Nias is an island famous for its megalithic buildings and arts, great waves to surf, and breath-taking tradition of Stone Jumping. This island is located on the western coast of Sumatra Island in Indonesia, an archipelago in Southeast Asia. The minor publication of this place makes it visited by only a number of foreign tourists while in fact, Nias offers winsome attractions any other places do not own. Nias provides a great vacation place for those wishing to feel different experience and adventure of traveling in a place where time is apparently not moving.

Megalithic Buildings and Arts

Megalithic buildings and arts mean buildings and arts made of huge rough stones in a simple shape and design. These arts and buildings evolved in Megalith period thousands years ago around some areas in Sumatra islands. The leftovers of Megalithic buildings and arts scatter in Nias island including tomb stones, great stone tables, and stone monuments which are utilized as the property to hold the Stone Jumping tradition. Those stone buildings and arts were not colored so that most of the island has the greyish color of stone. Being in Nias feel like dragging back to Megalithic period thousands years before.

Surfing Spot

The great waves – approximately 3.5 meters high – in the waters surrounding this island turn Nias to be one great spot for surfers. It is the best place for the professional surfers to show their skills of surfing in extremely high altitude of waves. One favorite spot for surfers in Nias is Sorake beach whose waves are never calm. Sometimes an international event for professional surfers in the world also takes place in Nias. The great waves completed with a peaceful atmosphere on the beach without the existence of many people causes the foreign surfers to visit Nias for several times.

Stone Jumping Tradition

Stone Jumping is one well-known tradition in Nias participated by most young men in that place. In this tradition, the participants wearing traditional costumes of Nias have to jump over 2 meters high of a stone monument. The Stone Jumping or Hombo Batu tradition is very much dangerous seeing that a little mistake may cause fatal injuries such as broken bones or even brain concussion. Still, young men in Nias are eager to do this tradition both to show attraction to the visitors and to prove themselves as Nias young men.

Time seems slowing down in Nias that the buildings, cultures and traditions are not change from time to time.

On the southern part of Central Java lies the magical region of Yogyakarta, one of the foremost cultural centers of Java.

Yogyakarta (also Jogjakarta in pre-1972 spelling or Jogja) is the only province in Indonesia that is still formally governed by a precolonial Sultanate, the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

Yogyakarta is both the name of a province — Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY), literally the Special Area Yogyakarta — and the name of one of DIY’s 5 Districts, “Kota (or city) Yogyakarta”. The other districts are Sleman on the slopes of fiery Mt Merapi to the North, Bantul all the way to the sea to the South, the hills of Gunungkidul to the East and the low lands of Kulon Progo to the West.

Located at the foot of the active Merapi volcano, Yogyakarta during the 16th and 17th century was the seat of the mighty Javanese empire of Mataram, from which the present day Yogyakarta has inherited the best of traditions. Gamelan music, classical and contemporary Javanese dances, the wayang kulit (leather puppet) theater and other expressions of traditional art will keep the visitor spellbound. Local craftsmen excel in the arts of batiks, silver and leather works.

Yogyakarta city was built with deep philosophy: the city was designed so that the main elements of the city forms a imaginary line. This straight line starts from Parangtritis on the coast, to Kraton Yogyakarta, to Tugu Monument, and finally to Mount Merapi. This represents Sultan’s strong relationship with the guardian spirits of Mt. Merapi and the beach of Parangtritis.

On the streets, people - including government officials and university students - prefer to call this sultanate province Yogya or Jogja, despite its official name Yogyakarta. It disclosed that the name Jogja, instead of Yogyakarta or Yogya, is used in the promotion to market Yogyakarta since Y is a difficult alphabetical start for most international audiences—both reading and spelling. Jogja is easily pronounced, as in JOG-ja, even JOG could be used as nickname.

Getting There

The Adisucipto International Airport is a small and busy airport located just about 8 km towards east of Yogyakarta. This airport is well connected with other major cities like Jakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya, and other in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. For international destinations, the airport has to and fro flights connections from Malaysia.

The main bus station of Yogyakarta is at Giwangan, which is over 4 km towards the southeast of the center of the city. Here, you can find regular bus service to Jakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya.

The train facility from Yogyakarta's Tugu station is also good enough and it offers regular service. Trains to Jakarta take between 7 to 12 hour, while going to Surabaya by train will take you on a 6-hour trip. Most of the train services here are fast and comfortable. Trains are available at daytime as well as for overnight journeys.

Getting Around

Being a small city, Yogyakarta makes it easy and cost effective for travelers to get around in the city. One can hire taxis, which run on meter, to move around as these are safe and secure mode of transport. Besides, you can ride the Trishaws, Horse Carts, Buses and so on.

The average daily temperature range between 26 degree and 28 degree Celsius with its minimum 18 degree C and maximum 35 degree C. Average humidity is 74% with its minimum of 65% and maximum 84%.

There are many good hotels in Yogyakarta offering different facilities to suit the requirement and comfort of tourists. Some of the good hotels like Melia Puosani, Grand Mercure Yogyakarta, Rumah Sleman Private Boutique Hotel and Dusun Jogja Village Inn are only a few amongst others in the city.

Attractions of the city

As one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, this city possesses many heritage buildings and monuments. Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono's palace, better known as Kraton Ngayogyakarta is one of the must-see attractions here. Other heritage buildings including BNI '46 building, Kantor Pos Besar (Central Post Office) building, and Bank Indonesia building are also worth taking a look. Other notable landmarks in Yogyakarta include Tugu Monument, Benteng Vredeburg, Kotagede, Imogiri, Kotabaru and so on.

Some of the popular museums that can be visited in Yogyakarta are namely Museum Dirgantara, Museum Sonobudoyo, and Museum Kekayon. Some of the ancient temples in the city are Borobudur, Prambanan, Candi Sambisari, Candi Kalasan, Candi Sari, and so on. Tourists can also visit various art galleries that has beautiful collection of different arts and crafts.

The Kraton Complex

At Yogyakarta's center is the Kraton complex, or Sultan's palace. Surrounding the kraton is a densely-populated residential neighborhood that occupies land that was formerly the Sultan's sole domain; evidence of this former use remains in the form of old walls and the ruined Water Castle (Tamansari), built in 1758 as a pleasure garden. No longer used by the sultan, the garden had been largely abandoned, and was used for housing by palace employees and descendants. Reconstruction efforts began in 2004, and an effort to renew the neighborhood around the kraton has begun. The site is a developing tourist attraction.

The Kraton holds some important attractions including Sultan's Carriage Museum, Taman Sari, Alun-alun, Masjid Gede Kauman etc.

Benteng Vredeburg (Vredeburg Fort)

Benteng (=fort) Vredeburg is A Dutch fort located in front of Gedung Agung. It’s a great example of the Dutch colonial architecture. A few warfare items are still preserved, including a twin cannon. Located on Jalan Jenderal Ahmad Yani 6, Yogyakarta 55122, Ph:  +62 274 586934  +62 274 586934 , 510996.

Museum Sonobudoyo

This museum, founded in November 1935 and designed by the Dutch architect Kersten, is built in traditional Javanese architecture. It exhibits weapons, leather and wooden puppets of wayang theater, masks, statues, textiles, curios and old Javanese gamelan instruments. The museum is situated on the northern side of the city's main square in front of the Sultan's Palace.

Kotagede

Kotagede, about five kilometers southeast of Yogyakarta, is a neat little town which was once the capital of ancient Islamic Mataram kingdom. The tomb of Mataram Kingdom’s first king, Panembahan Senopati, is also located in this place. Before independence, Kotagede was the central economic district of Yogyakarta, as it held the largest marketplace and was home to many wealthy batik merchants. Although some ancient buildings have been modernized or replaced with newer buildings, Kotagede remains a prime example of ancient Javanese architecture and city structure.

Since the 1930s, Kotagede has become famous for being the center of the Yogya silverwork industry. There are a number of workshops where visitors are welcome to watch silver being transformed into beautiful works of art known as Yogya Silver. Kotagede is easily reached by andong, the four wheeled horse-drawn cart, by taxi, bus, or car.

Affandi Museum

On the main road between the airport and the city stands the Affandi Museum (1907 - 1990) in a lush garden next to his peculiar private home on stilts. He was Indonesia's foremost impressionist painter who built a private museum for his own paintings and of those of his daughter Kartika. Affandi's grave (died in May 1990) lies in the backyard next to the museum.

Imogiri

Imogiri is the official cemetery of the royal descendants from Yogyakarta and Surakarta, located about 17 kms southeast of Yogyakarta and easily accessible by bus or car. The royal graveyard is located on a hilltop, reachable by 345 stone steps leading to it. The tombs are built within three main courtyards. It suffered damage during the 2006 earthquake but has reopened.

Entry into the smaller courtyards housing the tombs of the princes is allowed only on Monday 09.00 - 12.00 or Friday 13.00 - 16.00. Traditional Javanese dress has to be worn, which however can be hired on the spot at a modest fee. The cemetery is closed during the Moslem month of Ramadhan.

Malioboro

Malioboro is a well-known shopping promenade and very popular among Indonesian as well as international tourists. Malioboro is 2 kilometers in length and home to hundreds of shops and street-stalls which offers various kind of handicrafts. Several notable places in Malioboro are: