Asia-Pacific reporter Patrick Barta on exploring Borobudur, one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the world.

By PATRICK BARTA, The Wall Street Journal 

Bell-shaped stupas are at the summit of the temple. (Patrick Barta/WSJ) 

What it is: Located in the heart of the Indonesian island of Java, Borobudur is a massive, mysterious stone temple built between 775 and 850 A.D., but abandoned when Islam became more prevalent in Indonesia. The temple was restored in the 1970s and 1980s and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It now stands as one of Asia's most important holy sites. The temple is built in several terraced levels with hundreds of decorative reliefs depicting scenes from Javanese life 1,000 years ago. Pilgrims travel from across the world to ascend the temple's summit -- a journey that is supposed to bring visitors to the highest level of enlightenment. The top offers sublime views of the Javanese countryside, with rice paddies, coffee plantations and volcanic mountains. Borobudur is also close to Yogyakarta, a city of 500,000 people that is the center of Javanese fine art and culture. It is a major destination for handicrafts and performing arts, including Indonesian puppet shows. Tourists can hire a cyclo to ride through town to visit a sultan's palace and a large market of handmade batik fabrics. 

Where to eat: Dining options are a bit limited around Borobudur; top restaurants are located in hotels and guesthouses. Most visitors schedule at least one meal at Amanjiwo's restaurant, which is open to non-guests and serves a mixture of Western and Indonesian food, including a Javanese tasting menu with satays and other local specialties. Food stalls nearby also serve basic Indonesian fare such as nasi goreng, or Indonesian fried rice. 

Where to stay: The ultra-luxurious Amanjiwo (www.amanjiwo.com; +62-293-788-333; rooms start at $700 a night), set in a valley among rice paddies about three miles from Borobudur, is built to mimic the temple's style and feels like a major monument in itself. Built with local limestone, it features an art gallery and a dramatic colonnaded open-air dining room that overlooks Borobudur and the surrounding mountains. Rooms feature rattan furniture, Javanese textiles and domed roofs. Activities include tours on the backs of elephants and midnight treks up a nearby volcano. 

For more affordable rates, Saraswati (www.saraswatiborobudur.com; +62-293-788-843; rooms start at $89 a night) has comfortable rooms in a peaceful estate in an enclosed area off a road leading into the temple. It has a pleasant inner courtyard, a large garden pool and traditional Indonesian xylophone performances in the lobby. Many visitors stay in Yogyakarta, about 50 minutes away. The best value there is the Grand Mercure Yogyakarta (www.mercure.com; +62-274-566-617; rooms start at about $50 a night), in an elegantly restored colonial building.