th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple located 800 meters north of Prambanan of Central Java.
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: Take the mini-tram ride that brings you around the Prambanan Temple complex to get the full experience! The compound is really huge and you will get tired in no time! Hop off and off at Candi Sewu for photo opportunities as it was less crowded!
✅UNESCO World Heritage Site – Prambanan Temple CHECKED-IN!
Next Stop: Ratu Boko Temple
Continue your cultural and historical day by visiting Ratu Boko Temple.
Ratu Boko is a 16 hectares’ archaeological complex of royal palace! This temple used to be a palace for the king and queen in ancient times. Ratu Boko is considered a place with luxury and victory.
We strolled along the ruins remains where many of the architects were no longer there.
Try finding the pool which is believed to be a bathing pool for the king!
Guess this is the king’s bathing pool? 😅😅
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: Plan to visit Ratu Boko at sunset as it claims to be the best place for sunset! The sunset ticket (3-6pm) includes dinner! You can choose Mee Goreng, Nasi Goreng or Goreng Pisang and a drink(Coffee or Tea).🍸
Read: ANCIENT PALACE IN YOGYAKARTA – RATU BOKO
Night: Jalan Malioboro
As the sunset, explore the bustling streets of Jalan Malioboro – The most famous street in Yogyakarta.
Malioboro has plenty of shopping for you! You can find plenty of shops selling all kinds of items starting from dried goods, clothing, bags, accessories, and unique souvenirs! There are also plenty of shopping mall for your shopping spree!
Nic trying on his hat!
You can even get a shirt at Rp 15,000 (~$1.50)! That’s quite crazy right!
You got no idea how we fought for the corn because it was surprisingly delicious!!😂😂
Regardless whether you are a shopaholic or culinary lovers, you shouldn’t miss Malioboro during your visit in Yogyakarta!
Read: JALAN MALIOBORO – MUSICAL BUSTLING STREET OF YOGYAKARTA
Day 2
Morning: Borobudur Sunrise
Start your day early for the Borobudur Sunrise either in the Borobudur Temple or from one of the viewpoint. I would recommend the first one! We made a mistake and ended up at Punthuk Setumbu which is one of the Borobudur viewpoints.
You may have to wake up super early at 3 am depending on where you stay! Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, attracting thousands of people from all over the world! You will be amazed by the magnificent masterpiece. You would have probably seen this on commercials or posters advertising Yogyakarta.
It is said that visitors who touch the statues in the stupa will be blessed with good fortune! HUAT AH!!
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: Be sure to let your driver know whether you would like to view the Borobudur Sunrise from inside the temple! Else they might bring you to a sunrise viewpoint! Don’t make our Budoh mistake by going to Punthuk Setumbu (sunrise viewpoint)! Honestly, it was a waste of time to come here, go directly into Borobudur for a better Borobudur Sunrise Experience!
✅UNESCO World Heritage Site – Borobudur Temple CHECKED-IN!
Read: THE BOROBUDUR SUNRISE MISTAKE AT PUNTHUK SETUMBU
BOROBUDUR TEMPLE – UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE IN YOGYAKARTA
Next Stop: Kalibiru National Park
Head to Kalibiru National Park for some adventure and photo opportunities!
Kalibiru is the most Instagrammable place in Yogyakarta!!
Stand on treetop platform and unleash your model potential. 
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: Kalibiru National Park is a nice place but it was too crowded when we visited. We love the nature and adventure that this place has to offer but we went on a wrong day! Just don’t visit Kalibiru on weekends or public holiday and be as early as you can! If you are at Kalibiru and there is no queue, I would recommend you to try the spot high ropes at IDR 35.000! We wished we had the chance to play!
Read : KALIBIRU – THE MOST INSTAGRAM WORTHY SPOT IN YOGYAKARTA!
Afternoon: Sandboarding at Gumuk Pasir Parangtritis
The formation of the Parangkusumo sand dune is a unique, unusual, natural phenomenon and this may be the only place you can sandboard in Indonesia.
Actually, it is a big sand dune out there, but it is too hot. Singaporeans like to hide from the sun hehe! So we seek shade and sandboard in the forest area! Same Same but different!😂😂
Read: WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SANDBOARD AT PARANGKUSUMO GUMUK PASIR, YOGYAKARTA
Next: Fly on Hand Glider with Jogja Flying Club
Look into the sky and spot if there’s any aircraft flying around. That’s how we chanced upon the opportunity to fly on hand glider with Jogja flying club. It wasn’t planned on our itinerary but we saw the hang gliders flying in the air and decided to check it out!
THUMBS UP FOR THIS SUPER HIGH EXPERIENCE!!👍👍
The ride is approximately 15 mins and it will be the best 15 mins ever! This will be the only time you will be flying in the air literally feeling up and above the world unless you go for skydiving. Plus it will cost you at least $300!! And honestly, skydiving sounds a little bit too extreme. And I think I am not prepared yet. But still, SKYDIVING is something I have always dreamed of doing!
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: Sadly, they are not permanently situated in Parangtritis! Follow Jogja flying club on Instagram and Facebook to find out where they are!
Have a fun and relaxing evening at Parangtritis Beach where there is horse riding and ATV!
Day 3
Morning: Jomblang Cave
Today, get ready for some dirt and adventure! Start your morning by seeking the heavenly light from Jomblang Cave!
Jomblang Cave is one of the most adventurous activity for adrenaline junkies! You will descend 50 meters DOWN into the cave safely! This unique experience is undoubtedly scary yet amazing!
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: The ideal timing to look at the heavenly light is 10.30am to 11.30am! The heavenly light started fading and became less visible at 11.30am. We advise you to reach at approximately 9 am to get the best time slot which is the 10 am slot!
Ohya and when are back up, remember to check out how you got up! 😱😱
Find out more about GOA JOMBLANG – CAVE WITH HEAVENLY LIGHT !
Next: Cave Tubing at Goa Pindul Cave
After an exhausting morning hiking down to Jomblang cave, head to Goa Pindul Cave for cave tubing! 
This activity will be more relaxing! All you need to do is enjoy as you sail down the cave while relaxing in a floating tube.
Rafting Oyo
We will recommend you to try the package with Rafting Oyo! Nothing too scary but it’s gonna be more much more exciting and fun as compared to Goa Pindul Cave! 
BUTT…There is a possibility of capsizing!
WE SURVIVED!!! HURRAYYYY!!! 🙂
Read this to find out HOW WE SURVIVED!
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: There is a risk of capsizing proven by us! 2 in 4 will be turned over! Waterproof Handphone Cover is recommended! Attach all your barang barang with you! This includes your slipper!!! (Clip on your life vest!)
Day 4
To truly travel is to gain insight into the local culture and understand the way of life.
Spend your morning by visiting Tamansari Water Castle and Kraton (Royal Palace)!
Tamansari Water Castle
The entrance of Tamansari Water Castle!
Tamansari means “A Beautiful Garden”. Built in the 18th century, this ancient and historical architecture was a royal bathing place and also a retreat place for Sultan of Yogyakarta. The main attraction today is the bathing complex in the center which resembles the romance bathtub.🛀🛀
Read: TAMAN SARI WATER CASTLE – INDONESIA “ROMAN BATH” (SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT)
Next: Royal Sultan Palace
After exploring Tamansari Water Castle, do not forget to wander around the Kraton (Royal Palace)!🏯🏯
Sultan Palace (Kraton) is the centre of Javanese culture living museum where the king and his family stay. You can have a glimpse of the Javanese culture and the way they live. Walk around and see the traditional houses and antiques.
Traditional Javanese musical performance!
As you explore, you will see countless of guards with a sword at the back. In fact, there are 2000 palace guards in total and on any particular day, there are about 100 palace guards working!
And you can take pictures with them too!
NOTCHBAD Travel Tip: Sultan palace is open for visitors in the morning. Visit the palace is the morning between 9 am to 11 am to be safe. In the afternoon, it is still used for official functions, political meetings and as a royal residence.
Finish your Yogyakarta trip by going on a Merapi Jeep Tour
Mount Merapi – The Most Active Volcano in the World!🏔🏔
Initially, we were not really keen as we didn’t think that it would be fun but after the 3.5hours, I dare say this is something you cannot miss! If you think it will be just like any other boring volcano tour, you will be wrong! But make sure you choose the right package, read here to WHY YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THIS!!
Go for the package with the wet adventure for that dose of exhilarating speed and thrill!
This jeep adventure is like no other.
⚠Warning: You and your camera and phones will get wet!
Mount Merapi Jeep Tour would be a perfect end to your Yogyakarta getaway!
It’s a magical ending to our whirlwind Yogyakarta trip and we look forward to more adventure!
Read: THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST UNDERRATED ADVENTURE @ YOGYAKARTA
Bonus – Do you have one more day?
If you have more time, we have the Day 5 planned for you! Head to Timang Beach and challenge yourself to cross the sea by the traditional gondolas. Originally, the Gondola is used for fishermen to fish for lobster and bring them back.
Credit: TripCanvas Indonesia
Honestly, I doubt anyone will choose not to get on the gondola when they arrive because it isn’t easy to get here. The journey here takes around 3h from Yogyakarta, plus you need to take a motorcycle (IDR 50,000) to reach the beach. That is a long way here, you will probably will “just do it” to get a perfect Insta-worthy shot of yourself on the Gondola.
Despite having it top on our travel list, we had to give it a miss. 😭😭It was a struggle deciding between Mount Merapi and Timang Beach for our last day. At that moment, I really wished I had one more day as Timang Beach was what attracted me to Yogyakarta. Ultimately, we went for the Mount Merapi Jeep Tour but I didn’t regret it at all! Mount Merapi Jeep tour did not disappoint us! It was so awesome and I highly recommend you to put Mount Merapi Jeep Tour into your travel plan!👍👍
Where to stay in Yogyakarta?
The answer is none other than Rosseno Villa.
Rosseno Villa is the best accommodation you can ever get in Yogyakarta. As we step into Rosseno villa, we felt that it was another attraction in Yogyakarta to explore. It was beautifully built, with spacious room and a private pool. Most importantly, we felt so comfortable with the villa owner – Meggie.
This villa damn power!!
- Free driver all day
- Free meals and soft drinks
- Free laundry
- Free wifi
- Free traditional massage
Sounds too good to be true? That’s what we thought too! But this villa is just too awesome!!!
Click here to read more about this magical villa: ROSSENO VILLA – BEST ALL-INCLUSIVE VILLA IN YOGYAKARTA!
Check out Rosseno Villa availability and price here!
Here’s a quick summary for you!
Day 1
Afternoon
Prambanan Temple – IDR 234,000 per person
Ratu Boko – IDR 110,000 per person
Night
🎥Check out our snaps on Youtube for Day 1 here!
Day 2
Morning:
Bukit Punthuk Setumbu Borobudur Nirwana Sunrise – IDR 30,000 per person
– Entrance fee IDR 10,000 per person
– Photo Spot IDR 15,000 per person
Afternoon:
Parangkusumo Sand Dune – IDR 140,000 /board (unlimited time)
Jogja flying club – IDR 400,000 per person
Parangtritis Beach – IDR 5,000 per person
🎥Check out our snaps on Youtube for Day 2 here!
Day 3
Morning
Jomblang Cave – IDR 450.000 per person (inclusive of lunch)
Afternoon
– Entrance fee IDR 10,000 per person
– Cave Tubing Package – approx. IDR 80,000 to IDR 115,000 (depends on the package)
🎥Check out our snaps on Youtube for Day 3 here!
Day 4
Morning
Tamansari Water Castle IDR 15,000 per person
Sultan palace IDR 12,500 per person
Afternoon
Package 1:Short tour 1-1.5 hours – IDR 400,000
Package 2:Medium tour 2 hours – IDR 500,000
Package 3: Long tour 3 hours – IDR 600,000 (RECOMMENDED!!)
🎥Check out our snaps on Youtube for Day 4 here!
Day 5
Full Day
Timang Beach (approx 3 hr drive)
– Motor shuttle IDR 30,000 per person
– Cable cart fee IDR 250,000 per person
Not enough?
If Yogyakarta isn’t enough for you, and you are still craving for more adventure! Check out Semarang! Semarang is 120km away from Yogyakarta and a 3 hours drive is all you need! I visited Semarang a few months ago and it is truly an undiscovered paradise!! Semarang is the miniature version of Yogyakarta and a cheaper alternative as it is less commercialized! Semarang isn’t as touristy as Yogyakarta yet it has everything you need for an adventurous getaway! And also we have everything you need for Semarang planned for you!
Read: ULTIMATE SEMARANG TRAVEL GUIDE \ SEMARANG DAY 1 \ SEMARANG DAY 2 \ SEMARANG DAY 3
Have fun traveling around this Yogyakarta and Semarang!☺️
Hello, I’d like to ask if you hired a private car during your first day or did it own your own through public transportation?
Hi Janine, we had a private car throughout the trip. Our private driver is provided by this almost-all-inclusive villa:
https://www.notchbad.com/travel/rosseno-villa-yogyakarta/
hey there! can i check with you if there’s a need to tip the driver?
Yes, we do tip our driver as we are very satisfied with his services. He politely complied with our tight itinerary and we managed to visit lots of places within a short time. They don’t earn much so we give small amount tip as a form of treating him few days of meal during the trip with us!
Hye. Can i ask, how much the driver you take for travelling along yogjakarta? Per pax how much?
Hi Annissa, we had the driver together with our accommodation. Our private driver is provided by this almost-all-inclusive villa – https://www.notchbad.com/travel/rosseno-villa-yogyakarta/
you can check out rosseno villa rates here https://www.booking.com/hotel/id/holiday-home-rosseno-canden.html?aid=1236877&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1
hi, when i click on this link https://www.notchbad.com/travel/rosseno-villa-yogyakarta/, it direct me to booking.com. May i know how does it works? e.g. how to arrange the tour with the driver etc. are they all included?
Hi Cody, thank you so much for visiting notchbad.com. The driver is included with the villa. Once you booked the villa with the booking.com link in https://www.notchbad.com/travel/rosseno-villa-yogyakarta/, you can proceed to contact the owner Meggie regarding the places you wanna visit. If you follow our tight itinerary, she will assign her fastest driver! LOL! Talk to her your plans and she will sort it out with you! Do help me send regards to her once you are there! 😇
Hi 🙂 Thank you for the well written travel post! After reading your blog, it makes me start planning for the trip there now. I would like to know if the activities like Merapi Jeep Tour and Jomblang Cave Tour are booked by the Meggie- the owner of Rosseno Villa? Appreciate your advice. Thank You!
Hi Linda, thank you for visiting NOTCHBAD.com! We only told Meggie on our travel plan and she assigned her fastest driver to us, thereafter, we booked our Merapi Jeep Tour and Jomblang Cave Tour on the location spot since we didn’t travel on the peak period.
Do email Meggie once you have booked the villa from https://www.notchbad.com/recommends/rosseno-villa – She might be able to assist you with the booking or reservation! Cheers and have fun in Yogyakarta! 🙂
Thanks.
I have also booked my accommodation with Villa Rosseno this Dec.
Where do you recommend we start the trip with the driver?
I like the places you have explore including rafting. However not sure if allows 7 years old?