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Yogyakarta offers immersive experience in these five tourist villages
Yogyakarta has hidden gems in the form of tourist villages scattered around the area that everyone should explore.
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Nuryanti, 47, diligently creates a type of batik in Giriloyo batik village, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta. (Shutterstock/Paramarta Bari)
P
eople always look forward to the weekend. Many use it to unwind, recharge and prepare themselves anew for the ensuing weekdays full of challenging tasks.
Some visit the cinema or the amusement park, but a great way to spend your weekend could be to visit an area that offers a refreshing natural landscape.
Enter Yogyakarta, home to the breathtaking Parangtritis Beach and major shopping street Malioboro, which is located at the heart of the city. Yet, there are hidden gems in the form of tourist villages scattered around the area that everyone should explore.
Here are five destinations in Yogyakarta that travelers should visit, as compiled by kompas.com:
1. Bobung tourist village
Located in Putat village, Gunungkidul regency, Bobung is where authentic wooden batik masks are made. The craft originates from the village residents’ tradition of performing “Topeng Panji” (panji mask dance).
According to Yogyakarta’s tourism site, the village residents perform the mask dance every harvest season to express gratitude to their creator.
Apart from making batik wooden masks, the village also makes trays, puppets, key rings and many other items.
Those who visit the village can see the process of creating batik on wood in a workshop, and browse through other types of wooden batik artwork at a gallery.
2. Nglanggeran tourist village
If you want to breathe fresh air among the green to get away from the concrete jungle, this is the place for you.
Situated within the Nglanggeran ancient volcano complex and artificial lake, the tourist village is about 25 minutes away from the city center, easily accessible via public transportation or private vehicles.
Tourists can immerse in local residents’ daily activities, such as planting rice in the paddy fields, making masks, making crafts from young coconut leaves and cooking local food.
Typical outdoor activities including the flying fox, camping and trekking, and visitors can opt to spend the night at village inns or in homestays.
3. Manding tourist village
The main draw of this village on Jl. Wahidin Sudirohusodo, Sabdodadi, is the leatherwork created by its residents, who produce various leather crafts like bags, wallets, leather jackets and belts.
The leather craftspeople of Manding village work on a daily basis, and they display a variety of their works at their houses.
The leatherworks are offered for fair prices and potential buyers are welcome to bargain as well.
Manding village is about 15 km away from downtown Yogyakarta.
Read also: Six batik kampung to explore
4. Kelor tourist village
A lush village nestled in Kelor hamlet, Bangunkerto village, Sleman regency, Kelor tourist village is home to farmers and food producers who cultivate mushrooms and plant snake fruit.
Aside from enjoying a lush, green landscape and local delicacies, visitors to this village can immerse themselves in outdoor activities, including exploring a river.
5. Giriloyo batik village
Known for its prized hand-drawn batik works, the village of Giriloyo was declared the site of a pilot project for creating a hub for hand-drawn batik with natural coloring.
Batik artists in the village are keen on sharing their skills with visitors through various tour packages.
Those who want to learn about batik can gain insight here, making patterns by working with liquid hot wax using a canting (pen-like tool). As a keepsake, a small batik cloth is given to each visitor. (ran/mut)
