Borobudur

Overview

Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, built on the Indonesian island of Java from about two million blocks of volcanic stone. Shaped as a mandala, it rises through three levels representing the three realms of Buddhist cosmology. The structure carries 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues, topped by 72 bell-shaped stupas each containing a Buddha image. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1991.

History

Borobudur was built between AD 778 and 838 under the Sailendra dynasty, then the most powerful Buddhist kingdom in Java. After about AD 900 it was gradually abandoned for political and religious reasons as Hinduism and then Islam rose, and volcanic ash buried it for centuries. In 1814 the British colonial administrator Thomas Stamford Raffles commissioned its rediscovery, and restoration work followed through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Highlights

• •Sunrise at Borobudur, the most spectacular photo opportunity in Southeast Asia
• •The upper stupas silhouetted against Mount Merapi
• •Detailed reliefs telling the Buddha's past lives and human stories
• •The equally magnificent Hindu temples of Prambanan nearby

Practical tips

• •Book online in advance; peak-season dates sell out
• •The sunrise package, climbing from about 4 am, is recommended
• •Wear light clothing covering shoulders and knees; a sarong can be borrowed
• •A combined ticket covers Prambanan on the same day

Practical information

Best time

May to September

Tickets

About USD 25 for foreign visitors; sunrise visit about USD 40

Opening hours

6:00 to 17:00; sunrise visits 4:00 to 6:00

Local food

Nasi goreng, satay and gado-gado

Getting around

Borobudur and Prambanan are reached by hired car or a sunrise tour

Visa

Visa-free or visa-on-arrival arrangements apply to Chinese citizens; check the latest announcements. Entering Bali requires an electronic customs declaration.

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