Borobudur Sunrise Experience Offers Unforgettable Views For Tourists
InJourney Destination Management through its subsidiary, PT Taman Wisata Borobudur (PT TWB), has officially opened tourism access for both regular tourists and students to see Borobudur Sunrise and to hike the Borobudur Temple. This policy is a part of the strategy to strengthen a sustainable and inclusive cultural heritage based-tourist experience, and to support the region’s economy through qualified tourist activity.
The Borobudur Sunrise and a hike to the Borobudur Temple is reactivated in coordination with related parties such as the Indonesia Heritage Agency (Museum dan Cagar Budaya) of the Ministry of Culture of The Republic Indonesia, Magelang District Government, ASITA, and other tourist actors. This strategy will ensure that the management process is done in compliance with the regulations, conservation principles, and sustainable tourism ethics.
The President Director of InJourney Destination Management, Febrina Intan mentioned that the daily program to see Borobudur Sunrise and to hike the temple is a response to the great enthusiasm shown by the global tourists. However, this is still a pilot program and there will be regular evaluation that involves multiple parties. Borobudur Sunrise is expected to create a meaningful visit to the Borobudur Temple as a part of world cultural heritage.
“We would like to provide a greater chance to the community to experience a meaningful visit through Borobudur Sunrise and the hike to the temple. Apart from being the main tourist attraction, this program aims to strengthen cultural preservation through a friendlier and substantial approach, and we hope it could provide a multiplier effect for the MSMEs actors and tourism enthusiast in the region,” she explained.
Previously, the hike to the Borobodur Temple was only available on Tuesday-Sunday for general tourists, and on Monday for school field trips. Currently, both general tourists and students can hike to the Borobudur Temple every day.
By reopening the access to see the sunrise from Borobudur Temple, it shows a concrete effort to integrate preservation effort with comprehensive tourism development. The program administrator will measure physical impact, visitors perception, and obtain public feedback prior to establishing a regular schedule. Everything, including pricing, will be based on data and conservation. This is as a control mechanism to ensure qualified experience and to support conservation.
Febrina further explained, “The activity of watching the sun rises which has been suspended since 2020 is the company’s strategic effort to bring back one of the iconic attractions that is long awaited by the tourists, and will be presented in a more curated, limited, and special approach whilst maintaining cultural heritage principles.”
Borobudur Sunrise is an irreplaceable experience for visitors coming to watch the sun rise from the top of Borobudur Temple. Watching the red-orange shades of the rising sun in the east with the silhouette of Mount Merapi and Merbabu offers an amazing contemplative experience.
The journey starts when the visitors arrive at the Borobudur Unit Office through Gate 7 of the Borobudur Temple at 4 AM. Visitors will then receive a set of special equipment which includes a flashlight, upanat or a woven footwear made of pandan leaves, coconut shell, and rubber sponge that is specifically designed to hike Borobodur Temple, and a souvenir. A tour guide will be assigned to accompany the visitors, and a set of special breakfast will be provided at the only hill located inside Borobudur Temple area, called Bukit Dagi.
Once the sun rise watching from the top of Borobudur Temple ends, visitors will be guided to Bukit Dagi to enjoy authentic, delicious local dishes for breakfast, with a view to the Borobudur Temple and Menoreh Hills.
You can make reservations to take part in this invaluable Borobudur Sunrise program through WhatsApp number +62 857 2758 7800 or via official site: ticket.injourneydestination.id. The ticket price is one million rupiah for both foreign and domestic tourists, with a maximum visitors of 100 people per day.
Visitors must always wear the upanat in order to reduce direct friction to the temple’s structure. The program administrator will arrange the circulation of visitors to prevent any excessive pressure to vulnerable parts.
"Borobudur Sunrise, which has become a global attraction, is prepared and presented through a series of studies and a structured visit plan. This experience is being revived gradually with limited quotas and strict supervision, to ensure the sustainability and preservation of the temple structure," she continued.
We hope this program will be able to drive a cultural-based local economy. Through local-based services connectivity, supported by the region’s MSMEs, the sunrise program will drive creative economy ecosystem around Borobudur area.
Febrina explained, “We try to revive Borobudur as one of tourism destinations with strong branding. We open access for students not only on Monday, but every day. This is to increase tourism activity from students segment, just like in the past, because students are a large, potential market segment for MSMEs in Kampung Seni Borobudur (Borobudur Art Village).”
