R
emember the thrill of
riding a rented motorbike
(probably without
a helmet) up Bokor
Mountain in Cambodia? Or the
utter relaxation of tubing down Nam
Song River towards Laos’s laid-back
Vang Vieng? Oh, and that time you
trekked amongst the hill tribes of
northern Vietnam? You felt so alive,
so intrepid... so free. Just you and
that long-lost companion so fondly
remembered by parents all over the
world – Time: Time to read; Time to
philosophise; Time to take 22-hour
bus rides to the most secret, exotic
destinations of all.
I don’t miss the bus rides, but I
do miss the exotic destinations, so
it was with some excitement that
we planned a recent holiday to
Central Java, to Borobudur to be
exact. Every time I mentioned it and
someone asked, “Where’s that?” the
dormant backpacker spirit inside
me (long since swaddled, pacified
and put to bed) stirred and smiled
in its sleep. Somewhere NEW,
somewhere EXCITING, somewhere
MYSTICAL… And we were going
with the kids!
Where’s that?
If Indonesia were a dragon, swooping
east towards Australia’s north coast,
then Java would be its head, puffing
the islands of Bali, Lombok and
Sumbawa from its nostrils as it went.
An ancient centre of power and
wellspring of art and culture, Central
Java is situated right where it says it is,
and was home to some of humankind’s
oldest ancestors: The remains of Java
Man were found in the region in the
1890s and are believed to be about 1.7
million years old.
Central Java is also incredibly
beautiful, with lush jungles, serene
temples and misty volcanoes
enhancing its palpable air of
spirituality. Recorded history began
in the region in the seventh century,
when writing was introduced from
India, along with Hinduism and
Buddhism. Competing dynasties
championed one or the other religion
over the next few centuries, leaving
intricate monuments and temples
(think Angkor) dotting the volcano-
ringed Kedu Plain. But it is the
ninth-century temple of Borobudur
that is the showstopper. The largest
Buddhist sanctuary in the world and a
UNESCO World Heritage Site since
1991, it is decorated with more than
2,600 detailed stone relief panels and
more than 500 Buddha statues.
But more on that later. No one feels
close to God at the end of a flight with
children under four. Luckily, it was a
short one, as instead of messing about
with connecting flights from Hong
Kong via Jakarta, we chose to spend
a couple of days in Singapore, then
took the direct, 2.5-hour flight from
Singapore to Yogyakarta – a mere
hour’s drive from fabled Borobudur,
and more importantly on arrival, our
hotel.
Beyond luxury
The word “hotel” does not do
Amanjiwo justice, however. Neither
does “resort” to be honest, with its
connotations of holiday clubs and
buffets. Designed to complement
Borobudur, which is perfectly framed
in the distance as you enter the lofty,
stone-columned entrance pavilion,
Amanjiwo is a graceful work of
art. Mimicking the tiered nature of
Borobudur’s metaphorical ascent to
Nirvana, Amanjiwo rests against the
forested Menoreh Hills in a series of
descending stone arcs, and is lapped
by verdant rice paddies at its base.
Frangipani trees shade the main steps
that appear to lead all the way to
Borobudur, and one almost feels like
a spectator in a natural amphitheatre
– with no fewer than four volcanoes
looming on the horizon (Sumbing and
Sindoro to the west, Merbabu and
Merapi to the east).
Despite their reputation as
honeymoon destinations, Aman
resorts are actually fantastic for
families, offering babysitting whenever
Breathtaking
Borobudur
Central Java allows you to rediscover the elation of venturing off
the beaten track, while still enjoying the ease of access and creature
comforts you need with little ones in tow, writes
Laura Miller
.
Photography above right: Laura Miller
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