Symphony Of Indonesia, Private Tour

Meet with your guide upon arrival to Jakarta International Airport and then transfer to your hotel. Jakarta is the capital of the massive archipelago of Indonesia, the centre of the country’s economy and one of the busiest cities in the world. On arrival to your hotel, check in and have the remainder of the day free at leisure. Overnight in Jakarta.

Breakfast at your hotel. Depart from the hotel to visit Jakarta’s Old Town where you will discover the biggest metropolitan area of Indonesia. Pass by Merdeka Square (Liberty Square), National Monument (Monas) and the Presidential Palace. The first visit will be made at Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, as it can accommodate up to 120,000 people at a time. As a testament that two important religions can live in harmony in Indonesia, standing across the street is the Catholic Jarkata Cathedral, built in the Gothic Revival style at the beginning of the 20th century, a common architectural style of the time. Continue to the National Museum, whose collection covers all of Indonesia’s territories and represents the country’s history. The archaeological, ethnological, historical and geographical museum keeps the largest collection of Hindu-Buddhist ancient art of Indonesia. Continue to Monas (National Monument), 132-meter-high tower located in the centre of Merdeka Square representing the country’s independence. After, drive to Sunda Kelapa Harbour, a 500-year-old harbour that was a vital link to the markets of the outside world in the 15th-century kingdom of Pajajaran and was formerly a harbour town where the Portuguese traded with the Hindu kingdom in the early 16th century. Since then, the port has belonged to the Portuguese and Dutch. Lunch at a local restaurant followed by your return to the hotel with the afternoon free at leisure. Overnight in Jakarta. Lunch included.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart Jakarta with a morning flight to Yogyakarta. Upon arrival in Yogyakarta, meet with our local reps and then directly transfer to the Sultan’s Palace, also known as the ‘Kraton’, located in the heart of the old city. The huge palace of the sultans of Yogyakarta was effectively the centre of a small walled city within a city. As you walk through the various rooms and chambers, learn more about this aspect of Javanese heritage and culture. At the exit point, a pedicab known as a becak awaits for your short transfer to the famous Taman Sari Water Castle, dating to the mid-18th century. This palatial bathing pool was built by the sultan as a dedicated space for his harem. Lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon is dedicated to exploring the arts and handicrafts of Yogyakarta. Visit a traditional batik workshop and then the historic district of Kotagede. Located around 10 kilometres from the city centre, this 16th century area was the seat of the once mighty Mataram Kingdom. Nowadays it is famous for being the centre of a thriving silversmith industry and its charming Javanese-Dutch colonial homes. After, transfer to the outskirts of Yogyakarta to explore the ancient Hindu temples at Prambanan, located just 17 kilometres from Yogyakarta. Built in the ninth century, this UNESCO Heritage Site features three main inner shrines dedicated to the Hindu trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Your knowledgeable guide will explain the history and symbolism of the temples during the tour. At Prambanan, enjoy a traditional Ramayana dance performance. Ramayana ballet is an art performance that is beautiful, admirable and difficult to compare to other artistic performances as it combines Javanese dance, drama and music all on one stage, representing the Ramayana story, a legendary saga originally written in Sanskrit. After the performance, return to your hotel. Overnight in Yogyakarta Lunch included.