Visit Borobudur, Indonesia

Close to Yogyakarta is the vast pyramidal structure of Borobudur, one of Southeast Asia’s greatest religious relics.

This wonder is often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Myanmar’s Pagan, but it has a charm and grandeur all of its own.

History of Borobudur

Built between 750 and 850 AD, little is known about its early history before it fell into disuse and lay buried for centuries under layers of volcanic ash. It was only in the early 19th century that it was rediscovered and not until the 20th century that it was restored by the Dutch.

Hundreds of Buddha images stare impassively out over the plains, but even more enthralling are the startlingly detailed galleries and terraces that lead up to its central stupa, telling tales of ancient gods and immortalising long-resolved battles.