We had a guide take us around this property. As others have mentioned most of the signage is not in English so it’s helpful to have a guide. There are several buildings but not a lot beyond that. There was an interesting exhibit to inform international visitors of the variety of agricultural products which Java grows. There are many vendors trying to get your attention as you enter.

The Kraton (Palace) of Yogyakarta is one of the highlights of the city. It's the residence of the sultan, and part of the complex is off-limits to the public. It's an interesting visit, but it didn't strike me as particularly remarkable. You can stroll through the gardens, enter some rooms, and see exhibitions dedicated to the sultan's family, but that's about it.

Visited the Royal palace as part of a larger tour of the kraton area. It was 25000IR per foreign adult to enter. There was a different fee structure for locals. Soon after entry a guide attached themselves to us. I got the impression this wasn’t optional but the guide did stand point blank at the end and insist we ‘pay her’ which was a bit confusing as there was no real price agreed upon and it kind of felt like it was part of the ticket price (I did intend to tip regardless). I did find the guide to be somewhat helpful as they did allow a lot of context to some of the exhibits. A lot of the royal palace was closed or off limits to visitors as I believe the current sultan still resides here. In addition during the period of Ramadan there were no daily performances so keep that in mind if you’re planning a visit between now and April 10 2024. There were a few decent exhibits featuring various treasures and trinkets of the royal family. There were information boards in English as well. I think the whole tour took about an hour. It was alright although I wouldn’t say this is a ‘must do’ when visiting Indonesia.

Very interesting place to visit with a guide from Kraton. Once you’ve paid the entrance ticket, let you meet by one of the many inside visiting guide and let you lead through history and actual life and tradition of the Sultan’s family palace and special territory of Yogyakarta. During time 30-45 minutes, depends on the questions you ask to the kindly guide. Don’t forget, the guides are volunteer, so tip is appreciated.

This is a museum, religious site and civic centre rolled into one. It makes for a relaxing visit, where you can wander around the sites at leisure. We visited during Ramadan, during which the gamelan was silent. Watch out for the hawkers around the site. They are aggressive and persistent.

This sultan's palace was built between 1756 and 1790. It was conceived as both the royal residence and the focal point of the entire kingdom. The complex is a center of Javanese culture and contains a museum displaying royal artifacts. The palace hosts gamelan (music), Javanese dance, macapat (poetry), and wayang (shadow puppetry) performances. The day I visited they had an impressive dance performance.

If you have limited time in Jogja, you can probably skip the Sultan's Palace / Yogyakarta Palace. There isn't a whole lot to see / do here. The cultural performances in the morning, usually before 12 noon, are interesting to watch, but the architecture isn't as engaging as I expected. There are some temporary exhibitions right now (July 2024), which are interesting as well if you want to learn about the culture.