Unique Things to Do in Yogyakarta on Holiday
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Are you looking for a unique holiday idea in Yogyakarta that is not only memorable but also leaves you with a new skill to take home? If so, read this article to the end.
Holiday ideas for visitors to Jogja
Fanny Yu is a guzheng (古筝) player and singer based in Sleman, Yogyakarta. Visitors and newcomers can choose from 3 options:
- Holiday Program: short private guzheng (古筝) lessons, 1 on 1, 45 minutes per session, on a schedule you choose.
- Trial session: for a 1 to 3 day trip, try the guzheng (古筝) or take photos with a guzheng (古筝) while wearing hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing).
- Photoshoot: guzheng (古筝) and hanfu rental delivered to the place you pick, with help taking the photos.
Why look for a different holiday activity?
Photos at popular tourist spots, such as Prambanan and Borobudur Temple, are common and ordinary. Malioboro is one place that offers photo services in kebaya and traditional Yogyakarta attire at fairly affordable prices.
Yogyakarta is known for its wide range of attractions: batik classes, making chocolate (Cokelat Monggo), gamelan, wayang shows or ballet such as the Ramayana Ballet, cooking classes, art & craft, and even a delman ride around Malioboro.
Malioboro itself has a Chinatown area decorated in Chinese style. Teras Malioboro nearby is also filled with Chinese decorations.
Traditional Chinese instrument players in Jogja are few, and hardly anyone preserves and passes on that culture, including the guzheng (古筝). That is why learning the guzheng (古筝) in Jogja is a special experience.
Why learn the guzheng (古筝) on holiday?
The guzheng (古筝) is a Chinese plucked zither with 21 strings. Its sound is clear and melodious, like the plucking of a harp, yet it has its own character with a wide variety of techniques. No wonder many people fall in love when they hear its melodies.
Learning music often feels like a task or an obligation, and it is not unusual to struggle with motivation. With Fanny Yu, you can enjoy a different way of learning and playing music.
Only in Jogja
Born and raised in the big city of Surabaya, Fanny Yu has spent 10+ years of her life in the music and entertainment industry.
After living in Yogyakarta for a few years, she found that blending and preserving Chinese culture with Javanese tradition is a unique feature of Indonesia worth keeping alive. Not many people do this in Jogja.
Besides performing, Fanny Yu also teaches guzheng (古筝) classes online and offline. For visitors to Jogja, she has a special holiday program.
Holiday program details:
- Private 1:1 lessons, 45 minutes/session.
- Great for beginners, no basic music knowledge needed at all.
- The class schedule is flexible. Online and offline classes are available.
Bonus:
Fanny Yu has just launched the Holiday Program for you if you are wondering how to fill your holiday in Jogja.
Right now there is a FREE hanfu try-on and a photoshoot session at a studio / 1 tourist spot for those who register through the website.
The guzheng (古筝) rental for the 1-hour photoshoot is FREE, and photo and video service is included. Check the Holiday Program page for more information. Want photos only, without lessons? See guzheng (古筝) rental for a photoshoot in Jogja.
A sample Jogja holiday itinerary
Planning your holiday in D.I. Yogyakarta? Here is a 4-day itinerary around the area near our location, to make the most of your holiday with the Holiday Program guzheng (古筝) trial with Fanny Yu.
Our reference point is the area around Sleman City Hall, with Mount Merapi's slopes to the north and Prambanan Temple to the east. We suggest checking distances and opening hours on a map (Google Maps) before you go.
4-day itinerary
Day 1 Prambanan Temple & Guzheng (古筝) Experience
- Morning: breakfast, then a relaxed walk around the Prambanan Temple complex.
- Afternoon: lunch, then on to Ratu Boko Temple, not far from Prambanan.
- Evening: a short rest, then your guzheng (古筝) trial with Fanny Yu.
Day 2 Sightseeing & Photoshoot
- Morning: enjoy the panorama of Mount Merapi from Bukit Klangon.
- Afternoon: lunch and the cool mountain air in Kaliurang.
- Evening: a hanfu and guzheng (古筝) photoshoot at the tourist spot of your choice.
Day 3 Practice Guzheng (古筝) Again
- Morning: a slow breakfast and light practice of your first short song.
- Afternoon: a stroll and lunch around Malioboro, including the Chinatown area and Teras Malioboro.
- Evening: another guzheng (古筝) practice with Fanny Yu so your song gets smoother.
Day 4 The Final Video Take
- Morning: put on your hanfu, then record a final video of you playing the guzheng (古筝) at the tourist spot of your choice, for example Tebing Breksi.
- Afternoon: lunch while you watch the video.
- Evening: head home with the video and your first song as a keepsake.
Tips
Looking for more photo spots? Read hidden gem photo spots in Jogja. Prefer a different layout for your days? Read different holiday ideas in Jogja.
Who is it for?
This quick guzheng (古筝) learning program, the Holiday Program with Fanny Yu, suits solo travellers, expats who have just come home, couples looking for a new activity, and anyone who wants a fun holiday alternative in Jogja with friends or family.
Packages run from a single session up to an intensive 1-month program. Find the full details here.
If your trip is only 1 to 3 days, we also offer a trial session to try the guzheng (古筝) or simply take photos with a guzheng (古筝) while wearing hanfu, against the beauty of Jogja's tourist scenery. Pick your dates on the contact page, the Holiday Program format is already selected.
Want to try it?
See schedules, packages, and how to register on the Holiday Program page.
See the Holiday ProgramJust want photos with a guzheng (古筝)? Guzheng (古筝) rental in Yogyakarta for a photoshoot.