I visited this WHS in August 2018. Borobodur is Indonesia's most visited site and is known as the world's largest Buddhist archaelogical site. That said, I must confess that what impresses most is not its size but its architecture and the quality of its reliefs.

Borobodur is built in the form of a step pyramid with an important focus on symbolism and cosmology. It is built as a single large stupa with 9 platforms, the lower 6 being squarish and the remaining upper 3 being circular. It is symbolically divided in 3 realms of Buddhist cosmology: Kamadhatu (the world of desires), Rupadhatu (the world of forms), and Arupadhatu (the formless world) and the reliefs' themes follow these 3 realms. Unfortunately, these magnificent reliefs are often overlooked or ignored nowadays as most visitors rush to the top platform to see the 72 photogenic small bell-shaped stupas surrounding the larger central stupa and the panoramic views especially at sunrise and/or sunset.

Don't get me wrong, the views from the upper platform at sunrise and sunset are sublime and worthwhile. They can be less noisy and crowded then other sites famous for sunrise/sunset such as Bagan or Angkor Wat to name a few as there is no specific iconic building/temple or spot were everyone gathers. Moreover there are two huge volcanoes and 3 uncovered small stupas with Buddha statues so this helps.

However, in ancient times pilgrims to Borobodur circumambulated the narrow corridors on each level in slow succession. Keeping the main wall of the monument always to their right, meditating and praying, pilgrims used to trace a slow spiritual progress to the summit, achieving an ever purer state of mind, progressively detaching themselves from the miseries of the world. Borobodur's architecture reinforces this process as the lower levels are labyrinthine, while the higher ones are gradually open culminating in Nirvana among several Buddha statues. When viewed from above, Borobodur has the shape of a giant tantric Buddhist mandala.

Of all the WHS I've visited, Borobodur has the most impressive and detailed reliefs. They truly are outstanding not only for the sheer quantity and their incredible detail but mostly because they were sculpted out of hard lava stone and not out of limestone or sandstone as in Sanchi or Hampi in India. Even though due to erosion and volcanic ash, their colour is now mostly grey or black, it is believed that they were once covered with plaster and painted in different colours. To me, Borobodur's OUV truly lies in the quality and variety of its carvings and reliefs.

Moreover, Borobodur is an outstanding example of how UNESCO can help conserve such an incredible site. In 1975, over a million stones were painstakingly removed, cleaned, treated, catalogued and put in place again in one of the world's largest jigsaw puzzles. In a way this reminded me of other massive projects at the time such as those at Abu Simbel in Egypt. As recently as in 2010, after Mt Merapi's eruption, more than 55,000 stone blocks comprising the temple's structure were dismantled to restore the drainage system, which had been clogged by slurry after heavy rains. In 2012 special chemical and microbiological treatments were applied to the stones to help conserve the reliefs. Eruptions and earthquakes are a constant threat and probably the main reason why such a wonder was abandoned and almost forgotten till relatively recent times.

I spent 2 nights in Borobodur and had initially booked myself a room at the Manohara Hotel within the temple compound. To my surprise, a few weeks before my arrival when I was more concerned because of the strong earthquakes shaking Lombok and the Gilis, the hotel contacted me that it was closing down as it was to be converted into a Buddhist meditation centre, a bit like similar structures in Bodhgaya, Lumbini, Sarnath, etc. I booked in a different hotel but got discounted rates for the sunrise, sunset and normal entrances for the inconvenience.

I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy excellent weather during both sunsets and sunrises (one of which I took in from far away from Punthuk Setumbu - only worth it if you have extra time to spare). Sunrise was my personal favourite because there were less people but mostly because of the two huge volcano silhouettes that appeared before us as the sun rose, only to disappear as the sun rose further. Just after sunrise was also the best time to explore the lower platforms and reliefs almost alone as most return to their hotels for breakfast.

I was so amazed by the reliefs that I decided to skip breakfast and kept exploring the temple till sunset, admiring the exquisite reliefs at different times of the day with different sunlight. And here is my only disappointment with the way Borobodur is managed. Unfortunately, like several other top WHS worldwide, not only are the entrances prices expensive but every excuse is used to rake more money out of visitors. Being quite close to Prambanan and Yogyajakarta, most visitors just visit the site en route and only stay for sunrise and possibly a couple of hours and then proceed to Prambanan for sunset. Unlike, Angkor Wat for example were there are different tickets for cumulative days, there are only normal day tickets and a combination ticket for Borobodur and Prambanan on the same day. Nothing wrong here. But was really annoying, as was the case in Registan, Uzbekistan, was that you have to pay twice if you intend to revisit in the late afternoon for sunset or even if you stay from sunrise (as I did). The result is that at sunset, the few security guards start chasing those who try to avoid paying twice (and don't have the appropriate sticker displayed on their shirt) and ruin the atmosphere for the rest of the visitors. Surely, a better system could and should be found.

The Manohara Restaurant/Bar was still open when I visited and it was the closest place to buy something to eat and drink. The onsite museum is more like an incredible graveyard of misplaced stones and reliefs from the temple. The lowest platform was added after construction so as to bolster the structure and the majority of the reliefs are now hidden. This can be clearly seen at the southeast corner of the temple were some of the reliefs have been revealed. Just after going in through the normal (not sunrise) entrance, there is a black marble UNESCO inscription plaque. All in all, Borobodur is truly one of the best WHS on the list and like the majority of Indonesia's WHS, a top WHS that shouldn't be missed.