THE MONUMENTS OF CENTRAL JAVA
Saturday, 10 April 2010 – Friday, 16 April 2010
Leader: Prof. Michael Smithies, Honorary Member, the Siam Society; Author of Yogyakarta, Cultural Heart of Indonesia; Former Director of Studies, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta
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Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta, Yogya) in Indonesia constitutes a special administrative region of which the sultan is governor. With the neighbouring province of Central Java it boasts the oldest (8th-9th c) and most spectacular Hindu and Buddhist monuments in Indonesia, the best known of which are Borobudur and Prambanan. With its well-known crafts of batik and leatherwork (best expressed in the wayang kulit or shadow play) and its now well-developed tourist facilities, it has much to offer visitors, even down to the exquisite salak fruit.
Yogya was founded by Sultan Mangkubumi I in 1749, but as is evidenced by the magnificent temples all around, was a centre of power long before that. The gradual Dutch occupation of the island of Java from 1618 did not, in theory, cover the principalities of Yogya and Solo. Yogya was briefly the capital of Indonesia during the independence struggle after the end of the Second World War (during which it was occupied by Japanese troops). Yogya’s relative low cost of living, relaxed atmosphere and numerous universities attract students from all over the Indonesian archipelago and give the city, along with its tourists, a cosmopolitan flavour. English is widely spoken, the national language Bahasa Indonesia (Malay) is taught in schools, and Javanese is used among the people of Yogya and elsewhere; Dutch is still used in some circles.
The Siam Society is organising a one-week tour over Songkran which will take in all the major temple sites, museums and palaces in and near both Yogya and the nearby city of Solo (Surakarta). Visits to traditional craft centres are included, and as much as possible will be seen of the local arts.
The tentative programme will be as follows:
Day 1: Saturday, 10 April 2010 Bangkok – Yogyakarta |
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| 05:30 | Meet at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport check-in counter for Thai Airways International. |
| 07:55 | Departure to Jakarta by Thai Airways International flight TG433. |
| 11:25 | Arrival at Jakarta for transit. |
| 14:25 | Departure to Yogyakarta by Garuda Indonesia Airlines flight GA212. |
| 15:25 | Arrival at Adisutjipto airport, Yogyakarta, and transfer to Jogja Plaza Hotel or equivalent. |
| - | Dinner at Gadri Resto, which belongs to the Sultan’s brother, for typical Javanese food. Return to the hotel by becak, man-pedalled rickshaws, traditional Yogya transport, and then re-board your bus for transfer back to the hotel. |
| - | Overnight at the hotel. |
Day 2: Sunday, 11 April 2010 Yogyakarta |
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| - | Breakfast at the hotel. |
| Morning: | Visit the Kraton (Sultan’s palace), Museum Sono Budoyo, and the Kereta (Carriage) Museum. The Kraton is a good example of Javanese palace architecture, with luxurious halls and spacious courtyards and pavilions. The current Sultan (and Governor) of Yogyakarta province, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, lives in the Palace with his family. |
| Noon: | Lunch at Bale Raos, a traditional Javanese restaurant near the Kraton. |
| Afternoon: | Visit Taman Sari (Water Palace), a splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools, and waterways created for the first Sultan of Yogyakarta and his entourage. |
| In addition, visit additional palaces in Yogya (Warungboto water garden, Gua Suleiman, Ambar Winagnun, the exterior of the Paku Alaman, and the hunting lodge Krapyak). | |
| Evening: | Dinner at local restaurant. |
| - | Overnight at the hotel. |
Day 3: Monday, 12 April 2010 Borobodur, Gedung Songo |
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| - | Breakfast at the hotel. |
| Morning: | Visit Borobudur, the vast edifice begun as a Hindu temple, then changed into a Buddhist shrine, and restored with UNESCO aid; the Buddhist Candi Mendut and Pawon. |
| Noon: | Lunch at local restaurant enroute. |
| Afternoon: | Visit Gedung Songo on Mount Ungaran, a group of 8th century Javanese Hindu temples and one of the most beautifully sited temple complexes in Central Java. |
| Enroute: | Dinner at local restaurant. |
| Evening: | Overnight at the hotel. |
Day 4: Tuesday, 13 April 2010 Yogyakarta-Prambanan |
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| - | Breakfast at the hotel. |
| Morning: | Visit the temples of Sambisari, Kalasan, Sari, Sewu, Plaosan (Buddhist), and the huge Prambanan Temple Complex. |
| Noon: | Lunch at local restaurant in the Prambanan area. |
| Afternoon: | Complete the tour of Candi Sojiwan, Banyunibo, and the mysterious Kraton Ratu Boko. Return to Yogya, visiting Affandi’s gallery en route if time permits. |
| Evening: | At leisure. Overnight at the hotel. |
Day 5: Wednesday, 14 April 2010 Day Trip to Solo (Surakarta) |
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| - | Breakfast at the hotel. |
| Morning: | Visit Kraton Solo (home of the Susuhan), Mankunegoro Palace (the residence of the 2nd royal line in Solo), and huge textile Klewer Market. |
| Noon: | Lunch at local restaurant at Danar Hadi. |
| Afternoon: | Visit the late 15th c temples of Candi Sukuh and Candi Ceto on Mt. Lawu. |
| Evening: | Dinner at local restaurant. |
| - | Overnight at the hotel. |
Day 6: Thursday, 15 April 2010 Yogyakarta |
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| - | Breakfast at the hotel. |
| Morning: | Visit the royal graves in Kota Gede (constructed by Sultan Agung of Mataram) and Imogiri, and pay respects to Ratu Loro Kidul, the goddess of the southern ocean at Parangritis beach. |
| Noon: | Lunch at Padang restaurant enroute to Kaliurang. |
| Afternoon: | Visit Kaliurang on the slopes of the volcano Mt. Merapi. |
| Evening: | A buffet dinner, followed by the Ramayana Performance. This is Java’s most spectacular dance-drama telling the story of Rama and Shinta by 50 dancers in a covered theatre on the grounds of the temple complex. |
| - | Overnight at the hotel. |
Day 7: Friday, 16 April 2010 Yogyakarta – Bangkok |
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| - | Breakfast at the hotel. |
| 07:00 | Transfer to airport for departure. |
| 09:20 | Departure by Garuda Indonesia Airlines flight GA205. |
| 10:25 | Arrival Jakarta for transit. |
| 12:35 | Departure by Thai Airways International flight TG434. |
| 16:05 | Arrival Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. |
Booking
B 64,960 or B 66,960 for non-members. Single room surcharge B 7,800. There is a 3% surcharge for credit/debit card payment to cover bank charges. A non-refundable deposit of B 20,000 must accompany the booking. Payment in full is required 15 days before the start of the trip (i.e. by Tuesday, 30 March). Please pay by cash or cheque payable to ‘The Siam Society’. Alternatively you can deposit/transfer the money to the Siam Society travel account at the Thai Military Bank, Asoke Branch saving account no. 053-2-18000-7. Please fax or e-mail the deposit or transfer docket to us.
In case the tour has to be cancelled due to insufficient participants, a full refund of the deposit will be made.
Includes/Excludes:
The contribution includes airfare, airport transfers, 6 breakfasts and 5 lunches, 5 dinners, accommodation for two persons per room, and other costs incurred to make this trip possible. It excludes visa fee (if any), dinner on day 4, personal expenses, tips to driver and porter, etc.
Cancellation charge:
Cancellation after booking: Deposit forfeited
15 days of the start of the trip: 30% of the tour cost
14-10 days of the start of the trip: 50% of the tour cost
Less than 10 days or cancellation without notice: No refund
The Siam Society reserves the right to change the programme as necessary. Seats are limited. Please book your place as soon as possible.
For further information and bookings please contact Khun Prasert (ext. 504) or Khun Ekkarin (ext. 506) on 0 2661 6470-7, fax 0 2258 3491 or e-mail: info@siam-society.org. Office hours: 9:00am.–5:00pm. Tuesday–Saturday (except holidays).