Borobudur Temple

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur Temple
4.5
Historic SitesAncient RuinsReligious Sites
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Borobudur Temple Compounds This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m2. Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • Serkan Ö
    Istanbul, Türkiye103 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    beyond imagination
    It is a world-wonder building located in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This is the largest single-piece Buddhist temple in the world and today there is no worship except for special occasions. It is a building with a total of 9 floors. Although the 9th floor is very small, it is usually accessed during prayer periods. Another place that should be in the top 10 on your must-see list.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 February 2024
  • Minel B
    13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Towards Nirvana in the Temple
    Definitely a must see place. Each floor has a meaning and as the floors go up, Nirvana gets closer. The view also opens your heart. A must visit when in Indonesia or nearby. Also a nice photo taking area.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 7 February 2024
  • Patsmum66
    Pfeffenhausen, Germany120 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressive temple complex
    We hadn't booked a tour with a guide in advance (this is the only way to climb the complex), but we were able to do so on site. And it's definitely worth it! The complex with its numerous reliefs, Buddha statues and stupas is super interesting. Unfortunately, it was too hazy during our visit to see the Merapi volcano...
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 February 2024
  • AngieV2011
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands1,161 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Magical experience
    Visited for the 2nd time after 30 years and it remains breathtaking. You now have to make sure that you not only book an entrance ticket, but also a ticket including a guide to enter Bordobudur itself. If you don't do the latter, you are really missing the best part. We had the last time slot and that made it nice and quiet upstairs and you could enjoy everything in peace. When we were there there was a big Buddhist ceremony the next day, so that made it even more special because there were already a lot of monks present.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 March 2024
  • Jeffry b
    Essendon, Australia13,729 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Borobudur is a huge Buddhist temple
    Ancient Borobudur Temple is massive; it's the largest Buddhist place of worship in the world. Borobudur is located in Central Java; it was built between 778 AD and 850 AD. Regular religious worship ceased when the temple suffered from an eruption by Indonesia's turbulent Mount Merapi. I have been to Borobudur several times, getting to the top of the temple is strenuous. The bottom of the temple represents the baseless of daily life while the top respects the spiritual Enlightenment the Buddha had achieved.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 8 March 2024
  • BobWE
    Manhattan Beach, California739 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    UNESCO World Heritage Site Buddhist Temple
    Borobudur, located in Magelang, Central Java, constructed between 778 and 850 CE and restored between 1907-11, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World (contemporary list) and UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest Buddhist temple compound in the world and features 2,672 relief carvings on the lower levels depicting images about the life of Buddha. The site allows up to 1200 climbers per day and is best toured with a local guide who is able to explain about the unique features. It is closed on Mondays. If you are driving in from Bali, be prepared for at least a 3 hour drive because of the traffic. There are 9 stacked platforms topped by a central dome. The climb up to the 8th platform is steep with some handrails but caution is essential. Access to the top platform is open only to devotees. You walk around each platform to view the multiple stupas and reliefs. Definitely worth a visit--A unique experience.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 March 2024
  • Judy M
    Sydney, Australia628 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing temple
    The opening hours of Borobodur have recently changed to protect it. On Mondays, you can only access the gardens around it. It also now has limited numbers of people allowed to climb the temple, about 1000 a day. You can book online through the government site. If you use a local Yogya tour guide, they'll be able to arrange your climb ticket. Borobodur is a couple of hours' drive from Yogyakarta, and a couple of hours' drive from Prambanan. They can be seen in the same day but it will require your own car/driver and good planning. Borobodur is beautiful and well worth the visit. They are very careful about maintaining their heritage listing so there is no development around it and it even limits what can happen in Yogyakarta itself. When you climb the temple, you have to wear the slippers they provide, which you then get to keep. They're quite good quality but a bit hard on your feet if you're not used to walking so far in what are effectively thongs/flip flops. Our guide spent quite a long time at the lower levels so it didn't feel like too much work climbing all the stairs as we only climbed one set at a time before having a good rest. He told us a huge amount about the history and construction and, by the time we reached the highest level, the other groups that started at the same time as us had already gone, giving us the top to ourselves, just 20-odd people. It was fabulous and very well-timed on his part. February is very hot and humid. You're given a small water bottle to climb with but most of group bought more water straight after the tour at the little stall at the base, near the exit. It's quite a long walk back to the carpark and you have to go through so many lanes of market stalls it seems never-ending. The sellers are polite, however. Borobodur is amazing and not to be missed.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 24 March 2024
  • John Wayne
    Nara, Japan172 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Truly a World Heritage Site
    Indonesia, where Islam is the mainstream, was originally a Buddhist country. Buddha's teachings are carved into stone. Change your footwear to rubber sandals, and stay for only one hour. Apparently they can only accommodate 150 people per hour. Naturally, it is a world heritage site. It was a strange space.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled on business
    Written 29 March 2024
  • Jonathan W
    Singapore, Singapore177 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Get there for sundown or sunup
    It was, of course, just as wonderful as all the pictures suggest. We were thrown by the somewhat unusual timings here: Sunup is around 5am. So get there very early if you don't want it to be too hot. We arrived at around 10am and it was already sweltering. Also, you have to take a guide selected by the site itself. So I imagine it's total pot-luck about who guides you up the stairs with your 'souvenir' shops. Talking of which, beware the markets around the outskirts of the site. The hawkers are aggressive.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 7 April 2024
  • Mrs O-Kan
    Singapore, Singapore440 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful as ever
    Went Borobudur before pandemic and was surprised now they changed the rules. They limit people to visit Borobudur in a day. Believe is to preserved the temple which is a good way (although they should started it since long time ago). When we just reach the temple, alot people will sell hat and you can even renting stroller (if you bring young kids!). Strongly suggest to bought ticket online. I didn’t know that now they limit the people to visit the temple so I couldn’t get the time I wanted (9.30am). They have few timing in a day which per time, they limit people to 150 max. Since I couldn’t get the timing I wanted & I had another appointment before 12pm, so I just bought the ticket until main ground+Ratu boko temple. So sad come all the while to Borobudur but can’t visit the main temple. The price for foreigner was so much different with the locals. Foreigner around USD 30, while locals only USD 7. But since Borobudur is famous worldwide, with or without foreigners, they already very popular even among local tourists. And you just need to suck it up. I bought tickets together with Ratu Boko and ticket valid for 2 days. Borobudur stil beautiful as before. There’s alot officers surrounding to make sure people without valid ticket won’t be able to enter the temple. But take note is very very very hot. Must drink alot water, wear hat & apply TONS of sunscreen. After you done visiting the temple you will need to have a big you turn & very long walk (need to passby those local sellers) before you can reach the parking area. Overall I will be back to Borobudur next time if I have the chance
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 April 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles7,848 reviews
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Jaz07
NYC77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
The scale of Borobudur cannot be captured in photos. It is massive and completely hidden on arrival. We went with a tour that had pre-booked structure tickets. As part of the entrance fee, you receive a tote bag, slippers, and much needed water as it is hot! The slippers are required to protect the surface of the structure with the thousands of people who visit. After being assigned to a guide, you start walking towards the temple as the guide tells you some historical facts. When you first see the temple, it is awe inspiring and many people stopped to take photos of the expansive temple even as their tour group kept walking. If you purchased the structure ticket, tours enter the temple through different gates and stop to tell stories about the temple in different areas so one corner is not overcrowded. Some of the steps are steep. I think we visited the odd floors on our visit, ending up on the 9th level. The guide gave us 15/20 minutes to wander this level on our own after finishing his commentary so it was roughly 40 minutes tour with 20 minutes on your own. We had adequate time for photos and found plenty of areas to take photos without other people in the background. Your ticket is scanned on entry and exit. There is a very long exit through the longest shopping/market stall I have ever seen. It seemed never ending. There was construction on the parking lot which forced the tour van to park quite a distance. But luckily he met us at the end of the shopping area. The guide was good, spoke English, and was well versed on the temple. The structure ticket is well worth it. If you are traveling near this area, highly recommend a visit here!
Written 31 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gabry1211
Turin, Italy48 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Stunning Buddhist temple located near Yogyakarta. To see it properly it is essential to get the "structure" ticket which allows you to go up to the top and also includes a guide and some nice flip-flops. The ticket can be purchased online from the ticketcandi.borobudur website a few days in advance (they sell out quickly), otherwise you can show up early at the gates and queue up when they open by taking a number. Warning: with the Borobuduru Prambanan combo ticket it is not possible to go up to the temple, so I recommend taking them separately (otherwise there is really no point in paying to see the temple from the outside). Many drivers organize day tours of the two temples (550k lunches and entrance fees excluded) departing at 4am from Yogyakarta to see the sunrise from a hill (an experience not recommended, it is a tourist trap and many times the clouds prevent the view of anything What).
Google
Written 27 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Edwin A. Sulaiman
Surabaya, Indonesia42 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Family
Visiting Borobudur Temple was an unforgettable experience! This ancient wonder, nestled in the lush heart of Central Java, is a testament to human ingenuity and spiritual devotion. The grandeur of the structure, with its intricate carvings and massive stupas, left me in awe at every turn.

I recommend arriving early in the morning for sunrise – the view of the misty landscape as the first rays of sunlight illuminate the temple is absolutely magical. It’s a peaceful moment that truly captures the spirit of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The detailed relief panels tell fascinating stories of Buddhist teachings and history, so hiring a guide or reading about them beforehand is well worth it. The climb to the top might be a bit tiring, but the panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and villages is worth every step.

Tips:
• Wear comfortable shoes as there’s a fair amount of walking and climbing.
• Bring a hat and water if visiting later in the day, it can get quite hot.
• Plan ahead, as the site can get crowded during peak hours.

Overall, Borobudur Temple is a must-visit for history buffs, architecture enthusiasts, and anyone seeking inspiration from a cultural treasure. Don’t miss this incredible journey into Indonesia’s rich past!

E.A.S. / entrepreneur & traveler
Written 27 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Yan on the Road
Hong Kong, China1,091 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Friends
Love to see UNESCO, life will come! Every piece of stone on the burrows is different, telling the Buddhist story. The stone graffiti is well preserved, fine carved, the pattern is lively, let people look!
Buying tickets: Visit the Boro-Nevolu ticket to divide the ground ticket and the structure ticket. Ground ticket, as the name suggests, only bought a week to enjoy the ground on the borough, failed to step on the building. The Structure ticket can climb the tower under the guide at a specified time, and the Structure ticket includes the Ground ticket. After Covid, the Structure ticket is available to order on the official website for up to 1,200 people, but even in October with fewer visitors, the Structure ticket for 8:30am and 9:30am was quickly sold out. Also, please note that the day tour includes that ticket.
Admission instructions: I bought the 10:30am Structure ticket, after purchasing the ticket online, it is best to arrive at the entrance half an hour earlier on the day of attending the tower, pick up the physical ticket, the ticket is packed with a pair of slippers and a bottle of water. After the specified time collection, you can follow the tour tower. Although this time is warm and sunny, the tour guide is very professional and will answer questions carefully. Beautiful, after about an hour of climbing the tower, I could not leave, but also satisfied. After the tower is down, you can enjoy the burrows in different angles on the ground. The entrance and exit are different, and you can take a shuttle in the park to the exit. There are a lot of souvenir shops in the exit parking lot, remember pricing. Souvenirs vary in size, but this is the best place to buy souvenirs.
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Written 28 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gayle G
5 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
I wanted to let others know about our experience since I hadn’t seen any response to the question on whether you could get access to the Temple grounds before the time on your Structure Ticket. The ticket office allowed us onto the grounds in the morning of our Structure Tickets.

We visited the Temple on 8/2/24 and were staying several days in the area. We bought our Structure Tickets through the website the week before since they only release tickets for the following week. And tickets go FAST, probably bought by the tour companies. Our Structure Tickets were for 2:30 pm. But the ticket office allowed us to access the Temple grounds in the morning without paying for an additional Temple Grounds ticket. The Structure ticket is supposed to give you access to the Temple grounds, but if you have late afternoon Structure tickets, you won’t have time after you come down from the structure to explore the grounds.

Be sure you pay attention to the suggestions to use moleskin or bandages on your feet before you wear the sandals they give you to wear for the Structure Ticket. It helped a lot and other visitors near us asked for our extras.

This new process doesn’t allow you to enjoy the temple as it should be, from the stories on the reliefs on the bottom levels to finally getting to the stupas on the top level. The new process is supposed to limit the number of visitors that access the Temple. But the approximately 200 visitors in your time slot all rush to the top at the same time. And, depending on your assigned guide, you may only have about 30-minutes to explore all levels on your own.

Also, the Grounds Ticket lets you have access all the way to the base of the temple, but not climb the stairs to the Structure levels. You’re still close to the Structure.

Enjoy!
Written 28 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GrandTour31790447430
25 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Friends
this once beautiful place that was easy to visit has turned into a horrendously overblown tourist trap with almost idiotic levels of ripoff. You arrive almost a mile from the real temple to find a huge jumble of new buildings and confusing signage exclusively in Bahasa only to be charged the extra special foreigner expensive price. Then you need to put on single use slippers that are thrown away after the tour, adding to the pile of the country's unmanageable waste problem. After that you need to take a ride on an electric buggy for gosh-knows how long to still arrive half a mile from the temple proper (total idiocy and waste of time)... theeeen you get allotted a guide with questionable historical knowledge and half cooked jokes. At the end of this demolition derby you are put back on the electric trolley that wheels you to the exit where you are forced to run an endless zizag gauntlet of hideous tourist crap wares until you finally make it back on the street and feel thoroughly raped emotionally and financially
Written 21 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ciaobel
40 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Friends
We visited this temple during our trip in Java without Guide. Upon arrival, all tickets for visits of the temple itself were completely sold out. When inquiring, these tickets are only available if booked long (+3 days) in advance or with a Guide....
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Written 22 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

michielsaskia
Hilversum, The Netherlands220 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
We visited the temple with our family with 2 teenagers. Truly beautiful! The complex with the temple on it is not very large. If you buy a ticket for the climb, this is standard with a guide and the tour lasts 1 hour. This is all worth it, because without a climb you will miss the most beautiful part. After the tour you still have time to walk around it on your own. You can buy tickets online, but make sure it is the official site. There are also quite a few changes in rate types and options that are not implemented on the site. Only 150 people per time slot are allowed to climb the temple per day. A total of 1200 people seems like a lot, but it fills up quickly during the European summer holidays. Staff is very helpful, so feel free to ask for help. If you do not book in advance, make sure you are at the ticket office very early in the morning.
Google
Written 11 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chloe2017
Liege, Belgium93 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We really enjoyed the visit. Tickets can be purchased online a week in advance. Max 120 visitors per hour.Even if you order a tour from Yogja, you need access tickets (in high season).
On arrival, we receive special sandals designed not to damage the temple. Visitors receive a number and are divided into small groups each with a Guide.
The tour is organized around the Guide’s English explanations. Ours was really great and told us a lot of stories about Buddha and Buddhism principles.
The temple is amazing, in the middle of the jungle. About an hour drive from Yogja. I even recommend with children.
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Written 9 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Martin_Martin27
Sydney, Australia154 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
This was my 3rd or 4th visit to Borobudur temple. My last visit was probably 15 years ago, and the place still charmed me. A lot of change as well to the way government now organise this UNESCO heritage. It's much better and organized, ticket, tour guide and because of it's heritage, the number of tourist is limited. I would not review the Borobudur itself, but more on how to get the ticket and what to expect :

1. You need to buy the ticket online, ensure you get the right ticket, there are two types of ticket. You just need to get one ticket, depending on what you want to do

a) temple ground ticket, you can only go around the ground of temple and would not be able to go in to the actual temple, be careful if you buy this ticket from third party provider and you get cheaper price, sometimes they didn't mention it properly and you ended up need to buy the ticket to go inside the temple. I didn't check the price for this ticket. You can pay cash or card for this ticket (cash on the spot if you not doing any booking). I think there is no limitation on the numbers of visitors for this ticket.
b) temple structure ticket, you can get into the temple. Foreigner price is IDR 455K, and for domestic is 120K. You can see the price in their website. You can only pay with card for this type of ticket. There will 150 visitors limit per hour for this ticket, just be mindful if you go on weekend or peak season. With this ticket you will get the special footwear, tour guide (for 60 minutes or so) and 2 small mineral water.

2. You need to obey the regulation, including wearing the provided footwear, wearing proper outfit, no smoking in the temple, no food and drink in the temple and the absolute one, do not touch or climb up the statue.

3. Wear hat and sunscreen, it could be very hot especially during the day, and the stone that use to build the temple is from lava stone and reflects the sun, so it could be really hot.

4. There is Borobudur museum on the way out, it provided some information on the history, but it's a bit rundown and quiet small, its free entrance.

5. As mentioned by others, there are plenty sellers outside of the temple, just be polite and keep walking if you don't want to buy anything from them.
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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