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Photo: Crisco 1492, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This Hindu temple pre-dates Prambanan by about 30 years, was only discovered in 1966, and is remarkably complete. Some archaeologists speculate that it is part of a yet to be discovered, much larger complex which lies hidden under centuries of volcanic ash and earth on the Prambanan Plain.
Sambisari is a 9th-century Hindu temple located at Sambisari hamlet, Purwomartani, Kalasan, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The temple was buried about five metres underground. Parts of the original temple have been excavated. The temple is located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east of Yogyakarta near Adisucipto Airport.
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This Buddhist temple is the oldest temple in Prambanan plain 3 km west of Prambanan. Take the main road from Prambanan heading back towards Yogyakarta, after 3 km the temple can be seen easily on south (left) side of the road. It is the oldest temple in Prambanan plain. According to Kalasan inscription, it was built to honour Tara, a female bodhisattva. The temple throne is now empty, statue of Tara probably made from bronze and have been looted for scrap metals for centuries, however the carvings of bodhisattvas are interesting.
This Buddhist temple was the vihara (temple and lodging) for Buddhist monks. Several hundreds meters north from the Kalasan temple in a walking distance. Just cross the main road to north side, walk east heading to Prambanan direction, after several hundred metres turn left into small village road and heading north until the temple is visible. The carving of Taras and Boddhisattvas are exquisite. Examine the winged human celestial creature similar to angels on the northern wall. The temple was originally coated by white plaster called 'vajralepa'. The temple was two storeys, with an upper deck made from wooden structure, the remnant of place to hold wooden beams can be seen.
Discovered in 1994 by sand diggers, 4 metres deep. Square base of main temple visible. Secondary temples not yet fully excavated.
A small Hindu temple discovered in 1937 near the Yogyakarta northern ring-road. The temple displays the statue of Ganesha and interesting carvings of faces on the roof section.
South of Prambanan. The ruins of a large palace or temple, located on a hill 200 metres above the Prambanan plain. The origin is uncertain, but is popularly described as the palace of King Boko from the Prambanan legend. The hilltop has a viewpoint of Prambanan that is popular at sunset, and makes for good pictures using a zoom lens. A series of pools suggests palace bathing quarters. Only building foundations remain and it's difficult to make sense of the sprawling site, and the available guides may not speak English. Ratu Boko is incorporated into the Borobudur Park Authority, but entry is separately charged >10 years old: US$25, aged 3 to 10 US$15. There is a combined ticket with Prambanan that saves a few dollars.
An open-air theatre inside the park, just west of Candi Prambanan right across the Opak river, has ballet Javanese dance performances of the great Hindu epic Ramayana on four nights during each full moon between May and October (dry season). The performance involves around 200 artists; dancers and gamelan musicians for about 2 hours, and is performed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. This performance, set against the starry sky and the lit backdrop of Prambanan with new LED lighting, is quite spell-binding. Enquire at travel agents locally or at your hotel for tickets and times. During the rainy season (November to April) the performance is held in the smaller indoor Trimurti theatre.