The entry fees to Borobudur, arguably the most famous Indonesian temple, looks to be on the way up after the government’s previous plan to hike the fee was shot down amid unfavorable public opinion.
In June 2022, the government said it would increase the entrance fees to the UNESCO World Heritage site to IDR750K (US$49.57) for local tourists and US$100 for foreign tourists. That plan was scrapped amid pushback from the public and accusations of the policy being financially exclusionary.
Today, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said the government is once again in talks with park management firm Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) to discuss raising Borobudur’s entry fees.
“So TWC is studying the feasibility of charging domestic visitors from IDR100K (US$6.61) to IDR150K (US$9.91) and IDR500K (US$33.05) for foreign tourists. TWC will finalize the fees,” Sandiaga said.
Currently, the general entry fee for domestic visitors is IDR50K (US$3.30), while foreign tourists are charged US$25 for adults and US$15 for children.
The proposed new fees are not as steep as those touted last year, but we imagine their finalization would depend heavily on the public’s reaction.
Last year, the government argued that raising Borobudur’s entry fees was a necessary measure to limit the number of visitors at the complex and to better conserve the iconic Buddhist temple.
