The only thing small about Indonesia's Borobudur temple is the crowd

BOROBUDUR, Indonesia -- If you prefer to avoid the crowds, a good time to visit a tourist mecca is during its low season or at times of political instability when most people are too afraid to come.

It's even better if you can combine the two -- as I did when I visited 1,100-year-old Borobudur temple that rises from lush rice paddies and cane fields in the heart of Indonesia's Java Island.


	A statue of Buddha resides on a terrace of 1,100-year-old Borobudur temple on Java Island. The giant monument, composed of six square terraces and three circular ones stacked upon each other to form a pyramid, was restored by Dutch colonizers in the past century and is now a World Heritage Site. AP

OK, it rained a little and there was the remote threat of bombs exploding. But the hoards of other visitors who normally throng to such a tourist treasure were absent.

Wrapped around a hill, the giant monument is built from volcanic rock spewed from nearby rumbling mountains. Six square terraces and three circular ones are stacked upon each other to form a pyramid that towers over the surrounding plains.

Carved into the massive stone blocks are 1,212 reliefs, depicting Buddha's journey from everyday life, on the lower terraces, to enlightenment on the upper levels.

The story is interspersed with pictures of Javanese life during the first millennium, complete with monsters, sea battles and processions of elephants, warriors and dancing girls.

Sitting above the galleries are 72 life-size statues of Buddha. Several have had their heads lopped off by 19th-century explorers looking for souvenirs. Others are partially hidden under latticed, bell-shaped stone structures. To touch one is believed to bring good luck.

The spiraling journey around each level, finally reaching the top, is three miles long.

Damaged by earthquakes and buried under ash from nearby volcanoes long ago, Borobudur was restored by Dutch colonizers during the past century and is now listed as a World Heritage Site.

During Buddhist holidays, pilgrims from around the world, including monks in saffron robes, flock to the temple to worship.

Hotels have been built nearby and the few tourists visiting the region at the moment are encouraged to make the most of other attractions in the area.

Half an hour's drive to the temple's northeast is the bubbling 9,794-foot Mount Merapi. Lava, ash and clouds of noxious gasses often can be seen spewing from its crater.

When volcanologists are not predicting a major eruption, travelers are able to hike up part of the mountain and watch the glowing lava cascading down its slopes.

Also close by is the ancient city of Yogyakarta, where a revered sultan living in an ornate palace still rules over his 1 million subjects.

Behind the polluted main streets, life is unhurried, as it has been for centuries. Three-wheeled trishaws, horse-drawn carts and bicycles clog the narrow lanes that wend their way between old wooden houses.

The city prides itself on its cultural heritage. There is a thriving craft industry, where visitors can pick up intricately carved leather shadow puppets, batik, silver sculptures and pottery.

Yogyakarta is also home to about 40 colleges. There are frequent demonstrations by students, determined to have their say as Indonesia struggles in its transition to democracy after three decades of dictatorial rule.

Last year there were small unexplained bomb blasts in the city while several larger ones rocked Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, about 240 miles to the northwest.

The unrest prompted the U.S. State Department in December to recommend that Americans avoid all non-essential travel to Indonesia.

But a few travelers are still coming. Several tourists make Borobudur and Yogyakarta a brief side trip after visiting the resort island of Bali, a one-hour flight away.

"Now is the best time to visit," says Sugi Yanto, the marketing manager of the Dusun Jogja Village Inn, a boutique hotel on Yogyakarta's outskirts. "It is safe and so few tourists are here."

If you go...

GETTING THERE: There are six flights a day between Jakarta and Yogyakarta and four a day from Bali. Flight time is about one hour for both. Traveling overland from Bali is possible by minibus but may take up to 24 hours on busy roads. From Jakarta, there are several trains a day, costing about $15 for air-conditioned first class, which can take between seven and 10 hours.

GETTING AROUND: Getting from Yogyakarta to Borobudur temple takes an hour by car. Vehicles with a driver can easily be rented at the airport or from hotels for about $35 a day. Exploring Yogyakarta is best by three-wheeled pedicab or horse-drawn cart for about $2 an hour.

LODGING: Hotels in Yogyakarta range from a couple of dollars for basic lodging up to $130 for the five-star Sheraton Mustika. In between is the friendly boutique hotel Dusun Jogja Village Inn for about $35. Set amid rice paddies near Borobudur is the luxury resort Aman Jiwa, where a room with a private pool overlooking the temple costs about $700 a night. All prices are subject to 21 percent tax and service.

DINING: In Yogyakarta, if you feel like eating as the locals do, visit any of the many street stalls on Malioboro Street in the heart of the city and eat fried chicken with a spicy sauce made from local fruits. In the north of the city is the tranquil Gajah Wong restaurant, with a menu of Western, Eastern and Indonesian dishes. Around Borobudur there are only a few Western-style eateries, the best being at the Aman Jiwa hotel.

TOURS: Most hotels will arrange tours to nearby attractions. For cheaper packages, visit the backpackers Sosrowijayan area near the train station in Yogyakarta or Prawirotaman Street in the south of the city for dozens of local tour companies.

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