The mythical world of music and dance

Ramayana Ballet, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

It’s appropriate that with the ancient Prambanan Temple in the background, you are transported back to a time of demons, heroic animals and epic royal quests. It’s a mythical world illustrated through dance and music that is the setting for a love story centuries old.

The Ramayana Ballet is the most famous performance in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta. It was only while I was going through some photos of my trip there late last year that I realised I hadn’t shared any photos of the incredible show.

It’s a graceful and fluid spectacle that juxtaposes the grandeur of the large open air stage with the focused detail of the ballet choreography. The whole performance, with the backdrop of the temple, feels exotic and, at the same time intimate. The costumes, the expressions, and the songs draw you in.

The tale is an old Indian epic which has become popular in Indonesia and is the same portrayed in the Ramayana performance at Bali’s Uluwatu. A young princess is kidnapped by an evil demon and her lover prince, with the help of his brother and a monkey, set out to save her. The narrative climaxes at a pint where the mischievous animal sets fire to the palace of the antagonists.

Photos have trouble capturing the movements and animate beauty of the show but hopefully this collection gives you a sense of how it feels to be in the theatre with the hundreds of other spectators.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN YOGYAKARTA

There are some really cool places in Yogyakarta, which is just would you would expect from one of Indonesia’s most creative cities.

BACKPACKER

If you’re looking for a backpacker option, I would recommend the cool Cubic Jogja.

BUDGET

A good cheap and comfortable hotel is Aloha Hotel.

BOUTIQUE

For some ecofriendly accommodation, there’s the affordable Greenhost Boutique Hotel in a good location.

LUXURY

And when it comes to luxury, I would recommend the Sofia Boutique Residence.

Time Travel Turtle was a guest of the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT INDONESIA?

See my Indonesia Travel Guide

To help you plan your trip to Indonesia:

• How to see Komodo dragons at Komodo National Park
• Indonesia’s most incredible heritage site
• Take a boat into the jungle to meet the wild orangutans
• Go beyond Bali’s tourism to find the spirits in the rice fields
• Why Raja Ampat is probably the world’s best diving
• Visiting the majestic Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta
• The best things to do in central Jakarta
• Take a jeep ride up the dangerous Mount Merapi
• Learning to code on a inspiring retreat in Bali

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a tour of Indonesia, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours of Indonesia.

You could consider:

• Best of Java (9 days)
• Classic Bali and Lombok (14 days)
• Islands of Indonesia (22 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you should use World Nomads for your trip.