Jogja's Never Ending Golden Area

Besides the deadly heat cloud it occasionally spew, Merapi also gives birth to new lives. Many civilizations have risen time after time, from the glorious Shailendra Dinasty to the metropolis kingdom we have now.

Updated on 8 December 2019

Like the legendary phoenix, Sleman rises and thrives on the ashes of Merapi that has stood silently as it witnesses the rise and fall of the many civilizations throughout the history of Java. This region is blessed with fertile volcanic soil, turning it into the epicenter of human beings advancement hitherto. Here you can find the remains of the glorious olden days like Prambanan Temple from the Sanjaya Dynasty, King Boko Palace from Shailendra Dynasty, as well as a Mosque @selokan-mataran (a 31 km long irrigation system built during the Japanese occupation) built by the Yogyakarta Sultanate.

Even now Sleman still becomes the center of Yogyakarta's civilization. Various shopping centers, universities, and dense residential areas are concentrated in the southern part of Sleman, turning it into the most important district in this province. This heavily populated metropolis lives side by side with green rice fields and quiet villages. People can find everything they could possibly want here. Its beauty will always invite more and more traveler.

You can start your adventure in Sleman at dawn before the sun rises. Make haste to the slope of Mount Merapi where you can rent a jeep and have fun with lava tour in one of the world's most active volcanoes. The jeep will take you on to a place where you can witness a spectacular sunrise amid the volcanic materials spewed by the volcano during the 2010 eruption. After basking yourself in the warmth of the morning sun, the jeep will give you a chance to explore the ruins of the houses laid waste by the eruption, including the famous Museum Sisa Hartaku (a museum displaying various household items affected by the eruption). Ready yourself for an adrenaline rush because your ride won't take an ordinary path. You are in for an off-road surprise!

After the lava tour, take your time before going down to the south. The refreshing cold air of Kaliurang can be the perfect countermeasure for the increasing heat. Here you can visit various tourist attractions such as Plunyon Bridge, Telaga Putri, Gua Jepang Kaliurang, and Turgo Hill. If you prefer indoor activities, you can enjoy a collection of Javanese cultural relics and artefacts in Museum Ullen Sentalu. You can also go to Museum Gunung Api Merapi to know more about the beauty and the true power of the mountain.

Once the heat becomes more bearable on your skin, make your way to the south. During the rainy season, try visiting Ketingan Tourism Village where you can witness thousands of Kuntul Kerbau (Bubulcus ibis) nesting in the yards of the locals. If you are a photography enthusiasts, the best choice for you will be King Boko Palace. In this ancient palace you can capture sunset with Prambanan Temple as the backdrop. Want to go somewhere higher? You better prepare your vehicle for an uphill ride to Ijo Temple, the highest temple in Yogyakarta offering an unforgettable twilight view.

In Sleman, you can never stop having an adventure, even after the sun sets. Once it gets dark, hit the gas and make your way to Monumen Jogja Kembali (monjali), a museum with a yard transformed into Taman Pelangi. This is the place where you can indulge yourself in the spectacular colorful lanterns shining like a rainbow at night. In addition to the lanterns, various attractions such as trampoline and Haunted Castle are more than ready to give you incredible experiences. To escalate the fun even further, you can visit Sindu Kusuma Edupark, a 7 hectare amusement park with numerous attractions specifically designed to give you the time of your life.

If the above mentioned options are not enough, you can always find other equally enjoyable spots in Sleman. You can ride your bicycle and explore Selokan Mataram and pedal your way to smaller temples built around it like Sambisari Temple, Plaosan Temple, Candi Sari, Tara Temple, and several others. If you are an adrenaline junkie, find out whether you are good enough to survive the downhill track of Turgo Hill. The track includes passing through the jungle and fields belonging to the locals while tackling various obstacles.

In a mood for shopping? Don't worry, Sleman has plenty shopping centers you can hit during your shopping frenzy. One of the most well known shopping center is Ambarrukmo Plaza (Amplaz), a mall located in Jl Laksda Adisucipto, right at the southernmost part of Sleman District. Another option available for you is Hartono Mall located in the North Ring Road. This mall is one of the most recently built ones and widely known as the biggest mall in Yogyakarta and Central Java. A bit hidden in the west, you will find Jogja City Mall at km 5 of Jl Magelang. Lastly, if you go to the east, you will find Sahid J-Walk Mall in Seturan.

Despite not having any beaches, Sleman still has some tourist attractions where you can have fun playing with water. One of these places is Jogja Bay located next to Maguwoharjo Stadium. This waterpark is said to be the biggest in Indonesia-boasting an area of 7.7 hectare and 19 cool attractions to make sure you are having a good time. Not into a man-made swimming pool? No problem! Just go to Pemandian Tirta Budi or what is known by the name Blue Lagoon, a natural swimming pool surrounded by a beautiful rural view.


Sleman has a quite lot options in terms of public transportation though they still have not covered the whole region. Trans Jogja network covers most places within the southern part of the district such as UGM region, Kentungan, Condongcatur, Adisucipto International Airport, and Prambanan Temple. Some small buses travel to and from some remote areas on routes such as Jogja-Kaliurang, Jogja-Tempel, etc.

To go beyond that, it is better for you to rent a personal vehicle. When traveling solo or in pairs, renting motorbikes in Bening Transport is the best option. On the other hand, when traveling in a bigger group, you should find a car rental. If you desire more flexibility in visiting Sleman's tourist attractions, you have the option to rent a self-drive car in places like Bening Car Rental. On the contrary, if you don't want to tire yourself with long drives or if you are the kind of person to getting lost, you may want to rent both a car and a driver in rentals such as Aditia Transport and @adam-jogja-transport.

For other references, see Rent A Car in Yogyakarta


Sleman has quite a lot eateries, from hidden traditional food to modern cafes and fancy restaurants. For spicy food mania, Entok Slenget Kang Tanir, a hidden restaurant in Donokerto, Turi is the perfect place to go to. This restaurant serves delectable duck meat coupled with slenget (a spicy thick sauce) so hot that it draws tears out from your eyes.

In addition to Entok Slenget, you can spoil your tastes with several other unique cuisines Sleman has to offer. One of them is Ayam Bakar Klaten Miroso in Tridadi where you can eat chicken meat so delicious you can taste its sweetness in the bones. For those who would love to bring home some snacks as gifts, go to Bakpiapia and taste a wide variety of unique bakpia (Yogyakarta's famous mung bean cake) such as dragon's beard bakpia, cappuccino bakpia, etc.

See also: 8-Must-Eat-culinary-in-Kaliurang


Just like its tourist attractions, the lodgings in Sleman also boast a wide range of choices, from hotel, hostel, guest house, and homestay. You can choose a place to stay based on the size of your group, budget, and the atmosphere you desire. For example, a backpacker choosing affordability over privacy can stay in a hostel like Retra's Hostel in Kentungan. This place is very wallet-friendly since you can book bunk beds in its dormitory-a perfect chance to add other backpackers staying in the hostel to your friends list.

If you travel with a group, renting a house is the right choice. A house for rent or a guest house usually has spacious spaces capable of accommodating any kind of group activities such as cooking, movie marathons, or even a barbeque party. For you who prefer an urban atmosphere with high accessibility to many places of interest, guest houses such as Bale Gandok and Omah Rojo are available as options. On the other hand, if you love quiet and less crowded places, Mino Homestay, Tamu Ibu Guest House and @Tirtonirmolo-Guest-House are more suitable for you.

In Pakem and Kaliurang, you can find other lodgings that will spoil you with beautiful rural atmosphere at the slope of Mount Merapi. This place is suitable for leisure travelers seeking comfortable lodgings with fresh mountain air where they can relax throughout the holiday season. In Pakem, Turi Homestay Krisna offers you a chance at being the boss of a snake fruit trading enterprise for a day. In Kaliurang you can stay at several luxe hotels like @Griya-Persada, the best view resort hotel in Jogja.

For other options, click Stay

Back to top