Sunrise above the mist and the villages around Borobudur

Watch Borobudur emerge from a sea of mist beneath the volcanoes, then cycle through rice fields to two small temples linked to it by an ancient line.

Area

Temples of the plain

Start from

Borobudur village

Distance

about 25 km by bicycle or car

Time needed

1 day, or overnight

Best season

Dry season, May – September, for the best misty sunrises

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Bicycle, motorbike or car with driver

Tickets & rules

Small entrance fees for Punthuk Setumbu, Mendut and Pawon

Why go

Borobudur is magnificent up close, but the views of it are just as memorable. From the hill of Punthuk Setumbu, a few kilometres to the west, you can sit in the dark and watch the sky turn pink behind Merapi and Merbabu while the plain below fills with white mist. As the sun rises, the dark shape of Borobudur appears in the middle, like an island.

After sunrise, the countryside around the temple is perfect for slow exploring. Tiny roads wind through rice fields, tobacco and chilli plots, and villages where people make pottery, weave mats or carve stone. Families wave from porches; kids shout ‘hello mister’ regardless of gender.

And there are two small temples that most visitors rush past. Mendut, a couple of kilometres east, houses a three-metre stone Buddha seated with his feet on the floor, flanked by two bodhisattvas, one of the most serene sculptures in Java. Pawon, smaller still, stands neatly between Mendut and Borobudur.

The story

Mendut, Pawon and Borobudur lie almost on a straight line, and many scholars believe they were planned together as stations along a pilgrimage route. Every year during Vesak, the celebration of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death, thousands of monks and pilgrims follow that route on foot, from Mendut through Pawon to Borobudur, at night, with candles and lanterns.

Mendut was built in the early ninth century, around the same time as Borobudur. Its great seated Buddha, carved from a single block of stone, is in the teaching posture; on either side sit Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani. Next door is a modern Buddhist monastery with a peaceful garden, where visitors are welcome to walk quietly.

Punthuk Setumbu became famous partly through photographers and partly through a film: a scene from the Indonesian romance ‘What’s Up with Love? 2’ (Ada Apa dengan Cinta? 2) was shot here in 2016 and made it a national sensation. Nearby is a strange local landmark, a building shaped like a giant bird on a hill, which everyone calls the ‘Chicken Church’ (Gereja Ayam). It was built as a prayer house open to all faiths by a man who said he saw it in a dream.

The area also has living crafts. In Klipoh village, potters have made earthenware for generations, and they say their ancestors may appear on some of Borobudur’s reliefs, which show pots very like the ones they still make. Many homestays can arrange a visit.

Getting there

The hill of Punthuk Setumbu is about 4 km west of Borobudur. To arrive before sunrise from Jogja, you have to leave around 3:30–4:00, so it’s far easier to stay the night in Borobudur village.

Bicycles can be rented in the village or arranged through homestays. Mendut is about 3 km east of Borobudur, with Pawon in between, so everything is in easy cycling distance on flat roads.

A suggested plan

1. 4:15Walk or drive to Punthuk Setumbu and climb the short path to the viewpoint.
2. 6:30Coffee at the hilltop stalls, then a look at the ‘Chicken Church’ nearby.
3. 8:30Cycle through rice fields and the pottery village of Klipoh.
4. 11:00Pawon temple, then Mendut and the quiet garden of the monastery next door.
5. 13:00Lunch, then return to Jogja or climb Borobudur in the afternoon.

Where to stay

The villages around Borobudur have many family-run homestays, from simple rooms with a view of rice fields to comfortable guesthouses. It’s one of the most pleasant places in the region to spend a quiet night.

Good to know

• Mist is not guaranteed; dry-season mornings after a clear night give the best chance.
• Bring a light jacket for the pre-dawn wait.
• Cycling in the heat is tiring; finish before midday or ride again in the late afternoon.