Catching the Sunset at Ratu Boko

Are you a sunset lover and bored with  your sunset views only from beaches?. I will give you another suggestion whether it could change your mind and taste the differences. 

If you're travelling to Jogyakarta and already came to Prambanan Hindu temple which located 17 kilometer eastwards of Jogyakarta city, you could re-route your next destination to Ratu Boko. Ratu Boko is an archaeological site known to modern Javanese as Kraton Ratu Boko or Ratu Boko Palace. Eventhough, Ratu Boko is not popular like Prambanan temple but you will catching your golden sunset there. 

Spending your half time with seeing the relief around Prambanan temple with many story influence villager life style around there since this temple has love story behind and then you could take a journey to other place named Ratu Boko. Ratu Boko is located on a plateau, about 3 Km south of Prambanan temple complex in Jogyakarta Indonesia. This palace is located 196 meters above the sea level. The area of the palace as wide as 250,000 m2 is divided into four, namely center, west, southeast, and east parts. The center part consists of the main gateway, square, Combustion Temple, pond, square terrace and assembly hall. Meanwhile, the southeast part includes hall, platform, three temples, pond, and a complex for princess. The caves, Buddha effigy, and a pond (mysterious well) are in east part while the west part consists of hills only. 

Reaching this ancient place, you will see amazing trekking through isolated villages, breathtaking views of mysterious landscapes and overlooking colorful rice fields viewed from Tugel hill. Because the location of Ratu Boko temple located in the hills, and scenery in the west is a city of Jogyakarta that flatland, the views of the sunset at King Boko Palace very often looked forward to the visitors, because the sunset at the Ratu Boko Palace was very beautiful, majestic and enchantment, see it by yourself. Actually, this place is the only one temple as a really Palace not a prayer place like another temple. 

However the local inhabitants named this site after King Boko, the legendary king mentioned in Lara Jonggrang folklore. Ratu Boko is a name of a beautiful architecture temple of King Boko. King Boko Palace was constructed during the reign of Rakai Panangkaran, descendant of Sailendra dynasty. The Palace that initially was named Abhayagiri Vihara (that means amonastery on a peacefull hill) was built by Budhist but there are Hindu elements in it. This can be seen from the presence of Lingga and Yoni, Ganesha statue, and golden plate with the writing "Om Rudra ya namah swaha" on it as form of worship to Rudra as the other name of Shiva. The Hindu elements proved religious tolerance that is reflected in architectural works. In fact, Rakai Panangkaran who embraced Buddhism lived side by side with Hindu people.

Ratu Boko has special and amazing views. From here, you could see Merapi mountain, Prambanan Temple and Jogjakarta city also. So, many improvisation and imagination related what looks likes Ratu Boko is in the past. 

Waiting the sun falls down and change it with the night from high views in Ratu Boko will give you another sensation. Interesting ?. So, what are you looking for ?. Catch your golden sunset here.  



Have a great travelling and do your own journey.

With Leisure, 

-MKS-
Klaten,21 Aug 2012