Vacation Flashback: The Honeymoon!

Now, it's time to revert to our honeymoon. On April 15th, 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Fahrur Rohman stole away from the madness of the world to take time out in a restful and romantic place: Jogjakarta.  

The lovebirds were searching for a hotel which served unique experience full of Indonesian culture, wealth and heritage yet budget friendly. Then we looked no further! All we could wish for, and more besides, was found at the exotically charming Adya Nalendra Boutique Hotel. Situated on the city center of Jogja, Adya Nalendra is the perfect choice for budget travelers who are into Javanese culture. Filled with artifacts and antiques from Javanese culture, Adya Nalendra has become a home for the discerning traveler who loves something unique and ethnic.

image taken from Agoda

Image taken from Agoda

Image taken from Agoda

We booked a Superior Room via Agoda, but once we arrived the staffs told us that the room would be maintained. And guess what? We were moved to the Executive Room! Hooray for that! :D Spending the night in the gorgeous Executive Room that treats guests to plenty of extra space and offers all the features of the Superior Room brought more comfortable feeling. A friendly staff, fabulously cultural rooms, and a good central location to pretty much everything makes the hotel a great value to consider for your honeymoon.

Several travel destinations had been listed to visit within a day. 

#1 Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII)

I always desire to trace back where my husband spent his college years. A long lost temple, believed to be part of a 9th and 10th century temple during the rule of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom, was accidentally discovered in this campus. The ancient temple which is located in the library building was unearthed in 2009, the news revealed.    

Location: Jl. Kaliurang KM. 14,5 Sleman

#2 Museum Ullen Sentalu

 

The Ullen Sentalu museum is a Javanese culture and art museum which was established in 1994. Relics and artifact from royal houses and kraton of Java, such as Yogyakarta, Pakualam, Surakarta, and Mangkunegaran are displayed here. The entry ticket is only IDR 30K for domestic tourists and IDR 50K for foreign tourists. It took about an hour to discover the museum's collection which was guided by a knowledgeable and helpful guide. For art enthusiasts and novices alike, this rarely-visited museum in Kaliurang highland will make you awestruck by the artworks and the museum building itself which is designed like a maze to connect one room to another. Surely, this museum is well worth an hour or two.

Address: Jl. Boyong KM. 25, Kaliurang Barat, Sleman.

#3 Kalimilk

Kalimilk serves freshly flavored milk and snacks. In addition to the beverages, one of the main draws of this cafe is the amusing tagline on the wall called Neneners. :D Neneners is a term referring to avid milk drinkers. The price ranges from IDR 10K to 50K.

Address: Jl. Kaliurang KM. 4,9 Sleman

#4 Rumah Paris

From Kaliurang, we drove away to the recently popular Rumah Paris Bed and Breakfast. It is an unusual home stay in Jogja with a Victorian classic style home and decor. Guests can recapture a bit of the past with vintage style pieces in every corner of this fun, cool and unique two-storey lodge. There are three different thematic rooms to lie down:  Shabbylicious Chic Room, World Traveler Room, and Beach Cottage Room. This place can also be reserved for some particular events such as photoshoot, eating out, and garden party. If you want to take pictures inside the house, reservation is required and it will be charged IDR 200K. But don't worry guys, you can still take pictures outside the house.

Address: Jl. Parangtritis KM. 8,5 Tembi

After traveling to those destinations, it wouldn't be complete if you did not eat Gudeg in lesehan (or street). My husband got a recommended gudeg seller since he was in college years named Nasi Gudeg Cukupan Batas Kota. There's something uniquely distinct about street food that is hard to replicate in an indoor kitchen. You should experience this one that other cities don't have.

Conclusively, for those of you on the hunt for lofty cultural and artistic values, definitely visit Yogyakarta and don't forget your camera.