ghisl

I will be in that area for about 5 days (2 nights at the Novotel in Solo and 3 nights at the Phoenix in Yogyakarta). We are flying in and out from Denpasar. My question has to do with transportation. Should I look at hiring a car with driver for the whole time we're there to take us where we want to go - airport transfers, Borobudur, restaurants and other places to see? Or can we simply rely on walking, taxis and booking a tour for Borobudur? Any help greatly appreciated.

Kathie

You will want a car and driver for much of the time you are there. If it were me - and it isn't - I'd just get a taxi from the airport (there is a taxi stand at each airport and it will be a fixed rate to where you are going) and I'd hire a car and driver as needed. There are agencies in Yogy or your hotel can help you. Most days you'll want a car and driver, as so many things you'll want to see are at some distance. You may have a day or a couple of half days when you just want to wander (I don't know exactly where your Yogy hotel is).

glover

We were in Yogy at the Phoenix just a few days ago. You will Love the Phoenix! As kKathie said just head to taxi stand from airport. Seemed like it took half hour or less. Every taxi you take in town will ask you about taking you to Borobudur and other places. We arranged with one of them to do that. Was cheaper than what Phoenix was offering. Cheaper still would be with one of the tour companies ego take snpmall groups in vans, but then you're subject to their time table. Our driver picked us up at 8 on a monday. We spent about 2 and a Hal hours doing Borobudur on our own. Meanwhile he waited in parking lot. We didn 't even have to give time. Then we had him drive us to Prambanan. We got back to hotel at about 4 or 5. We paid him 450,000 rupiah, about 50 bucks these days. That seemed like fair price to us , but more energetic negotiators could pergphaps do better. Though we did a fair amount of walking from phoenix, I don't know that you 'll want to. It's very hot, and rather confusing. Street crossing is challenging too. Taxis are metered and cheap. You can easily take a taxi to restaurants too. In fact you'll probably need to. We didn't find anything to walk to around Phoenix.

Becalm

Your choice really...
Certainly, you can book through your hotel or hire
someone from the airport taxi stand or from an in-town
agency - easy enough. Travel within Yogya and Solo can be
done with local taxis unless you plan for very little downtime
and then the convenience of a driver at your disposal might make sense.

If you would prefer to book ahead for at least your travel
between cities and to Borobudur, I can give a very positive
reco to www.borobudurtourandtravel.com
Talk with Weidy who is one of the owners. He is excellent as
is Rohmad and really any of their drivers and guides.
I have recommended BT&T to many with excellent feedback
for 4 years, including "stankase" on this forum.

Be sure to check if Borobudur has been opened to tourists
yet as it was closed recently due to the ash from the eruption of Mt. Merapi.

Kathie

As per marmot's recent posts, Borobudur has been reopened. It's Mt. Bromo that is acting up now.

ghisl

Thanks for your help. Right now, my young son (who's living in Solo) has found a car hire that is willing to charge about $240 for the entire time - pick up from airport to Solo Novotel in evening, Day 2 - drive around Solo and sight-see, Day 3 - Solo in morning and drive to Yogy Phoenix, Day 4 - Borobudur and Prambanan, Day 5 - any suggestions? We are flying back to Bali early on Day 6 and will probably just get a cab from hotel. The car hire is based in Solo so I'm wondering if we're paying too much to have him drive back and forth to Yogy and back.

Another option is to hire him for the airport pickup and day in Solo but then to take the train to Yogy and hire our own driver for Borobudur and Prambanan. Has anyone traveled on the train there?

Glover - I'm pleased that you liked the Phoenix. I hope the room is okay. I found a great deal - 3 nights for the price of 2 including breakfast but it's only valid on the basic room.

glover

When we went to Borobudur a few days ago, all was open except stupas. Guys were working, but it still looks wonderful. We thought it was actually a good time to go, as on a Monday am at 9:30 there were very few people there. Had read that tourists there were down 70 percent. At Bromo, the maior walk is still closed, but you can hike up to a great viewpoint. They told us that rest would open "maybe next week.". But who knows. Bromo still smokin and rumbling, and they're digging out from lots of ash

marmot

I think it's great that your son has found someone who'll be on-call for you the whole time. $US240 is probably more than you could pay alacarte but it still sounds like a good deal to me for 4 days and nights!

Yogya (or any Javanese city) isn't to navigate on foot. It's hot, crowded, trafficky and sidewalks are neglible. It's best to get driven from site to site then strike off on foot as you like.

There's some beautiful scenery around Merapi and Borobudur so sometimes the trip trumps the destination.

I haven't been there for a few years, but I always liked a shop near Borobudur called Mendut (like the little temple). They did wonderful replications of antique batik sarongs and glass paintings that are common to the area.

vanbenjamin

Your choice really...
Certainly, you can book through your hotel or hire
someone from the airport taxi stand or from an in-town
agency - easy enough. Travel within Yogya and Solo can be
done with local taxis unless you plan for very little downtime
and then the convenience of a driver at your disposal might make sense.

If you would prefer to book ahead for at least your travel
between cities and to Borobudur, I can give a very positive
reco to www.borobudurtourdrivers.blogspot.com
Talk with Weidy who is one of the owners. He is excellent as
is Noor and really any of their drivers and guides.
I have recommended BT&T to many with excellent feedback
for 4 years, including "stankase" on this forum.