Head to the south-eastern outskirts of Yogyakarta to visit one of the city’s newest attractions, which is particularly popular with locals.

If you have a couple of spare hours, a visit to Bendhung Lepen Park will offer an interesting insight into the lives of the locals, far from the well-known tourist attractions.

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In 2020, the drainage channel running alongside the nearby waterfall was cleaned out, the surrounding area was landscaped and a riverside promenade was created.

Hundreds of fish, mostly koa carp, were released into the water channel. The area was painted in bright colours, and children’s play areas, benches and snack stalls were set up here; today, Bendhung Lepen Park is one of the most beautiful places to relax.

We recommend walking from Bendhung Lepen across the dam and through the local neighbourhood to the old town of Kotagede(approx. 2 km). You’ll discover a beautifully maintained suburb and get a glimpse into the daily lives of the locals.

Some guidebooks claim that this suburb of Yogyakarta is a slum-like area, but this is certainly not true. The streets are clean and well-kept, and the locals are very friendly.

You won’t come across any stray dogs on the streets; only the occasional cat might dart past.

How to get there

The quickest way is via the Grab or Gojek mobile apps. From the city centre, you’ll usually pay around 30 000 idr.

It’s also easy to get here by bus to Giwangan bus station, from where it’s about a 10-minute walk to the park (see route map).

• Malioboro – route 3A (from the city centre) or 3B (to the city centre – stops on Bhayangkara Street, about a 5-minute walk from Malioboro)
• Tamansari – routes 3A (from the city centre) or 3B (to the city centre), 9, 11
• Lempuyangan – routes 4B (from the city centre) or 4B (to the city centre)

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