YOGYAKARTA

Yogyakarta or jogja ( Jogjakarta ) is a city and the capital of Yogyakarta Special Region - Indonesia. It is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik,  ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. Yogyakarta was the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolutions from 1945 to 1949. One of the districts in Yogyakarta, Kotagede , was the capital of the Mataram Sultanate between 1575 and 1640.

Total area of the city Yogyakarta is 32.5 square kilometres . While the city spreads in all directions from the kraton (the Sultan's palace), the core of the modern city is to the north, centring around Dutch colonial-era buildings and the commercial district. Jalan Malioboro , with rows of pavement vendors and nearby market and malls, is the primary shopping street for tourists in the city, while Jalan Solo, further north, is a shopping district more frequented by locals. At the southern end of Malioboro, on the east side is the large local market of Beringharjo, not far from Fort Vredeburg a restored Dutch fort.
Yogyakarta's centre is the keraton, or Sultan's palace. Surrounding the kraton is a densely populated residential neighbourhood that occupies land that was formerly the Sultan's sole domain. Evidence of this former use remains in the form of old walls and the ruined Taman Sari, built in 1758 as a pleasure garden. No longer used by the sultan, the garden had been largely abandoned. For a time, it was used for housing by palace employees and descendants. Reconstruction efforts began in 2004, and an effort to renew the neighbourhood around the kraton has begun. The site is a developing tourist attraction.
Nearby to the city of Yogyakarta there is  is Mount Merapi or  Gunung Merapi. It is an active Stratavolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta -  Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548 and the  last erupted in November 2010.
Yogyakarta features a tropical monsoon climate. The city features a lengthy wet season running from October until June and a short dry season  that only covers the months of July to September. The city averages roughly 2,200 mm (87 in). Yogyakarta experiences particularly heavy rainfall from November until  April. with average high temperatures at around 30 degrees Celsius and average lows at around 22 degrees Celsius
Yogyakarta is one of the largest cities in Indonesia, It is adjancent to Wates and Kulomprogo in the west, Wonosari and Gunungkidul Regency in the east, Sleman Regency in the north and Bantul Regency in the south. Yogyakarta Province area is capitalized in City of Yogyakarta.
Visitors to Yogyakarta really are spoiled for choice when it comes to entertainment, whether they are interested in exploring the city’s cultural heritage, shadow puppet performances, fine dining, temple hopping or shopping. Of course, shopping is a popular pastime and there are dozens of modern shopping malls dotted around the city as well as lively market places and bazaars. Don’t forget to barter at the market to get a great discount.
Getting around the city is easy as there are a number of types of transport to choose from. Although there are plenty of buses and modern taxis for tourists, the city still has a good number of horses and carriages. Known as andong and dokar, this is an interesting way to get around and really see all that the city has to offer.
This is a good place to use as a base to explore west Java as there are a number of interesting daytrip destinations located nearby, such as cool hill stations, volcanoes and hot springs. When it’s time to move on, there are plenty of transport options, from numerous buses to trains and taxis.
Yogyakarta is the gateway to the country and one of the most popular tourist destinations, offering visitors a wide range of interesting attractions. Best Time to visit Yogyakarta is during the dry season between May and September.