Making a Scene at Kraton

July 01, 2014 ASEAN Backpacking

In the heart of Yogyakarta lies the magnificent Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, a royal palace that not only echoes with history but also draws in crowds of curious tourists. 


Our story starts on a day when we decided to continue a backpacking tradition that brought a unique twist to our travels—a dress-up day in traditional attire.



A cherished tradition 


In 2012, we posed with locals donning traditional clothes at Angkor Wat during our Mekong Trip, and in 2013, our Indochina Escapade led us to wear traditional attires at Wat Arun. 




Now, in Yogyakarta, we were on a quest to find traditional Indonesian attire for a memorable pictorial at Kraton.


Fitting Adventures

 

After checking in at Edu Hostel in Yogyakarta upon our arrival, we set out on a quest to find the perfect outfits at Anna Salon.


Negotiations were amusing, considering the language barrier, but the owners' patience with our merry group made the experience delightful. After hours of deliberation, I settled on a lovely pink dress, my favorite color.


With rates agreed upon, we headed back to our hostel for some rest, planning to return early the next day to collect our rentals. However, the notion of an 'early' visit eluded us, and what we thought would be a quick pick-up turned into a leisurely dressing-up session at Anna Salon.

 

A Pictorial Adventure at Kraton


When we arrived at Kraton, we were taken aback by the bustling crowds. I, not one to revel in attention from strangers, attempted to walk inconspicuously. That plan failed, as tourists started snapping photos as soon as we stepped into Kraton. 


We were hoping to find a quiet spot, but our presence attracted a continuous stream of onlookers.




Kraton, with its low-lying buildings, became our impromptu photoshoot backdrop. The audience halls, museums, and the royal residences became stages for our vibrant costumes and infectious laughter.

 


We managed to get a few good snaps though.



Extended Adventures at Water Castle


Not content with our pictorial success, we decided to extend our adventure to Water Castle. Despite causing delays to our itinerary, the additional photo sessions were worth every moment. 



We reveled in the joy of capturing memories and maintaining a tradition that transcended mere sightseeing.

 

Missed Opportunities and Anticipation


Our pictorials made us miss Prambanan, but it only made us more excited about visiting Yogyakarta again in the future. As we looked back on the day, the landmarks we missed became less important than the shared laughter, colorful outfits, and the unique joy of our backpacking tradition.


Looking Forward to Pink Dreams

We are now looking ahead to our 2015 backpacking trip, and the excitement is growing. I'm hoping for more pink clothes, ready to embrace the unknown and create vibrant memories on our journeys.

Ultimately, our spontaneous dress-up day became more than just a photoshoot—it turned into a tradition that brought our travels to life, making each adventure a unique chapter in our shared backpacking story.

Kelly is a public relations professional and entrepreneur whose projects have assisted multinational organizations, small and medium enterprises, government officers, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. She is partner-consultant of RubyComm-K.Austria, a public relations management and consultancy company. Kelly is also a former government employee having served at the Department of Tourism for two years. Being mountaineers, Kelly and her friends travel by land, sometimes on rough roads and trek for hours to give a new lease of hope to students. She is co-founder of the group TREK or Trails to Empower Kids.

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