If ever there was a place shaped by resilience and faith, it’s Semarang. This city on Java’s north coast is the gateway to Borobudur, the awe-inspiring 9th-century Buddhist monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, buried for centuries beneath volcanic ash and only rediscovered in 1814. Bell-shaped stupas and intricate stone reliefs trace the path to enlightenment, drawing the faithful from around the world to its sacred walls. Not far away, the towering spires of Prambanan—Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple—rise from the plain, carved with scenes from ancient epics. While the temples are unmissable, Semarang itself rewards deeper exploration. Once a vital port in the Dutch East Indies, the city’s Old Town still whispers of 17th-century grandeur, with canals and ornate façades reflecting a layered history of spice trade, devotion, and migration.
