Java, a land of kingdoms and volcanoes, Southeast Asia's tropical paradise and the largest island state on Earth. Sleepy villages, vibrant metropolises and ancient temples. In the first part of our journey through Java, we visited lots of extraordinary places, from Jakarta to the Borobudur temple.

We begin this second half in Yogyakarta. The city and and its province have been governed by a sultan since pre-colonial times and enjoy “Special Region“ status. We visit the bird market, the sultan’s palace complex and discover Wayang Kulit, the oldest form of traditional Indonesian theatre. The city is considered the "cradle of Javanese culture".

Next, the largest Hindu temple complex in central Java, the temples of Prambanan, built in honour of the God Shiva in the 9th century and later abandoned and severely damaged in an earthquake in the 16th century.

Surakarta is still the home of the sultan today and we visit the old palaces and gardens, now open to the public.

Our route continues by horse drawn carriage from village to village through the endless rice paddy fields and then up into the mountains of Malang by train. Malang was once the centre of power and culture in Indonesia and it still captivates visitors today with its colonial charm.

We adventure through the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru national park by jeep up to the Tengger caldera and the magnificent Bromo volcano and finally, learn about the Indonesian art of Batik painting in harbour city of Surabaya.

JAVA is an island where extreme contrasts in a small but densely populated space combine to create an exciting symbiosis. Traditional culture competes with modern ways of life. Villages, volcanoes, cities and monuments - A land of millennia-old civilisation has opened itself up to the world.