Your all-in-one travel partner in Yogyakarta

Merapi is Java's most famous volcano, and the best way to see it is on two wheels. We leave the homestay before sunrise, when the air is cool and the summit is usually clear of cloud, and ride up through villages and salak fruit farms to a quiet viewpoint on the southern slopes.

Prefer a night trip? When Merapi is active, clear nights can reveal glowing lava trails on the upper slopes, one of the most unforgettable sights in Java. Lava is never guaranteed, but the stars and the lights of the city spread out below always are. Either way you stop for local coffee and a warm snack on the way back.

Safety first: we check the official volcano alert level before every trip and only go to areas that are open to visitors. Bring a light jacket, because it gets cold up there.

The real Yogyakarta lives in its kampung lanes, not on the main streets. Our local female guide grew up here and takes you where tour buses never go: batik and silver workshops, quiet temples, rice fields at the edge of the city and the warungs where families have cooked the same recipes for decades.

Expect to taste gudeg, bakmi Jawa, sate klathak and fresh es dawet, and to learn a few words of Javanese along the way. A comfortable and safe choice for solo female travellers, and for anyone who wants to see Jogja through a local's eyes.

Helmets are included. Ride as a passenger or bring your own rented scooter and follow along.

Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world, and sunrise there is unforgettable. Leave early to beat the heat and the crowds. Climbing the temple itself now works with a limited daily quota and a special ticket, so tell us your date early and we will help you plan around it.

Prambanan, the great Hindu temple complex, is closer to the city and glows at sunset. In the dry season you can stay for the Ramayana Ballet on the open-air stage with the temples lit up behind the dancers.

Our tip: do Borobudur in the morning, rest at lunch, and finish at Prambanan for golden hour. A private car keeps the whole day relaxed and flexible.

Jomblang Cave is a huge collapsed sinkhole with an ancient forest at the bottom. You are lowered in by rope with professional local guides, then walk through a dark tunnel to Grubug Cave, where beams of sunlight pour through an opening in the roof. The light is strongest around late morning, so we plan your departure to arrive on time.

Combine it with Goa Pindul nearby: lie back on an inner tube and drift along an underground river past stalactites, guided by the local villagers who run the site.

Wear clothes you don't mind getting muddy and bring a change of clothes. We arrange the car, driver and site booking for you.

Kedung Pedut is a series of small waterfalls and natural pools with striking turquoise water, tucked into the forest of the Menoreh hills west of Yogyakarta. A short walk on a jungle path takes you to the falls, where you can swim, wade and relax in the shade.

Make it a full nature day by adding the nearby tea plantations and hilltop viewpoints, or the Kembang Soka waterfalls in the same area. The ride out through villages and rice terraces is half the fun.

Go on a weekday morning for the calmest water and the fewest people. Bring swimwear, sandals with grip and a small towel. Reach it by scooter or with a private car and driver.