Kraton Ratu Boko

The Gate of Ratu Boko

Ratu Boko Palace is an ancient castle, which was used a very long time ago during Rara Jonggrang era, near Prambanan Area. It takes approx 1 hour from the center of Jogja to get there. It is located around 3km in the south of Prambanan temples. Although it is now only ruins that are left there, that magical yet mystical atmosphere still exists. The place is full of cultural ambiance, yet the view is really stunning if you want to catch sunset from above. Ratu Boko is placed in the highland area, so the weather is not too hot compared to Prambanan temples.

The Ruins

This site is a compound of complex area. The area is so wide which consists of Paseban, Pool, Pendopo, that has its own function in the previous era. Ratu Boko is already registered as well in the UNESCO Heritage Site as one of the world's legacies. You must prepare your walking shoes since you will walk a lot and going through many slippery stones. After a long walk, you can visit one of the huts there to get some snacks or just drink a glass of a fresh coconut water.

Pool Area

Top of The Castle

For a cultural place hunter like me, or if you just love ancient architecture or if you just seek for sunset, this place is very worth visit. The ticket price is IDR 25k or IDR 50k if you take a tour of Ratu Boko-Prambanan Package. Just come and feel the magically wonderful site here.

My sister & I

Visiting Prambanan

Parangtritis Beach

Actually I've visited Parangtritis for several times when I was young during my study trip to Central Java in Junior and High School. This time, I went to Parangtritis just to introduce shore landscape and play along with my daughter and family. Parangtritis is not too far from the center city of Jogja. It is located in Gunung Kidul, as any other beaches in Jogja. Although there are a lot of stunning beaches along sourthern sea of Jogjakarta, Parangritis is still the best option for family vacay.

My daughter was really happy yet exciting during our time in Parangtritis. We also took Bendi (a horse-carriage) to go around Parangtritis. She felt very ecstatic. Actually she also wanted to ride a motorcycle which is rented in the area, but I don't think that one is appropriate for her age. After cleaning ourselves, we had lunch in Waroeng Pohon, a family resto that is affordable and family-friendly as well.

It was her remarkable experience. She kept asking to go to the beach after that. Yeah, probably not in immediate time dear, since your mom will start her final exam in a few weeks lol.

Kedung Pedut Waterfall

It was a long-weekend term and my sister came to visit me in Jogja. She wanted to explore the nature of Jogja here, while my other two friends also wanted to swim in fresh water in Kulon Progo. We finally decided to go to Kedung Pedut Waterfall, after looking for several suggestions of waterfalls surround Jogjakarta.

As you might already know, the path to go to Kulon Progo is quite steep. In the middle of our journey, we accidentally bumped into sugar cane crop, which is so beautiful. Therefore we stopped by and took some fresh air for a while. It doesn't take a long time to go to Kedung Pedut, since we previously thought there would be a massive congestion due to long weekend holiday.

From where we parked in Kedung Pedut, we need to go through a long and tiring walk to get to the destination. Once you arrive at the waterfall, you'll be tempted to soak in the pool area and feel the fresh water coming from the waterfall. For those who want to test their adrenaline, there are several water sports such as waterfall hiking and flying fox. There is also a pool specialized for those who love to jump from the height to the water.

One thing I admire about this place is the officials are working professionally, yet they also provide garbage can in every 50m. Besides its natural beauty, Kedung Pedut Waterfall also provides convenient and refreshing feeling except some toilets that stink.