A stunning sunrise from Candi Borobudur

This is my 3rd time visiting Borobudur Temple, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and it just never ceases to mesmerize me with its stunning backdrop. It is a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century.

This time I got the chance to stay at the Manohara Hotel situated within the complex. I just need to wake up at 4:00 AM and get to the temple to welcome the morning sunrise. A day before, one of the personnels told me that if it rains at night, the sunrise would look even more spectacular. And yes it was. Here are my shots for this weekend trip.

From Temples to Temples: Returning to Yogyakarta Part 2

During my first attempt to visit Yogyakarta, my flight was cancelled due to the volcanic eruption of Gunung Merapi, Indonesia's most active volcano situated just in the outskirts of Yogyakarta and Magelang (where Borobudur Temples is located) cities. Luckily, I got another chance to visit Yogyakarta in May of 2012. During that time, I managed to visit both Borobudur and Prambanan Temples. Both were spectacularly amazing and it's architecture and design were just stunning. Both of these temples are intricately carved with the story of Rama and Shinta, popularly known as the main characters of the epic book series of the Mahabharata, which originated from India.

3 years after, I have returned to this stunning, cultural-filled city of Yogyakarta with my family. I toured them around and I also tried to visit other temples which I missed during my first visit namely Ratu Boko and Candi Sewu.

Good morning Mount Merapi. Hello Yogyakarta City.