Regarded by many as the cultural capital of Java, Yogyakarta, or Yogya as it's often known, makes an ideal base from which to explore the nearby sites of Borobudur and Prambanan. However, the city has many fantastic highlights of its own:

The kraton - home to the sultans of Yogya - is effectively a walled city with its own market, schools, mosques, museums and batik workshops.

North of this is Jalan Malioboro, Yogya's premier shopping street. Other highlights include the colourful bird market, the wonderfully traditional Pasar Beringharjo, Yogya's main market, and Kota Gede, the hub of Yogya's silver industry.