Borobudur climbing rules and dress code

Can I wear shorts at Borobudur?

Shorts are not recommended. The official guidance is clothing that covers shoulders and knees; a sarong may be provided or asked for.

Indonesia's tourism ministry asks for modest dress covering shoulders and knees, and notes that a scarf or sarong may be required. Some recent visitors say no sarong was handed out on the regular climb, others that the sunrise ticket included one. Do not rely on either: wear trousers, a long skirt or knee-length shorts plus a sarong, and a top with sleeves. Light colours stay cooler. White or modest clothing is the custom on religious days.

What are upanat sandals, and do I have to wear them?

Yes. Upanat are woven sandals made by local craftspeople, and they are mandatory on the stones. They come with your ticket and you keep them.

Introduced in 2023, they reduce abrasion on the andesite steps. You take your own shoes off at the foot of the temple and leave them in the storage area. Upanat are flat and thin, so the stairs feel steeper than they look: take them slowly, especially on the sunrise climb in the dark. The official climbing ticket page lists them as included. See our tickets guide for what else each ticket covers.

Do you need a guide to climb Borobudur?

Yes. Every climbing group goes up with a licensed local guide (pamong carita), and the guide is part of the ticket.

Groups are typically 15 to 20 people. The guide sets the pace, explains the reliefs and the meaning of the levels, and gives you a short spell of free time at the top, usually 10 to 15 minutes. A private guide can be arranged for an extra fee. On a tour, your tour guide or driver usually waits at the bottom while the temple guide takes you up.

How do the climbing sessions and route work?

Eight sessions a day, hourly from 08:30 to 15:30, each about 90 minutes and roughly 150 people. The route is one way: up from the east, round the galleries, down the other side.

You climb the east stairs, walk through the square galleries of reliefs and reach the three circular terraces of bell stupas at the top. Then you come down by a different stair. You cannot wander the levels freely or go back against the flow. The sunrise ticket follows its own route to the top terrace from 04:30.

Since July 2025 there is no climbing day off: older pages that say Monday is closed are out of date. Details in our daily climbing post.

The official temple sunrise from the top terrace: 03:30 pickup, Gate 7 at 04:00, breakfast after. Note the driver collects the sunrise ticket money before the tour.

★ 5.0 · 6 hours

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Can you touch the Buddha inside the stupas?

No. Putting your hand inside a stupa is banned, and so is sitting or climbing on stupas or walls and touching the reliefs.

For decades visitors reached through the lattice to touch the Buddha inside a terrace stupa for luck, a custom called Kunto Bimo. The Borobudur Conservation Office has banned it since at least 2023 to protect the stone, and it is not a Buddhist practice. It made headlines when a visiting head of state did it in May 2025, as Bisnis.com explained. Guides will stop you. Look, photograph, keep your hands to yourself.

Can you fly a drone or bring food at Borobudur?

No drones: flying over the temple is banned. No food or drink on the monument, and no pets, smoking or writing on the stones.

Tripods are also off-limits on the sunrise tour inside the temple with KOTA, per its listing. Eat before you go up. Several tours hand out bottled water; ask your guide where you can drink it. Litter goes back down with you.

How hard is the climb, and is it OK for kids?

It is a short climb but a steep one, on uneven stone stairs with tall steps. Children are welcome with an adult; people with mobility problems or heart conditions should think twice.

There is no official count of the steps, and the numbers online do not agree, so we will not print one. Expect several flights of steep, narrow stairs between the levels and a lot of walking round the galleries. The VIP sunrise climb says it is not suitable for people with high blood pressure, and the sunrise tour with breakfast advises against it for guests with mobility issues. Children climb at a lower ticket tier and must stay with an adult. Setumbu Hill is its own short, steep climb of about 15 minutes on paved steps, with a gazebo lower down for anyone who prefers to wait.

What should I bring to climb Borobudur?

Your passport or a copy, the e-ticket, modest clothes, a hat and sunscreen. Add a light layer and a torch for a sunrise.

• Documents: passport or a copy matching the booking name; e-ticket on your phone plus a screenshot.
• Clothes: shoulders and knees covered, a light layer for the pre-dawn hilltop.
• Sun: a hat and sunscreen; there is no shade on the upper terraces after 08:00.
• Light: a flashlight is provided on the sunrise ticket; bring a head torch for Setumbu.
• Cash: small notes for the village fee, parking or tips, and any entry your tour collects on the day.
• Rain gear from November to March, and shoes with grip for the hill paths.

For the hour that suits you best, see the best time to visit.

Frequently asked questions