A Weekend of Culture and Adventure in Yogyakarta

· October 27, 2026 ·
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German exchange students and the APU International Office group pose at Prambanan

Cara, Melanie and Frederick, exchange students from Albstadt-Sigmaringen University in Germany, spent Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11, 2026, exploring Yogyakarta with the International Office of Agung Putra University. Their two-day trip combined sightseeing, food and adventure.

Temples, a water garden and sunset

After leaving Semarang, the group first stopped at Prambanan. The students walked through the Hindu temple complex, including Candi Trimurti and Candi Wahana, taking time to examine the carvings and take photographs.

They then visited Candi Sewu, a Buddhist temple complex just north of Prambanan. The proximity of two different religious sites surprised several students, who had expected one large temple rather than an entire area of temples.

In the afternoon, the group went to Taman Sari, a former royal water garden in Yogyakarta. A tour led them through pools, passages and old walls while they learned how members of the royal family had used the site.

At Bukit Paralayang in Bantul, a short walk brought them to a sunset viewpoint. Most of the group remained there until the sky changed colour.

"We had a long day, but sitting there watching the sun go down over the hills made it all worth it. I would have stayed longer if we could," Cara said.

Afterward, the group ate bakmi for dinner and returned to the villa to rest.

Malioboro and cave tubing

On Sunday morning, the students walked along Malioboro, a well-known street in Yogyakarta. They browsed its shops and stalls and experienced its busy atmosphere before the day became hot.

At around 10 a.m., the group left for Goa Pindul in Gunungkidul. Each person climbed into an inner tube and floated along the river, moving in and out of the cave. Sunlight entered through gaps in the rock, while the sounds of water and laughter filled the cave. No one seemed eager to get out.

"I think this was my favourite part of the whole trip. Floating through a cave on a tube is something I never imagined doing, and I couldn't stop smiling the entire time," Frederick said.

By the time they returned to Semarang, the students had experienced temples, a palace garden, a hilltop sunset, a well-known street and a cave in two days.

Event Gallery

Cara, Melanie, Frederick, and four International Office team members pose with Prambanan Temple behind them.
Cara, Melanie, and Frederick visit Prambanan with the Agung Putra University International Office.
Cara, Melanie, and Frederick stand beside a pool among the historic walls of Taman Sari.
Cara, Melanie, and Frederick explore Taman Sari in Yogyakarta.
Five visitors sit facing the ocean as the sun sets over the coast below Bukit Paralayang.
The group watches the sunset from Bukit Paralayang.
The group walks along the Malioboro sidewalk past shops and benches on a sunny morning.
A Sunday morning walk along Malioboro in Yogyakarta.
Five participants in life jackets stand behind large inner tubes beside the water at Goa Pindul.
The group prepares for cave tubing at Goa Pindul.