Visit world's largest Buddhist temple: Borobudur

A short history lesson

The temple was built in the 8th and 9th centuries, but was buried under ash some 400 years later after a volcanic eruption. It wasn't until the 1814 before the temple was discovered by the British, after which much restoration work took place. Since 1991, the temple has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, with the goal of preserving this magnificent monument as best as possible.

Consisting of more than 2,500 reliefs and 504 Buddha images, the temple is the scene of an annual ceremony by a select group of Buddhists in Java.

Where is the Borobudur located?

The Borobudur is no longer in the region of Jogjakarta, but is located northwest in the region of Magelang. From Jogjakarta, it is about a 1-hour drive over a distance of about 47 kilometers. The cheapest option is to rent a scooter, for which you pay around IDR 80,000 - IDR 100,000 per day (€5.30 - €6.60) in Jogjakarta. This immediately gives you some extra flexibility. Parking the scooter costs about IDR 5,000.

You can also choose to book a day tour and combine the temple with a visit to the Prambanan temple complex.

The Prambanan temple complex is also absolutely worth visiting!

Costs

The entrance ticket for tourists (read not holding Indonesian nationality) costs IDR 362,500, which is about € 22.50. If you combine it with the Prambanan, you get admission to both temples for IDR 652,500 (€40). This will save you about IDR 72,500, which is about €5.00. The ticket is valid for 2 days, which means you don't have to visit both temples on the same day.

The ticket includes a bottle of water at both temples, excluding a guide. For Javanese standards, these are above average prices, but they are two impressive temples that you simply must visit if you are in Jogjakarta.

Price list  2023 (Borobudurpark.com)

Climbing the Borobudur

Climbing the Borobudur temple is what I think is what makes your visit a unique experience. Only up close do you see the details even better and enjoy a panoramic view at the higher level. For years it was possible to climb the Borobudur, until a 2020 put a stop to it when all tourist attractions were forced to temporarily close their doors. After reopening, the temple was no longer allowed to be climbed, the reason being to protect the temple as much as possible.

March 2023: A pilot of gradual admission of visitors to the temple

I myself visited the temple in March 2023 and for an additional fee of IDR 80,000 I was able to climb the temple accompanied by a guide. Several hundred people per day were allowed to climb the temple (divided into groups throughout the day) for a period of 14 days. I was given special slippers and given more background information about this impressive structure by the guide.

Should this pilot be continued (which was the expectation according to the locals), you can expect IDR 80,000 on top of the regular ticket price for non Indonesian visitors.

Buddhism & the 3 levels

The Candi Borobudur is divided into 3 vertical levels, which corresponds perfectly to the conception of the universe in Buddhist cosmology. During the pilot, I was able to visit all three levels, only not being allowed to go all the way to the top at the central stupa. Each level has its own meaning:

1. Kamadhatu: the lowest level located at the base of the temple. It contains some 160 inscriptions in the wall illustrating human behavior of desires and karma (the law of cause and effect).
   
   
2. Rupadhatu: the middle level located in the heart of the temple, with stone carvings and niches with statues of Buddha. Rupadhatu represents the willingness to leave everything in life behind.
   
   
3. Arupadhatu: the highest level at the top of the temple that contains 3 circular terraces leading to a central stupa. Each terrace contains circles of perforated stupas with Buddha statues inside, with each Buddha statue no longer having a head. In all, there are 72 such stupas. It represents that man is no longer attached to anything, free from lust and ready to reach Nirvana (the highest state in Buddhist belief).

Enjoy sunrise near the Borobudur

To get there in time to see the sunrise you will have to leave from there no later than 03:30, as it is about an hour and fifteen minute drive. Once you arrive at the parking area of Punthuk Setumbu, it is a few minutes walk to the viewpoint. Along the way you can stop at one of the stalls for a cup of coffee, for example.

A magical sunrise, where Borobudur slowly becomes visible under the low-hanging clouds. Do you also see the famous Chicken Church?

Closed on Mondays

On Mondays, the temple is closed and you only have access to the temple park and temple garden. So plan your visit well so you don't get an unpleasant surprise!

The temple monument is closed on Mondays (Image: Borobudurpark.com)