Yogyakarta

A city on the southern coast of Central Java and one of Indonesia's most important centers of Javanese culture, Yogyakarta is home to the still-functioning Kraton royal palace complex and a traditional arts scene encompassing wayang leather puppetry, gamelan music, and batik production. The city serves as the primary base for visiting Borobudur and Prambanan, both within 40 kilometers. The Malioboro shopping street, the Taman Sari water castle, and the Kraton grounds together form the core of the city's historical urban zone.