Best Things to Do in Indonesia

Ancol Dreamland (Taman Impian Ancol) is Jakarta’s expansive waterfront entertainment complex on the north coast, offering beaches, amusement parks, aquariums, water sports, and recreational facilities. Established in the 1970s, this purpose-built destination accommodates millions of visitors annually seeking seaside escape from the congested city. The complex combines natural Jakarta Bay beaches with developed attractions, creating a complete family-friendly entertainment environment.

Visitors enjoy swimming and sunbathing on the mangrove-lined beaches, exploring the Ancol Oceanarium and marine museum, riding amusement park rides, or participating in water sports from jet skis to parasailing. The adjacent historic Kota Tua (Old Town) is walkable, allowing visitors to combine beach time with colonial architecture exploration. The atmosphere balances tourism infrastructure with Jakarta’s local beach culture.

• Admission: Free to beaches; attractions separately priced (IDR 25,000–75,000 each)
• Hours: 24 hours beach access; attractions 9 AM–9 PM
• Duration: 2–4 hours for multiple attractions
• Getting there: North Jakarta coast; accessible by taxi, ride-hailing, or bus from downtown

Visit on weekdays to avoid weekend crowds. The complex is most pleasant in the dry season (May–September). Bring sunscreen and water. Parking fees apply. Late afternoon swimming provides cooler conditions and sunset views.

Ancol Ocean Dream Samudra is Indonesia’s largest marine theme park, located in Jakarta’s Ancol Dreamland complex. This expansive aquarium and marine entertainment facility features thousands of marine species, stunning underwater displays, educational exhibits, and thrilling water attractions designed for families and marine enthusiasts.

The park showcases spectacular aquariums with sharks, rays, tropical fish, and marine mammals in carefully designed habitats. Highlights include the impressive 4D cinema, underwater tunnel aquariums, interactive dolphin shows, seal performances, and educational presentations about marine conservation. The facility combines entertainment with environmental education, making it popular for school groups and families.

• Tickets: IDR 250,000-300,000 (approximately USD 16-20) for adults; children and group discounts available
• Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily (extended during holidays)
• Duration: 3-4 hours for complete experience
• Getting there: Located in Ancol, North Jakarta; accessible by taxi, bus, or private transportation

Visit weekday mornings to avoid crowds and enjoy a more relaxed experience. The site can be overwhelming during weekends and school holidays. Plan visits around show times—arrive early for good seating at marine animal performances. Bring water and comfortable shoes, and apply sunscreen for outdoor areas. Photography is permitted in most areas.

Badung Market (Pasar Badung) is the commercial and cultural heartbeat of Denpasar, Bali's capital city, and the largest traditional market on the island. The four-storey building on Jalan Sulawesi operates around the clock with different goods dominating at different hours: the predawn hours belong to wholesale produce traders, mid-morning to retail shoppers buying temple offerings, and afternoons to textile and souvenir browsers. The ground floor overflows with pyramids of mangosteen, salak, rambutan, and jackfruit alongside fragrant bundles of pandan leaf and canang sari offering materials — flower petals, incense sticks, and woven palm-leaf trays used in the daily Hindu rituals that structure Balinese life. Upper floors house an extraordinary range of traditional textiles: hand-stamped batik, gold-threaded songket cloth woven in village cooperatives, and mass-produced sarong sold at prices that reward patient negotiation. The market suffered a devastating fire in 2016 and has since been substantially rebuilt, though some of the atmospheric density of the older structure has been replaced by more clinical modern fittings. Early morning visits — before 9 am — capture the market at its most vibrant and most authentically local, when tourist groups have yet to arrive and transactions are conducted in rapid Balinese and Indonesian.

Bajra Sandhi Monument, rising dramatically from the heart of Renon Square in Denpasar, is one of Bali's most iconic civic landmarks. Inaugurated in 2001 by President Megawati Sukarnoputri, this soaring structure reaches 45 meters in height — a number chosen deliberately to symbolize the year of Indonesian independence. The monument's name references the bajra, a sacred bell used by Hindu priests in religious ceremonies, and its entire architectural form mirrors that ritualistic object with extraordinary reverence and precision. Every measurement incorporated into the design carries symbolic weight tied to the date August 17, 1945. The monument was officially gazetted as a national cultural heritage site in 1992.

Inside, visitors explore three distinct levels featuring 33 dioramas chronicling the Balinese people's struggle for independence and their cultural identity from prehistoric times through the modern era. The base level houses a museum dedicated to traditional Balinese daily life and customary practices, while the top floor rewards visitors with sweeping panoramic views across Denpasar's sprawling cityscape and the volcanic mountains beyond. A lotus pond encircles the base and a protective fence with exactly 17 gates reinforce the monument's layered symbolism. The surrounding gardens are a beloved gathering space for locals jogging, flying kites, or picnicking on weekends. For travelers seeking to understand Bali beyond its beaches and temples, Bajra Sandhi delivers an essential and deeply moving window into the island's history and civic pride.

Bali Bird Park (Taman Burung Bali) in Batubulan, Gianyar, is one of Southeast Asia's most respected avian collections, housing over 1,000 birds across 250 species in a series of expansive landscaped enclosures designed to replicate natural habitats. The park's Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) breeding programme has made international conservation headlines: this critically endangered species, endemic to the island and numbering fewer than 50 individuals in the wild, has been successfully bred in captivity here and the park actively contributes birds to wild reintroduction efforts. Walk-through aviaries allow visitors to stand among free-flying hornbills, lories, and crowned pigeons, while a dedicated raptor section houses hawk-eagles and barn owls in flight-demonstration areas. Sumatran and Papuan species including birds-of-paradise, cassowaries, and spectacular shoebill storks are among the highlights rarely seen elsewhere in Bali. The park is well maintained, the planting dense and tropical, and clear educational signage in Bahasa Indonesia and English explains conservation status and habitat pressures for each species. Interactive feeding sessions with cockatoos and parakeets are popular with younger visitors. Morning is optimal for birdwatching — the avian activity peaks in the cooler hours before 11 am.

Perched at approximately 1,250 meters above sea level on the cool, mist-wrapped slopes of Bedugul in central Bali, the Bali Botanic Garden — Kebun Raya Bali — is the largest botanical garden in all of Indonesia, covering more than 157 hectares of highland forest, open meadow, and meticulously maintained grounds. Established in 1959 as a scientific branch of the renowned Bogor Botanical Gardens, it has grown into a vital national center for plant conservation and research, housing over 2,200 documented plant species including rare orchids, traditional Balinese medicinal herbs, drought-adapted cacti, and towering ancient tree ferns.

The garden's cool mountain air — a genuinely welcome contrast to coastal Bali's persistent heat — flows through themed collections arranged thoughtfully across gently rolling highland terrain. A dedicated orchid garden alone contains hundreds of distinct varieties, while a separate rose garden and an aquatic plant section add further color and texture to the experience. Ancient moss-draped trees frame quiet walking paths that invite truly unhurried exploration. A small Hindu temple preserved within the garden grounds reflects the seamless Balinese integration of spirituality and nature that pervades the island's culture. For photographers, early morning visits are rewarded with low mist drifting beautifully through the canopy. Located just minutes from the iconic Pura Ulun Danu Bratan floating temple and the shores of Lake Bratan, Kebun Raya Bali forms a superb anchor for a complete day of highland Bali discovery and natural immersion.

Tucked into the forested slopes of central Bali near the village of Wanasari in Tabanan Regency, the Bali Butterfly Park — locally known as Taman Kupu-Kupu Bali — is a genuine sanctuary for lepidopterists and nature lovers alike. Covering roughly 3,800 square meters of carefully maintained enclosed tropical garden, it is home to more than 15 species of exotic Indonesian butterflies, including the spectacular Rajah Brooke's Birdwing and the vivid Green Swallowtail, alongside an impressive supporting collection of walking stick insects, jewel beetles, and large ornamental moths. The park is one of only a handful of facilities in Bali that breeds and displays native insect species at this scale.

Visitors stroll through a lush, netted habitat where thousands of free-flying butterflies drift among flowering plants specifically cultivated to sustain and attract them throughout the seasons. A dedicated breeding and research area allows guests to observe the complete metamorphic cycle — from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to winged adult — an educational dimension that appeals strongly to families with children. The park also maintains a carefully curated display of Indonesian invertebrate wildlife, including giant atlas moths among the largest in the world by wingspan, and rare beetle species presented in museum-style cases. Located conveniently along the scenic road toward Jatiluwih's UNESCO-recognized rice terraces, Bali Butterfly Park pairs beautifully with a full day of Tabanan exploration. It offers a quieter, more contemplative counterpoint to Bali's busier tourist corridors.

Standing at the cultural heart of Denpasar adjacent to the historic Puputan Badung Square, the Bali Museum — officially the Museum Negeri Propinsi Bali — is the oldest and most comprehensive museum on the island, offering an authoritative and deeply satisfying introduction to Balinese art, culture, and history. Founded in 1910 during the Dutch colonial era and formally inaugurated in 1932, the complex comprises four traditional Balinese pavilions constructed in the distinct architectural styles of different regions of the island, creating an aesthetically coherent and genuinely beautiful setting for its remarkable collections that span centuries of civilizational achievement.

Inside, visitors encounter an extraordinary breadth of artifacts: prehistoric stone tools and Bronze Age implements, ceremonial masks and wayang puppets of exceptional craftsmanship, elaborate royal regalia and ancestral jewelry, and traditional weaving and textiles including the sacred endek and songket cloths. Fine examples of Balinese painting spanning both classical court and modern schools occupy dedicated gallery walls. One pavilion is dedicated entirely to religious objects, showcasing the intricate ceremonial paraphernalia central to Hindu-Balinese ritual life. The grounds themselves function as a living open-air gallery, with carved stone gates, spirit walls, and shrines demonstrating architectural traditions spanning centuries. Admission remains refreshingly affordable, and the museum's central Denpasar location pairs naturally with the adjacent Pura Jagatnatha temple. For any traveler serious about understanding Balinese civilization beyond its tourist surfaces, this museum is the most essential first stop on the island.

Banjar Hot Spring (Air Panas Banjar) is a naturally heated bathing site tucked into the forested hillside near the village of Banjar in northern Bali, fed by geothermal springs that emerge at a consistent 38 degrees Celsius. Three interconnected terraced pools step down the hillside, each channelling water through carved stone nagas — serpentine mythological creatures whose open mouths serve as shower spouts. The uppermost pool is the hottest and most therapeutic; the lower pools cool progressively and are popular with families and children. The surrounding garden is lush with tropical frangipani, hibiscus, and banana palms that create a secluded, jungle atmosphere amplified by the steam rising from the pools. The mineral-rich water is reputed to relieve muscle tension and skin conditions — claims supported by the site's long history of local medicinal use. Changing rooms, lockers, and a modest café are available on-site. The nearby Brahma Vihara Arama Buddhist monastery, Bali's largest, is an easy five-minute drive away and pairs naturally with the hot spring for a half-day excursion in the highlands above Lovina. Entry fees are modest and the site rarely reaches the overcrowding levels of more famous Bali attractions.

Stretching across the turquoise straits connecting six islands in the Riau Archipelago, Barelang Bridge is one of Indonesia's most impressive feats of modern infrastructure and a source of considerable civic pride for the island of Batam. The name is an acronym formed from the three principal islands it links: Batam, Rempang, and Galang — with three additional smaller islands completing the chain. In total, the system comprises six distinct bridge spans stretching over 6 kilometers across open sea, with the main Barelang span alone measuring approximately 642 meters in length — a remarkable achievement when it was completed in the 1990s.

The bridges were built as part of Indonesia's ambitious development plan for the Riau Islands as an industrial and tourism corridor, and they serve both a vital logistical function and a popular recreational one. Locals and visitors alike drive the scenic coastal route simply to enjoy panoramic views of the South China Sea, fish from the bridge railings at sunset, and watch traditional wooden boats navigate the narrow channels below. Sunset drives along the Barelang route have become a beloved local tradition. The route leads further to the more remote beaches and mangrove ecosystems of Galang Island, making the bridge complex a natural gateway to some of Batam's most unspoiled coastal scenery. It is an attraction that blends engineering ambition and natural grandeur with effortless drama.

Occupying a commanding position in the heart of Batam Centre, the Batam Grand Mosque — Masjid Agung Batam — is the largest and most significant Islamic place of worship on Batam Island and one of the most architecturally distinguished mosques in the Riau Archipelago. Its design synthesizes traditional Islamic architectural elements — a grand central dome flanked by four slender elegant minarets — with modern construction methods, creating a structure that is simultaneously visually imposing and deeply serene in atmosphere. The white marble facades gleam brilliantly under the equatorial sun.

The mosque can accommodate over 10,000 worshippers across its main prayer hall and surrounding outdoor plaza areas, making it the focal point for the island's large Muslim community during Friday prayers and the great Islamic festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Non-Muslim visitors are warmly welcomed outside prayer times, with modest dress — available to borrow at the entrance — required as a sign of respect. The cool, marble-floored interior offers a contemplative contrast to Batam's relentlessly commercial energy, and the surrounding landscaped gardens and reflecting pools create a genuinely beautiful and tranquil setting for photography or quiet reflection. As Batam continues to grow as both a major industrial hub and a popular weekend destination for visitors arriving from Singapore — just 45 minutes by ferry — the Grand Mosque stands as an enduring anchor of the island's cultural identity and spiritual heritage.

Nestled in the Tanjung Buntung neighborhood of Batam, Batam Miniature Houses offers an intriguing and somewhat unexpected cultural attraction for visitors to this rapidly industrializing island city. The site presents carefully constructed scaled-down architectural replicas of traditional houses from across Indonesia's major ethnic groups and regions, providing a compact and accessible introduction to the remarkable diversity of the archipelago's vernacular architectural traditions in a single walkable outdoor setting. It operates on a similar philosophy to Jakarta's Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, but at a more intimate and easily visited scale.

Each miniature structure is crafted with genuine attention to the distinctive features of its regional origin — from the Rumah Gadang of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra with its dramatic upswept roof ridges, to the elaborately carved longhouses of Kalimantan's Dayak communities, to the distinctive tongkonan boat-prow structures of Toraja in Sulawesi. The exhibit functions effectively as an educational stop for families and curious travelers seeking to appreciate Indonesia's cultural breadth without extensive island-hopping. It also reflects Batam's own fascinating identity as a melting pot — a rapidly urbanizing island populated by migrants from dozens of Indonesian provinces, each bringing distinct architectural and cultural traditions. While not a headline destination, Batam Miniature Houses adds meaningful cultural texture and depth to any visit to this often-overlooked industrial island, particularly for travelers who arrive from Singapore on a day trip.

Located a short distance from the bustling waterfront of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara, Batu Cermin Cave — whose name translates literally as Mirror Rock — is one of Eastern Indonesia's most extraordinary geological curiosities. The cave earned its poetic name from a remarkable optical phenomenon: at certain times of day, sunlight penetrates narrow fissures in the cave roof and refracts off the crystalline mineral formations embedded in the rock walls, causing the entire interior to shimmer and sparkle as though its surfaces were lined with mirrors. Visiting in the late morning maximizes this magical effect.

Geologically, Batu Cermin is a marine fossil cave, formed from an ancient coral reef thrust above sea level through tectonic activity over millions of years. The cave walls are densely encrusted with fossilized marine organisms — sea urchins, corals, and mollusks — clearly visible to visitors exploring its passages. Guided tours navigate through chambers of varying size, some requiring visitors to crouch through tight passages, adding genuine adventure to the experience. The cave reaches approximately 25 meters in height at its tallest internal point. Situated just a few kilometers from Labuan Bajo's main departure dock for Komodo National Park, Batu Cermin offers a compelling terrestrial counterpoint to the region's world-famous marine and wildlife experiences. It is a site of surprising scientific and aesthetic richness in one of Indonesia's most rapidly developing tourism destinations.

Batuan Temple (Pura Batuan) is among the oldest continuously active Hindu temples on the island of Bali, with inscriptions dating its foundation to approximately 944 CE — nearly a thousand years of uninterrupted ritual practice in the same location. Set within the village of Batuan in the Sukawati district, the temple complex is renowned for its extraordinarily dense and intricate stone carving: every gateway, courtyard wall, and shrine pavilion is encrusted with kala demon faces, lotus medallions, and scenes from the Hindu epics executed in the dark grey andesite characteristic of the region. Three distinct courtyards progress from the profane to the sacred, each requiring visitors to don a temple sash provided at the entrance. The innermost court contains the holiest shrines and is accessible only to worshippers during active ceremonies. Batuan Village has historically been a centre for a distinctive style of traditional painting — dense, monochromatic works depicting village life and mythological scenes — and several family studios adjacent to the temple still practice and sell this art form. Ceremony days, which occur on a rotating Balinese calendar cycle, fill the compound with incense smoke, gamelan music, and elaborately dressed devotees carrying towering offerings.

Batukaru Temple (Pura Luhur Batukaru) stands at approximately 800 metres elevation on the mist-shrouded southern slopes of Gunung Batukaru, Bali's second highest volcano, surrounded by some of the island's most ancient and undisturbed rainforest. This state temple, one of Bali's nine directional sanctuaries (Sad Kahyangan), is dedicated to the mountain deity and the spirits of lakes and rivers — its cool, forested setting perfectly reflects its role as a place of elemental communion. The main shrine compound contains a seven-tiered meru tower rising above an inner moat filled with lotus blossoms, while smaller shrines are half-concealed by moss and the roots of enormous strangler figs. The forest surrounding the temple is genuinely wild — gibbons, macaques, and rare birds inhabit the canopy overhead, and ferns grow to shoulder height along the access path. Unlike the more visited temples of southern Bali, Batukaru receives relatively few tourists and retains a profound atmosphere of silence and sanctity. The adjacent Jatiluwih rice terraces — UNESCO-listed as part of Bali's subak irrigation system — make a natural companion visit and can be reached within 20 minutes by motorbike along a winding mountain road.

Bedugul is a highland resort area in central Bali situated around a cluster of volcanic crater lakes — Danau Beratan, Danau Buyan, and Danau Tamblingan — at an elevation of roughly 1,200 to 1,400 metres above sea level. The consistently cool temperatures (often 10 to 15 degrees cooler than coastal Bali), mist-threaded forests, and calm lake reflections create a landscape of quiet drama that contrasts sharply with the island's tropical lowlands. Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, a multi-tiered temple complex built on a small promontory jutting into Lake Beratan, is the region's signature image — its floating-like silhouette on still mornings has become one of Bali's most reproduced photographs. The temple is dedicated to Dewi Danu, goddess of lakes and rivers, and remains an active centre of agricultural water-blessing ceremonies. Bali Botanic Garden, Indonesia's largest botanical garden at 157 hectares, occupies the forested slopes above the lake and contains native highland orchids, tree ferns, and a treetop walkway. Strawberry farms and market gardens thrive in the volcanic soil, and roadside stalls sell fresh strawberries, passion fruit, and corn roasted over charcoal. Bedugul makes an excellent half-day excursion from Ubud or a full overnight retreat.

Besakih Temple (Pura Besakih), perched on the southwestern slopes of Gunung Agung at roughly 1,000 metres elevation, is Bali's paramount Hindu sanctuary — the "Mother Temple" that presides spiritually over the entire island. The complex comprises not one but 23 separate temples spread across a terraced hillside, the oldest sections of which may date to the 8th century CE, though the current structures were extensively rebuilt following the catastrophic 1963 eruption of Agung that buried several shrines in lava. The principal shrine, Pura Penataran Agung, rises in seven tiered roofs (meru) against a backdrop of cloud forest and the volcano's upper slopes. On significant holy days the entire complex throngs with Balinese worshippers bearing towering gebogan fruit offerings, their devotion creating a spectacle of colour and ceremony unlike anything elsewhere on the island. Visitors should engage only licensed guides from the official booth at the complex entrance — unlicensed touts have long been a persistent issue. A sarong and sash are mandatory; temple etiquette is strictly observed. The 90-minute drive from Ubud winds through highland villages growing cloves and salak fruit, making the journey itself a rewarding part of the pilgrimage.

Blahbatuh Village, situated in the Gianyar Regency of central Bali, is a quiet agricultural community that offers a genuinely lived-in view of traditional Balinese Hindu culture away from the well-worn tourist circuit. The village is best known for the Pura Gaduh temple, which houses a remarkable stone head said to represent the giant Kebo Iwa — a legendary figure in Balinese mythology credited with carving the island's river gorges with his bare hands. The temple's 11th-century origins are attested by historical chronicle and the sculptural style of surviving stonework that differs distinctly from the more ornate Balinese baroque of later centuries. Beyond the temple, Blahbatuh's lanes are shaded by banyan trees and punctuated by small family shrines where offerings of rice, flowers, and incense are renewed daily. Local craftspeople produce gamelan instruments — particularly the bronze keys of the gangsa metallophone — in small workshops that welcome informal visits. The surrounding paddy fields, still irrigated via the traditional subak communal water-sharing system, glow a vivid emerald green during the growing season. Blahbatuh sits along a natural route between Ubud and the coastal temple of Batu Bolong, making it an easy and rewarding detour.

Bogor, nestled in the verdant highlands of West Java just 60 kilometers south of Jakarta, offers a deeply refreshing escape from the capital's relentless urban intensity. Known historically as Buitenzorg — Dutch for "without a care" — the city served as the preferred highland retreat for Dutch colonial governors, who prized its noticeably cooler temperatures and extraordinarily lush natural surroundings. That graceful colonial legacy endures today in the city's grand 19th-century architecture, its tree-lined boulevards, and its world-famous botanical gardens. The Presidential Palace, built on the same grounds as the former governor's residence, continues to function as an official state retreat for Indonesian presidents.

Bogor earns its evocative nickname "City of Rain" with complete justification: it receives some of the highest annual rainfall of any city on earth, averaging nearly 4,000 millimeters, which sustains the intense tropical greenness that defines its hillside landscape year-round. Beyond the celebrated Kebun Raya Bogor, the city rewards curious visitors with its vibrant Suryakancana street food strip — celebrated for generations-old Chinese-Indonesian cuisine — and bustling traditional markets overflowing with exotic tropical produce. Day-trippers from Jakarta often pair a botanical gardens visit with white-water rafting on the Ciliwung River or hiking trails in the nearby Halimun Salak National Park. Whether you arrive for a leisurely afternoon or an extended overnight stay, Bogor's combination of colonial heritage, natural abundance, and authentic Sundanese culture makes it one of West Java's most genuinely rewarding destinations.

Few botanical gardens in the world carry the accumulated historical and scientific prestige of the Bogor Botanical Gardens — Kebun Raya Bogor. Founded in 1817 under the direction of Dutch botanist Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt with the backing of the colonial government, this magnificent 87-hectare living institution in the heart of Bogor, West Java, ranks among Southeast Asia's oldest and most distinguished centers of plant science. Today it operates simultaneously as a beloved public park, a richly stocked living museum, and an active research institution under the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency.

The collection spans more than 15,000 catalogued plant specimens representing roughly 3,000 species, including towering tropical hardwoods, luminous water lilies — among them the magnificent giant Victoria amazonica — and a dedicated orchid house displaying hundreds of varieties. The iconic double avenue of kanari trees stretches majestically toward the adjacent presidential palace grounds, and a small but affecting Dutch colonial cemetery within the garden adds resonant historical atmosphere to an already layered site. Resident white-handed gibbons swing freely through the upper canopy, charming visitors below. The celebrated Amorphophyllum titanum, the famously pungent corpse flower, has bloomed here on multiple occasions, each time drawing international scientific attention and considerable media coverage. Whether approached as a tranquil weekend escape from Jakarta, a serious photography destination, or a place of genuine natural science learning, Kebun Raya Bogor consistently and generously rewards every visitor who steps through its historic gates.

Borobudur is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments ever constructed and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that ranks among Southeast Asia's most extraordinary archaeological achievements. Built during the Sailendra dynasty in the 8th and 9th centuries CE, this colossal stupa in Magelang, Central Java, consists of nine stacked platforms — six square and three circular — crowned by a central dome, and adorned with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The monument was abandoned and buried under volcanic ash and jungle growth for centuries before its rediscovery by colonial surveyors in the early 19th century. Climbing the terraced levels of Borobudur is itself a meditative journey — each tier represents a stage in Buddhist cosmology, from the realm of desire at the base to the sphere of formlessness at the summit. The panoramic view from the top, surrounded by misty mountains and terraced rice fields, is breathtaking at any time of day but particularly magical at sunrise. The site attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, including large numbers of domestic pilgrims who come to pray and meditate. The nearby Borobudur Archaeological Park includes the smaller temples of Mendut and Pawon, which were likely used in a processional route to the main monument. Advance booking is increasingly recommended for sunrise access. No itinerary in Java is complete without Borobudur — it is simply one of the most awe-inspiring human constructions on earth.