Indonesia
Many travellers will mention Indonesia as one of their all-time favourite destinations. No matter what your interests, there is bound to be something in this vast, diverse, colourful archipelago that will appeal and its array of sights, sounds and smells will stay with you for a long time. Indonesia straddles the equator and covers no less than 5,000 km and 17,000 islands.
Of these, the better known are Bali, Lombok, Java and Sumatra and there is plenty to do and see on these islands alone, but there’s many a reward to be had by venturing further afield to the likes of Sulawesi and Kalimantan, where tourists barely tread and many a natural wonder await.
This is a country which requires months, rather than weeks, to fully appreciate its diversity. It is also one of the cheapest places in the world to travel around, so many travellers end up prolonging their stay.
Bali is the country’s most visitor-friendly island and the place that many travellers start out. It has a reputation for being little more than a beach resort but there is a lot more to it than that. There are indeed some great opportunities for swimming and other watersports and this is the place to party at night, however a trip inland will reveal another side to Bali with lush vegetation, pretty rice fields and villages and some splendid temples and architecture.
Take a boat trip out of Bali or Lombok and head to Flores - a beautiful, unspoilt place where a warm welcome awaits – and on to Komodo, the home of the incredible dragons of the same name.
Visit Java for its incredible volcanoes such as Gunung Bromo and for Borobudur, the enigmatic and beautiful Buddhist temple. Head to Sumatra for some adventure, where there are numerous opportunities for jungle trekking, volcano climbing, diving and orang-utan spotting. Or for a even more remote adventure experience, go to Kalimantan - which occupies two thirds of Borneo - to witness spectacular rainforests, wildlife, rivers, traditional villages and remote, tropical island beaches. Diving enthusiasts should head to the unspoilt, crystal clear waters of Sulawesi, in particular Bunaken in the far north, and the Togian Islands.
Travelling from one part of Indonesia to another can take days. However, it is will worth the effort and the journeys themselves can provide some rather wonderful memories. Be prepared for over-filled buses which bump along the windy roads right through the night, ferries packed to the hilt with locals visiting their families and transporting various wares by the sack load. Indonesia is also famed for its ‘rubber time’, so just because a ferry is scheduled to arrive at a certain time, it may be hours – or even days - late! Whilst internal travels can be challenging, they won’t break the bank and a ferry from one island to the next costs no more than a night’s accommodation in a hostel – and locals pay the same prices as tourists.
Unfortunately, a history of war and now the threat of terrorism have made certain areas of Indonesia prone to various government warnings over recent years, advising travellers not to visit. It is vital that you check the latest advice, before heading to any part of Indonesia.
