The Taman Sari Water Castle

“The sultans had two hobbies”, the guide is explaining. “Hunting and hunting.”

“They hunt for four-legged…”, he pauses. “And they hunt for two-legged.”

It’s to investigate this second type of hunting – the one that certainly sounds more salacious – that I’m on my way to the Royal Water Castle (Taman Sari) in Yogyakarta. It’s not far from the official royal palace, known as the Kraton.

In fact, although it was built as a holiday retreat for the Sultan, it’s only a few minutes away by car or bus these days.

The Kraton is still in use, as Yogyakarta still has a Sultan who acts automatically as the region’s governor. But the Water Palace is now a part of history. Its main use is not really appropriate in modern Indonesia.

As I arrive, I can see that it has fallen slightly into disrepair. Not in the sense that it hasn’t been looked after – more that it has not been maintained to the same level an actively-used palace would have been.

Where once water would have flowed from fountains, there is just an empty entrance to a pipe. Where once people would have sat and entertained each other, there is just a dusty floor with a scattering of unswept leaves.

In the main part of the palace, through the entrance gardens and down the steps; beyond a large wall offering privacy, is the pool.

The blue waters are still here today and – with the sun shining down into the area – they sparkle. The wind blows ripples across the surface and they softly collide into the gentle fountains poking out from the floor.

It was here the hunted would play, not unwittingly.

Young ladies – chosen for their looks, their grace, their artistic talents – would swim in the water and stretch out by its edge. It’s probably not fair to say they would relax, though. You see, they knew they were being watched.

High in the tower at one end of the pool, the hunter would play.

It was here that he would sit, peering out through a barred window down to the pool.

He would watch the women and, when the time was right, choose one.

This was a great honour, though and the women were not being chosen for a quick bit of fun.

The sultan was looking for wives and, once a lady had been chosen, she would be taken away to be styled, tested, and taught – essentially a process for officials to make sure she would be appropriate for the sultan.

This was the first step of her introduction to the royal court.

It feels a bit strange to climb up the steps of the tower today and look out through the window. To me, it seems a bit perverted and a bit creepy. But I think that’s because I’m judging it on modern standards.

I can understand, when I try, that this was appropriate and honourable behaviour for the royal leaders of this land once upon a time. And, for the women, it was something they aspired to.

The pool itself seems comfortable and the atmosphere would have been enjoyable at times.

The Water Palace certainly does seem a long way from the Kraton, even if in reality it is just a few blocks.

Visit the Taman Sari Water Palace

Because it was once an extension of life in the Royal Palace, I think it makes sense to visit the Water Castle right after you have seen the Kraton.

It’s a relatively short walk between the two (about 10 or 15 minutes, depending on which exit you use) or you could jump in one of the rickshaws that will be hovering around.

If you are driving, the East Gate of the Water Castle has a larger paid parking lot, which will cost you IDR 2,000 (US$0.15) for a motorcycle or IDR 5,000 (US$0.30) for a car.

Inside the Water Castle, there isn’t a huge amount to see because it’s quite a small sight, with the focus on the pools and the buildings around them.

Depending on how much detail you want to look at, and whether you have a guide explaining the heritage, you won’t need to spend more than about 30 minutes or so here.

There are some exhibits here with English signs, but the pool is the main focus.

Although they’re not always signposted, there are a few other heritage buildings in the complex. And if you go through the original entrance (now at the back of the complex) there are some interesting alleyways to explore.

A few other useful bits of visitor information:

• To use your camera, you’ll need to pay an additional fee of IDR 3,000 (US$.20)
• Unlike the Royal Palace, there is no strict dress code, but it is still a good idea to dress respectfully when visiting important sights like this.
• There aren’t many information panels here, so you may want to read some more details about the Water Castle in advance.

There are lots of things to see in Yogyakarta so you’ll be able to make the most of your time (and learn a lot more) with a guided tour. I would recommend this full-day trip that includes the Water Castle, as well as the Kraton and one of the World Heritage temples.

Or there are some other great tour options to consider here:

There are also normally local guides available for hire at the entrance, and they can offer some useful historical context.

There are lots of other interesting things to do around central Yogyakarta so, if you’re exploring independently, I would recommend checking out some of these other attractions.

Of course, the main one of the Royal Palace of Yogyakarta, also known as the Kraton, which is a good sight to see in combination with a visit to the Water Castle.

There are a few interesting museums nearby that are worth popping into:

• Jogja National Museum: A contemporary art museum that has Indonesian and international works.
• Vredeburg Museum: Set in a former Dutch colonial fortress, this history museum covers different eras but with a focus on the colonial period.
• Museum Sonobudoyo Unit I: A museum about Javanese culture and history that has the most complete collection of artefacts from the island after the National Museum.

I would also recommend checking out the traditional Pasar Legi Market, as well as the twin banyan trees of Bringin Kembar, and also the RuangDalam Art House.

If you’re hungry and need somewhere to eat, a wonderful (and convenient) option is the Water Castle Cafe. It has delicious casual food and fresh juices in a peaceful setting with a garden.

A few other great restaurants nearby are:

• Special Bakmi & Nasi Goreng Pak Pele: Closer to the Royal Palace, there’s a great variety of local rice and noodle dishes at really good prices.
• Gadri Resto: A traditional restaurant that tries to replicate the menus of the palace and the sultan.
• SixSenses Kitchen For something more upmarket (but still very affordable by international standards), you’ll get excellent food in a beautiful setting.

Many of the best places to eat in Yogyakarta are around the Water Castle and the Royal Palace, so planning your day to be here for lunch can be a sensible way to put together an itinerary.

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