TOOTH GERM: Asia

Temple Trekking in Java

Following my previous post with my Top 10 things to do in South East Asia, I decided that I would write about some of the time I spent exploring the temples around Yogyakarta in Java, Indonesia.

Looking out from the top of Borobundur

Yogyakarta is a convenient stop on the way from Jakarta to Bali and is a really good base to visit some of the top attractions in Java from the temples of Prambanan and Borobudur to the Merapi volcano. Here are some basic facts about the area.

What language is spoken there?

Indonesian but it is very easy to get around as most people speak English and signs and menus are in both languages.

What is the currency?

Indonesian Rupiah. At the moment, it's around 20,000 Rupiah to the pound

How do I get around?

The best way to get around and possibly the easiest is local taxis which are relatively cheap. You can also get Tuk-Tuks and horse-drawn carts to take you around the city.

Local culture

Java like most of Indonesia is an Islamic area, so women need to be aware of what they wear - be respectful, cover shoulders and knees.

Where did we stay?
Tulips Guest House - the room was average but comfortable for the price but the highlight of the place was definitely the private pool and the small enclosed restaurant.

We organised a tour with one of the travel companies around the town to see both of the temples in one day as we were only there for 2 days. It was easy to organise and there are plenty of different packages you can opt for or you could take a taxi to take you directly to the temples.

Borobudur

We chose the sunrise tour of Borobudur which meant getting up around 5am which I admit was a bit of a struggle and I question whether it was worth it.

You have to pay to go up to the viewing point over the temple with the silhouette of the volcano Merapi looming in the background. Before we chose to go, I had heard that the experience of hit or miss depending on the weather.

It was pretty misty when we went and you could just about see the top of the temple emerging from the morning fog.

Sunrise over Borobundur

The good thing about getting up so early to see the sunrise meant that we got to Borobudur before the crowds! We also happened to be there during Ramadam so it was even quieter than normal!

I'd recommend getting one of the staff to take you round and explain the significance of the depictions around the walls and the tiers. The temple is a UNESCO world heritage site which has undergone much restoration work, especially as a result of earthquakes in the area and eruptions from the nearby active volcano Merapi. The temple is a Buddhist stupa despite being in a primarily Islamic area.

As part of our package we had breakfast included after exploring the temple - this was just toast and fruit so if you've worked up more of an appetite when climbing the steps of the temple, you may need to get something else from the little food stalls at the bottom of the temple.

Having too much fun!

Prambanan

Next stop the Hindu temple of Prambanan. Similar to Borobudur, the temple was seriously damaged by earthquake but has been restored really well.

By the time we got to the temple it was approaching mid-day and the temperature was getting pretty uncomfortable so perhaps it would've been better to go a bit earlier in the day. There lots of steep steps like Borobudur so make sure you wear comfortable shoes - you also get a discount if you buy a combo ticket for both temples.

In retrospect I would probably have wanted to visit this temple at sunset as I've heard the views are spectacular.

Prambanan Temple

Have you been to Yogyakarta? Been to either of the temples or to Merapi? Please leave your comments in the section below!

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10:39

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Asia

Roadtripping in Bali

Following my previous post with my Top 10 things to do in South East Asia, I decided that I would write about some of the time I spent in Bali. We were only there for 3 days and in hindsight, I definitely think we should have stayed longer.

To cram in as much as possible in the time we were there, we hired a man and his taxi to drive us to some of the top attractions on the island in one day. This sounds expensive, but if there are a few of you (another girl from our hostel came along too), you can split the cost which isn't too bad. I think in the end it came to around £30-40 and this was a long day; from around 11am to 7pm!

Before I describe the itinerary we did, let's get some basic facts about Bali.

What language is spoken there?

Indonesian but it is very easy to get around as most people speak English and signs and menus are in both languages.

What is the currency?

Indonesian Rupiah. At the moment, it's around 20,000 Rupiah to the pound

How do I get around?

The best way to get around and possibly the easiest is local taxis which are relatively cheap. There are a limited number of buses on the Island, mainly connecting to the main airport.

Local culture

Unlike the majority of Indonesia, Bali is a Hindu region so you unlike the other Islamic regions of Indonesia you do not have to worry so much what you wear out and about.

View over some of the rice fields at Ubud

1. Rice Fields and Kopi Luwak

First we headed to the central of the island to the town of Ubud to the famous terraced rice fields. There are lots of different views you can see, but we went to a place where they made Kopi Luwak - coffee made from beans that have been partly digested by the Civet (a small cat like animal).

At the farm you will see the civets (cute but smelly!) and see how they make and process the coffee as well as having some FREE coffee at the end (although you'll have to pay to sample the actual Luwak coffee).

You can sit on the top terrace and look out over the fields drinking a nice cup of coffee, or if you're like me and don't like coffee, tea or hot chocolate!

2. Monkey Temple

Next we headed to the famous Monkey Temple and Forest in Ubud to meet some very cheeky monkeys. It was amazing how bold and fearless the Macaque monkeys were - we saw them ambush some old ladies at a banana stall at the entrance to the forest and they'd climb up on top of your head as if you were a tree!

I'm not sure whether these monkeys or the ones I experienced at the Batu Caves in Malaysia (see my post about it here) were more cheeky!

In the middle of the forest is a Hindu Temple where the monkeys make themselves at home. To find out more see their website.

Not too shy to pose for a photo!

3. Bali Zoo

I know it's a bit cliché to go to a country abroad and go to a zoo, but there was a big variety of different animals which are indigenous to Indonesia and the surrounding Asian countries compared to what you would find in any zoo in Europe.

Of course we had to get up and personal with an Asian elephant and if you pay a little extra you get go on a ride on it. It's touching to see the relationship between each elephant and their personal keepers - the keeper for the elephant we rode said that she was his 'wife'.

We also got the opportunity to feed a Bengal Tiger and a Crocodile (scary!), as well as holding a baby crocodile and a bear cat (Google it, so cute!).

Enjoying our new ride!

4. Balinese dance

Finally later on in the evening we watched a traditional Balinese dance performance which told the story of Rama and Sita, a Hindu Diwali story.

All the costumes and make up were spectacularly elaborate and their dance was very elaborate with intricate hand, arm and eye gestures like they were in a trance. There was also a chorus of local men chanting constantly during the story

It was quite hypnotic at times and very entertaining, the perfect end to a long day of site-seeing!

Have you been to Bali? Been to any of the places I've recommended or are there any other things that you'd recommend doing or seeing when out there? Please leave your comments in the section below!

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18:19

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Asia

A Day Trip to Singapore

Continuing my travel posts after my Top 10 things to do in South East Asia, I thought I would write about my top things to do in Singapore in one day!

When I visited Singapore, I was only there for just over a day. Singapore is small enough to get around in a relatively short period of time so using it as a stopover between destinations in Asia is ideal. Singapore is also expensive in comparison to the neighboring countries in the area, so if you're backpacking it' probably best to limit the time you spend here.

What language is spoken there?

Mandarin but it is very easy to get around as most people speak English and signs and menus are in both languages.

What is the currency?

Singapore Dollars. At the moment, it's around 2 Singapore Dollars to the pound

How do I get around?

Getting around is easy with the bus and MRT (metro) systems. Taxis are also really cheap and its easy to flag one down, most speak English.

Local culture

Locals are really friendly and culture is generally very similar to western countries, you'll feel like you're in a hotter cleaner London!

Morning - Chinatown

Not only a great place to get some of the local food; check out the Maxwell Centre and chicken rice!

There are markets, museums and places of worship like the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. It's also somewhere relatively cheap to stay if you're ok kipping in a hostel and is a bit closer to things than Little India (the other area which is dense with hostels).

Singapore also do a tourist travel card which you can use on buses and the MRT for one or two days depending which one you buy. This card also allows you to hop on and off their city tour bus which is a good way to see the sights around Singapore in a short space of time.

Lunchtime - Marina Bay

Marina Bay is probably most famous for the Marina Bay Sands Hotel with it's infinity pool at the top. But that's not just all there is at Marina Bay.

If you can stand the heat at this time of day, take a walk around the the Marina, check out the famous Lion Fountain. You do get a pretty good view from the viewing platform at the top of the hotel, although it probably is a bit overpriced and unfortunately only hotel guests can use the pool at the top.

There is also a huge mall at the bottom of the hotel - if you're looking for somewhere to shop, the mall has pretty much everything and grab something to eat while you're there.

Afternoon - Gardens by the Bay

Just behind the Marina Bay Sands hotel are the Gardens by the Bay:

'Turning the Garden City into a City in a Garden'

The place is so full of greenery you wouldn't think you were in the middle of the city and there are countless large plant-like structures, some with a walkway between, one with a restaurant at the top if you're still peckish.

Evening - Night Safari

One of the top attractions in Singapore aside from Universal Studios on Sentosa Island. There are 3 wildlife parks that you can go to: the Night Safari, Singapore Zoo and the River Safari. If you want to go to all 3 (which will probably take you more than one day) you can get a discount.

The Night Safari was the only one I went to, but it was really good and brought a new perspective to the zoo experience.

We bought our tickets at a discounted rate from our hostel and although there is a shuttle bus that runs directly from areas of Singapore to the zoo, it was still really easy to get the MRT and a regular bus there.

At the Night Safari there are a couple of 'shows' at set times but the main attraction is hopping onto a safari train to get driven through the night around the zoo and see the animals up close. You can also hop off the train to walk around the trails to get an even closer look and a lot of the animals are up and about rather than sleeping. See more at their website.

Night - Clarke Quay

If you're still full of energy after your busy day, head to Clarke Quay where there are countless restaurants and bars to keep you entertained - there's even a Hooters!

Since taxis are pretty cheap and easy to come by, I'd probably recommend catching one back to your hotel or hostel afterwards!

Have you been to Singapore? Is there anything else you'd recommend people do when out there? Please leave your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!