Java & Borobudur

Java is the world's most populous island, 151 million people, and also home to Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument ever built. Constructed between 750 and 850 AD under the Sailendra dynasty, Borobudur is a nine-level mandala in stone: 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues arranged around a central stupa that represents the moment of enlightenment. The monument was buried under volcanic ash and jungle for a thousand years before Stamford Raffles ordered its excavation in 1814.

Access to the upper terraces is now by timed ticket in small guided groups, and the classic sunrise is watched from nearby hills such as Setumbu, with Merapi and Merbabu volcanoes rising behind the monument. The Prambanan temple complex, built in the 9th century by a Hindu dynasty, lies east of Yogyakarta, around an hour and a half by road from Borobudur.

Yogyakarta, the cultural capital of Java, organises itself around the Kraton: the royal palace complex that is still the residence of the Sultan of Yogyakarta, whose sultanate was never formally abolished during Indonesian independence. The batik tradition, the wayang kulit shadow puppet tradition, and the gamelan music tradition are all taught in studios open to visitors within the Kraton district. Mount Bromo, in East Java, produces one of Asia's great volcanic spectacles: a caldera floor of volcanic sand surrounding a smoking crater, accessible on horseback before dawn.

Java's cities, from the vast capital of Jakarta to the university town of Yogyakarta and the royal city of Solo, sit among some of the most active volcanoes on earth. Beyond the famous temples, the island has cultural and natural attractions that few visitors see.

Solo, also known as Surakarta, around an hour from Yogyakarta by train, is a royal city with two palaces, a batik museum and markets that feel far less touristy than those of its neighbour. The temples of Sukuh and Cetho, on the slopes of Mount Lawu nearby, are unusual Hindu sites with a pyramid-like form and a mystical atmosphere.

East Java is volcano country. Mount Bromo sits inside the Tengger caldera, surrounded by a sea of sand, with Mount Semeru, Java's highest peak, often puffing smoke in the background. Visitors usually arrive before dawn at a viewpoint on the rim of the caldera, then descend to the sand sea and climb to the crater of Bromo. The Ijen crater, further east, has a turquoise acid lake and sulphur miners who carry heavy loads from the crater floor. The blue flames, caused by burning sulphur gases, are visible only in darkness, and the gas can be dangerous, so a gas mask and a guide are essential.

West Java, around Bandung, has tea plantations, hot springs and the volcanic crater of Tangkuban Perahu. Ujung Kulon National Park, at the western tip, is the last refuge of the Javan rhinoceros, one of the rarest large mammals on earth.

Javanese food is often sweeter than that of other Indonesian islands. Gudeg, jackfruit stewed in palm sugar and coconut milk, is Yogyakarta's signature. Rawon, a black beef soup coloured with keluak nuts, is a speciality of East Java. Nasi goreng, satay and tempeh, which originated on Java, are found everywhere.

The dry season, from May to September, is the best time to visit, particularly for volcano treks. The wet season brings heavy rain and cloud, though the temples can still be visited.

Java is well connected by train, with comfortable services linking Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo and Surabaya. The temples, the volcanoes of the east and the cities in between take ten days to two weeks.