This is our day visiting Yogyakarta‘s 3 must-see sites: the Kraton, the Water Palace and the bird market. And if you’re wondering where to eat in Yogyakarta, I’ll show you my favorite places to eat. And you will find also at the end of my post an insolite activity in Yogyakarta!
How to visit Yogyakarta?
Everything is very easy to walk from our Omah Konco Guest House. Only concern for the bird market … but I will explain at the end of the article.
Visit Yogyakarta in 1 day – The Kraton Palace
Let’s start with the Kraton Palace (count 1 hour of visit): I went there on a Wednesday morning, day of the puppet show. Nice but for 10 minutes maximum because otherwise we get bored … I advise you to take a look behind the scenes: all the musicians who are behind because they are in traditional costumes and play instruments unknown to the world Western: Beautiful!
The “Palace” itself is not WAOUH! but he deserves a visit. It is a complex surrounded by white ramparts consisting of the Sultan’s Palace (built in 1755) and museums, mosque, school … The entrance fee: 15 000 RP is about 1 €.
Visit Yogyakarta in 1 day – Museum of Puppets
You will surely be accosted (but very nicely) to visit a puppet factory. This is a good opportunity to get in touch with locals, so do not hesitate to accept, it takes 15 minutes but you will be welcomed like kings and you will appreciate the craftsmanship and traditional work of these artists.
Visit Yogyakarta in 1 day – The Water Palace or Taman Sari
Then I visited the WATER PALACE or TAMAN SARI which is a 10-15 minute walk west of Kraton. The site (2 large basins) did not charm me more than that … by cons a man who did not look like an official guide, we offered to continue the visit with him and there is something else! He told us the story of his city, shown underground passages, the complex canals of the city, walked in the alleys around. And did not ask anything in return. This is the unselfish kindness of Indonesians and especially Javanese!
Attention: The visits end at 15:00. The entrance fee: 7 000 RP is about 0.50 €.
Visit Yogyakarta in 1 day – The Bird Market
The bird market is a little out of the way and very poorly indicated. So, on foot it took us a lot of time to go (+ 1:00). And on arrival, our impressions: BOF … And for the return: no taxis on site and the cyclo-shoots are dangerous given the traffic on the main avenue …
In short, if I had known, I would not have done. Free admission.
Visit Yogyakarta in 1 day – Restaurants in Yogyakarta
For lunch, Labina advised us The Water Castle Café: Close to the Water Palace but we must search … I suggest you ask a local to find the restaurant because it is in a very complicated alley to find . Very good and not expensive (3 Euros the meal).
In the evening, I tested the VIA VIA: JL Prawirotaman 30T: +62 274 386557 Labina had ordered an Uber and we took 20 minutes to get there. Price of the race: 5 Euros (we were 5 or 1 Euro each). Very good and reasonable prices (5 Euros the meal): I liked the products (fresh and mostly organic) but less the atmosphere because too much tourists … However, I recommend all the same.
Visit Yogyakarta in 1 day – unusual activity
Close to the Kraton, there is a large lot that forms a beautiful place where we circulate all around. In the evening, carcasses of cars transformed into pedal cars and revamped with multicolored electric garlands surround this square and await customers. I urge you to do like the locals, to rent for example a small ladybug, to put the music to bottom and to burst like children to go around the place singing!
It’s magical and it’s a unique way to end the evening at YOGYA.
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