Between Yogyakarta and Prambanan, unbeknownst to tourists lies a string of temples. Near Kalasan stands one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Indonesia (778, although its current guise is thought to date from the 10C). It is dedicated to Tara, a stellar divinity of Tantric Buddhism. Candi Kalasan's stylistic originality lies in the kala embellishing the main door and surrounded by floral motifs, lions and gandharva (celestial musicians). You can walk to the next temple (200m to the north), which stands in a tropical setting.