Magelang

The misty volcanic peaks of Mounts Merapi and Merbabu dominate the horizons around Magelang, as sweeping plains of rice paddy with the occasional coconut palm encompass its perimeters. Here and there, lichen-dotted ruins of ancient Buddhist temple complexes belie centuries gone by, when Indonesia’s most populous island was of an altogether different creed.

The town itself is a charming conglomeration of architecture left over from the Dutch East Indies; a whitewashed town hall, a city square marked by a stoic water tower still in use, amongst others. There are twists of energetic Indonesian life too, clustering between the colourful arts emporiums of Jalan Pemuda and piled high on the roadside food stalls selling Getuk, Magelang’s own cassava, sugar and coconut treat.

However, Magelang tour guides have one major draw up their sleeve, one with its very own UNESCO World Heritage tag; the Borobudur temple. This sprawling complex of stupas, sitting Buddhas and stepped worshipping halls is hailed as the largest Buddhist religious site on the planet. The Indonesian answer to Angkor Wat, it’s simply not to be missed!