C3. Borubudur Temple Tour

Experience one of the Seven Wonders of the World by joining us on a magical tour to Borobudur temple in Java. We depart Denpasar airport at 8 am, arriving at 10.00 am in Jogyakarta. A 1 hr drive takes us to the temple site where we spend a fascinating 1.5 hours at the temple. A delicious lunch is served afterwards, and then we continue our tour to nearby Prambanan temple for a 45-minute tour. We then head back to the airport for the return flight to Denpasar, arriving at 17.00 pm.

Interesting Facts:

Borubudur Temple is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Located some 42 kilometers northwest of Yogyakarta, it has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Indonesia, this massive andesine monument consists of at least 2 million stone blocks.

Borubudur initial construction was planned and conducted by Hindu builders sometime around 775AD. The enormous first and second terraces were completed by a declining Hindu dynasty, then construction was halted for some years, and later, from 790 to 835 AD, the Buddhist Sailendra dynasty continued and finally completed the great stupa.

During the 10th and 11th centuries there was a transfer of power from central Java to the east, and the great stupa fell into decline. The facts behind the desertion of this magnificent monument still remain a mystery. Some scholars believe that famine caused by an eruption of nearby Mount Merapi forced the inhabitants of Central Java to leave their lands and monuments behind in search of a new place to live. When people once again inhabited this area, the glory of Borubudur had already been buried under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth.

Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who, during his visit in Semarang, received a report indicating the discovery of a hill full of many carved stones, rediscovered it in 1814. The hill was believed by the local inhabitants to be the site of an ancient monument called Budur. Some efforts have been made to restore and preserve the colossal monument from 1905 to 1910, and the last restoration was done in 1973 to 1983.

Representing the existence of the universe, Borubudur perfectly reflects the Buddhist cosmology, which divides the universe into three intermingled separate levels. This massive, symmetrical monument, 200 square meters in size, represents a Buddhist cosmological model of the universe organized around the axis of mythical Mt. Meru.

Starting at the eastern gateway, pilgrims circumambulate the stupa, always in a clockwise direction. Walking through nearly five kilometers of open air corridors while ascending through six square terraces and three circular ones, the pilgrim symbolically spirals upward from the everyday world to the nirvanic state of absolute nothingness. The first six terraces are filled with richly decorated relief panels in which the sculptors have carved a textbook of Buddhist doctrines and a fascinating panorama of 9th century Javanese life. Upon the upper three terraces are 72 small stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. Crowning the entire structure is a great central stupa, representing Nirvana.

Piper Chieftain Flight Approx. 2 hr (each way) 5 pax max - US$ 7,380 per flight