Browsing Tag

borobudur

#14 Borobudur, Indonesia

When people think of Indonesia the first thing that usually pops into their minds is Bali. Can’t blame them, really. And even though I’m not a big fan of the island, I can appreciate why people would be attracted to the lush greenery, temples, and white sandy beaches with crystal clear water on offer. Me? I’m more of a Java man. Indonesia’s main island has a tremendous amount of things to explore and getting to them tends to involve a fair bit of adventure, which is just the type of thing I love.

While not my favourite (or most adventurous) of the lot, Borobudur – an 8th century Buddhist temple, the largest in the world – offers a sunrise that rivals many of the best I’ve had a chance to experience across the world. Once you make it inside the complex you rush to the top of the temple to get a jaw-dropping view of these gorgeous bell-domed stupas (of which there are over 70, most of them with a Buddha statue inside) overlooking a misty Mount Merapi. It’s magical, there’s no other way to describe it.