Asia

If you’ve been dreaming of Indonesia but you’re not sure Bali is the right fit for your family, let me introduce you to a gem we fell in love with: Yogyakarta, or as the locals call it, Jogja. We chose Yogyakarta with kids for one reason: we wanted culture, not crowds. Bali’s beaches are stunning, sure, but the thought of elbowing our way through tourist hotspots with two little ones wasn’t our idea of relaxing travel.

If you’re visiting Yogyakarta and need an activity that’s both fun and educational, taman pintar with kids is an easy choice to add to your itinerary. It combines outdoor play areas, a science museum, and a planetarium in one central location, making it simple for families to spend a half or full day here without running all over Jogja. While some parts are a bit dated, there’s plenty to keep children curious and engaged.

When we first landed in Yogyakarta, we set ourselves up in the southern part of the city, right near the history, temples, and local markets. It was perfect for soaking in the culture. But one morning, after breakfast with the kids, I looked at Steven and said, “We need coffee. Good coffee.”

Here’s the thing, most of the newer, modern cafes in Yogyakarta aren’t tucked down here in the south. They’re clustered up north, where the hip, design-savvy crowds seems to gather.

If you’re trying to figure out how to get to Yogyakarta with kids, I’ve got you. We just spent 26 days exploring the city as a family, and let me tell you, this is one of those places that feels worth the effort. It’s vibrant, deeply cultural, packed with locals on holiday, and a world away from the tourist scene in Bali. It felt safe. It felt real. And even though it’s not the easiest city to reach, especially with little ones, I’ll walk you through everything we did to make it smooth, from booking the train to arriving stress-free in the heart of Yogyakarta.

We visited Taman Sari with kids because it kept coming up as a must-see in Yogyakarta. It’s one of those places locals visit too, which usually tells me it’s worth checking out. We weren’t sure how much the kids would care about a historic bathhouse, but we figured we’d let them wander and see what happened.

You ever just need a day where your kids can run wild, and you’re not constantly hovering or redirecting? That was exactly what we needed when we found Ibarbo Park Yogyakarta. It’s not the kind of place you’ll see on every “Top 10 Things to Do in Indonesia” list, but if you’ve got young kids and you’re spending time in Jogja, it’s the kind of low-key win you don’t want to miss.