Yogyakarta — known simply as Jogja to most Indonesians — is the cultural capital of Java and one of the most compelling cities in Southeast Asia. It is the only province in Indonesia still governed by its pre-colonial monarchy: the Sultan of Yogyakarta serves as the elected governor, and the royal palace (Kraton) remains the heart of the city's identity. Javanese art, batik, wayang puppet theatre, and gamelan music all have their deepest roots here.
The city is also the best base for visiting two of the world's great monuments. Borobudur, a 9th-century Buddhist temple of extraordinary scale and beauty, lies 40 kilometres northwest; Prambanan, a compound of towering Hindu temples from the same era, is 17 kilometres east. Most visitors do both in a single day, though each deserves more time.
Yogyakarta itself repays a day or two of wandering. The Kraton quarter is a neighbourhood of batik workshops, silver smiths, and wayang performances. Jalan Malioboro — the main shopping street — is chaotic and touristy but alive with street food, becak (cycle rickshaw) drivers, and vendors selling everything from batik cloth to fake antiques. The city's food scene is excellent by any measure: Gudeg, a sweet stew of young jackfruit, is the local specialty, eaten at breakfast with rice, chicken, and sambal.
Mount Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, looms over the city from the north. On a clear day it is visible from the centre of town. Jeep tours to the volcano's slopes — and through the villages devastated by the 2010 eruption — are a sobering and fascinating excursion.