Stepping outside my homestay into the soft morning light, I was greeted by an impressive sight: the dramatic outcrops of Gunung Api Purba, a jungle-shrouded volcanic summit that rises from the fertile plains east of the city of Yogyakarta. I’d arrived here under cover of darkness the previous evening, making this grand reveal all the more spectacular. But what I didn’t appreciate, at least not yet, was that it is the people of Nglanggeran, not its rock formations, that make this serene Javanese village such a special place.
Centrally located on the Indonesian island of190 such villages worldwide recognized by the UNWTO as outstanding rural tourism destinations, a lineup that ranges from the medieval town of Oñati in Spain’s Basque Country to Pyeongsa-ri in South Korea, Higueras in Mexico, and the Balinese hamlet of Penglipuran, which became Indonesia’s second entry in the network last year. Nglanggeran secured its place on the list due in large part to the efforts of a determined youth delegation bent on broadening the appeal of their village. Their goal was to encourage those visitors who come to climb Api Purba to stay a bit longer for an immersion into Javanese village life. This might include interactions such as learning to weave (young coconut leaf) decorations or playing in a band with village musicians.
