Things to do with kids in Yogyakarta

Things to do with kids in Yogyakarta

1. See

   Carriage Museum

   Museum Kereta

   Houses the Sultan's horse-drawn carriages, including two beautiful carriages imported from the Netherlands and known as Golden Carriages (kereta kencana).

   Foreigners: adult Rp30,000, child Rp25,000; domestic: adult Rp20,000, children Rp15,000

2. Buy

   Hamzah Batik

   Mirota Batik

   The large family-owned store offers plenty of handicrafts, not only from Yogyakarta but also from all parts of Indonesia.

3. See

   Kraton Yogyakarta

   A calm and elegant example of Javanese heritage with two separate entrances; the Main Court (Pagilaran and Siti Hinggil) and the Residence. The Main Court showcases the grandeur of the Sultan's monarchy, while the Residence is more homely, showcasing the royal family's luxurious lifestyle. There are regular free performances of music and dance. Check out the times when you arrive in Yogajakarta. (Every Sunday at 11:00 as of Oct 2015). There are three gamelans in the palace, and the pavilion nearest the entrance houses one of them. If it is being played, feel free to take a seat and enjoy it for a while. Residence museum has both Indonesian and English texts, and AC. Temporary exhibition Mar-Aug 2024 on Abhimantra or life rites of passage (part where no photo allowed). Small exhibition on the history of tea in Indonesia too (Indonesian text only). Without guide, no map or sign to help explore the larger grounds.

   Sat-Thu 08:00–13:00, Fri 08:00–11:00·The Residence: Rp25,000 (non-Indonesian resident) or Rp10,000 (Indonesian resident), Rp1,000 extra for a photo. You might be offered a trip to the 'sultan's servants' batik workshop'. This is a scam that will only bring you to a regular batik shop with inflated prices

4. See

   Sonobudoyo Museum

   Museum Sonobudoyo

   Many Javanese artefacts like wayang puppets, masks, statues, textiles, weapons, and a full set of gamelan instruments. Worth a visit if you have some extra time in Yogya, or you are interested in studying Javanese culture. Wayang kulit performances are given every Tuesday night 20:00-21:30, accompanied by gamelan. Museum has both Indonesian and English texts.

   Museum: foreigners Rp20,000, adult Rp10,000, children Rp5,000; performances: foreigners Rp50,000, domestic Rp20,000

5. See

   Water Castle

   Taman Sari

   This is a partly-ruined complex built as a pleasure garden by the first Sultan in 1765. One of the bathing pools was dedicated to the sultan's harem, and he had a tower overlooking the area so he could take his pick. Towards the back is the original entrance to the pools, a small dock connected to a long-since-vanished river; a bit of snooping beyond this entrance will get you to a back street, where one can visit a fascinating network of tunnels and rooms, including an Escher-like series of interlacing staircases over what looks like a disused well.

   daily 09:00–15:00·Foreigners adult Rp25,000, child 20,000, domestic adult 15,000, children 10,000. Photo session like prewedding Rp150,000-500,000. Entrance fee does not cover the guide, who will expect tips

6. Eat Not mapped

   Pesona Rasa

   A nice Chinese food family restaurant. Serves delicious and fresh Chinese dishes such as: fried rice, fried noodle, tofu, fresh capjay and vegetables. In Pathuk area, 5 minutes from Malioboro. With friendly service and wallet-friendly prices.

7. Eat Not mapped

   Soto Pak Soleh

   This well-known restaurant is Pak Soleh's family business and is now operated by his son. They only serve Yogyakarta-style beef soup as their main menu, which has a spicy taste from ginger.

   Rp5,000

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Yogyakarta (CC BY-SA 4.0).