Is Yogyakarta Better Than Bali?

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali?

It is a question that many people have, and depending upon who you ask, you are guaranteed to get a different answer. The funny thing is, most people that are adamant that Bali is better, will admit that they have actually never BEEN to Jogja (Yogyakarta). This hardly makes them experts.

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I had only been to Jogja once, and on that occasion, it was only for a few nights. For this reason, I decided that I was not exactly an expert either. I hadn’t spent long enough there to form a valid opinion, one way or the other. So, I decided to change that. I packed my bags and headed for Jogja!

This was not going to be just a short trip though. I booked my accommodation for an entire month, giving me plenty of time to get around and see a lot of the city, and really form a valid opinion. My girlfriend, Jo, accompanied me as well. She had studied and lived in Jogja for many years, so was invaluable as a guide and consultant.

I was all set. A month from now, I was certain that I would have the answer I was looking for!

So, Is Yogyakarta better than Bali?

There are many things that I loved about Jogja. It has a unique character and vibe that you simply will not find anywhere else. Even Bali. I will always love Bali, but I would certainly recommend anyone to visit Jogja if they are interested in experiencing something different in Indonesia. It is hard to say whether one is better than the other, but I definitely found a lot of things that fell in Jogja’s favor.

Here are a few of them.

Jogja is Cheaper than Bali

This was something completely unexpected for me!

For anyone coming from a western country, Bali is SO CHEAP! But you never stop to really think that maybe the rest of Indonesia is also really cheap. Let alone cheaper!

But that was certainly the case in Jogja. For example, I found that a meal that you would pay 25k rupe for in Bali, you would pay 17 – 20K for in Jogja. The same pizza that cost me 75k in Bali was only 60k in Jogja. Even in a big Italian restaurant.

Being someone that drinks coffee every day, it was a pleasant surprise to find my coffees had dropped from 30k down to less than 20k on most occasions. Happy days!

The reason for this, I was reliably informed, is that Jogja is a University City. They cater to students, and things are at student prices. So, if you want to save even MORE money on your Indonesian holiday, then head to Jogja!

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali? It is certainly cheaper.

There are less tourists in Jogja

I found this almost straight away. But I am not talking about domestic tourists. I mean International tourists.

Jogja is not typically on the radar of tourists looking for an Indonesian holiday. So if you want to get away from it all, and REALLY feel like you are on a holiday, then maybe Jogja is the place to come. It is still in Indonesia, and you will certainly know that it is. Because unlike places like Kuta, you will not be walking down the streets in a crowd of your compatriots on the exact same holiday.

The center of Jogja is Malioboro Street. This street is 2.5 kilometers of markets, and I walked the length of the street nearly every night. Yet I can count on one hand how many other “Bule’s” that I saw. This was a nice change for me, and something that I really enjoyed. Even during the pandemic, the amount of western tourists in Bali is still a lot higher than you will find in Jogja. Add to that the amount of expats that live in Bali, and Jogja wins out on all fronts.

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali? If you want a more unique and original experience, then yes, it can be!

Jogja has some EPIC places to visit

Ok. Sure Bali is pretty epic too. But does it have one of the Wonders of the World?

Jogja has more places to visit than I gave it credit for. Sure, I knew about places like Borobudur, which actually IS a Wonder of the World. But I had no idea that just outside of Jogja is another temple called Candi Prambanan, that is JUST as epic!

Then, all around Jogja on the hills are other amazing temples and ruins. After a full month there, I still had not visited them all. The beaches, which granted are a bit of a drive away from the city, are amazing!

Another thing about Jogja that many would not realize, is that it is a Sultanate. The Sultan actually lives there with his family, and you can visit the Palace (Kraton) and get an experience that is not available elsewhere in Indonesia. There are places like Taman Sari, that is the Sultan’s ancient water gardens, right in the center of the city. You don’t have to go very far in Jogja to find a piece of history!

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali? If you love history, temples, and everything epic, then YES it is!

Jogja is actually friendlier

For those that have been to Bali, it will be hard to believe. But I DID find Jogja a lot friendlier than Bali. This would mainly come from the fact that Bali is too over touristy. They chase the tourist dollar HARD, and the customer service has really suffered as a result.

In Jogja, however, they are friendly to a fault. Especially if you ARE a tourist. Because they are not used to seeing tourists as much as the Balinese.

Everywhere you go in Jogja you will get a smile and a friendly hello. People will stop on the street to ask where you are from. They will even want to get a photo with you. This took me a while to get accustomed to, but after the first few times, it became quite fun!

One note about this. I found in Jogja, and in a few places around Java, that many young kids found me very interesting! I posed for photos with them a lot, and after a while it became apparent why. As a result of the Pandemic, kids aged 5 and under have never really SEEN a “Bule” before. Except maybe on TV. If they have, they were probably too young to remember. So I found myself being the subject of a LOT of wide eyes. I would stop and chat or say hello. Even just a simple wave would make their day!

Another thing we really noticed in Jogja was the attitude of the car park attendants. In Bali, you will pay to park your scooter, and the parking attendant might wave a flag to assist slow the traffic as you pull out. In Jogja, they will park your scooter properly for you, and get it out for you before you leave. Just little things that make the experience better.

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali? If you want a holiday somewhere nice and friendly, then YES it is!

Jogja is a lot more relaxed

This one sort of goes along with the point I made above. They are friendly AND more relaxed.

There are a couple of reasons for this, I believe.

First, Jogja is not as “Touristy” as Bali is. When you go shopping in Bali, you are harassed to the point that you retreat to your hotel for a break. You can’t walk down the street without someone begging you to buy a t-shirt, or some trinket or other. And don’t even get me STARTED about the sellers on the beach!

In Jogja, however, you can walk the entire length of the markets on Malioboro Street and not be asked once to buy anything. The only time a seller will approach you is if you have actually stopped to browse. It makes a stroll to do some window shopping SO much more pleasant.

The reason for this is because there is not as much competition for the tourist dollar. In Bali, they seem to be fighting tooth and nail for customers. Not in Jogja.

The second reason, I believe, is that tourists coming before you haven’t spoiled it for you already. In Bali, almost every seller, tourist operator or resort owner has had bad experiences with terrible tourists. As a result, those that are coming after suffer. It is a plague that Bali has suffered for a while now, and to their credit, those in authority are trying to fix.

This is not an issue in Jogja though. They haven’t had the waves of tourists that Bali has, so things are a lot more relaxed. You notice it immediately upon arrival. If you are accustomed to holidaying in Bali, it can take you completely by surprise. A pleasant one at that!

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali? If you are after a relaxed holiday, then yes, it can be!

What are the downsides?

As with any place, and certainly when you are talking about comparisons, there will be downsides. But not very many. If I put my mind to it, this is what I come up with.

• The beaches in Bali are closer – In Jogja, I think the beaches are better. But they are at Gunung Kidul, and basically are a full daytrip to visit.
• Beer isn’t readily available – if this is a priority for you. In Bali, you can find it everywhere. Remember that Jogja is a student town, and slightly differing on the religion front to Bali. There are plenty of bars though, especially around the areas where most tourists will stay. So for me this wasn’t an issue.
• Traffic is worse – I am really getting picky now, but I hired a scooter for the month so I noticed. The thing is that Bali is an island. Jogja is not. So there are more roads coming into Jogja, meaning more trucks and Buses too! If you are not driving, and just doing day tours, this isn’t an issue.

Summary

It depends upon what you are looking for. I really enjoyed my time in Jogja, and I will definitely be going back. Like all places though, there are definitely some for and against. For someone that has spent an inordinate amount of time in Bali, it was a foregone conclusion that I would find quite a few things that fell in Bali’s favor. But on a whole, I found many, many reasons that I fell in love with Jogja.

Is Yogyakarta better than Bali? I’m still not sure, but it is definitely worth checking out!

Are you interested in reading more about Jogja? Then check out the link below for all my Yogyakarta articles!

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