One more time in Singapore

As there is no direct flight from Yogyakarta to Bangkok, we decide to fly via Singapore. Since my last visit to Singapore was several years ago, I am happy to visit a new place like the Marina Bay Sand and to have a chilli crab for my lunch at No Signboard Seafood restaurant before going back home.





That is my short trip for Indonesia: Bangkok - Surabaya - Yogyakarta - Singapore - Bangkok.

Once again in Indonesia - Yogjakarta

Early in the morning we walk from our hotel to visit the Borobudur.

Borobudur is an 8th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument near Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.




After breakfast, we then leave Borobudur to visit the Sultan's Palace or Kraton. Kraton or Keraton is the Javanese word for a royal palace. Its name is derived from ratu, which means "ruler" (king or queen). The Sultan’s Palace or Kraton, with its grand elegent Javanese architecture, lay in the centre of Jogja city. It was built in 1755 by Prince Mangkubumi was then called Sultan Hamengku Buwono I.

Pavillion in the Kraton.

Next is the Tama Sari Water Castle. It is a site of a former royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. It is located about 2 km south within the grounds of the Kraton, Yogyakarta. Built in mid 18th century, the Taman Sari had multiple functions, such as a resting area, a workshop, a meditation area, a defense area, and a hiding place. Today only the central bathing complex is well preserved, while the other areas have been largely occupied by the Kampung Taman settlement.





Prambanan, our last place to visit for this Indonesian trip.


Prambanan is a ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The temple compound is located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta city on the boundary between Yogyakarta and Central Java province. The temple is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and is one of the largest and the most beautiful Hindu temples in Southeast Asia.

Once again in Indonesia - Surabaya

This morning we visit the Surabaya zoo, mainly is to visit the Komodo.

A very long tail monkey.

A young komodo. The Komodo dragon is a large species of lizard found in Indonesian islands. It can grow to a maximum of 3 meter length and weighs up to around 70 kilograms.


We then fly to Yogyakarta where our hire rental car pick up us to Manohara Hotel where we stay overnight.

Once again in Indonesia - Bromo

With the constrain of Time, Money and Energy; there are not many places that I usually “revisit”. Not to mention that the world is so big that there are many places that I would like to travel to, so I save all the three most important factors for those that I have never visit before. However, for my first time view of this magnificent “Bromo” in the mist of dawn 5 year before, I promise myself that I will someday come back to visit it again.

(Link to my Bromo previous trip)

We fly to Surabaya where a rental car company is waiting and give us a drive to Tosari, a small village. Tosari is on the northwest of the caldera. From there we rent a 4WD to take us to the “Penanjakan” view point.


Though for a second time traveller, Bromo is still a breathtaking site. Bromo, of which entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke, is still smouldering. Late last year and beginning of this year, it volcanic ash and incandescent material was thrown up by eruptive activity with a heavy rain of ejected volcanic material falling around the crater.




The caldera or The Sea of Sand where our 4WD will drive across to take us as close as possible to the base of the mount.


From the car parking, there are another 3 km to walk to the top of the crater. One can either walk or ride a horse for ¾ of the trail and then dismount and walk further, and finally climb the 250 steep steps to the edge.

Pathway leading to the top

View from the top - You can see where the Hindu temple and parking line are situated. Don’t ask me how many times that I have to stop on the way up.

View into the Mount Bromo crater.