Borobudur (Java)

The largest Buddhist monument in the world is an hour northwest of Yogyakarta, on the central Javanese plain. Borobudur is a ninth-century stone mandala in nine stacked terraces, carved with two and a half kilometres of relief panels and crowned by seventy-two stupas around a central dome. Sunrise from the upper terraces, with mist rising off the surrounding forest and Mount Merapi smoking on the horizon, is the photograph people come for. Combine with Prambanan, the Hindu temple complex of slim spires twenty kilometres east, for the full central-Javanese day.

Borobudur ninth-century Buddhist stupa rising above tropical mist at sunrise, stone Buddha statues silhouetted against warm orange sky, distant volcanoes on the horizon — Borobudur at sunrise.

Prambanan ninth-century Hindu temple complex of dark volcanic stone spires reaching into a deep purple dusk sky, intricate carvings catching the last warm light — Prambanan temple complex at dusk.

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