I walked up the stairs cautiously to avoid tripping in complete darkness. Guided by the dim rays of a handheld flashlight, I made my way up the uneven stairs at dawn.

After a week in Jakarta that often ended in late-night karaoke, I was craving to get a taste of Indonesian history. Only a quick plane ride away from the capital, Yogyakarta is a historic and cultural hub of Indonesia. The land surrounding Yogya is home to many Hindu and Buddhist temples.


My attempt to catching sunrise at Borobudur failed that particular cloudy morning. But the 9th century Buddhist temple, made up of 2,672 panels and over 500 Buddha statues, was still a photogenic site. After morning tea at Borobudur, I went to the Hindu temple Prambanan. As someone raised by agnostic parents, I have always found religion intriguing.