Yogyakarta Day Trips — Solo, Selogriyo, the Surrounding Region
Yogyakarta is the natural base for exploring central Java beyond the city itself. This guide covers Solo (Surakarta), smaller temples in the area, southern beaches, and other accessible day trips.
Yogyakarta is the natural base for exploring much of central Java. Beyond the main attractions in the city itself (the Kraton, Taman Sari, Malioboro) and the famous temples (Borobudur, Prambanan), several substantial day trips are accessible. This guide covers Solo (Surakarta), the smaller temples in the area, the southern beaches, and the highland excursions.
Solo (Surakarta)
Solo is the second Javanese royal city, about 60 km east of Yogyakarta. The two cities are descendants of the Mataram sultanate that split in 1755, and they have a friendly rivalry — Solo is generally considered more traditional, slower-paced, and more authentically Javanese.
A standard Solo day trip:
- Train from Yogyakarta (1-1.5 hours)
- Kasunanan Palace: the larger Solo court complex, similar in scale to the Yogyakarta Kraton
- Mangkunegaran Palace: the junior royal house
- Pasar Klewer: massive textile market, especially batik
- Lunch: Solo specialty restaurants (selat solo, nasi liwet)
- Triwindu Antique Market: antique shopping
- House of Danar Hadi: famous batik museum
- Return to Yogyakarta in evening
Solo is worth a day on a Yogyakarta-based trip. For deeper engagement, an overnight stay in Solo allows more exploration.
Selogriyo Temple
A small but exceptionally beautifully sited 8th-century Hindu temple in the foothills west of Yogyakarta, about 90 minutes' drive. The temple itself is small but the setting — perched on a hilltop with rice paddies cascading down below — is unforgettable.
The temple is reached by a short walk through the paddies from the parking area. Few visitors; quiet experience. Pair with Borobudur on a day trip; the two are about 30 minutes apart.
Other temples in the Borobudur area
Within an hour of Yogyakarta, several other significant temples merit attention:
Mendut Temple: 3 km from Borobudur. 9th-century Buddhist temple with a famous trio of large Buddhas inside the main chamber. Atmospheric and uncrowded. Often visited with Borobudur.
Pawon Temple: tiny temple between Mendut and Borobudur. The three (Mendut, Pawon, Borobudur) may have formed a single pilgrimage route along the same axis.
Plaosan Temple: 9th-century Buddhist complex about 1.5 km east of Prambanan. Twin temples in excellent condition; less crowded than Prambanan. Often paired with Prambanan visits.
Sewu Temple: large Buddhist temple complex just north of Prambanan. Second-largest Buddhist complex in Indonesia after Borobudur. Standard add-on to Prambanan.
Sambisari Temple: 9th-century Hindu temple, excavated from the volcanic ash that buried it for centuries. Below ground level; visit feels like discovering a hidden archaeological site.
Ratu Boko: 8th-century palace/temple complex on a hill south of Prambanan. Popular sunset viewpoint with views toward Prambanan in the distance. Excellent atmospheric place at sundown.
Parangtritis and the south coast
Parangtritis Beach is about 30 km south of Yogyakarta — the Indian Ocean coast that forms the southern end of Yogyakarta's traditional spiritual axis (Merapi-Kraton-Parangtritis). The beach is dramatic — high waves, dark sand, strong currents — and culturally significant.
Activities at Parangtritis:
- Beach walking: long, dramatic, with cliffs at the eastern end
- Sunset viewing: spectacular over the Indian Ocean
- Sand boarding: at nearby Parangkusumo dunes
- Visiting Cepuri Parangkusumo: spiritually significant Hindu-Javanese ritual site
- Don't swim: currents are deadly; the beach has killed many
The drive from Yogyakarta takes about 1 hour. Standard half-day or sunset trip.
Nguyahan, Sundak, Indrayanti beaches (Gunungkidul, further east on the south coast): cleaner white-sand beaches, less famous, suitable for swimming. About 1.5-2 hours from Yogyakarta.
Kaliurang and Mount Merapi area
Highland resort area at the foot of Mount Merapi, about 25 km north of Yogyakarta:
- Tlogo Putri Park: forest, hiking trails
- Plawangan-Turgo Nature Park: morning hikes with mountain views
- Lava Tour (jeep tours): see the Merapi article
- Highland restaurants: cooler weather, good views
Half-day or full-day trip.
Imogiri Royal Cemetery
The Yogyakarta and Solo royal cemeteries are at Imogiri, about 20 km southeast of Yogyakarta. The tombs of the Yogyakarta and Solo sultans (including the 9th sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Indonesia's vice-president 1973-1978) are here. Pilgrimage site for Javanese Muslims; visitors welcome with appropriate respect.
The location is dramatic — terraced tombs on a hillside reached by a long staircase.
Goa Pindul
A cave system in Gunungkidul with cave tubing — floating on inner tubes through the cave river. Popular for families and groups. About 90 minutes' drive from Yogyakarta. Combines with beach visits in Gunungkidul.
Kotagede
The traditional silver-smithing district just southeast of central Yogyakarta. Major workshops (HS Silver, Borobudur Silver, Salim Silver) sell traditional Javanese silver craft. Also the original capital of the Mataram sultanate (before the move to Plered and then Yogyakarta), with traditional Javanese architecture in the surrounding kampung.
The Mataram royal cemetery at Kotagede contains the tombs of the early Mataram sultans.
Pyramid of Sukuh
About 100 km east of Yogyakarta (closer to Solo): a 15th-century Hindu temple at the foot of Mount Lawu, with distinctive Mesoamerican-pyramid-like architecture and famously erotic carvings. Unique among Javanese temples; isolated and rarely visited. Half-day trip from Solo or full-day from Yogyakarta.
Nearby Cetho Temple: another 15th-century Hindu site, similar period, similar isolation.
Practical for day trips
Private driver: the cleanest way to organise day trips. Cost: Rp 600,000-900,000 (USD 38-57) for a full day with car, fuel, and driver. Book through your hotel.
Tours: dozens of operators offer day trips. Klook, Get Your Guide, hotel concierges all have options.
Public transport: trains and buses cover the major destinations (especially Solo); less convenient for remote sites.
Distances from Yogyakarta city centre:
- Prambanan: 17 km, 30 min
- Borobudur: 40 km, 90 min
- Solo: 60 km, 1-1.5 hours by train
- Parangtritis: 30 km, 60 min
- Kaliurang: 25 km, 45-60 min
- Selogriyo: 60 km, 90 min
- Sukuh/Cetho: 100 km, 2-3 hours
Suggested 4-day Yogyakarta itinerary:
- Day 1: City — Kraton, Taman Sari, Sonobudoyo, Malioboro
- Day 2: Borobudur (sunrise) + Mendut + Pawon + Selogriyo
- Day 3: Prambanan + Sewu + Plaosan + Ratu Boko sunset
- Day 4: Solo day trip
Or alternative day 4: Mount Merapi lava tour + Kaliurang highlands.
Yogyakarta richly rewards 3-5 days for the city, temples, and immediate surrounds. Adding Solo and the south coast extends this to a full week. The combination of temples, palaces, food, and accessible day trips makes the area one of the most substantive cultural destinations in Indonesia.