Prambanan

Prambanan is the largest and most magnificent Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, a UNESCO site near Yogyakarta built in the ninth century, around the same time as nearby Borobudur. Its cluster of tall, sharply pointed stone spires, dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma and carved with reliefs of the Ramayana epic, soars dramatically against the sky, a masterpiece of classical Javanese temple architecture.

What you actually see

• The soaring spires - the tall, pointed towers of the main temples.
• The Shiva temple - the grandest tower and its inner shrines.
• The Ramayana reliefs - the carved panels of the Hindu epic.
• The Ramayana ballet - the evening dance performances in season.

When to go

May to September, the dry season, for the best weather; late afternoon light warms the stone, and in the dry season the famous Ramayana ballet is performed against the floodlit temples in the evening. It pairs naturally with Borobudur.

Honest expectations

It was badly damaged by a 2006 earthquake, and some smaller temples remain in ruins or under restoration, though the main towers are magnificent. It is hot and shadeless, so go early or late. It is easily combined with Borobudur, though seeing both in a day is a lot. The evening Ramayana ballet is a memorable add-on.

Nearby

Borobudur and the city of Yogyakarta are close.