Guide to Yogyakarta’s Borobudur: Unique activities, dining spots and hidden gems beyond the temple walls

In the eighth century, when Europe was experiencing the Dark Ages, the Shailendra Dynasty of Java built an enormous temple on a valley surrounded by volcanoes. A testament to their artistic and engineering proficiency, the monument was adorned with 72 stupas and coated with more than 2,000 relief panels.  

It’s hard not to be fascinated by the Borobudur Temple. The biggest Buddhist temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is indisputably one of the world’s greatest archeological sites. Unsurprisingly, millions of people have visited the temple, which, located in Magelang, lies 50km north of Yogyakarta International Airport.  

A new museum of history has just opened in the vicinity. Coffee shops brewing local beans have emerged. Casual dining, a scene previously lacking in the area, is now slowly taking shape with the opening of a few new restaurants. A cycling tour operator offering personalised packages is available to explore the area, including visits to hidden temples.  

History is still the main draw around Borobudur, but the contemporary is now catching up to the legendary, making it an exciting destination to explore over a few days – be it on your own or within a group. Here are some places to check out. 

OHD MUSEUM 

The inauguration of OHD Museum in 2012 sent a shockwave to the Indonesian art scene. This private museum is owned by a single collector – something rare in Indonesia at that time. What’s even more surprising is its address: Magelang, a “secondary” city that – till today – does not have an airport or train station, does not have an art institution, nor its own art fair or biennial. Most people believe a museum of this type can only be established in Jakarta or Yogyakarta.  

OHD Museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary Indonesian art. Among its 2,000-piece collection are artworks which represent different chapters in the nation’s art timeline. Depending on exhibition themes, visitors can discover the legacies of maestros like Raden Saleh and Affandi, all the way to contemporary names such as Heri Dono and Angki Purbandono. Currently, the museum is hosting the Reflecting on Andre Breton's 100th Surrealism exhibition, which runs till Feb 10, 2025. 

“Actually, Magelang has the second largest number of art collectors after Jakarta,” said Oei Hong Djien, the museum’s owner. “And many of these collectors make a living from the tobacco business.” Oei is one of them. He is a well-known tobacco trader and grader, and his museum occupies a former tobacco warehouse. The building offers an artistic experience of its own. Upon arriving, guests will be greeted by a facade decorated with metal reliefs by Entang Wiharso. Entering the exhibition space, cement blocks feature evocative creations by dozen artists. Before leaving, you are welcomed to sit in a living room covered in murals by Eko Nugroho, who once designed a scarf for Louis Vuitton. 

LOCAL BEANS  

Magelang Regency, where Borobudur is located, has been witnessing the rise of coffee culture. New coffee shops open up almost every month. Two years ago, Starbucks officiated its first outpost here, followed by a new branch of local chains Fore and Tetra. Currently, there are around 120 coffeeshops operating in Magelang, which is home to almost 1.5 million people. 

However, only a handful of coffee shops brew local beans. Supply is not the issue here. More than 1,900 ha of coffee plantations are spread across the slopes of the mountains surrounding Magelang. The reason may boil down to reputation. Local beans are still considered less prestigious than the ones coming from main producers such as Toraja and Aceh. But maybe this is what makes it interesting. Due to minimal interest, we still can find an intimate partnership between farmers and roasteries, where beans are carefully selected and processed on a small scale for a cafe. 

A few minutes’ walk from the Borobudur Temple, Uprus Coffee, a popular spot among local youth, offers several varieties of local beans. Its neighbor, Omah Kopi Borobudur, recently pushed forward its opening hours to serve breakfast accompanied by local coffees. 

A deeper understanding of local beans can be found at Coffeetography Cafe & Roastery which blends beans from the slopes of Mount Sumbing. A more complete collection of local coffees can be sipped at Callme Coffee Roaster. The owner, Ariep Setiawan, an award-winning roaster, is always enthusiastic to explain the diversity of local coffee. “The typical flavour tone of local beans,” he said, “is floral, orange, and chocolate.” 

HIDDEN TEMPLES 

Borobudur, Mendut, and Pawon – three major temples in one straight line – are the most visited historical sites in the area. For those looking for an off-the-radar experience, there are actually more than 70 hidden temples to discover. These temples, smaller in size but marvelous nonetheless, are scattered in a fertile area called Cekungan Kedu, a big bowl surrounded by mountains and spiritually believed to be the centre of Java.  

Ngawen Temple, for instance, is nestled in a remote village and rarely visited by tourists. It is actually a compound made of five small temples, but unfortunately only one is completely renovated. Selogriyo, another example, is located beyond the main tourist circuit but has one of the most beautiful settings: perched on a slope, surrounded by forest, overlooking a vast paddy field. Due to its landscape, this Hindu temple is a favourite secret site among informed trekkers.  

Some temples are too secluded and difficult to reach. Asu and Pendem Temples, for instance, are hidden in the middle of farms. To visit them, you would need to break through weeds, tiptoeing on narrow and wet embankment. Visiting these temples might make you feel like Indiana Jones tracking down mystical sites. 

WARUNG PAK PARNO  

Every afternoon, an hour after the Borobudur Temple closes, a nearby “sacred temple” for foodies opens its doors. Warung Pak Parno, which has been operating since 1990, is a very popular dining spot in the area. On weekends, orders frequently overflow, forcing guests to wait for more than an hour. Its clientele is quite diverse, ranging from politicians to chefs to food influencers – and all must patiently queue for dishes that are cooked one by one on a charcoal stove. 

The warung is managed by Suparno, a former employee of the Borobudur Conservation Center. In a modest structure filled with rustic wooden tables, it serves traditional and highly popular dishes: Javanese-style fried rice, magelangan (combination of rice and noodles) and mi godog (noodle soup).  

The latter is the main star. The soup contains a thick aromatic broth made of boiled chicken bones. The taste might remind you of umami. Suparno whispered the secret of his broth: “I use free-range chicken. But not just any free-range chicken. I only use hen. Hen that are still productive, still laying eggs. If they are not productive, the taste will be different.” 

BOROBUDUR ART VILLAGE 

From October 2024, visitors can only enter the Borobudur Temple via Kampung Seni (Art Village). From here, electric buggies will transport visitors back and forth. But Kampung Seni is not merely a drop off and pick up point. The S$22 million complex has a few attractions of its own which are worth checking out. 

Near its front lobby, two galleries host a series of exhibitions. On the 10 ha land, Kampung Seni also has a huge Pendopo (Javanese style hall) and an amphitheatre overlooking the Menoreh Hills, for art and cultural performances.   

The main highlight is Museum Borobudur. A good starting point before visiting Borobudur Temple, the museum provides a good understanding of various aspects of the 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple: its history, design and values. Through archival photos, one room showcases how the temple was discovered and restored over time. Another room depicts each of the temple’s ornaments and what they mean. A VR room is also available to take you through a virtual tour of the temple.    

CYCLING TOURS 

Touring on the convertible Volkswagen 181 “Safari” is the most mainstream mode of exploration in Borobudur. But cycling tours have been catching up in popularity in recent years. It offers an eco-friendlier approach and facilitates meaningful interaction with both locals and nature along the way.  

Big hotels normally provide bicycles for rental for their guests. While guided cycling tours are on offer at luxury resorts like Amanjiwo and Plataran Borobudur, outside these properties, a handful of specialised operators provide regular cycling schedules and customised packages.  

Yogyakarta-based operator Moana has expanded their services to the Borobudur area. In 2022, a group of local youth established the Go4Tour which offers both scheduled and tailor-made tours for individuals, families and big groups. The tour takes you to visit four to five villages, which includes several stops at nearby temples, paddy fields, batik makers and pottery centres. English-speaking guides are available, as well as photo and video documentation. 

ENAM LANGIT BY PLATARAN 

For your next trip to Borobudur, you might want to consider skipping breakfast at your hotel. Instead, head to Enam Langit, which opened in late 2019. Its Breakfast Above the Clouds package promises a surreal experience – dine on a hilltop overlooking a majestic valley with Borobudur Temple at its centre, and gaze at six towering mountains in Central Java.  

Enam Langit, managed by Plataran Group, is perched on the Menoreh Hills, 650m above sea level. Since its opening, the restaurant has become a popular spot to photograph and be photographed, thanks to its dramatic vista. It features an indoor dining area housed in a contemporary Javanese building, plus an alfresco zone and a swimming pool with a bar. 

Apart from the famous breakfast package, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner. The menu is dominated by Indonesian cuisine with a contemporary twist. Salad Putri Dewi, for instance, is a creative interpretation of traditional asinan (pickles), while Truffle Casava gives a touch of foreign flavour to Borobudur's mainstay commodity. Complementing its local dishes, there are several international variants including steak, pumpkin soup, and tom yum soup. 

VESAK AT BOROBUDUR TEMPLE  

Circling the park, climbing the narrow stone stairs, and absorbing the stories carved in the reliefs – these are some of the main activities for tourists when visiting Borobudur Temple. Before the pandemic, nearly four million people annually came to do just that. Borobudur is not only the world’s largest Buddhist temple, but also the most visited in Indonesia.  

The colossal temple is open every day, all year round. But there is one special day where it becomes a gigantic epicentre of pilgrimages. Each May, the 8th-century temple hosts the main Vesak celebration in Indonesia. The last one was joined by more than 35,000 visitors – and not all of them are Buddhists. In Borobudur, Vesak has become a spiritual event that transcends religious boundaries. 

Various operators offer Borobudur’s Vesak packages, which normally include a spiritual walk, meditation session, and the release of lanterns into the night sky. It is important to note that the temple sets a quota for visitors and reservations usually open two months prior to the event. Advanced room bookings are highly recommended as during Vesak, all types of accommodation, from hotels to homestays, are fully booked. 

SENDANGSONO MOTHER MARY’S CAVE 

In terms of religious importance, this pilgrimage site is known as one of the first baptism venues in Java. But this is not the only reason why thousands of visitors pay a visit each year. Sendangsono is also recognised as an architectural masterpiece. Designed by the late celebrated architect Y B Mangunwijaya, also known as Romo Mangun, the complex radiates his tectonics approach in exploring vernacular design.  

Perched on the handsome slope of Menoreh Hills, near the border of Yogyakarta and Magelang, Sendangsono begins as a transit point for commuters between the two regions. Canopied by thick forest, the place enjoys relatively cool weather and, more importantly, a natural spring. After the historical baptism in 1904, followed by the construction of Maria Cave, Mangunwijaya took part in developing the complex in 1969.  

Now, after more than a half century, his design continues to mesmerise. Maximising local materials and craftmanship, Romo Mangun created a fascinating spatial interaction and innovative shapes which blend harmoniously with the existing landscape. The castle-like Javanese pavilions is one his unique features. The riverside amphitheatre is smartly made of hundreds of hexagonal cement blocks arranged in tiers. Some of the walls are enriched with poetic symbols: three lines that represent Trinity, roses to represent Mother Mary, and weeds representing humility. All of this brought Sendangsono to receive a prestigious accolade from the Indonesian Institute of Architects in 1991. 

CASUAL DINING  

Apart from the traditional warung and street stalls, casual dining scene is yet to develop in the Borobudur area. You can only find a handful of proper establishments serving dinner in an inviting ambience.  

Early this year, Van Bloemen 1881 opened its doors to serve Indonesian and Dutch influenced cuisine, including a contemporary take on the legendary Rijsttafel. The kitchen was set up by Saptono, who previously worked for the Intercontinental Balaclava Mauritius and the Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua. Housed in a colonial style building, Van Bloemen also has a nice selection of 24 types of wines.  

Its closest rival, Patio Colonial, serves Indonesian and international fares. Two standout dishes here are sup buntut (oxtail soup) and menthok mentel (fried Muscovy duck). Dishes are served on wooden tables illuminated by chandeliers.  

Humble eatery Gemati Soup has just reopened this year after four years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicken soup remains its highlight, but telur kriwil (crispy fried egg) and ayam kecap (sweet soy chicken) has slowly managed to find loyal devotees. All dishes are made using curated local ingredients and cooked by a self-taught chef.  

WHERE TO STAY  

VILLA BOROBUDUR RESORT

The owner, a Dutch family, opened this resort in 2011. Villa Borobudur features traditional Javanese style villas (one to three bedrooms), scattered on a shady slope on Menoreh Hill, overlooking Borobudur Temple. Each villa is decorated with traditional wood carvings with impressive details. From S$140; villaborobudurresort.com

PLATARAN BOROBUDUR RESORT

The resort, part of the Plataran Group, opened in 2010 – the last chain properties in Borobudur area. It offers 22 villas designed in contemporary Javanese style. A few units have their own spa room, some are equipped with a kitchen, while the best view is offered by the Borobudur View Villas and the Founder’s Home. From S$390; plataran.com

AMANJIWO

After 26 years, Amanjiwo maintains its charms. The last Aman property in Indonesia was designed by Ed Tuttle, an American architect who designed the first Aman. It has a collection of 33 luxury suites, some with private pools. The largest accommodation, Dalem Jiwo, has two bedrooms and a 15m pool. From S$1,800; aman.com