Dominating the surrounding landscape of the vast Kedu plain, Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the Southern Hemisphere. Created between 760 AD and 830 AD, it is one of the largest and most comprehensive arrangements of stone reliefs anywhere in the world. It is the World's largest stuppa, a 5km stone textbook of Mayhana Buddhist doctrine, located deep in the south of Indonesia.
Over 10,000 workers, including the cream of carvers skilled in the classic Indian styles, toiled for more almost a century to haul 2 million stones and arrange hem into a giant mandala, representing the Buddhist cosmos.
The artisans of Borobudur created some 500 Buddha statues here, along with 2500 panels of carved stone reliefs which adorn the nine terraces, culminating in the uppermost platform which features 72 bell-shaped domes, each holding a Buddha statue.
Borobudur functioned as a pivotal religious hub for only a short period of time after its completion before being abandoned in the face of advancing Hinduism which swept across Java in the mid 800's. It was left to languish in the jungle for the next 1000 years, before being unearthed by Thomas Raffles, the then Governor of Java, in 1814.
Today, Amanjiwo, a sumptuous Aman resort surrounded by rice paddies, overlooks Borobudur.
Travel is quite easy as there are daily airport connections from Denpassar to Jogyakarta, which is 45km from Borobudur. Cars with a driver can be hired for reasonable rates or for those feeling more active, push bikes are available.
Some of the activities include elephant rides and volcano climbing plus many festivals and celebrations, many drawing on the religion's shamanic traditions.
The best time to travel to Borobudur is from May to October as it is drier, cooler and less humid, as well as coinciding with many of the festivals.
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