Yogyakarta

Mongolian citizens with an ordinary passport get the B1 tourist visa at the border or in advance online at evisa.imigrasi.go.id (e-VOA): up to 30 days, fee Rp500,000, extendable once for 30 days. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months and you need a return or onward ticket.

Within 3 days before arrival, complete the immigration, customs and health declaration in one go on All Indonesia, free of charge, and keep the QR code. Beware of agent sites that charge a fee. If you enter via Jakarta or Bali, fill it in for that airport.

Only about 1,200 people a day may climb to Borobudur's upper terraces, so book the dated, timed ticket (Rp455,000 for a foreign adult) early on the official site. The upper structure is closed on Mondays. The dry season (May–September) is the best time.

The KA Bandara train runs from YIA to Tugu (Yogyakarta) station: regular trains Rp10,000–20,000, Xpress from Rp40,000, ~40 min. The last train leaves YIA at 20:55. Buy tickets at the station machines or in the Access by KAI app.

If you land late or have lots of luggage, take the official taxi counter in arrivals or Grab/Gojek straight to your hotel — about an hour to the centre. For a big family, pre-booking a car with driver is the most comfortable.

The Taksaka train runs from Jakarta's Gambir station several times a day and reaches Tugu in ~6 hours; on a morning train you see Java's rice fields all the way. Tickets sell out quickly around holidays.

If your phone supports eSIM, installing an Indonesia eSIM before you go is easiest. Otherwise buy a Telkomsel tourist SIM at the airport or a city store, registered with your passport — it has the best coverage around Gunung Kidul and Merapi. Short trips need no phone IMEI registration.

Tip: Download Grab, Google Maps offline areas and Indonesian for offline translation.

Most hotels and cafés have free Wi-Fi. Coverage can be weak in the caves and on the volcano slopes, so save tickets and hotel bookings on your phone.

Grab and Gojek are cheap and reliable in the city. Trans Jogja buses run along the main roads but the routes are hard to follow, so check Google Maps. Around Malioboro, agree andong (horse cart) and becak (cycle rickshaw) fares before you get in.

For places outside the city — Borobudur, Prambanan, Merapi, Jomblang, Pindul — hiring a car with driver for the day suits families best; book through your hotel. For sunrise trips you leave in the early hours.

Scooters can be rented, but city traffic is heavy and drives on the left. An International Driving Permit and a helmet are compulsory. If you're inexperienced, use Grab or Gojek motorbike taxis instead.

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR, Rp); there are many zeros, so check your notes carefully. You need cash at markets, street stalls, for andong and becak rides and in the cave villages. BCA, Mandiri and BNI ATMs inside malls and banks are the safest; exchange at authorised money changers.

Visa and Mastercard work at hotels, malls and chain restaurants. Indonesia's QRIS QR payments are everywhere but usually don't work with foreign cards. Bargaining for batik on Malioboro is normal.

Gudeg (young jackfruit slow-cooked in coconut milk, Yogyakarta's signature dish), ayam goreng, satay, bakpia (small bean-filled pastries) and the little plates at evening 'angkringan' street stalls. For children, nasi goreng and mie goreng are safe choices.

Tip: If you don't want chilli, order 'tidak pedas'.

Don't drink tap water; drink bottled or hotel-filtered water. Choose busy places that cook fresh, and be careful with ice at street stalls.

Unified emergency number 112, police 110, ambulance 119, fire 113, search and rescue 115. Operators may speak only Indonesian, so ask hotel staff to help.

On Malioboro, ignore the 'batik exhibition today only' pitch that leads you to a shop. Merapi is an active volcano — follow the exclusion zone and pick a registered jeep operator. Currents at Parangtritis are very strong; don't swim.

Hospitals such as RSUP Dr. Sardjito, Jogja International Hospital and Siloam Hospitals Yogyakarta have emergency departments and English-speaking doctors. Private care is expensive — call your insurer's assistance line first.

At Borobudur, Prambanan and the Kraton wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees; a sarong is provided when needed. Don't climb or sit on stupas and statues. At a mosque take your shoes off, and women cover their hair. During Ramadan avoid eating and drinking in public in the daytime.

Use your right hand to give money or things and to eat. Don't touch people's heads or point with your finger. Javanese people value quiet, polite interaction, so keep smiling and don't raise your voice, even when bargaining.

All Indonesia — the arrival card. Indonesia e-Visa — get and extend the e-VOA. InJourney Destination — tickets for Borobudur, Prambanan and the Ramayana ballet. Agent sites charge more, so use the official ones.

Grab and Gojek — rides and food delivery. Access by KAI — train tickets. Google Maps — offline maps. Download Indonesian in Google Translate for offline use.

Airport trains run from Tugu to YIA between 4:20 and 19:16, ~40 min. For very early or late flights book a taxi or Grab and allow about an hour on the road.

Before an international flight, check the customs part of All Indonesia and make sure you haven't overstayed your visa — overstaying means a fine for every day. Antiquities and animal-product souvenirs may not be exported; keep receipts for batik and silver.