Java is the mysterious island of Indonesia on the border of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One glance at the breathing volcanoes is enough to take away the fatigue from the many hours of flight. Java is more like one solid anthill than an impenetrable jungle. Today this island is the most densely populated in the world.
Java is not only the most populous island, it also has the most active volcanoes in the world, the strongest mixture of cultures and religions, and the largest Buddhist shrine on earth – Borobudur Temple. Although the vast majority of the island’s population is Muslim, the first religion on the island was Buddhism. In honor of the Buddha, this gigantic structure was built. Two million blocks of black and gray volcanic stone laid out in the form of a huge model of Buddhist cosmology in the heart of the island, in the impenetrable jungle. According to one version, in the middle of a giant lake that has dried up today.
Central Java is called the cradle of civilizations, it is a region that represents the cultural heritage of Indonesia. The temples of Borobudur and Prambanan adorn the Dieng Plateau and are the oldest and most important religious monuments in Asia.
The temple was not accidentally built in the very center of the island. During its more than a thousand-year history, the temple has survived more than one earthquake, volcanic eruption and vandal raids. For several centuries it stood covered with volcanic dust, but two decades ago it was completely restored. To do this, it had to be first disassembled into blocks, each of them numbered, in order to rebuild it later. This time instead of brittle cement preference was given to soft aluminum and lead. Rough blocks were placed on a layer of these metals so that another earthquake or volcanic eruption would not destroy the temple.
Java has always been the scene of Indonesian history. Half a century ago, the island was so good that dozens of kingdoms fought for the right to own it undividedly. The Dutch heard about the fairyland and wanted to conquer it. In the 17th century, their huge flotilla landed on the shores of Java. Foreigners chained the cities in the armor of fortress walls, decorated them with new palaces and canals.
Today, the descendants of those same Dutch come to the island, but already as tourists and everyone is surprised when the Javanese managed to build these huge temples and tombs, which still amaze with their scope and luxury. In the intervals between wars, they managed to do it, moreover, using all kinds of engineering delights. Two mighty oceans washing the island, a bright cocktail of beliefs and traditions, an incredible symbiosis of cultures – this is what creates the image of Java.
Excursion programs on the island of Java. The city of Yogyakarta is considered the main center of Javanese culture. Located at the foot of the active volcano Merapi, on a fertile plain, Yogyakarta was founded between the 16th and 17th centuries. The mighty Javanese empire of Mataram was once located here. Yogyakarta has a lot of historical and cultural attractions, which have been influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. First of all, these are numerous temples, among which the Hindu temple of Prambanan, the largest Buddhist complex in the world, Borobudur, and the Sultan’s Kraton Palace stand out.
Five-day tour of the sights of Java.
Day 1: Prambanan Temple
– Arrival in Yogyakarta. Meeting with the guide;
– Visit to the Hindu temple Prambanan;
– Dinner;
– Check in hotel;
– Free evening program
Day 2: Borobudur temple + sightseeing tour of Yogyakarta
– Breakfast at the hotel;
– Visit to the Palace of the Sultan Kraton;
– Inspection of the castle on the water Taman Sari;
– Silver workshop in the village of Kotagede;
– Exploring the temple complex Borobudur
Day 3:
– Breakfast at the hotel;
– 1.5 hour journey to Solo or Surakarta to visit Mangkunegaran Palace. Mangkunegaran houses numerous priceless treasures believed to have come down to us from the Majapahit age.
– Visit Sukuh temple, decorated with wayang stone carvings. This temple is the only temple in Java with erotic decorations;
– Overnight in Kediri, East Java
Day 4: Mount Kelud
– Visit Mount Kelud, an active volcano with a height of 1731 m. One of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia;
– Transfer to Bromo (4 hours);
– On the way to Bromo visit the Panataran temple in Blitar;
– Overnight in Bromo, East Java
Day 5: Bromo Crater – Ijen
– Early departure for an excursion to Mount Bromo.
You will ride pony horses to reach the foot of Mount Bromo.
After meeting the dawn on the mountain – return to the hotel for breakfast and rest;
– Transfer to Ijen, overnight
Day 6: Ijen – Bali
– Transfer to the Paltuding area among wonderful scenery: rice fields give way to pine forests;
– Climb to Ijen Crater after approximately 1.5 hours climbing the hiking trail. Fantastic lunar landscapes of the caldera, magnificent colors of the volcanic lake, deep yellow from constantly active sulfur springs;
– Return to the hotel for breakfast;
– Departure to the port of Gilimanuk, transfer by ferry to the island of Bali. On the way you will see beautiful landscapes – rice terraces leading to the ocean, and wild remote beaches;
– Crossing the Ketapang Strait by ferry;
– Check-in at a hotel in Bali
End of the tour.
