In Reply to: Recent travel to Yogyakarta posted by lynelliston on Saturday, 4. February 2006 at 06:49 Bali Time:
I was in Yogya in July. It is a really interesting little city, definitely worth a visit. A lot of people are negative about Java, but don't let you put you off. I think perhaps this negativity comes from the fact that Java is absolutely nothing like the paradise that Bali is. It is so different. But that is what makes it great. It is almost like a different country, with a lot to offer.
People will tell you that Yogya is busy, and touristy. It receives its fair share of tourists, but absolutely nothing like the numbers that bali sees. This means that you are looked at absolutely everywhere you walk and go. It is really quite amusing, if you take it in good faith. There are lots of nice little places to stay and eat, and Borobadur and Prambanan temples are really something to see. Another thing that I'd recommend is a rickshaw tour of the city - you can do this in an afternoon, for only about 15,000 rupiah, and you see so much - the most interesting things are not necessarily the sights that the driver will take you to (although the batik factory etc were lovely), but everything you see on the street on the way.
Yogya is quite a quiet place - i wouldnt say it is as quiet as Lovina, as there is a lot of hustle and bustle going on with the Javanese, and it is a much bigger place - but there is a lot going on and also places to go in the evening which will definitely keep you amused.
One thing I would say is be careful - keep your valuables on you in a money belt at all times when you walk about. People kept telling us this all the time in Java - particularly every time we headed out in Yogya, the people at reception would shout out the warning! We didn't encounter any problems, but were careful nonetheless.
As for getting there, there are a couple of companies that fly there everyday. Merpati fly direct I think, but we used another company - possibly Lion Air? Anyway, if you go to the airport in Denpasar you can look at all the routes on the front of the ticket desks and find one that suits. Some go via Surabaya, and take a lot longer. I think it took us an hour direct and cost 300,000 rupiah one way.
Have a wonderful time!