The region is best known for its two A-list UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Borobudur is an ancient Buddhist stupa and temple complex dating from the 9th century, and is the single most visited attraction in the whole of Indonesia. That brings with it some issues and the site can be over-run. Visitors keen to really enjoy the undoubted magnificence of Borobudur should consider staying the night in the area and visiting early the following morning before the hordes of day-trippers arrive.
No less impressive is the Hindu temple complex at Prambanan dating from the same period. The huge, imposing candi rise 40 to 50 metres in height and make for a truly awe-inspiring spectacle. Prambanan was tragically damaged by a major earthquake in May 2006 but the site is open again as restoration work continues.
Both Borobudur and Prambanan are easily combined with a visit to the ancient city of Yogyakarta, and these three destinations account for the vast majority of visitor arrivals in the region. Yogyakarta is the undoubted cultural capital of Java with a wonderful palace kraton and many historical attractions.
The Dieng Plateau is a little off the beaten path for overseas visitors, and certainly so when compared to the preceding destinations. This volcanic plain in the highlands north of Wonosobo is home to the oldest standing structures in Indonesia Hindu temples dating from the 8th century. It is though the scenery that draws most visitors here. Spectacular conical volcanoes, steaming sulphurous pools and eerie mountain lakes make for an almost other-worldly landscape.
